RAD-150 (TLB-150)
RAD150, TLB-150 benzoate
Forms: A benzoate ester of RAD-140; testolone (RAD-140) itself has its own card.
Other esters and forms: Testolone (RAD-140)
SARMs & research compoundsNot approved for humansWADA S1.2 · prohibitedEvidence: anecdotal
A benzoate ester of the SARM RAD-140 (testolone), sold to gym users as a longer-acting RAD-140. No published study of it exists in humans or animals.
Legal status: Not approved anywhere; sold as a 'research chemical'. The FDA says SARMs cannot be legally sold as supplements; possession rules vary by country.
What it gives
What people use it for and what the sources report. Strength is a general category from the literature: mild, clear or strong.
Purpose
Taken by gym users and bodybuilders for muscle and strength gains, like RAD-140. Sellers assume the body splits off the ester and releases RAD-140; this has never been measured. Not approved for any use.
What people seek and what studies show
Users expect RAD-140's effects with steadier blood levels. No published study tested RAD-150 itself. If it does release RAD-140, the evidence is RAD-140's: muscle gains in rats and monkeys, and one human trial, in women with breast cancer, that measured tumors, not muscle, and found frequent liver-enzyme rises.
Effects
Evidence: Anecdotal — no real studies
Sought effects by goal (as reported)
Mass
Sought for: muscle growth, strength
Recomposition
Sought for: muscle growth
Strength
Sought for: strength, muscle growth
Possible side effects
Possible does not mean certain: whether they appear depends on dose, duration, individual response and monitoring. Below — what to watch for and how to notice it early.
13 possible side effects
level · how often it is reportedElevated
Suppression of natural testosterone & fertility
commonNever studied; if it releases RAD-140, a potent androgen, it is expected to shut down testosterone and sperm production; recovery may take months.
How to notice: Lower libido and energy, smaller testicles; after stopping — low natural testosterone on tests, often with tiredness and low mood.
In women: Menstrual changes or missed periods, lower libido and energy; reduced fertility.
Elevated
Worse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
commonNo data; potent oral SARMs such as RAD-140 consistently lower HDL, so a marked drop is expected.
How to notice: No symptoms — only visible on a lipid panel.
Elevated
Liver strain
possibleUntested; RAD-140 raised liver enzymes in about half of trial patients and severely injured a bodybuilder's liver. Unaccustomed heavy lifting raises AST/ALT for a week; GGT and bilirubin stay normal.
How to notice: Usually silent early; later tiredness, nausea, itch, dark urine.
Elevated
Kidney strain
rareRare: severe cholestatic liver injury from SARMs can also damage the kidneys (bile cast nephropathy), as in a published case.
How to notice: Usually silent; foamy urine or swelling in later stages. Big muscle mass or creatine also raise creatinine.
Elevated
Heart strain / heart-muscle thickening
rareUntested; RAD-140 has been linked to myocarditis and heart failure in young users. Rare, but chest pain or breathlessness needs urgent care.
How to notice: Shortness of breath on effort, endurance falling for no training reason, palpitations.
Moderate
Unknown long-term safety (little human data)
commonNo human or animal study of RAD-150 itself has been published; even its short-term safety is unknown.
How to notice: Nothing to notice — the risk is what is not yet known.
Moderate
Black-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
commonUnregulated product. In a JAMA analysis, of three products sold as RAD-140 one held other SARMs and one held nothing.
How to notice: Unexpected effects, pain or infection, a stronger or weaker effect than expected.
Moderate
Low libido / erectile problems
possibleLow libido or erectile problems can appear during use and after stopping, until hormones recover.
How to notice: Lower desire, weaker or less frequent erections.
In women: Lower desire and arousal.
MenLow
WomenHigh
Virilization in women (often irreversible)
possibleExpected to act as a clear androgen in women, like RAD-140, which raised PSA in its trial; voice and clitoral changes may be permanent.
How to notice: Hoarse or deeper voice, new facial or body hair, menstrual changes, clitoral enlargement.
Low
Too-low estrogen (joints, libido, mood, lipids)
possibleDoes not aromatize; deep suppression of natural testosterone can leave estradiol too low: joint aches, low libido, flat mood.
How to notice: Aching, stiff joints, low libido, flat mood, poor sleep.
Low
Irritability, aggression, mood swings
possibleIrritability and aggression are reported by RAD-140 users; not studied in trials.
How to notice: Short temper, irritability, conflicts with others.
Low
Acne, oily skin
possibleOily skin and acne are reported by RAD-140 users, mostly in those prone to them.
How to notice: Oily skin, spots on back, shoulders and face.
Low
Androgenic hair loss
possibleRAD-140 users report faster hair shedding when predisposed to androgenic baldness.
How to notice: More hair in the shower, thinning at the temples or crown.
What the levels mean
Lowbackground — just be aware
Moderatewatch for signs
Elevatedneeds regular control
Highcritical — can be life-threatening or permanent
Level: general category from the literature, not your personal risk
How often
- common
- reported often
- possible
- reported in some people
- rare
- reported occasionally
How to lower the risks
For 11 of 13 possible side effects there are specific ways to lower the chance: everyday measures, supplements and options a doctor may consider. For the rest — general advice. No measure removes a risk completely. Prescription medicines are listed only for a doctor to decide on, after tests — they have side effects of their own.
ElevatedSuppression of natural testosterone & fertility
Check hormones before and after; if they stay low, see an endocrinologist. Hard training on too little food (RED-S) also lowers testosterone.
Measure
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (8)
- Regular blood tests — LH, FSH and testosterone show how deep suppression is and whether natural production has recovered afterwards.
- Working with a doctor — Assesses how deep suppression is and guides recovery afterwards, including fertility testing.
- Choriogonadotropin alfa (recombinant hCG) — A doctor may consider it off-label to preserve fertility (it keeps the testes working); it does not restart the pituitary. Risks: higher estradiol, gynecomastia. Has side effects of its own.
- Clomiphene — A doctor may consider it after stopping, guided by hormone tests; most men recover on their own within months, and lasting benefit is unproven. Risks: vision changes, mood swings, rare clots. Has side effects of its own.
- hCG (urinary human chorionic gonadotropin) — A doctor may consider it to preserve fertility (in men it keeps the testes working); it does not restart the pituitary, so natural LH still has to recover. Risks: higher estradiol, gynecomastia. Has side effects of its own.
- Tamoxifen — A doctor may consider it after steroids are stopped, guided by hormone tests; it has not been tested for this after steroid use. Risks: blood clots, vision changes. Has side effects of its own.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropins, menotropins) — A fertility doctor may consider adding it to hCG when semen tests and FSH stay low; it does not restart the pituitary. Risks: gynecomastia, acne. Has side effects of its own.
- Toremifene — A doctor may consider it after steroids are stopped, guided by hormone tests; it raised testosterone in subfertile men but was never tested after steroids. Risks: QT prolongation, clots. Has side effects of its own.
ElevatedWorse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
Avoid combining several oral steroids; regular cardio, soluble fiber (psyllium), less saturated fat and alcohol; if LDL/ApoB stay high, a doctor may consider a statin. Omega-3 only lowers triglycerides.
Measure
Supplement or OTC product
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (13)
- Regular blood tests — A lipid panel with ApoB shows how far HDL has dropped and LDL risen — changes you cannot feel.
- Working with a doctor — Interprets lipids and ApoB and decides whether a statin or other therapy is warranted.
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Alcohol raises triglycerides; its small HDL bump does not lower heart risk.
- Regular cardio training — Raises HDL a little and lowers triglycerides; it cannot offset a steroid-driven fall in HDL on its own.
- Berberine — Placebo-controlled meta-analysis: LDL about 0.5 and triglycerides about 0.4 mmol/L lower; HDL unchanged. Trials are mostly small; no statin substitute.
- Citrus bergamot — Pooled small trials show lower LDL and triglycerides, but certainty is low to very low; it is no replacement for statins.
- Omega-3 (fish oil, EPA/DHA) — Lowers triglycerides but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm; omega-3 supplements may even raise LDL (IOC).
- Psyllium husk fiber — Lowers LDL by about 0.2–0.3 mmol/L (roughly 5–10%), also on top of doctor-prescribed statins; no effect on HDL.
- Atorvastatin — A doctor may consider it when LDL or ApoB stay high; it strongly lowers them but barely lifts steroid-lowered HDL. Risks: muscle aches, drug interactions, rarely muscle or liver injury. Has side effects of its own.
- Rosuvastatin — A doctor may consider it when LDL or ApoB stay high; it strongly lowers them but barely lifts steroid-lowered HDL. Risks: muscle aches, rarely muscle or liver injury, slightly higher diabetes risk. Has side effects of its own.
- Ezetimibe — A doctor may consider it when LDL stays high on a statin or a statin isn't tolerated; it lowers LDL moderately but does not raise HDL. Risks: rare liver-enzyme rises. Has side effects of its own.
- Pravastatin / pitavastatin (low-interaction statins) — A doctor may consider them when LDL is high and other statins aren't tolerated; they lower LDL moderately and barely lift HDL. Risks: muscle aches, slightly higher diabetes risk. Has side effects of its own.
- Icosapent ethyl (prescription EPA) — Lowers triglycerides without raising LDL, unlike DHA-containing oils, but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm. Has side effects of its own.
ElevatedLiver strain
No alcohol or other liver stressors, limit oral steroids and their combinations; check liver enzymes (hard training raises ALT and AST too).
Measure
Supplement or OTC product
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (6)
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Removes a major extra liver stressor during oral steroids and other hepatotoxic drugs.
- Regular blood tests — ALT, AST, GGT and bilirubin show liver strain early. Weightlifting raised AST, ALT and CK for at least a week in men new to it, while GGT stayed normal — it helps tell muscle from liver.
- Ademetionine (SAMe) — Used for intrahepatic cholestasis in some countries, but trials are small and of low quality; untested in steroid users. Stopping the oral steroid matters most.
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — Restores glutathione; proven in paracetamol poisoning but untested in steroid-related liver injury.
- TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) — Improves bile flow in cholestatic disease; in steroid cholestasis only case reports, with failures in severe cases. Stopping the oral steroid matters most.
- Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) — A doctor may consider it to improve bile flow; in steroid cholestasis benefit is unproven and severe cases often did not respond. Stopping the oral steroid comes first. Has side effects of its own.
ElevatedKidney strain
Drink enough, more in heat; control blood pressure; avoid regular painkillers (NSAIDs) and any during long or hot events; no weight cutting by dehydration.
Measure
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (6)
- Fluid & electrolyte management — Good hydration eases kidney stress from heavy training and heat; dehydration plus NSAIDs is a classic cause of acute kidney injury.
- Regular blood tests — Creatinine runs high with big muscle mass, creatine and hard training, and standard eGFR formulas mislead in athletes; compare with your own baseline and add cystatin C and urinalysis.
- Working with a doctor — Investigates protein in the urine or falling kidney function and can start treatment that slows kidney damage.
- ACE inhibitors (ramipril, perindopril, lisinopril) — May reduce protein in urine and slow kidney disease. But dehydration (weight cuts, heat, ultra-endurance races), diuretics or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can trigger acute kidney injury. Has side effects of its own.
- Losartan / valsartan (angiotensin receptor blockers) — May reduce protein in urine. But dehydration (weight cuts, heat, ultra-endurance races), diuretics or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can trigger acute kidney injury. Has side effects of its own.
- Telmisartan — May reduce protein leakage into urine. But with dehydration (heat, weight cuts), diuretics or NSAIDs (ibuprofen etc.) it can trigger acute kidney injury. Has side effects of its own.
ElevatedHeart strain / heart-muscle thickening
Regular cardio, blood pressure control, an echo as a baseline and then yearly, read by a cardiologist who knows athletes’ hearts.
Measure
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (9)
- Heart screening: ECG and echocardiogram — Echocardiography shows wall thickening and reduced pumping early, while stopping AAS and treating BP can still help.
- Working with a doctor — Orders ECG and echocardiography and treats early heart changes.
- Home blood-pressure monitoring — Keeping BP controlled is one of the main ways to limit heart-wall thickening.
- Regular cardio training — Supports heart and vessel function, but does not reverse steroid-related heart thickening or weakening.
- ACE inhibitors (ramipril, perindopril, lisinopril) — Standard treatment for heart failure; shrink a thickened heart wall in hypertension. An echo helps tell athlete's heart from hypertensive or steroid thickening; the steroid risk remains. Has side effects of its own.
- Bisoprolol — In heart failure with weak pumping it lowered deaths in trials; doctors add it to standard therapy. Not studied in steroid users; the steroid risk to the heart remains. Has side effects of its own.
- Carvedilol — A doctor may add it when tests show weak heart pumping; in heart failure it lowered deaths. Not studied in steroid users, and it does not undo steroid damage. Has side effects of its own.
- Losartan / valsartan (angiotensin receptor blockers) — Shrink a thickened heart wall in hypertension at least as well as other BP drugs. An echo helps tell athlete's heart from hypertensive or steroid thickening; the steroid risk remains. Has side effects of its own.
- Telmisartan — In high blood pressure, ARBs shrink a thickened heart wall at least as well as other BP drugs. Not studied in steroid users; the steroid risk to the heart remains. Has side effects of its own.
ModerateUnknown long-term safety (little human data)
What is unknown cannot be lowered, only avoided; tell your doctor what you have taken.
ModerateBlack-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
Products obtained without a prescription are often fake, mislabeled or non-sterile, and there is no way to check at home. For legal supplements, third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF) lowers, but does not remove, the risk of a positive doping test.
ModerateLow libido / erectile problems
Find the cause by tests (estradiol, prolactin, testosterone) rather than guessing.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Finds the cause of low libido or erectile problems instead of masking it.
MenLow
WomenHigh
Stop at the first voice change and see a doctor — early stopping matters.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Working with a doctor — Steroid labels say to stop at the first mild signs (hoarse voice, facial hair, clitoral growth) to prevent permanent change; checks catch them early but do not make use safe.
Low-level side effects
Low estrogen
Avoid controlling estrogen blindly; adjust only by blood tests with a doctor.
Measure
How each option helps (1)
- Regular blood tests — Testing ends guesswork use of aromatase inhibitors — prescription drugs that can push estrogen too low and harm joints, libido, mood and lipids.
Mood
Good sleep, fewer stressors, tell someone close what to watch for. About one in three androgen users becomes dependent; if you cannot stop or never feel big enough, talk to a doctor or psychologist.
Measure
How each option helps (2)
- Avoiding alcohol and other liver stressors — Alcohol and other drugs on top of steroids explain much of the link between steroid use and violence.
- Sleep hygiene — Enough sleep lowers irritability and improves impulse control.
Acne
Gentle skin care, cleansing after training, a dermatologist if it spreads.
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (3)
- Adapalene — Reduces spots in many users. Redness, scaling, dryness and stinging are common early and usually ease; acne may look worse at first. Rarely, allergic swelling.
- Benzoyl peroxide — A first-line acne option. Dryness, redness and peeling are common at first; it bleaches hair, towels and training clothes; rarely, serious allergy. Severe steroid acne needs a dermatologist.
- Zinc — Trials show a modest drop in inflamed spots, weaker than antibiotics; steroid acne is driven by androgens.
Hair loss
Ketoconazole shampoo, minoxidil, a dermatologist early if you are prone to it.
Supplement or OTC product
How each option helps (1)
- Minoxidil (topical) — Slows thinning and regrows some hair; scalp itching and early temporary shedding are common, unwanted facial hair possible. Gains fade once stopped.
Check-ups and blood tests
Which tests and check-ups to do and when. This is a guide — agree the exact schedule with a sports physician.
Baseline tests
your own starting values — every later result is compared with them
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)In athletes, a high LDL can also be a sign of too little food for the training (RED-S) — tell the doctor about dieting.cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)Unaccustomed heavy weight training raised ALT and AST (from muscle) for at least a week, while GGT and bilirubin stayed normal — test after a break from hard training.liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)Creatinine reads higher with big muscle mass or creatine; cystatin C barely depends on muscle and helps judge the kidneys in athletes.kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGTestosterone also falls with hard training on too little food (RED-S) — test in the morning, rested, and tell the doctor about dieting.natural testosterone, libido
Estradiol (sensitive assay)low estrogen, libido
Prolactinlibido
Home blood-pressure logMeasure seated and rested, not within 30 minutes after training, caffeine or smoking — they change the reading.heart, kidneys
ECGTraining changes the ECG in ways that are normal for athletes; ask for a reading by the international athlete criteria, which separate these from disease.heart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)Weight training alone does not weaken the heart’s pumping or relaxation; in a lifter that is not “athlete’s heart” — in steroid users it was linked to the drugs.heart
UrinalysisHard exercise can briefly put protein and blood into the urine, usually gone within a few days — test after rest and repeat before drawing conclusions.kidneys
While taking
about 4–6 weeks in, then every 6–8 weeks — agree the exact schedule with your doctor
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)In athletes, a high LDL can also be a sign of too little food for the training (RED-S) — tell the doctor about dieting.cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)Unaccustomed heavy weight training raised ALT and AST (from muscle) for at least a week, while GGT and bilirubin stayed normal — test after a break from hard training.liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)Creatinine reads higher with big muscle mass or creatine; cystatin C barely depends on muscle and helps judge the kidneys in athletes.kidneys
Estradiol (sensitive assay)low estrogen, libido
Prolactinlibido
Home blood-pressure logMeasure seated and rested, not within 30 minutes after training, caffeine or smoking — they change the reading.heart, kidneys
UrinalysisHard exercise can briefly put protein and blood into the urine, usually gone within a few days — test after rest and repeat before drawing conclusions.kidneys
After stopping
4–8 weeks after stopping (later after long-acting injections), then until values return to baseline
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)In athletes, a high LDL can also be a sign of too little food for the training (RED-S) — tell the doctor about dieting.cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)Unaccustomed heavy weight training raised ALT and AST (from muscle) for at least a week, while GGT and bilirubin stayed normal — test after a break from hard training.liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)Creatinine reads higher with big muscle mass or creatine; cystatin C barely depends on muscle and helps judge the kidneys in athletes.kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGTestosterone also falls with hard training on too little food (RED-S) — test in the morning, rested, and tell the doctor about dieting.natural testosterone, libido
Semen analysisnot earlier than 3 months after stopping, then every 3 months until normalnatural testosterone
Every year
with regular or repeated use
ECGTraining changes the ECG in ways that are normal for athletes; ask for a reading by the international athlete criteria, which separate these from disease.heart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)Weight training alone does not weaken the heart’s pumping or relaxation; in a lifter that is not “athlete’s heart” — in steroid users it was linked to the drugs.heart
Which doctors can help
Sports physiciancoordinates everything
Endocrinologistnatural testosterone, low estrogen, libido
Cardiologistcholesterol, heart
Gastroenterologist / hepatologistliver
Nephrologistkidneys
Urologistlibido
Gynecologistvirilization, natural testosterone, libido (women)
At home
- Home blood pressure: 2–3 times a week in the morning, keep a log
Get medical help at once if
- Chest pain or pressure, fainting or near-fainting on exertion, breathlessness on light effort, swollen ankles — stop training and seek urgent care; collapse — call your local emergency number.
- Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, intense itching, pain under the right ribs — see a doctor now; sudden severe abdominal pain with dizziness or fainting — call your local emergency number.
- Much less urine than usual, cola-colored urine (especially with severe muscle pain after hard training), new swelling, flank pain — see a doctor now.
- Deepening voice, new facial hair, clitoral enlargement — stop and see a doctor: changes can become permanent. (women)
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
For women
Never studied in women. If it acts like RAD-140, a clear androgen in women, voice deepening, clitoral enlargement and body hair are a real risk and may be permanent.
Myth & fact
Myth
“RAD-150 is a milder, safer version of RAD-140.”
Fact
RAD-150 itself has never been studied. If it turns into RAD-140 in the body, as sellers claim, it carries RAD-140's risks: liver injury, an HDL drop and testosterone suppression.
Combinations
No specific combination notes for this substance yet. The stack check still adds up side effects that several substances share.
Sources
PubChem: TLB 150 Benzoate (CID 68547459) (opens in a new tab)LoRusso P et al. A first-in-human phase 1 study of RAD140 in ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2022 (opens in a new tab)Perananthan V, George J. Severe liver injury following use of RAD-140 for body building. Aust Prescr 2024 (opens in a new tab)Pettersson et al., Br J Clin Pharmacol 2008: in men new to weightlifting, one session raised AST and ALT for at least 7 days; GGT and bilirubin stayed normal (opens in a new tab)
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