Testolone (RAD-140)
RAD140, Vosilasarm, EP0062, RAD-150, RAD150, TLB-150
SARMs & research compoundsNot approved for humansWADA S1.2 · prohibitedEvidence: limited human data
A potent non-steroidal SARM (vosilasarm) studied clinically only in women with advanced breast cancer; it is expected to suppress natural testosterone, but this has never been measured in a study of men.
Legal status: Not approved anywhere and sold as a 'research chemical'; the FDA says SARMs cannot be legally sold as supplements, and 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 for fast gains in muscle and strength. Developed by Radius Health and studied as a breast cancer drug; its muscle effects are shown only in animals. Not approved for any use.
What people seek and what studies show
Users seek fast muscle and strength gains, but the evidence is preclinical. In castrated rats it built muscle at exposures far below those that stimulated the prostate, and in young male monkeys body weight rose with a non-significant rise in lean mass. A later rat study found no growth beyond overload alone. Its only published human trial, in women with advanced breast cancer, measured tumor response, not muscle.
Effects
Evidence: Limited human data — some human studies, small or short
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 in men, but as 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; low natural testosterone on tests after stopping.
In women: Menstrual changes or missed periods, lower libido and energy; reduced fertility.
Elevated
Worse cholesterol (HDL↓ LDL↑)
commonNo published human lipid data, but potent oral SARMs consistently lower HDL; expect a marked drop.
How to notice: No symptoms — only visible on a lipid panel.
Elevated
Liver strain
possibleIn its only published trial liver enzymes rose in about half of patients; it is among the SARMs most often linked to cholestatic jaundice in users.
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.
Elevated
Heart strain / heart-muscle thickening
rareCase reports describe myocarditis, once after a single dose in a teenager, and heart failure in young users; rare, but chest pain or breathlessness needs urgent care.
How to notice: Shortness of breath on effort, lower endurance, palpitations.
Moderate
Black-market quality risk (fakes, contamination)
commonIn a JAMA analysis, of three products sold as RAD-140 one held ostarine and andarine instead 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.
Moderate
Unknown long-term safety (little human data)
possibleHuman data come only from small trials in seriously ill women; long-term safety in healthy people is unknown.
How to notice: Nothing to notice — the risk is what is not yet known.
MenLow
WomenHigh
Virilization in women (often irreversible)
possibleClearly androgenic in women: in its trial it raised PSA, a marker of androgen action; 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
possibleUsers report irritability and aggression; this has not been studied in trials.
How to notice: Short temper, irritability, conflicts with others.
Low
Acne, oily skin
possibleOily skin and acne are reported by users, mostly in those prone to them.
How to notice: Oily skin, spots on back, shoulders and face.
Low
Androgenic hair loss
possibleUsers 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.
Measure
Only if a doctor prescribes
How each option helps (7)
- 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.
- Clomiphene — A doctor may consider it after stopping, guided by hormone tests; recovery after long use can still take months. Risks: vision changes, mood swings, rare clots. Has side effects of its own.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) — 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 (12)
- 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) — Clearly lowers triglycerides but does not fix the steroid HDL drop, the main lipid harm; DHA-containing oils may even raise LDL slightly.
- 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.
ElevatedLiver strain
No alcohol, no other liver stressors, limit oral steroids and their combinations, check liver enzymes.
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 before symptoms; heavy lifting alone raises AST/ALT for days, and GGT 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 and helped in early acute liver failure of other causes, but untested in steroid users.
- 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 water, control blood pressure, avoid regular painkillers (NSAIDs).
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 reads high in muscular people and with creatine; cystatin C and a urine test give a truer picture of the kidneys.
- 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 leakage into urine and slow kidney disease. But with dehydration, diuretics or NSAIDs (ibuprofen etc.) they can trigger acute kidney injury. Has side effects of its own.
- Losartan / valsartan (angiotensin receptor blockers) — May reduce protein leakage into urine. But with dehydration, water cuts, diuretics or NSAIDs (ibuprofen etc.) they can trigger acute kidney injury. Has side effects of its own.
- Telmisartan — May reduce protein leakage into urine. But with dehydration, 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.
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 a weak heart (heart failure), and shrinks a thickened heart wall about as well as other BP drugs. Not studied in steroid users; 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) — In high blood pressure, sartans 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.
- 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.
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, look for third-party testing (Informed Sport, NSF).
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.
ModerateUnknown long-term safety (little human data)
What is unknown cannot be lowered, only avoided; tell your doctor what you have taken.
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 to you what to watch for.
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 and fabric; rarely, serious allergic reactions. 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 your doctor.
Baseline tests
your own starting values — every later result is compared with them
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGnatural testosterone, libido
Estradiol (sensitive assay)low estrogen, libido
Prolactinlibido
Home blood-pressure logheart, kidneys
ECGheart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)heart
Urinalysiskidneys
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)cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)kidneys
Estradiol (sensitive assay)low estrogen, libido
Prolactinlibido
Home blood-pressure logheart, kidneys
Urinalysiskidneys
After stopping
4–8 weeks after stopping (later after long-acting injections), then until values return to baseline
Lipid panel (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ApoB)cholesterol, low estrogen
Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin)liver
Kidney panel (creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C)kidneys
Testosterone (total, free), LH, FSH, SHBGnatural testosterone, libido
Semen analysisnot earlier than 3 months after stopping, then every 3 months until normalnatural testosterone
Every year
with regular or repeated use
ECGheart
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)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, breathlessness on light effort, swollen ankles, fainting — seek urgent care.
- 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 emergency services.
- Much less urine than usual, cola-colored urine, 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
Studied only in postmenopausal women with cancer, where it acted as an androgen. In women using it for sport, voice deepening, clitoral enlargement and body hair are a real risk and may be permanent.
Myth & fact
Myth
“RAD-140 is good for the brain, so it's a 'healthy' SARM.”
Fact
The claims about the brain come from rats and cultured neurons. In people, its only published trial found frequent liver-enzyme rises, and users have had liver injury and myocarditis.
Combinations
No specific combination notes for this substance yet. The stack check still adds up side effects that several substances share.
Sources
LoRusso P et al. A first-in-human phase 1 study of a novel selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), 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, a selective androgen receptor modulator, for body building. Aust Prescr 2024 (opens in a new tab)Padappayil RP et al. Acute myocarditis from the use of SARM RAD-140 (testolone). Cureus, 2022 (opens in a new tab)
Check how Testolone (RAD-140) combines with your stack
Possible side effects by body system, combinations, how to lower the risks and which tests to do — free.
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