Ligandrol, also known as LGD 4033 or VK5211, is perhaps the strongest selective androgen receptor modulator we know of, when it comes to packing on sheer muscle mass.
Just one cycle of Ligandrol LGD 4033 is enough to make your body unrecognizable – I'm talking, putting on 20-30 pounds of muscle in just 2-3 months. From zero to hero.
In today's guide, we'll be covering:
- What is Ligandrol?
- How Does It Work?
- Ligandrol Dosage Protocol
- Ligandrol Cycle Examples
- Ligandrol Side Effects
- Is PCT Necessary?
- What Results to Expect
- …and much, much more.
My first cycle of LGD 4033 was almost a decade ago, and I've learned a lot about bodybuilding, and using SARMs to build muscles and shred body fat in the past 10 years.
So, if you want to know everything about Ligandrol LGD 4033, so you can get results close to those that anabolic steroids would deliver, then keep on reading.
What is Ligandrol (LGD-4033)?
Ligandrol, also known as LGD-4033 or VK5211, belongs to a class of chemicals known as SARMs, short for selective androgen receptor modulators. These are potent anabolic compounds.
Some of the proven benefits of Ligandrol are:
- Increased Muscle Mass
- Improved Body Composition
- Build A Muscular Physique
- Avoid Muscle Wasting on a Cut
- Strengthen Bone and Muscle Tissues
- …and more
This investigational drug shows immense promise, because it's basically almost as strong as taking anabolic steroids, but only has a fraction of the side effects. Let's explain how.
Mechanism of Action
How does Ligandrol work? LGD 4033 works by binding to androgen receptors in skeletal muscle tissue, thus signaling the musculoskeletal system to pack on lean muscle.
Ligandrol is a SARM, which means it has anabolic effects and will stimulate muscle growth, without many of the negative consequences of anabolic steroids.
Shortly after ingestion, Ligandrol LGD 4033 begins selectively binding to skeletal muscle androgen receptors, encouraging muscle growth and speeding up the recovery process.
Contrast this with anabolic steroids, which yes, will bind to skeletal muscle androgen receptors, but also organ muscle androgen receptors, leading to all sorts of significant adverse effects, like enlarged heart, hernias, liver toxicity, and much more.
IN summary, SARMs like Ligandrol are a safe and effective alternative to anabolic steroids, for anyone who wants to pack on some lean muscle mass and get jacked.
History of Ligandrol
Compared to another SARM like Ostarine, which has been around since the 1990's, Ligandrol is like a new born baby. While it isn't clear exactly when it was first synthesized, we know that its owning company, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, patented it in 2009.
It didn't take long, before bodybuilders realized you could start using LGD 4033 to pack on insane lean muscle mass and shred off tons of fat, with very minimal side effects.
Here is a timeline of Ligandrol's development:
- 2009 – Ligandrol (LGD 4033) is first patented by Ligand Pharmaceuticals [R]
- 2013 – Ligandrol passes Phase I Clinical Trials with the FDA [R]
- 2018 – Ligandrol presents Phase II Clinical Trial results [R]
Ligandrol is still currently being researched, so it isn't FDA approved for human consumption yet. The existing research is extremely promising however, and according to clinical trials, most test subjects experience phenomenal results on Ligandrol LGD 4033.
Is Ligandrol Legal?
Is Ligandrol legal? The short answer is yes, Ligandrol LGD 4033 is legal to buy and sell for research, because it is classified under an umbrella term of “research chemicals.”
This means that you can buy it and sell it for “research purposes,” and it's totally legal for you to own and possess. So, if you're worried about getting busted for using Ligandrol for bodybuilding, don't worry. As long as you don't literally take it in front of a cop, you'll be fine.
Ligandrol is legal to buy and sell in the following countries:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- South Africa
- Canada
- Singapore
- India
- South America
- Most of Europe
In summary, Ligandrol is legal pretty much everywhere except Australia. That being said, I've never had a reader of this blog from Australia who's not been able to buy Ligandrol online.
Ligandrol Benefits
Thankfully, there's a ton of clinical trials and scientific data to pull from, meaning that the benefits of Ligandrol aren't just bro science – they've actually been proven in studies.
Dozens of studies have confirmed the benefits of Ligandrol:
- Increased Lean Muscle Mass
- Increased Muscle Strength
- Better Energy Levels
- Prevent Muscle Atrophy
- Enhanced Physical Performance
- Improve Bone Density
The most important and most obvious benefit of Ligandrol is the effect it will have on your lean body mass, but that doesn't mean the other effects aren't noticeable, too.
Let's break each one down, one by one, and analyze the existing clinical studies.
Build Lean Muscle Mass
If there's one thing that LGD 4033 is good at, it's packing on slabs of lean mass. Most people will experience a whopping 20-30 pounds of muscle gain in juts 2-3 months on Ligandrol.
In fact, one study conducted at the Boston Medical Center, found that Ligandrol is so powerful, it can help you build lean body mass on just 1mg/day (10% the normal dose):
In this placebo-controlled study, 76 healthy men (21–50 years) were randomized to placebo or 0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg LGD-4033 daily for 21 days. Blood counts, chemistries, lipids, prostate-specific antigen, electrocardiogram, hormones, lean and fat mass, and muscle strength were measured during and for 5 weeks after intervention. This 3-week phase I study, by demonstrating the safety and tolerability of LGD-4033 and significant gains in muscle mass and strength, paves the way for longer term efficacy trials in one or more populations of older individuals for which SARMs may be indicated.
-Oxford Journals of Gerontology, Biological Sciences, and Medical Sciences, Volume 68, Issue 1, published January 2013, pages 87-95 [R]
In other words, researchers found that users increased lean body mass (AKA muscle) by 2.67 pounds, just from taking 1mg/day of Ligandrol, without even lifting weights or training.
The researchers concluded that that the results you get from LGD 4033 are dose dependent, meaning the higher dosage you take, the more increased muscle mass you'll get.
Dosage & Cycle Facts
What's the best Ligandrol dosage? There isn't one. It's going to change depending on your individual goals, but in general, most experts recommend starting with just 10mg/day.
Here are the dosage guidelines for Ligandrol:
- Beginner Dose: 5mg/day
- Intermediate Dose: 10mg/day
- Advanced Dose: 20mg/day
Plenty of people take more than 20mg/day, but because LGD 4033 is not FDA approved as a dietary supplement yet, it's best not to take this much until there's more research on it.
Most people will do amazing on just 10mg/day of Ligandrol. Based on the study presented previously, assuming that the muscle gains you get on Ligandrol are dose dependent, you can expect to gain around 20-30 pounds of muscle from a 2-3 month cycle of 10mg/day Ligandrol.
Ligandrol Cycle Guidelines
While Ligandrol has many positive effects, there are some side effects to be aware of. We will discuss these more down below, but for now, let's talk about how to cycle LGD 4033.
The conventional bodybuilding wisdom is time on = time off.
So, in other words, if you do a 12 week cycle of Ligandrol LGD 4033, you should get off the stuff for 12 weeks to let your body reset. This is the same for any SARMs or anabolic steroids.
For your first Ligandrol cycle, I recommend doing 10mg/day for 8 weeks, followed by PCT.
Ligandrol Stacks
Now let's talk about how you can combine Ligandrol with other SARMs to get even more muscle, shred off even more fat, build more strength, and get better results overall.
Ligandrol is generally considered to be a bulking SARM, but that doesn't mean you can't use it in cutting stacks to avoid muscle wasting and muscle loss while you're cutting.
Here's a couple of Ligandrol stacks for beginners.
Ligandrol Bulking Stack
If your main goal is to pack on body weight and gain muscle, then this is the best LGD 4033 stack for you. Ligandrol really excels as a bulking SARM, so you should try this stack.
Ligandrol bulking stack for 8-12 weeks:
- Ligandrol (LGD-4033) – 10mg/day
- Ibutamoren (MK-677) – 25mg/day
- Myostine (YK-11) – 10mg/day
Using this bulking stack, you can expect to put on 20-30 pounds of muscle.
Ligandrol Cutting Stack
While Ligandrol isn't primarily a cutting SARM, it can still be used on cutting cycles to avoid losing muscle size on a cut, but also because it's known for hydrating joints & tendons, which makes your workouts easier and less painful.
Ligandrol cutting stack for 8-12 weeks:
- Ligandrol (LGD-4033) – 10mg/day
- Ostarine (MK-2866) – 10mg/day
- Cardarine (GW-501516) – 10mg/day
Using this cutting stack, you can expect to build 10-20 pounds of muscle and lose around 10-15 pounds of fat in just 2-3 months, especially if you have a good diet and workout routine.
Ligandrol PCT Guide
Does Ligandrol require a PCT? The bodybuilding community is still debating this one, but in general I always say you should err on the side of caution. Better to use a PCT and not need one, then not use a PCT but need it.
We do know that Ligandrol lowers luteinizing hormone in the body, which leads to testosterone suppression and lower sex hormone levels than normal.
This is where a PCT comes in. The idea behind a PCT is it's meant to get your normal testosterone production back on track, and fight symptoms of testosterone suppression.
Just one bottle of this stuff is all you need. No need for Clomid or Nolvadex, which quite frankly, are overkill for a SARMs post cycle therapy.
Conclusion
In summary, Ligandrol LGD 4033 is an amazing SARM that has many different applications, and is one of the best bulking SARMs that exists right now.
If you want to try some, be sure to get it from here. We don't trust any other source.
