PETALING JAYA (ANN/THE STAR) – As we move into the second month of the new year, many individuals are still focused on achieving their fitness objectives to enhance their health and build muscles. The process, which can be tough and lengthy, has nonetheless led some to take shortcuts, with certain gym rats opting to Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, commonly referred to as SARMs, which are frequently prompted by sellers as a “less harmful” option compared to anabolic steroids.
Specialists, however, caution that the substance is not without danger. Checks across various social media and e-commerce sites discovered SARMs being openly prompted and sold.
They come in capsule form, with sellers providing guidance on consumption and marketing it as “necessary” for gaining mass. Sellers also assert that the product “increases muscle mass, helps in weight gain and promotes strength for heavy workout, an appetite stimulant and fastens the recovery process”. The capsules are available in bottles and packets ranging in price from MYR130 to MYR300, based on the drug type and amount.
Checks on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency website revealed that versions of the product are not registered, rendering them illegal for purchase and sell.
SARMs are also categorised as a prohibited substance on the Anti-Doping Agency Malaysia (Adamas) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibition list.
Consultant sports medicine physician, Dr Arvin Raj Goonasegaran, compared the use of SARMs and other performance-enhancing drugs (PED) to a “get rich quick” scheme.
“Being on a prolonged well planned diet with proper exercise programming is hard, hence using performance enhancers is a sought-after way to get to that end goal much quicker and easier, with a possible health trade-off,” he said.
Dr Arvin Raj mentioned a 2023 systematic review on the recreational use of SARMs in healthy adults, noting that common side effects include Hepatotoxicity (liver injury), yellow vision, spontaneous tendon ruptures and potentially cardiac issues.
He voiced worry about the product purity, referencing a 2017 study that revealed only 41 per cent of SARMs available online truly contained substances listed on the label.
Furthermore, Dr Arvin Raj mentioned that SARMs are a relatively new addition to the market, often promoted as offering all the advantages of PEDs with few or no adverse effects – implying that SARMs is a PED.
Other PEDs comprise anabolic steroids, which are regulated substances and can only be obtained with a medical prescription.
He voiced further concerns regarding the sale of these items on the internet. When contacted, a senior officer from the Health Ministry stated that they will investigate the issue.
Earlier this year, the Perak Health Department, in collaboration with the Pharmacy Enforcement division of the Health Ministry, seized over MYR2 million worth of unregistered bodybuilding supplements and cosmetics in a coordinated effort.
The initiative, named Ops Pharma 2.0 and Ops Gudang, focused on the sale of unregistered body enhancers containing anabolic steroids and unapproved cosmetics sold online.
In March last year, the Selangor Health Department confiscated bodybuilding products valued at over MYR220,000 that contained anabolic steroids.
In July last year, the Johor Health Department confiscated MYR2.3 million worth of unapproved anabolic steroids in Ops Gym.
