@lifeofrlj's warning about SARMs vs testosterone, fact-checked

What does this TikTok actually claim?

Ryan Johnson (@lifeofrlj) warns viewers against being a "SARM goblin" and suggests testosterone is a better option than selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). He's positioning testosterone replacement therapy as a safer, more legitimate choice compared to the unregulated SARM compounds popular in bodybuilding circles.

The video targets young men who might be considering SARMs for muscle building. Johnson's message is simple: stop messing around with sketchy research chemicals and consider proper hormone therapy instead.

Is testosterone actually safer than SARMs?

Johnson gets this one right, though the bar isn't exactly high. Prescription testosterone has decades of safety data and FDA oversight, while SARMs exist in a regulatory gray area with almost no long-term human studies. Most SARMs sold online aren't even what they claim to be.

A 2017 analysis by Cohen et al. in JAMA found that 59% of SARM products contained unapproved drugs, and 25% contained no active ingredient at all. Meanwhile, testosterone cypionate and enanthate have been studied extensively since the 1950s. We know their side effect profiles, proper dosing, and how to monitor patients safely.

That said, testosterone isn't risk-free. The TTrials study (Snyder et al., NEJM, 2016) showed increased cardiovascular plaque formation in men over 65 using testosterone gel.

What about the "SARM goblin" stereotype?

Johnson's playing into a real phenomenon here. Online fitness communities are full of young men using SARMs like ostarine, ligandrol, and RAD-140 without medical supervision, often buying from sketchy websites and following advice from Reddit forums.

These compounds were developed for conditions like muscle wasting and osteoporosis but never completed clinical trials for those uses. A 2021 case series by Flores et al. documented liver injury in several young men using SARMs, with one requiring hospitalization.

The "goblin" label refers to users who cycle through multiple SARMs, stack them together, or use them repeatedly without understanding the risks. It's not entirely unfair.

Does this mean everyone should jump to testosterone?

Here's where Johnson oversimplifies things. Testosterone replacement therapy is for men with clinically diagnosed hypogonadism, typically defined as total testosterone below 300 ng/dL with symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and mood changes.

The Endocrine Society's 2018 guidelines are clear: TRT is for treating a medical condition, not for enhancing performance in healthy men. A 25-year-old with normal testosterone levels (400-900 ng/dL) doesn't need hormone therapy just because he wants bigger muscles.

Johnson's framing makes it sound like testosterone is the obvious choice for anyone considering SARMs. That's misleading. Both involve manipulating hormone levels, and both can suppress natural testosterone production.

What should you actually know?

If you're experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, get proper lab work done by a healthcare provider. Don't self-diagnose based on fatigue or slow muscle growth.

SARMs aren't regulated by the FDA for human consumption. They're sold as "research chemicals" with no quality control or safety oversight. Johnson's right that this is a problem.

Legitimate testosterone therapy involves regular monitoring of testosterone, estradiol, hematocrit, and other markers. It's not something you order online and inject in your garage. If someone's pushing testosterone without proper medical evaluation and follow-up, that's just as sketchy as SARMs.