What is MK-677 Ibutamoren?MK 677 Ibutamoren may be marketed as a SARM, but this popular product is actually a growth hormone secretagogue that is reputed to boost IGF-1 and growth hormone levels.
The ScienceIf you’re not already familiar with the term, growth hormone secretagogues are compounds that are designed to act as secretagogues to help boost growth hormone levels. By ensuring that your body has got plenty of GH in order to perform optimally; this, in turn, can help to boost the development of muscle tissue.
Where did it come from?MK-677 first entered the spotlight when it was studied by researchers to see if it could be a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy for those suffering from hormonal deficiencies (as well as for those dealing with reduced bone density).
By reversing diet-induced nitrogen wasting, MK 677 can reverse catabolism and provide short-term anabolic effects. Similarly, as a potent nootropic, it can help users to experience improved sleep and cognitive function.
Now whilst it was proven to be effective at assisting with hormone deficiencies; it was its natural ability to boost GH production – without causing testosterone suppression or interfering with other biological processes – i.e. natural hormone production – that quickly shot it to fame.
And this makes sense, in theory, because the more growth hormone you have circulating throughout your system, the more muscle you will pack on whilst training. But here is the thing – there are only a few clinical studies to corroborate this claim, so you can’t place much stock in it.
NOTE: MK-677 can currently only be legally bought as a research chemical. This means you can’t buy it legally for human consumption.
Why does it have different names for the same substance (mk-677, Ibutamoren, Nutrabol)?
We are no stranger to companies selling the same product under different guises, but with MK 677 you are in for a treat.
Not only is it known as MK-677. You will also find it dubbed Ibutamoren, Ibutamoren Mesylate, AND Nutrabol.
And let’s just be clear for a moment – all four of these are the EXACT SAME compound. The only difference between them is their name.
Then, of course, there is the fact that all of these are marketed as SARMs because of their ability to encourage muscle mass growth.
Like we mentioned earlier, this little gem doesn’t remotely belong to the SARM family. However, just like Cardarine and Stenabolic, manufacturers have chosen to market them this way because it is easier than trying to explain what they really are.
How does Ibutamoren/MK 677 work? It is important to remember that as MK-677 is NOT a SARM, it doesn’t produce muscle mass the way you’re used to.
Instead, it works by increasing the secretion of growth factors-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormones (GH). MK-677 achieves this by imitating the way the ghrelin hormone works – i.e. by binding onto the brain’s ghrelin receptors (a neuropeptide in the nervous system). Once activated, they stimulate growth hormone production in your brain, leading to improvements in memory, biological rhythms, mood, appetite, and cognitive function.
Now whilst this means MK 677 has the power to affect areas of your brain; the good news is it won’t disrupt any of your other hormones, including Cortisol (whose side effects could impact on your immunity, and ability to heal, learn and memorize information). And this is a good thing because it means that you won’t have to do PCT or have to worry about dealing with too many side effects.
Instead, you can rest assured that MK677 is focused solely on signaling your pituitary gland and telling it to release more growth hormone; which in turn will trigger the release of IGF-1 – a hormone that is essential for building lean muscle mass.
But this is not all Ibutamoren can do…
It can also help to regulate energy distribution and the way we metabolize fat, as well as influence your ability to recover/deal with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Benefits of MK-677 – what MK 677 results can you expect?
Often dubbed the ‘fountain of youth’, MK-677 has got the power to completely transform your body. From encouraging healthier hair, skin, and nails, to helping you to grow lean, hard and permanent muscles; MK 677 can also improve your mental clarity, concentration and memory.
Don’t believe us? Look at the following:
MK 677 can encourage the growth of new muscle cells in two ways. First, by signalling your pituitary gland to secrete more growth hormone, and secondly, by stimulating the release of IGF-1 in your liver. Combined, these hormones will work in synergy to boost protein synthesis and strength, whilst also increasing nitrogen retention and improving your rate of recovery. In just 6-8 weeks you can gain 6-8lbs of muscle (based on taking it orally once a day).
During a double-blind randomized controlled trial, when 24 obese men were given MK-677 for two months, they witnessed raised basal metabolic rates and more mass.
During another double-blind control trial study on 8 food deprived volunteers; MK 677 was found to reverse protein loss and muscle wasting. Similarly, in elderly patients (dealing with hip fractures), MK 677 helped them to experience better gains and increased muscle strength.
Growth hormones are probably the only hormone which can help you to burn both visceral AND subcutaneous fat whilst helping you to build up lean muscle mass. Because of this perk, Nutrabol is regularly added to body recomposition programs.
Ibutamoren is believed to increase bone density by affecting bone turnover. By firstly decreasing bone turnover, it will then begin to increase it over the course of 12 months.
During a clinical study on 24 obese men, MK 677 helped participants to benefit from increased bone turnover. Whilst in another study, it helped elderly participants – aged over 65 years – to builder stronger bones.
It can even benefit women. During a study on 292 post-menopausal women, it improved their bone strength and mineral density, making it ideal for treating osteoporosis.
As a potent nootropic with neuroprotective and cognitive benefits, MK 677 can help you to experience a fulfilling and restful night’s sleep (on top of improved health). Research suggests it can improve the length and quality of REM sleep.
And this is good news for bodybuilders, as a good night’s sleep will enable you to recover faster and gain more strength.
- Better skin, nails and hair
Remember how we mentioned earlier how Ibutamoren can improve the health of your skin and hair? Well, even at its lowest dose it can revitalise their appearance, as GH has been proven to interact with skin cells.
Once puberty is over, our bodies tend to secrete less GH. MK-677 can remedy this by raising your IGF-1 and GH levels. During a study on 65 elderly men, after being given a daily dose of MK 677, they experienced increased GH levels.
We touched on this earlier, but to help paint a better picture, research suggests it can positively improve your cognitive function. It achieves this by 1) increasing IGF-1 (which can help boost memory retention and your ability to learn), and 2) improving REM sleep.
- Prevents growth hormone deficiency
Alongside being able to boost IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and growth hormone production in children dealing with hormone deficiencies; it is also able to do all of this without disturbing any other vital hormones such as insulin, cortisol, thyrotropin, thyroxine, glucose, and T3.
Unfortunately, this same rule cannot always be applied to adults.
During a study on deficient adult males; whilst it helped improve their IGF-1 levels, they also witnessed increased glucose and insulin levels, meaning
Ibutamoren could potentially disrupt other hormones.
It makes sense that by raising your GH levels, your ability to heal and repair damaged tissues will also improve.
MK 677 Side effects
Here is where things get interesting. You see, in completely healthy individuals MK 677 is considered safe. No testosterone suppression (coz it isn’t a SARM). No aromatization (bye-bye unwanted man boobs). Nothing.
The only possible MK 677 side effects you may experience are muscle cramps, increased appetite, and edema. And these usually only crop up when you’ve taken too high a MK 677 dosage. Given time, they will naturally disappear on their own once you stop taking Ibutamoren.
Yet, despite all this MK 677 is not entirely safe.
For instance, if you aren’t 100% healthy then you may experience insulin issues. In more than one study, MK 677 reduced participants’ insulin sensitivity whilst raising their fasting blood glucose and blood pressure levels (thanks, but no thanks).
Similarly, it has been linked to swollen joints, numb/tingling skin, joint pain, water retention, and lethargy. Yikes!
Then there are conflicting stories surrounding its involvement with congestive heart failure. True, all the participants had a prior history of heart disease and were over 80 years old; however, it is still worth steering on the side of caution. Any risk to your body is simply not worth it.
MK 677 Dosage With a half-life of 24 hours, you would think that you’d only need to take one MK 677 dosage a day. However, given its tendency to spike GH levels instantly – resulting in lethargy and feelings of tiredness later – we recommend splitting your dose in two or taking it all before bed.
This second option will ensure that you get a great night’s sleep, without it impacting on your daily productivity.
What is the best MK 677 dosage?
Cycle One : for optimal MK 677 results, you should start off with 10mg a day for the first few weeks before progressing to 20-25mg a day later in your 12 week MK 677 cycle. This can be taken orally – by capsule or as a liquid.
Cycle Two: alternatively, you can start with 15mgs of Ibutamoren a day and extend your cycle beyond 12 weeks – all without having to worry about side effects or problems with your pituitary gland.
Cycle Three: many professional bodybuilders coming off-cycle choose to extend their dose to 50mg a day and keep to an 8-week MK 677 cycle.
Cycle Four: if you’re wanting to build muscle, users recommend taking a MK 677 dosage of 30mg a day.
Cycle Five: if your focus is to lose fat, then many users recommend taking 20mg a day.
Cycle Six: when dealing with injuries, a dosage of 10-20mg a day is recommended.
What about stacking? Given that MK 677 is not a SARM, it is often stacked with SARMs such as Rad140 and S23.
PCT?
The good news is – well for your bank account anyway – that you don’t have to do PCT with Ibutamoren as it won’t interfere with any of your other hormones.
NOTE: It is important that MK-677 is taken for long periods of time. Why? Because GH levels need time to build up, meaning it will be several weeks before you even start to experience results.
Is Ibutamoren Legal to Buy?
And this is the big question: is MK 677 for sale? Well, the answer is both yes and no.
You see, Ibutamoren is only available to buy as a research chemical, so in theory, you can’t buy it. However, many bodybuilders justify their purchases by claiming that they are buying it for ‘research purposes only’.
Personally, we think this is a load of baloney. They are clearly buying it with the intention to build up muscle as Ibutamoren is considerably cheaper than buying Human Growth Hormone (which can do the same job of encouraging new muscle cells).
In your case, we strongly recommend not venturing down this route. After all, you don’t make something unsafe for human consumption for no reason – there has to be a basis for this declaration.
Plus, anything you find online has got a high risk of being a fake. Unless you can find a reputable vendor, it is not worth the risk.
Conclusion
In theory, MK 677 has everything you need to achieve muscle mass gains. After all, one of the key roles of GH is to stimulate skin and muscle cell growth. Give that a boost and it is only natural to assume that with the right training and diet it’ll bulk you up.
In fact, with time MK 677 can offer you lean muscle gains of 6-8lbs (in 8 weeks).
But that is the thing – as Nutrabol isn’t a SARM but a growth hormone secretagogue, you won’t experience gains fast. Nor will they be massive.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should overlook it. MK 677 comes with the added bonus of no testosterone suppression; little to no side effects (aside from muscle cramps, increased appetite, and edema), and is 100% natural. PLUS it can help to trigger fat loss, improve your cognitive function, lengthen your REM sleep patterns (which is essential for muscle recovery), and heal wounds. Combined, this CAN positively impact on your bodybuilding regime.
However, given that these gains are pretty small, we recommend seeking alternative routes.
TestoMax for example is formulated from numerous natural testosterone boosters – boron, magnesium, Fenugreek, zinc, Vitamins D, B6 and F1 (to name a few) – that have been specially chosen for their ability to increase lean muscle mass, cut fat, improve muscle recovery and maximize your endurance, stamina and strength.
And it is 100% safe, 100% natural and 100% legal.
And that is the real kicker – MK 677 can ONLY be bought for research purposes. For anything else it is ILLEGAL.
Sure, you could argue – like others have done before you – that your goal is to research its impact on bodybuilding. However, the truth is – this is probably not your only intent and because of this, you WILL be found it.
And why take such a risk when there are safer, stronger and more legal ways to achieve the gains you want? There isn’t a good reason. That is why, despite all of MK 677’s apparent benefits, we recommend keeping it simple and sticking to natural steroid alternatives such as those sold by CrazyBulk.
