IBUTAMOREN MK677: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS

Ibutamoren, formerly known as Nutrobal, MK-677, or Mk-0677, is a new compound in the world of bodybuilding. Its benefits have not been officially confirmed yet, but more than a few people swear by it. Even though it’s mainly associated with bodybuilders and athletes, people with disabilities and hormone deficiency benefit from it as well.

Many people often mistake Ibutamoren for a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), a peptide, or an anabolic steroid, which it isn’t. It is not a typical human growth hormone stimulator either.

Ibutamoren is a growth hormone secretagogue that acts on the ghrelin receptor by mimicking the hormone ghrelin, a growth stimulator. The compound increases the human growth hormone levels in the plasma by stimulating the secretion of HGH. However, it does not affect cortisol levels, which is great. Drugs that increase cortisol levels are usually very effective and fast, but they have terrible side effects. This drug is not like that, its effects are positive and more long-lasting.

Originally named Nutrobal, Ibutamoren first started as a hormone booster that was used to help people with insulin and human growth hormone deficiencies. The first brand that started producing it is Oratrope. Back then, its status was ‘experimental’. The substance quickly gained popularity because of bodybuilders and athletes who started using it to gain mass. Basically, Ibutamoren enabled them to quickly gain muscle and get rid of body fat. So it’s no wonder that it blew up so quickly.

Today, the growth hormone secretagogue Ibutamoren is still not approved for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s currently in the preclinical phase, and it is yet to be clinically tested. However, that doesn’t stop people from trying out the compound. Many people claim that Ibutamoren changed their life, and some even call it an ‘elixir of youth’. Even though there is some anecdotal evidence to back the same, we suggest you don’t try it on your own. If you want to try it, consult with your doctor first.

Medical Uses of Ibutamoren

As we’ve said in the previous paragraph, MK 677 has many uses. Whether it’s to promote recovery from an illness or just to increase muscle mass, many people opt for this drug for treatment purposes.

1.   Bodybuilding and Muscle Gain

Ibutamoren stimulates growth hormone and the IGFs (insulin-like growth factors) and thus increases muscle size without increasing the body fat mass too.

In other words, taking this product will help your muscle tissue grow faster. Your appetite will increase too, but the calories you take will be distributed differently. Besides, if you exercise regularly, you can bulk pretty fast.

2.   Increasing Bone Density

Bone density diminishes with age. A big number of older adults have osteoporosis, hip fracture, and bone frailty, which causes severe pain and a general lack of mobility. Some young adults and children experience this as well, but it is usually due to another illness.

People use Ibutamoren to activate the human growth hormone (HGH), which then stimulates bone turnover and increased bone mineral density. That’s why it can actually increase bone strength.

3.   Helping with Growth Hormone Deficiency

Some children and adults suffer from human growth hormone deficiency. And since MK 677 boosts the secretion of IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor 1), growth hormone levels, and IGBP-3, the drug can help said people make up for the deficiency.

The great thing about this compound is that it’s safe for both children and adults. The growth hormone secretagogue doesn’t increase cortisol, thyrotropin, glucose, or prolactin levels.

However, we still have to keep in mind that Ibutamoren has not been approved yet. Using it as a treatment is still not a common practice. Some patients have had major success using the product, but on the other hand, some haven’t.

4.   Weight Loss/Gain

Increased appetite means there’ll also be an increase in calorie intake. This may seem counterproductive, but it’s actually not. Most of the calories go to the muscles, so your body is basically forced to use the fat reserves to metabolize. In other words, MK 677 redirects calories to the muscle mass and burns the body fat instead.

5.   Improving Sleep Quality and Cognitive Functions

When it comes to sleep, Ibutamoren has shown some positive effects. Users who took Ibutamoren for various reasons have reported that it has improved their quality of sleep as well. The compound increased the duration of REM, which is the stage that involves deep sleep and thought processing.

And without better sleep, our cognitive functions would be lacking big time. During sleep, our body naturally secretes growth hormones. Thanks to adequate growth hormone levels, our memory and learning abilities can recover with better sleep. Because Ibutamoren artificially stimulates GH and IGF-1 by acting on the ghrelin receptors, it can have similar effects on our bodies.

6.   Rejuvenating the Muscles

Some people say that Ibutamoren is an ‘elixir of youth’ and that it has rejuvenating powers. There’s actually a very simple and valid explanation for this. As we already know, Ibutamoren helps build muscles and bone density. With age, the muscle mass starts deteriorating, and it’s much harder to rebuild them again. That’s why elderly people, or people who suffered from serious injuries, take Ibutamoren to aid the recovery process and gain muscle strength.

BENEFITS

First of all, Ibutamoren improves lean body mass. In the Rochester University study, a group of overall healthy 60-year-olds volunteers took Ibutamoren supplements for three months. Most of them had shown a significant increase in lean body mass.

Another study, in Seoul, tested the properties of MK 677. This time, the subjects were women aged 22–46 years old, and this time, they were following a diet prescribed by the researchers. These subjects also showed a major improvement in muscle size. In addition, they also experienced a major fat loss, hinting at the possibility of using this substance for the treatment of obesity.

Believe it or not, Ibutamoren was also proven to successfully treat growth hormone deficiency in both adults and children. One Chilean study treated 18 prepubescent children who suffered from this deficiency with MK 677. The results were surprisingly positive — the supplement was able to make up for the deficiency. And not just that, the drug was able to do so without affecting the cortisol, prolactin, thyroxine, thyrotropin, or insulin levels. A similar study was later conducted on adult males, and its results were similar. MK 677 treated their deficiency. However, this time, it did affect their insulin and glucose levels.

When it comes to bone density and bone turnover, Ibutamoren has also shown success. There were more than a few studies on this topic. One tested obese men, while others tested menopausal women and elders. But all of them proved that Ibutamoren accelerates bone turnover and increases bone density. Bone density improvement shows up in about a year or so, whereas bone turnover acts faster than that.

Ibutamoren also has anti-aging properties and slows down muscle wasting. An interesting double-blind randomized trial in Israel backs this up. The research included elderly patients with hip fractures. After a few months, the subjects that took Ibutamoren daily were more successful at stair climbing and had fewer falls than the placebo group. They quickly regained their speed of motion. Basically, Ibutamoren can help patients with faster recovery from their injuries and get their strength back. That’s why many fitness enthusiasts use the compound to boost their performance. It has anti-aging properties in that it improves hair and skin health. This is because human growth hormones are responsible for the repair and growth of new and healthier cells. Therefore, by increasing GH levels, the growth hormone secretagogue will improve hair growth, skin elasticity, and even nails.

Sleep and cognitive function can also improve, thanks to MK 677 treatment. Not only does it prevent cognitive decline that comes naturally with old age but also enhances memory capacity. It can basically slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s. Scientists say that this may be because of MK 677’s positive effects on sleep. In case you don’t remember, MK 677 also prolongs the REM stage of sleep.

Oddly enough, Ibutamoren can also help regenerate tissue faster. One trial done in Texas tested Ibutamoren on children who had severe burn injuries. The patients who took MK 677 took much less time to heal than those who didn’t. Scientists say that the reason behind this is the Ibutamoren’s effect on the growth hormones.

Oddly enough, some athletes using Ibutamoren even claim that it helps alleviate hangovers. This claim wasn’t backed up by any research, but it’s still an interesting one.

Side Effects

We’ve done nothing but praise Ibutamoren so far. Now it’s time to address its potential side effects as seen through research and anecdotal evidence. They are actually quite minimal, but it’s still important to learn about them anyway.

• The first side effect is increased appetite. Although some users (bodybuilders, for instance) might find this normal, even beneficial, some might not.
• Some users reported mild swelling and muscle pain. The reasons for this are still unknown.
• A few Ibutamoren users also experienced abnormally high blood pressure and blood glucose levels, as well as insulin resistance.

Although all of these side effects are rare and/or minimal and could easily be avoided through proper dosing, we still advise you to consult a specialist before taking this compound.

Because of its potential side effects, those who have diabetes, heart disease, TH1 immune response, and other serious medical conditions should avoid Ibutamoren altogether. People with vulnerable insulin sensitivity should also avoid the compound until they’re given the green light by a licensed physician.

Dosages

The overall safest dosage of MK 677 you can take is 25mg per day. Any doses beyond that increase the risk for side effects tremendously so please keep that in mind before you take anything. This growth hormone secretagogue has a half-life of around 24 hours so a single serving per day suffices. The average dosage cycle is about 8 weeks, and it’s typically used through oral administration. That’s yet another reason to opt for this compound instead of the injectable peptides and anabolic steroids.

There was one study that showed the effects of different dosage levels of Ibutamoren. Subjects who took 50mg per day showed a major increase in the Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 concentration than those who took 10mg per day. However, those who took the lower dosage had the same growth hormone levels.

The takeaway from this study is that the dosage of MK-677 has to be adjusted for your particular needs and goals. For example, if you want to reduce your body weight, it’s better to go with the 10mg dose. But if you want muscle gains, then the 50mg per day dose is better suited for you.

Stacking MK677 with Other SARMs

Like we’ve said before, MK 677 has minor side effects, but it should still not be taken lightly. You still have to be careful when choosing your dose, especially if you plan on stacking it with selective androgen receptor modulators. And then you also have to figure out how to stack them.

But if you do choose the right dose and stack your SARMs properly, then you can expect amazing results in a short amount of time. Ibutamoren can actually enhance the effects of the SARMs that you’re currently taking.

Ibutamoren MK-677 works best when stacked with Cardarine (gw501516), Ostarine (MK2866), Ligandrol (LGD-4033), and Testolone (RAD140). You should know that post-cycle therapy is necessary if you decide to stack MK 677 with other SARMs.

What to Expect Regarding Muscle Size Gain

It’s safe to say that MK 677 has many benefits, one of which is muscle growth. Although it may not be as powerful as the Testolone, for example, it’s still better than nothing. Plus, it has other benefits that you can look forward to, such as better sleep quality.

Provided that you take the right dose of MK-677 and work out regularly, you should see results in about a month. Your appetite will increase very quickly, whereas the weight loss will start in a couple of weeks. But after a month, you’ll be able to notice significant muscle gains.

Conclusion

Ibutamoren MK-677 is one of the most praised selective androgen receptor modulators out there, but it isn’t really a SARM as we’ve just learned. Rather, it’s a growth hormone stimulator, but that doesn’t take away its immense fitness benefits. Several double-blind randomized trials have confirmed its enormous benefits, yet very few side effects. Besides that, many use this human growth hormone secretagogue to treat illnesses like Type 2 Diabetes and deficiencies.

The best way to use this compound for muscle gains and other bodybuilding results is by stacking it with SARMs that are most compatible with it. Sometimes it’s also used with anabolic steroid stacks, but this combination is super crazy. Even then, you still need to support all the compounds with a proper training session and healthy diets, which shouldn’t be a problem since the growth hormone secretagogue causes increased appetite. After doing so, you’ll surely be able to reach your goals in record time! Don’t forget to run PCT after each cycle involving a stack. However, if you decide to use it as a standalone, PCT won’t be necessary since it doesn’t affect testosterone levels.

We urge you to be careful with supplements. Always do your research and consult a specialist before taking any performance enhancer. And once you decide to use the compound, make sure that you get it in its highest quality. Ibutamoren Mesylate is marketed as a SARM so you should source your supply from the most reputable SARMs vendors.