The evidence here is largely anecdotal. On online forums, users report strength gains, but they also frequently seek advice about issues such as high blood pressure, skin rashes, and impotence. Problems with eye-sight appear to be particularly common; mandarine is reported to give users’ vision a green or yellow tinge.

Most of the available information online comes from sellers and YouTubers, so there's a tendency for advice to skew positive. Dr. Ian Boardley, a senior lecturer in sports psychology at Birmingham University, says: “If someone is using them themselves, it’s in their interest to believe they can use them safely. I think that’s happening with SARMs.” Even if users conduct significant amounts of research into their chosen substances, the conclusions they draw are not necessarily accurate. “One of the things we often see is the distortion and selective use of information to support their behavior,” he explains. “It’s quite a dangerous process.”