Ibutamoren (MK-677) : Benefits & Side Effects Of Nutrabol

Ibutamoren (MK-677), which is otherwise known as Nutrabol, is considered a game-changer in the world of fitness.

It is a powerful Growth Hormone Secretagogue (GHS) [1] that offers numerous benefits.

What are these benefits? Would we recommend that you use this drug to help gain muscle and strength? Are there any side effects that you should be aware of?[toc]

What Is Ibutamoren?

Growth Hormone Secretagogues like Ibutamoren are usually used as a diagnostic agent for determining a deficiency of growth hormones or are used under strict medical supervision to treat conditions that cause severe muscle wastage, such as HIV induced lipodystrophy.

These days GSHs are often promoted online as SARMs as they can increase growth hormone and IGF-1 production.

The truth is though is that Ibutamoren is not a SARM. Just like Cardarine and Stenabolic are not SARMs. It is just easier for them to be marketed as such.

How Does Ibutamoren Work?

After you have ingested Ibutamoren the drug will cause your pituitary gland to secrete more growth hormone. This is achieved by mimicking the naturally occurring hormone, ghrelin.

It does this by increasing the strength of each pulsation of GH from the pituitary gland. This increases the overall amount of growth hormone produced.

This increase in GH will help stimulate the liver into producing more Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1).

Higher GH production will help your body to synthesise new protein tissue, which allows more new muscle to be built.

It can also help burn fat, can improve your skin complexion, has anti-ageing properties and can help increase hair growth.

Increased growth hormones also improves sleeping patterns, improves sexual performance, can build stronger bones and can improve the health of your heart and kidneys.

IGF-1, on the other hand, supports cellular division, meaning that it can help create brand new muscle cells through muscular cell division.

It can also help repair nerve damage, can lower your body fat percentage, has anti-ageing abilities and can help heal old injuries, bones, tendons and ligaments.

Potential Benefits Of Ibutamoren

Here are some of the potential benefits of Ibutamoren:

• Increased muscle mass and size
• More fat loss
• An increase in bone density
• Better healing from injuries. Including ligaments, tendons and bones
• Tighter skin
• Improved sleep
• Better immune system

Benefit #1: Builds More Muscle

This is probably the main reason why you are considering using this drug.

Well, it is true that it helps to increase both GH and IGF-1 hormone production. This will help increase muscle mass and strength, while also helping to cut body fat.

In a double-blind randomised controlled trial, 24 obese men were given MK-677 over a 2-month period.

Those who were given the drug saw their basal metabolic rate (BMR) had increased, resulting in fat loss. Plus, they had experienced an increase in muscle mass [2].

Benefit #2: Prevents Muscle Wastage

Research has found that MK-677 can help prevent muscle wastage experienced as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices.

Studies have also shown that using this drug could increase muscle mass in older adults [3].

Benefit #3: Increased Bone Density

Using MK-677 could increase bone density by affecting bone turnover.

In a double-blind randomised controlled trial of 24 obese male participants, this was proven as fact [4].

Benefit #4: Better Sleep

Research has found that you are likely to experience improved quality and quantity of sleep [5].

This is important during bodybuilding, as it allows you to recover quickly and gain strength ready for the next training session.

Benefit #5: Better Brain Function

MK-677 can help improve brain function. It does this but indirectly influencing two mechanisms [6]:

By increasing IGF-1, which helps boost your ability to learn and for memory retention
And by improving your sleep. Sleep is vital for ensuring optimal cognitive function

Ibutamoren Side Effects

If you are wondering how safe Ibutamoren is then I can tell you that it is pretty safe with very few reported side effects.

A 2-year study [7] has revealed the following:

“Daily administration of Ibutamoren significantly increased growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels to those of healthy young adults without serious adverse effects.

The ghrelin mimetic Ibutamoren enhanced pulsatile growth hormone secretion, significantly increased fat-free mass, and was generally well tolerated.”

This is not to say that no side effects have been reported as there are some that should be mentioned.

One of the main problems reported is that Ibutamoren can often cause water retention, which is often referred to as MK-677 bloat.

When this occurs you will experience a build-up of fluid inside your body, in particular around your waistline.

Not everyone will experience this side effect, and you can reduce it by making sure to drink plenty of water and to keep your sodium (salt) intake in check.

The next reported side effect, which may actually benefit your efforts to build muscle, is that it can increase your appetite.

This side effect will make cutting almost impossible, but will certainly be of benefit to those who are bulking.

Finally, Ibutamoren has been shown to cause lethargy, which is basically a lack of energy, leaving you feeling tired and unmotivated.

This side effect is often reported in the first few weeks of using this drug, and like the other side effects will get better as your body gets more used to the drug.

Other reported side effects of Ibutamoren include:

• Tingly fingers/hands
• Elevated blood sugar levels
• Intense dreams

How To Take Ibutamoren? (Ibutamoren Dosage)

It has been shown that using as little as 5 mg daily can increase growth hormone production. However, most users would suggest that 25 mg daily would be the best choice.

Some users have experimented with as much as 50 mg daily, but they did not experience any further increase in growth hormone production.

As for the time of day you take your dose, this has been shown to be unimportant. Although some users would recommend taking it during the day, as to not affect your sleep patterns.

For better results, it is often recommended to stack other drugs together. If you are looking to build muscle it is recommended that you stack with Ligandrol.

Andarine and Cardarine are the best options for fat loss. I would also recommend a potent appetite suppressant too as one of the side effects of Ibutamoren is an increase in appetite.

How To Cycle Ibutamoren?

You do not necessarily have to cycle Ibutamoren. However, I would personally recommend it if you choose to use it.

There are two main reasons why. The first is that using this GSH will increase your blood glucose levels, this in time can increase insulin resistance.

Secondly, and probably, more importantly, is that using it long-term with no break can lead to diminishing returns.

Research has found that while your GH and IGF-1 levels will spike during the first month of use, over time there is a slow decline in benefit.

You should take a break from using it occasionally so that when you restart you are seeing the maximum benefit.

Is Ibutamoren Legal?

As this drug is not FDA approved it is not available commercially. In some parts of the world it is available via prescription, for example in Australia [8], but it is not available in any over the counter products.

Ibutamoren FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions:

What Is The Half-Life Of Ibutamoren?

This is 6 hours, meaning that you will experience a drastic increase in GH production quickly after being ingested.

Can Ibutamoren Cause Cancer?

It has not been shown that Nutrabol causes cancer. What is known is that this GHS can increase growth hormone production, which has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer [9][10].

Does Ibutamoren Cause Diabetes?

Increased production of growth hormones can increase insulin resistance [11].

Insulin resistance is when your body fails to respond properly to the hormone insulin. This is one of the main driving factors leading to type 2 diabetes.

Other issues linked with insulin resistance include an increased risk of liver damage and heart disease.

Does Ibutamoren Cause Hair Loss?

No, this is unlikely as its use does not cause any change to your testosterone, oestrogen or DHT levels.

Is Ibutamoren Available On Prescription?

At the present time, MK-677 has not been approved for consumption by humans in the United States.

Until it has been FDA approved it will not be made available for prescription.

How Does Ibutamoren Affect Sleep?

It has been shown that the use of this GHS can increase both the duration and quality of your sleep [12].

Is MK-677 FDA Approved?

MK-677 is not FDA approved. However, there are other FDA approved GHSs available for clinical use.

Can Ibutamoren Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

MK-677 has been shown to cause an increase in prolactin production. If you stick to the recommended dosage then prolactin should remain within the normal range so you won’t encounter any issues.

However, if you take more than the recommended dosage your prolactin levels may be higher than normal. This can cause the following issues:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Gynecomastia
• Decreased muscle mass

Do You Need PCT After Taking MK-677?

As MK-677 does not suppress natural testosterone or GH production you won’t need to use PCT after use.

Should You Take Ibutamoren With Or Without Food?

It doesn’t matter if you take it with food or without. Having food in your stomach won’t affect the absorption.

How To Buy Ibutamoren?

When buying drugs or supplements online it pays to do some research about both the product and the company selling them beforehand.

There are plenty of companies out there who won’t perform third-party tests on their products. They likely will have very little quality control at all.

Look for companies that you have thoroughly evaluated, and are able to show that their products are safe to use. I would recommend the following products if you are looking to build muscle safely and effectively.

Would We Recommend Ibutamoren?

There is no doubt that using this GSH could be of benefit to you. The research shows that using it offers plenty of benefits.

However, while reports of side effects are not very common there are still some potential risks attached to it.

Personally, I would only ever use natural supplements from suppliers I know and trust. There is still plenty of research to be done on this drug before I would use it myself.