Ligandrol

Ligandrol, LGD-4033, or VK5211 is an unapproved androgen-receptor SARM with measured human PK, short lean-mass and hormone effects, and delayed registry-only hip-fracture results.

tier C · androgens · 108 / 79 hip-fracture participants started and with primary measurements

verdict

Ligandrol increased DXA lean mass in a short healthy-male study and in delayed sponsor registry results after hip fracture. Neither record established strength, mobility, independence, fewer falls or fractures, bodybuilding performance, fertility safety, or long-term organ safety.

the core tension

Ligandrol is pharmacologically active and its human PK is measurable. The outcome record remains lean-mass heavy, function light, short in healthy men, and missing-data limited in delayed sponsor registry results after hip fracture.

what it is

Ligandrol is the established alias for LGD-4033 and VK-5211 or VK5211, a nonsteroidal high-affinity androgen-receptor ligand and SARM. It is distinct from enobosarm and from a retail product that merely uses the name.

what it does

It activates androgen-receptor signaling and produced dose-related lean-mass, hormone, and lipid changes in healthy men. Claimed tissue selectivity is not a clinical guarantee against reproductive, cardiovascular, liver, or endocrine effects.

origin

No FDA-approved ligandrol product exists, and FDA says SARMs are not lawful dietary-supplement ingredients. A 2025 warning letter names a marketed LGD-4033 product as an unapproved new drug.

does it work

In 76 randomized healthy men, 21 days of exposure increased lean body mass dose-dependently, but strength and stair outcomes were not significant. The hip-fracture registry later posted larger DXA lean-mass changes, with only 79 primary measurements among 108 who started and no demonstrated recovery outcome.

key facts

• molecular formula: C14H12F6N2O
• molecular weight: 338.2488 g/mol
• amino acids: n/a (nonsteroidal small molecule, not a peptide)
• half-life: 24 to 36 h in the 21-day oral study in healthy men
• type: nonsteroidal selective androgen-receptor modulator
• CAS: 1165910-22-4
• 76 healthy men randomized in the 21-day study
• 24 to 36 h measured elimination half-life
• 79/108 hip-fracture participants with the primary measurement

frequently asked questions

Is ligandrol FDA approved?

No. FDA describes SARMs as unapproved drugs and says they are not lawful dietary-supplement ingredients.

Does it improve strength?

The 21-day healthy-male trial found lean-mass gain but no significant leg-press-strength or stair-power result. The hip-fracture registry does not establish a functional recovery benefit.

Why are the hip-fracture results limited?

They were posted about eight years after completion, no peer-reviewed outcome paper was located, and the primary DXA result covers 79 of 108 people who started despite an ITT description.

What is the measured human half-life?

The 21-day study reports 24 to 36 hours, approximately dose-proportional exposure, and about threefold accumulation by day 21. Those values belong to the study product in healthy men.

Does a ligandrol label prove product identity?

No. A marketed product name does not establish that it contains the registered substance at the stated purity, strength, formulation, or exposure.

related peptides

• Enobosarm: The ligandrol evidence cited on this page does not establish enobosarm's identity, approval, phase 3 record, or outcomes.
• testosterone: The ligandrol evidence cited on this page does not establish testosterone's approval, safety framework, or long-term outcomes.

reptides grades the research record and cites the literature behind every call. research reference only; not medical advice.