Testosterone supplements can cause hair loss, and many people worry that SARMs like RAD140 could have the same effect.
RAD140 is one of the worst SARMs for hair loss, and many people experience hair loss on this drug. RAD140 crushes SHBG, which releases DHT into the bloodstream, the primary hormone behind male pattern baldness. This rapid change in hormones causes hair to shed (telogen effluvium), but the hair should grow back if DHT didn’t damage it.
RAD140 Hair Loss
Unfortunately, many blogs and YouTube channels promoting SARMs have misled people into believing RAD140 doesn’t cause hair loss. However, go into any bodybuilding discussion group, and everybody will tell you that on RAD140, your hair sheds pretty fast.
RAD140 is notorious for hair loss. It’s one of the worst SARMs, and if you’re worried about your hairline, you should find a different SARM (like S4) or not take any androgenic compounds at all. Whether they be SARMs or anabolic steroids, all androgenic compounds will speed up the inevitable hair loss process.
However, if you’ve lost hair on SHBG, there’s no need to freak out. There’s a very high chance that the vast majority of it was from telogen effluvium, akaóshock hair loss. When RAD140 enters the bloodstream, it unwinds androgens such as testosterone and DHT from SHBG. This causes a wild swing in your hormones, which is stressful for the body and can create rapid shedding. The hair will grow back.
However, it’s an open-ended question of how much hair loss is from telogen effluvium or androgenic alopecia. It’s definitely some combination of both, with most of the hair loss being telogen effluvium. The hair will grow back, but it’s unlikely you did your hairline any favors by releasing androgens from most of your SHBG. Your hairline will definitely be worse, not better.
Not everyone suffers hair loss with RAD140. Some lucky people get by without any hair loss on RAD 140, but they basically fall into two categories:
- They have excellent hair genetics, and androgens don’t affect their scalp.
- They’re burning through the vitality of their hair and will pay the price later from taking androgenic compounds.
Look at your dad and grandad. Are they bald? If so, it’s doubtful RAD140 will do your hairline any favors.
How Can You Protect From Hair Loss from SARMs?
To make sure you don’t lose any hair follicles while you’re on cycle, you can’t just take finasteride. You have to apply an anti-androgen such as Topilutamide or RU58841 to make sure no androgens bind to your scalp hair follicles from any sources.
When you take a SARM like RAD140, it unleashes a bunch of DHT into your system. But you can’t just take finasteride because finasteride merely stops the conversion of testosterone to DHT; it doesn’t stop DHT altogether. Finasteride also does nothing for testosterone. You have to block the androgen receptor in your hair follicle with an anti-androgen to make sure it’s fully protected. \
This won’t protect you from hair shedding, but hair shedding is temporary, and there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
RAD140 Hair Loss Alternatives
One of the safest SARMs for hair is Andarine (S4) and Ostarine. If you’re worried about hair loss on your cycle, I suggest S4. Across the board, people seem to get fewer hair loss side effects from this drug. Just keep in mind that all androgenic compounds will speed up hair loss to some degree, including these.
Ostarine has similar effects as testosterone. It can treat conditions from (or got worse) from a testosterone deficiency. It was first used to treat muscle wasting side effects from certain conditions. Therefore, it can be a helpful way to build lean muscle mass for men and women.
One study shows that cancer patients who struggle with muscle wasting can benefit from SARMs (Narayanan et al., 2008). The patients who took a higher dosage noticed huge improvements.
It is milder than other SARMs, so hair loss is a very unlikely side effect. You may only experience very minimal hair shedding if you do. However, you could lose a lot of hair if you take an extremely large dose like 50 mg.
How to Treat Your Hair Loss
If you have hair loss from RAD140 or another cause, you could try the following tips to manage it.
Know the Cause
You should know the cause of your hair loss before treating it. That way, you can effectively treat the cause and avoid wasting your time and effort. A blood test can reveal if a medical condition is a cause. Light microscopy can check if you have disorders in your hair shaft. A scalp biopsy can check if you have an infection that causes your hair loss.
Most likely, your hair is falling out due to telogen effluvium and hormonal shock. You can tell the difference by pulling hairs from the back/side of your head vs. your hairline. If hairs come out equally everywhere, it’s telogen effluvium, and the hair will grow back.
Multivitamins
Certain deficiencies can cause hair loss. For instance, alopecia is a common symptom of vitamin D deficiency. You may want to check if your body gets enough zinc, folic acid, and iron. These are crucial for strong, healthy hair, and a lack of it can cause hair loss.
Luckily, you can take a supplement or adjust your diet to get more vitamins and minerals.
Hair Transplant Surgery
Surgery may be a final option for people with severe hair loss. It is also ideal if you suffer from permanent hair loss, especially if you have bald patches on the top of your head. This kind of surgery is a restorative procedure. It can help you make the most out of the hair that you have left. However, you may still experience hair loss if you have hereditary hair loss.
Hair transplant surgery can cause discomfort because it involves grafts in your scalp. You may opt for a wig or extensions if you want a less invasive procedure, but it may not look as natural as a hair transplant.
For a complete primer on treating hair loss, visit our guide.
The Side Effects of RAD140
You may experience the following side effects during your 8-12 week cycle.
Testosterone Suppression
RAD140 leads to testosterone suppression. It can suppress up to 70% of natural testosterone production, and it does so fast. You should use PCT after the cycle to be safe.
Aggression
You often get a boost of energy and even aggression, which is great when you go to the gym. However, it can also affect your behavior. Luckily, it tends to fade as you get off the cycle. Burning off any aggression through physical activity is clearly the goal.
Nausea
Nausea is a rare side effect, especially for people who try it for the first time. It often fades after a few weeks. However, you may need to lower your dosage if nausea persists.
Increased Blood Pressure
Increased blood pressure is a debatable side effect. The clinical trials state that it should not happen. However, some users state that their blood pressure increases when they take RAD140.
