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Yk12.8
YK-11 Research
Mostly mechanism / observationalLimited safety
5 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Mostly mechanism / observational
Most YK-11 studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from mixed-quality studies published 2011–2023.
Based on 5 studies
Confidence
Low
By outcome
Androgen-receptor activity
Mostly mechanism / observational5 studies
Muscle growth (claimed, in-vitro only)
Mostly mechanism / observational4 studies
Safety profile
Too few graded studies1 study
Steady research
1 study in the last 5 years
201120172023
1Observational2017
Only 52% contained selective androgen receptor modulators and many were inaccurately labeled ... most products contained unapproved drugs and substances.
Van Wagoner RM, Eichner A, Bhasin S, Deuster PA, Eichner D · JAMA (2017)
Counter-evidence on product quality: chemical analysis of 44 products sold online as SARMs (including andarine/S-4)
Only 52% actually contained a SARM; many were inaccurately labeled and contained unapproved drugs and other substances
Directly documents that what is sold as andarine is frequently not andarine, with unknown content and purity
The administration of YK11 resulted in alterations in the endogenous antioxidant system, promoting increased oxidative stress and proteotoxic effects, impairing all mitochondrial function markers in the hippocampus.
Dahleh, Bortolotto, Guerra, Boeira, Prigol · The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology (2023)
The ONLY in-vivo study — a harm signal, not a benefit: YK11 (0.35 g/kg) caused oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the rat hippocampus over a 5-week protocol
Exercise alone was neuroprotective; YK11's neurochemical impairments were not reversed by co-administered exercise
No efficacy (muscle/strength) endpoint was demonstrated in this living-animal study
YK11 treatment of C2C12 cells, but not DHT, induced the expression of follistatin (Fst), and the YK11-mediated myogenic differentiation was reversed by anti-Fst antibody. These results suggest that the induction of Fst is important for the anabolic effect of YK11.
YK11 activates AR without causing N/C interaction, which may in turn be responsible for the partially agonistic nature of YK11; our results suggest that YK11 might act as a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).
YK11-treated cells increased osteoblast specific differentiation markers, such as osteoprotegerin and osteocalcin... YK11 has osteogenic activity as well as androgen.