Evidence review: Open Peptide Project (verified against primary PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov & FDA records) · Last checked 2026-10-27. ← Back to Evidence Library
Ligandrol (LGD-4033, VK5211): what the evidence says
At a glance
What it is: Caution Not a peptide. LGD-4033 is an oral non-steroidal SARM. It is listed here only because it is sold alongside research peptides. R1
What the evidence says: Human in a 21-day trial in healthy young men, lean mass rose with dose while testosterone, SHBG and HDL cholesterol fell; hormones returned to baseline after stopping. R1 A phase 2 hip-fracture trial finished in 2017 R2; we found no peer-reviewed results.
Biggest risks: Human published case reports of severe cholestatic liver injury in men using it without a prescription. R3, R4
Rating
| Human Human evidence | Limited: one 21-day phase 1 R1 |
| Animal Animal / lab evidence | Not reviewed |
| Regulatory | Not FDA-approved · not on FDA's 503A or 503B bulk-substance category lists and not on FDA's compounding safety-risk page R5, R6, R7 · named on WADA S1.2 R8 |
| Established human dose | No |
Evidence verdict: Lean mass: Limited (one 21-day phase 1) · Hip-fracture recovery: Unknown (phase 2 unpublished)
This page reports what studies used. It is not dosing advice.
Legend: HUMAN data · ANIMAL / LAB data · UNKNOWN · UNVERIFIED: not yet confirmed against a primary source
About the evidence: the trial was short and small and did not measure meaningful function; case reports show real-world harm.
What is it?
Related pages: enobosarm, yk-11, mk-677.
Does it work?
- Human Lean mass up, fat mass unchanged over 21 days. R1
- Unknown Hip fracture phase 2 (n = 108): no peer-reviewed results. R2
Is it safe?
- Human Dose-dependent suppression of testosterone and HDL. R1
- Human Biopsy-confirmed cholestatic hepatitis case. R3
Pipeline status (investigational)
- Sponsor: Viking Therapeutics (VK5211). R2
- Trial: NCT02578095 completed. R2
- Expected readouts: UNVERIFIED any active development.
Gray-market vials: extra risks
A gray-market vial has no quality control and no guarantee of identity, strength or sterility. We test retail vials blind under the Open Peptide Standard; see /tests/. A passing test covers one batch on one date and does not mean the compound is safe.
Is it legal?
- US: not FDA-approved; no Drugs@FDA application found (openFDA searched Oct 27, 2026).
- Compounding: not on FDA's 503A or 503B bulk-substance category lists and not on FDA's compounding safety-risk page. R5, R6, R7
- Sport: WADA 2026 S1.2 names it as a prohibited SARM, banned at all times R8.
Study details
Study details
These are amounts researchers used, not recommendations.
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 (Basaria 2013) | 76 healthy young men | Oral | 0.1, 0.3 or 1.0 mg daily | 21 days | Lean mass up; testosterone/HDL down | PMID 22459616 |
Full reference list (PubMed, CT.gov, FDA and WADA checked Oct 27, 2026)
- R1 Basaria S, et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013. PMID 22459616
- R2 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02578095, phase 2 hip fracture, Viking, completed (CT.gov API v2, checked Oct 27, 2026). https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02578095
- R3 Barbara M, et al. ACG Case Rep J. 2020. PMID 32637435
- R4 Labban H, et al. Cureus. 2024. PMID 39421081
- R5 FDA, 503A bulk drug substances categories list (updated May 14, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
- R6 FDA, 503B bulk drug substances categories list (updated Mar 21, 2025). https://www.fda.gov/media/94164/download
- R7 FDA, Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks (content current Apr 22, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- R8 WADA. The 2026 Prohibited List, S1.2 Other anabolic agents. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
Disclaimer
This page is for education and harm reduction, not medical advice or a recommendation to use Ligandrol (LGD-4033, VK5211). This is an investigational drug. It is available only inside registered clinical trials; products sold online under this name are unregulated. Report problems to FDA MedWatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch).