MK-677: The “Legal Steroid” Fitness Influencers Are Secretly Using

If you wondered what influencers use to make those crazy transformations, here’s one of the examples. MK-677 is not a steroid, so they can say they are “natty”, but it’s illegal, so they can’t say what they are taking. It sounds like a perfect way to boost gains and stay relevant. But, at what cost?

What is MK-677? The Basics Behind the Buzz

The original name of MK-677 is Ibutamoren or Nutrabol, which is a hormone secretagogue. This means that it stimulates your body to produce more growth hormones (GH) and IGF-1.

It never made it through the FDA approval process. The goal was to use it for muscle-wasting diseases. When you read the labels, you can find some MK products stating that they are not for human consumption.

You can easily find it online as a research chemical that tricks your body into thinking it’s on HGH without injecting anything.
 

Influencers Would Take Anything To Boost Their Following: Here’s Why MK Is Great For Them

The supplement or drug that builds muscle the fastest is the product people will buy. MK-677 checks most of the boxes people want:

• Builds muscle
• Increased appetite
• Improves sleep quality
• No needles (not a banned steroid in many countries)

TikTok was one of the reasons why this chemical became popular again. There are a lot of videos where people claim they gained 10-15 lbs of muscle mass in months.

Fitness personalities like Greg Doucette, Derek from More Plates More Dates, and Jeff Nippard talked about the popularity of MK-677. It’s a new “legal” shortcut, but don’t expect that anyone will admit they are using it.

Does It Actually Work? Here’s What Science Says

Justthinktwice, a gov site, wrote about side effects that can have a huge impact on your health. “Long-term use may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and contribute to the growth of cancerous tumors due to elevated IGF-1 levels.”

If you disregard this, yes, MK-677 can increase muscle mass fast, but the actual muscle gain varies widely. Most of the influencers who are using it are also taking other supplements.

The first couple of months have a big impact on your muscle gain, while later on, the body realizes that you are “faking” the increase in GH, and it drops drastically.

More Side Effects No One Is Talking About

One friend said it’s like creatine, just 1000 times stronger. Well, when something is as strong as the best supplement in the world, it has to have side effects.

1. Excessive hunger (some users say they can’t stop eating)
2. Water retention and bloating (similar to creatine)
3. Joint pain or tingling in hands and feet
4. Lethargy, especially during the day
5. Long-term use can lead to insulin resistance or pre-diabetic conditions

The scary part is that it manipulates your growth hormone axis, and there’s a concern over potential organ growth.

Is MK-677 Legal? The Grey Area

MK-677 exists in a legal no-man’s land.

• It’s not approved for human use by the FDA.
• It’s not a controlled substance in many countries.
• It’s banned by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), it’s off-limits for athletes.

In the US, it’s sold as a “research chemical”, meaning the companies can sell it. Of course, that won’t stop people who will do anything to get their bodies to perfection.