AICAR
Acadesine · AICA riboside
An AMPK-activating 'exercise mimetic' with animal endurance data — and a WADA ban.
Class
AMPK activator (AMP analogue)
Half-life
Short
Evidence
Animal models
Animal models
Evidence comes primarily from rodent or other animal studies. Translation to humans is unproven.
Overview
AICAR is a small molecule that mimics AMP, the cell's low-energy signal, thereby activating AMPK — the same energy-sensing pathway engaged by exercise and metformin. In a landmark mouse study it increased endurance running capacity in sedentary animals, which is what earned it the 'exercise in a pill' reputation and a place on the WADA prohibited list.
In practice it is a poor fit for human use: it requires very large doses to have systemic effect, has a short half-life, and human endurance data is lacking. It has been studied clinically in other contexts (protecting the heart during bypass surgery), but not as a validated performance or metabolic aid for healthy people.
How it works
- Activates AMPK, shifting metabolism toward fat oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis.
- Promotes glucose uptake independent of insulin.
- Mimics aspects of the metabolic response to endurance exercise.
What the research shows
Researched effects
- Increased endurance capacity in sedentary mice
- Improved insulin sensitivity and fat oxidation in animal models
- Cardioprotective effects in surgical settings (acadesine trials)
Limitations & what it won't do
- Requires impractically large doses for systemic human effect.
- No human endurance/body-composition efficacy data.
- WADA-prohibited; not FDA approved for these uses.
Dosing protocols
These ranges reflect published trials and community protocols. They are reference information, not a prescription. Doses are per injection unless noted.
No practical human protocol
Not established for human useThe doses needed for systemic effect in humans are impractical. Documented for completeness.
Reconstitution & measuring your dose
Handling
- Typical vial sizes
- 50 mg
- Suggested BAC water
- 2 mL
- Storage
- Lyophilised powder refrigerated at 2–8 °C, protected from light.
- After reconstitution
- Reconstituted: approximately 20–30 days refrigerated.
Why 2 mL? A 50 mg vial in 2 mL yields 25 mg/mL. Note that effective systemic doses in animal studies are far larger than a single small vial provides.
Dose calculator
Draw to
1units
= 0.01 mL · 250 mcg per unit
Concentration
25000 mcg/mL
Doses per vial
200
- This dose is only 1 units — hard to measure accurately on a 100-unit syringe. Add more bacteriostatic water to dilute, so each dose lands on a larger, easier-to-read mark.
Side effects
Common
- Poorly characterised in healthy humans
- Possible transient changes in uric acid/lactate
Serious / rare
- Cardiac arrhythmia has been noted in some clinical settings
Contraindications & interactions
Do not use if you have
- Pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive
No pregnancy safety data.
- Arrhythmia or palpitations
Arrhythmia signals in clinical use make a rhythm disorder a contraindication.
Use caution if you have
- Cardiovascular disease
Cardiac effects warrant caution.
- Kidney disease
Clearance and uric acid handling may be affected.
Medication interactions
- monitorMetformin — Both activate AMPK; additive metabolic effect is plausible but unstudied.
What to monitor
- Realistic expectations — human efficacy data is absent
Commonly combined with
AICAR: common questions
Is AICAR approved for human use?
Most research peptides, including AICAR, are not FDA-approved for general human use and are sold as research chemicals "not for human consumption." Check the legal-status and evidence badges above, and consult a licensed physician — this page is educational only.
How strong is the evidence for AICAR?
On this site AICAR is graded "Animal models". Evidence comes primarily from rodent or other animal studies. Translation to humans is unproven. We grade every claim so you can weigh it honestly rather than by hype.
How is AICAR reconstituted and dosed?
See the protocols and reconstitution details above for reference ranges, then use the dose calculator to convert a vial's mg, your bacteriostatic-water volume, and target dose into exact insulin-syringe units. Dosing shown is a reference, not a recommendation.
What should I screen for before considering AICAR?
Run your goals, medical history, and current medications through the assessment — it flags contraindications and interactions and will hard-stop unsafe matches — and confirm everything with a licensed physician. Any use is at your own risk.
References
Research & educational information only — not medical advice.
You must be 18 or older to use this site. The peptides described are presented as research chemicals intended for research purposes only. Most are not approved by the FDA for human use. Dosing ranges reflect what has appeared in the scientific literature or community protocols and are not prescriptions. Nothing here replaces evaluation by a licensed physician who knows your full medical history.
Want to know if AICAR fits your goals and history?
The assessment cross-checks your medical history and medications against this and every other compound before it recommends anything.
Start the assessment