If you have been reading about GW501516 and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Last reviewed on 2026-07-27. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Laboratory studies indicate that GW501516 activates PPARδ, a nuclear receptor involved in fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism. In rodent experiments, treated animals often showed increased endurance and reduced fat mass. These effects were observed under controlled conditions and do not establish safe or effective use in humans. The exact dose-response relationship in humans remains poorly characterized. Species differences in metabolism can affect how results translate across animals and people.
Safety concerns emerged from long-term animal studies. In rodents given the compound for extended periods, researchers found an increased incidence of certain cancers, including liver and bladder tumors. These findings contributed to the discontinuation of clinical development. Whether similar risks apply to short-term or low-level exposure in humans is not established, and controlled human safety data are limited. The relevance of high-dose rodent carcinogenicity findings to human use remains a subject of debate.
Human trials of GW501516 were small and short in duration. They examined lipid levels, glucose handling, and other metabolic markers, but the programs were halted after the animal cancer findings. No approved therapeutic product exists, and published human data are insufficient for establishing long-term safety. Reports of use for athletic performance come mainly from non-clinical settings and cannot be verified through controlled trials. Independent testing of products sold as cardarine has found inconsistent purity and labeling.
Cardarine is a common name for GW501516, a synthetic compound first described in the 1990s as a selective agonist of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta. It was studied in preclinical models for metabolic and cardiovascular conditions, but it has not been approved as a medicine in the United States, Europe, or other major jurisdictions. Retail products labeled as cardarine are generally research chemicals or supplements, not pharmaceutical formulations. Because human safety and efficacy data remain limited, regulatory agencies treat it as an unapproved substance rather than a therapeutic product.
Sporting authorities added GW501516 to prohibited lists after it appeared in athlete samples and online markets. The World Anti-Doping Agency classifies it as a hormone and metabolic modulator, and its use can lead to an anti-doping rule violation. Some early laboratory work suggested effects on fatty acid oxidation and endurance-related metabolism in animals, but those findings do not establish safe or effective use in people. Reports of adverse events in humans are scarce and often anecdotal, which complicates risk assessment.
Legal status varies by country. In some places, cardarine is controlled under medicines or psychoactive substances laws; in others, it may be sold with minimal oversight as a research chemical. Customs agencies have intercepted shipments, and several national health agencies have issued warnings about products marketed for bodybuilding or performance enhancement. The lack of a standardized pharmaceutical supply means identity, purity, and contamination levels can differ widely between samples. These factors make cardarine a regulatory and public health concern rather than a conventional prescription drug.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary target | PPARδ (NR1C2) | Nuclear receptor involved in lipid metabolism |
| Preclinical effect | Increased fatty acid oxidation | Observed in rodent studies |
| Key safety signal | Tumors in rodents after long-term exposure | Contributed to halted clinical development |
| Human trial status | No approved product; development stopped | Limited short-term metabolic data |
| Sport regulatory status | Prohibited at all times | WADA hormone and metabolic modulators class |
Laboratory studies have examined GW501516 in cell cultures and rodents for conditions such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and obesity. Some trials in humans were initiated, but development was discontinued after preclinical findings raised concerns about cancer in certain models. Those findings do not prove that the compound causes cancer in people, but they contributed to regulatory caution. Later reviews often describe the evidence as preliminary and insufficient for assessing long-term safety.
In the fitness and bodybuilding literature, cardarine is frequently discussed as an endurance agent or fat-loss compound, although such claims are not supported by robust clinical evidence. Online descriptions often mix animal data, user anecdotes, and marketing language. Researchers who study PPARδ agonists distinguish between receptor activation in controlled experiments and unsupervised use of unverified products. The latter introduces unknown purity, dose, and interactions, making reported experiences difficult to interpret scientifically.
Cardarine is a common name for GW501516, also GW-1516, a synthetic compound developed as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) agonist. It belongs to a class of agents that modulate gene transcription related to lipid and energy metabolism. The compound was studied in preclinical and early clinical research for metabolic and cardiovascular conditions, but it did not progress to approved therapeutic use. Its name appears in fitness and sports contexts despite not being approved as a drug.
PPARδ is a nuclear receptor that influences transcription of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, lipid transport, and energy homeostasis. GW501516 binds and activates this receptor with high selectivity relative to PPARα and PPARγ in laboratory assays. Activation alters expression of target genes in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue in animal models. The exact clinical consequences of these changes in humans remain incompletely characterized, and observed effects in animals do not establish therapeutic benefit or safety.
Published studies have examined GW501516 in animal models of obesity, insulin resistance, and exercise endurance. Early human trials reportedly ended, and development was discontinued after preclinical findings raised concerns about cancer in some rodent studies. Regulatory agencies have not approved cardarine for any medical use. Its availability through non-pharmaceutical channels raises questions about identity, purity, and legal status that are separate from its laboratory pharmacology. Those questions are often addressed through analytical testing rather than assumptions about product labels.
scientific expedition in 1801 Hermann Ploucquet (1816–1878), German naturalist and taxidermist best known for his works of anthropomorphic taxidermy Walter Potter (1835–1918), Victorian era British creator of iconic whimsical anthropomorphic taxidermy dioramas Jules Verreaux (1807–1873), French botanist, ornithologist, and taxidermy collector and trader James Rowland Ward (1848–1912), British taxidermist and founder of Rowland Ward Limited, known for its furniture and household items made of animal parts Carl Cotton (1918–1971), the first African American taxidermist at the Field Museum
The facilities for each country operate from separate counters inside the railway station building at the platform level. Passengers entering Thailand clear Malaysian and Thai border formalities here in Malaysian territory before boarding their State Railway of Thailand trains which then cross the actual borderline several minutes after departing the station. Passengers from Thailand entering Malaysia are also processed here using the same counters, as there are no separate counters for entry and exit in either country. United Kingdom and the Schengen Area: Border control for travel between the United Kingdom and the Schengen Area features significant prescreening under the juxtaposed controls programme for travel both by ferry and rail. This includes customs and immigration prescreening on both sides of the Channel Tunnel, and immigration-only prescreening for ferry passengers and on the Eurostar between the United Kingdom and stations located in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Eurostar and Eurotunnel passengers departing from the Schengen area go through both French, Dutch, or Belgian exit border control and British entry border controls before departures, while passengers departing from the United Kingdom, including those departing for Belgium or the Netherlands, undergo French border controls on British soil. For travel by ferry, French entry border control for ferries between Dover and Calais or Dunkerque takes place at the Port of Dover, whilst French exit and British entry border control take place at Calais and Dunkerque.
peroxisome A small membrane-bound organelle found in many eukaryotic cells which specializes in carrying out oxidative reactions with various enzyme peroxidases and catalase, generally to mitigate damage from reactive oxygen species but also as a participant in various metabolic pathways such as beta-oxidation of fatty acids.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Microbiology includes culturing of the bacteria in clinical specimens, such as feces, urine, blood, sputum, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as possible infected tissue. The work here is mainly concerned with cultures, to look for suspected pathogens which, if found, are further identified based on biochemical tests. Also, sensitivity testing is carried out to determine whether the pathogen is sensitive or resistant to a suggested medicine. Results are reported with the identified organism(s) and the type and amount of drug(s) that should be prescribed for the patient. Parasitology is where specimens are examined for parasites. For example, fecal samples may be examined for evidence of intestinal parasites such as tapeworms or hookworms. Virology is concerned with identification of viruses in specimens such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid. Hematology analyzes whole blood specimens to perform full blood counts and includes the examination of blood films. Other specialized tests include cell counts on various bodily fluids. Coagulation testing determines various blood clotting times, coagulation factors, and platelet function. Clinical biochemistry commonly performs dozens of different tests on serum or plasma. These tests, mostly automated, includes quantitative testing for a wide array of substances, such as lipids, blood sugar, enzymes, and hormones. Toxicology is mainly focused on testing for pharmaceutical and recreational drugs. Urine and blood samples are the common specimens.
==== Females ==== CPA is used as an antiandrogen to treat androgen-dependent skin and hair conditions such as acne, seborrhea, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), scalp hair loss, and hidradenitis suppurativa in women. These conditions are worsened by the presence of androgens, and by suppressing androgen levels and blocking their actions, CPA improves the symptoms of these conditions. CPA is used to treat such conditions both at low doses as a birth control pill and on its own at higher doses. A birth control pill containing low-dose CPA in combination with ethinylestradiol to treat acne has been found to result in overall improvement in 75 to 90% of women, with responses approaching 100% improvement. High-dose CPA alone likewise has been found to improve symptoms of acne by 75 to 90% in women. Discontinuation of CPA has been found to result in marked recurrence of symptoms in up to 70% of women. CPA is one of the most commonly used medications in the treatment of hirsutism, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary syndrome in women throughout the world. Higher dosages of CPA are used in combination with an estrogen specifically at doses of 25 to 100 mg/day cyclically in the treatment of hirsutism in women. The efficacy of such dosages of CPA in the treatment of hirsutism in women appear to be similar to that of spironolactone, flutamide, and finasteride.
=== Angiofibromas === Sirolimus has been used as a topical treatment of angiofibromas with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Facial angiofibromas occur in 80% of patients with TSC, and the condition is very disfiguring. A retrospective review of English-language medical publications reporting on topical sirolimus treatment of facial angiofibromas found sixteen separate studies with positive patient outcomes after using the drug. The reports involved a total of 84 patients, and improvement was observed in 94% of subjects, especially if treatment began during the early stages of the disease. Sirolimus treatment was applied in several different formulations (ointment, gel, solution, and cream), ranging from 0.003 to 1% concentrations. Reported adverse effects included one case of perioral dermatitis, one case of cephalea, and four cases of irritation. In April 2022, sirolimus was approved by the FDA for treating angiofibromas.
=== Lambda Legal === Lambda Legal is a United States national organization that advocates for the rights of LGBTQ people and those who are living with HIV since 1973. They make the effort to make changes to policies at all federal, state, and local levels for LGBTQ rights, while engaging with health departments to ensure that the current regulations and guidelines are aligned with the needs of LGBTQ community. Notably, Lambda Legal's involvement has led to several successful legal attempts in expanding not only healthcare rights but also protections for transgender people. They served as legal attorneys for the LGBTQ community along with those living with HIV, with all their closed to current active cases published on their website.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Lysosomal Ca2+-signalling modalities == The ER and acidic Ca2+ stores have similarities as well as key differences. Both transport Ca2+ into their lumina where it is stored, and is subsequently released in response to stimuli by opening resident Ca2+ channels. Indeed, the free [Ca2+] of each is broadly similar (~0.5-1.0 mM). However, they differ in the cohort of transporters, their luminal pH and their total volume per cell. The total amount of Ca2+ that is stored in each is a product of the volume and concentration; since the [Ca2+] is the same for each, the total amount of releasable Ca2+ is directly proportional to the organellar volume and therefore lysosomes can release only a small amount Ca2+ of when compared to the ER. This is important because the maximal Ca2+ release from lysosomes is so small that it is frequently 'invisible' in global Ca2+ recordings e.g. using cytosolic fluorescent reporters. In contrast, ER-derived Ca2+ is globally substantial and the predominant intracellular signal visible in global recordings. If lysosomal Ca2+ release is so small, how then can it affect cellular physiology? The answer is that it can exert its effects in two different signalling modalities: local and global, as shall be described. In bacterial infection, however, NAADP induction of lysosomal Ca2+ efflux and TFEB activation leads to enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines.
After more than a century of foreign rule, Poland regained its independence at the end of World War I as one of the outcomes of the negotiations that took place at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. The Treaty of Versailles that emerged from the conference set up an independent Polish nation with an outlet to the sea, but left some of its boundaries to be decided by plebiscites. The largely German-inhabited Free City of Danzig was granted a separate status that guaranteed its use as a port by Poland. In the end, the settlement of the German-Polish border turned out to be a prolonged and convoluted process. The dispute helped engender the Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919, the three Silesian uprisings of 1919–1921, the East Prussian plebiscite of 1920, the Upper Silesia plebiscite of 1921 and the 1922 Silesian Convention in Geneva. Other boundaries were settled by war and subsequent treaties. A total of six border wars were fought in 1918–1921, including the Polish–Czechoslovak border conflicts over Cieszyn Silesia in January 1919.
=== Businesses === Air Link, New South Wales, Australia Hong Kong Link, toll tunnels and bridges company Link REIT, Hong Kong real estate investment trust The Link (retailer), UK mobile phone retailer Link Aviation Devices, a manufacturer of aircraft simulator, now a subsidiary of L3 Technologies
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Rodent studies reported increased endurance and fat oxidation after GW501516 exposure. Long-term studies also found higher rates of some tumors, which led to halted development.
Small short-term human trials examined metabolic markers such as lipids and glucose. The trials did not continue after rodent cancer findings, so long-term human safety is unknown.
Controlled human trials have not established a performance benefit. Anecdotal reports exist, but they are not reliable evidence.
No. Major drug regulators have not approved GW501516 for treating any medical condition. Products sold as cardarine are typically unapproved research chemicals or supplements, so their contents and safety are not assured.