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Background And Regulatory Status — Explained

By Editorial Desk · published 2026-02-04 · last reviewed 2026-02-21 · Faq

research chemical comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.

Last reviewed on 2026-02-21. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.

Background and Regulatory Status

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.

Mechanism and Safety Research

GW501516 acts as an agonist at the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta, a nuclear receptor that regulates gene expression. Activation shifts transcription toward genes involved in fatty acid uptake, oxidation, and energy expenditure. The compound does not bind the androgen receptor and therefore differs from anabolic steroids and SARMs. In rodent models, this metabolic shift has been linked to increased running endurance and reduced fat accumulation. The exact downstream pathways in humans remain incompletely characterized.

Early clinical research explored GW501516 for lipid disorders, obesity, and diabetes. Some short-term human studies reported changes in HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The development program was discontinued after rodent studies showed dose-dependent tumor formation in multiple tissues, including liver, bladder, stomach, and skin. These findings raised concerns about long-term cancer risk in humans. Because human exposure data are limited, the clinical significance of the rodent tumors remains uncertain.

Literature on cardarine often separates receptor pharmacology from toxicology. Mechanistic papers describe PPARδ activation and gene expression changes, while safety assessments focus on carcinogenicity and species differences. Questions remain about whether rodent tumors arise through PPARδ-dependent or off-target mechanisms. Another open area is how human metabolism and exposure compare with those in animal studies. Analytical methods such as liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry are used to confirm identity in biological and product samples.

Cardarine at a glance

PropertyValueNotes
IUPAC name{4-[({4-methyl-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,3-thiazol-5-yl}methyl)sulfanyl]phenoxy}acetic acidSystematic name for GW501516
CAS Registry Number317318-70-0Unique identifier for the parent compound
Molecular formulaC21H18F3NO3S2Includes carbon, hydrogen, fluorine, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur
Molecular weight453.5 g/molApproximate value for the neutral form
AppearanceWhite to off-white powderTypical description for purified laboratory material

Regulation and Detection

Cardarine has no approved therapeutic indication and is not marketed as a medicine. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists GW501516 as a prohibited substance at all times, covering both in-competition and out-of-competition periods. National laws vary: some countries treat it as an unapproved drug subject to import controls, while others have specific restrictions on sale for human consumption. It is often sold as a research chemical, a label that does not imply safety or legality. Enforcement actions have targeted online vendors and shipments.

Anti-doping laboratories identify GW501516 and related metabolites using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Urine is the most common matrix, though blood and dried blood spots may also be analyzed. The method targets the parent compound and phase I and phase II metabolites, which extend the detection window. Because the substance is prohibited at all times, athletes can be tested outside competition. Detection limits and windows depend on the assay, sample type, and individual metabolism.

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Identity and Regulatory Status

Cardarine is a common name for GW501516, an investigational compound developed in the 1990s for metabolic conditions. It acts as an agonist at peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta, a nuclear receptor involved in lipid and energy metabolism. The compound is frequently mislabeled as a selective androgen receptor modulator, or SARM, but its molecular target is different. GW501516 reached early clinical testing before development was discontinued. It has no approved therapeutic use in any country. The name cardarine is not a formal international nonproprietary name.

Regulatory treatment varies, but cardarine is not approved as a medicine. Sports authorities list GW501516 as a prohibited substance, and it is banned at all times under the World Anti-Doping Agency code. Many countries restrict sales for human consumption, while online vendors market it as a research chemical. Such products may lack purity data, and their actual contents can differ from the label. Purchasing or possessing cardarine may carry legal consequences depending on jurisdiction. The compound is not a dietary supplement ingredient in regulated markets.

Reference notes

==== Soil vacuum extraction ==== This form of remediation is possibly the most widely accepted in-situ technology for the removal of NAPLs in the unsaturated zone. Soil vacuum extraction (SVE) increases the volatility of NAPLs by using a vacuum that induces air flow. This process transforms NAPL into the gaseous phase and then strips those gaseous components from the subsurface, allowing them to be extracted and treated. Less volatile compounds can have their volatility increased using the application of heat, which is then followed with SVE. Multiphase extraction involves an 18–26 inch mercury vacuum that can simultaneously extract gaseous, aqueous, and immiscible phases of NAPL. Additionally, SVE is thought to enhance aerobic degradation of NAPLs, improving cost effectiveness by reducing the amount of required above-ground treatment.

Alix Spiegel (2013-12-27). "When Memories Never Fade, The Past Can Poison The Present". NPR. Claire Nowak (2021-06-21). "Only 60 People in the World Have This Insanely Powerful Memory". Reader's Digest. Klochan, Yuliya (2022-05-13). "Understanding the Basis of Superior Memory". Discover Magazine. Jennie Runevitch (2019-02-27). "Total Recall: An IU grad's rare ability creates a map to almost every day of her life". WTHR. Extraordinary Variations of the Human Mind: James McGaugh: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. University of California Television (UCTV). 2017-07-12 – via YouTube. People who remember every second of their life. 60 Minutes Australia. 2018-09-21 – via YouTube. Endless Memory, Part 1. CBS News. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube. [Endless Memory, Part 1. CBS News. 2011-06-19 – via YouTube.] Endless Memory, Part 2. CBS News. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube. [Endless Memory, Part 2. CBS News. 2011-06-19 – via YouTube.] Extra: Marilu Henner & "Time Traveling". CBS News. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube. [Extra: Marilu Henner & "time traveling". CBS. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube.] Extra: Memory quiz time. CBS News. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube. [Extra: Memory Quiz Time. CBS. 2010-12-19 – via YouTube.] More people have "Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory" than originally thought. CBS Mornings. 2014-01-13 – via YouTube.

1993/1359) Fresh Meat and Poultry Meat (Hygiene, Inspection and Examinations for Residues) (Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1360) Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit (Amendment) Scheme 1993 (S.I. 1993/1363) Combined Probation Areas (Devon) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1364) Barnet, Camden and Westminster (London Borough Boundaries) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1365) Crop Residues (Burning) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1366) Local Government Superannuation (Local Commissioners) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1367) National Health Service (Fund-Holding Practices) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1369) Lancashire County Council (Proposed Connecting Roads to M6 Motorway at Haighton) Special Roads Scheme 1992 Confirmation Instrument 1993 (S.I. 1993/1370) A17 Trunk Road (Leadenham Bypass) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1371) A17 Trunk Road (Leadenham Bypass) (Detrunking) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1372) King's Lynn—Newark Trunk Road (Leadenham By-pass and Slip Roads) Order 1973 (Revocation) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1373) Registered Restrictive Trading Agreements (Inspection, Copy and Certification) (Fees) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/1376) Greater London and Surrey (County and London Borough Boundaries) (No.4) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1391)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reference notes

In January 2010, at President Obama's request, Bush and Bill Clinton established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to raise contributions for relief and recovery efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake earlier that month. On May 2, 2011, President Obama called Bush, who was at a restaurant with his wife, to inform him that Osama bin Laden had been killed. The Bushes joined the Obamas in New York City to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. At the Ground Zero memorial, Bush read a letter that President Abraham Lincoln wrote to a widow who had lost five sons during the Civil War. On September 7, 2017, Bush partnered with former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama to work with One America Appeal to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in the Gulf Coast and Texas communities. Over the years, President Bush has had a good-natured friendship with Michelle Obama. "President Bush and I, we are forever seatmates because of protocol, and that's how we sit at all the official functions," Obama told the Today Show. "He's my partner in crime at every major thing where all the 'formers' gather. So we're together all the time." Bush famously passed mints to Obama during the McCain funeral in September 2018 and gave them to her again during the funeral of his father in December 2018.

=== Possible future treatments === A peptide that prevents and treats citrus greening disease in greenhouse trials was being tested in field trials in 2021; an enhanced injectable version of the product was being developed in 2020. Two types of antisense oligonucleotide (FANA and Morpholinos) can be delivered efficiently into citrus trees, suppressing their RNA targets. FANA can suppress 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' in citrus trees. Morpholinos can suppress CLas in infected citrus trees and the psyllid vectors. Furthermore, the PPMOs designed to endosymbiotic bacteria of the psyllid vectors, can reduce psyllid populations by targeting and suppressing the insects endosymbionts, the bacteria which are essential for psyllid survival. Morpholinos must be covalently linked with a charged molecule or peptide, to enter bacteria. The target RNA is made susceptible to cleavage by ribonuclease P (RNase-P). Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the E3 ubiquitin ligase PUB21 acts as an essential susceptibility gene, marking the MYC2 transcription factor for degradation. Introduction of a dominant negative variant of PUB21 was successful in conferring resistance to HLB by stabilizing MYC2 levels.

Laser-based ambient ionization is a two-step process in which a pulsed laser is used to desorb or ablate material from a sample and the plume of material interacts with an electrospray or plasma to create ions. Lasers with ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths and nanosecond to femtosecond pulse widths have been used. Although atmospheric pressure MALDI is performed under ambient conditions, it is not generally considered to be an ambient mass spectrometry technique. Laser ablation was first coupled with mass spectrometry in the 1980s for the analysis of metals using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). The laser ablates the sample material that is introduced into an ICP to create atomic ions.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

Is cardarine approved for human use?

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.

Why is cardarine banned in sport?

It is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a hormone and metabolic modulator. Athletes who test positive for GW501516 can face sanctions, including suspensions and loss of results.

What is the difference between cardarine and GW501516?

Cardarine is a common or trade-style name, while GW501516 is the research code for the same chemical entity. Some sources also use Endurobol or GSK-516. The names refer to the same compound, not distinct drugs.

What is the main molecular target of cardarine?

It targets PPARδ, a nuclear receptor involved in lipid and energy metabolism. It does not act primarily on androgen receptors. This distinction separates it from SARMs.

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