If you have been reading about carcinogenicity 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 2026-07-24. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Cardarine is the common name for GW501516, a synthetic compound studied as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta agonist. Researchers developed it to explore treatments for lipid disorders and metabolic conditions. It is not an approved medicine in any country. Early clinical work examined changes in HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, but development was discontinued after animal studies raised concerns about cancer. The compound remains available as a research chemical and appears in discussions of performance enhancement.
At the molecular level, GW501516 binds and activates PPARδ, a nuclear receptor that regulates transcription. Activation shifts expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, energy expenditure, and lipid transport in skeletal muscle and liver. Animal studies report increased endurance and altered lipid profiles after exposure. Human data are limited to small trials and do not establish long-term safety or efficacy. PPARδ also has roles in cell proliferation, so the relationship between activation and cancer risk remains an open question.
Published literature on cardarine includes in vitro assays, rodent experiments, and a small number of human studies. Reports describe effects on exercise capacity and lipid metabolism in animals, while human evidence is sparse. Many online descriptions present the compound as a proven endurance aid, a claim not supported by regulatory approval or large clinical trials. Analytical studies focus on identifying the parent compound and its metabolites in biological samples. Important uncertainties include species differences, dose-response relationships, and the relevance of rodent tumor findings to humans.
GW501516 binds and activates PPARδ, a nuclear receptor that influences transcription of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and energy use. Activation shifts some metabolic pathways in preclinical models, which is why the compound has been studied for lipid disorders and exercise-related endpoints. The exact downstream effects in humans are incompletely mapped. PPARδ is expressed in many tissues, including skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue, so broad activation may have varied consequences. Researchers continue to examine how selective or partial activation might alter the balance between benefits and risks.
Published human data are sparse and mostly come from early-phase trials. Those studies examined short-term changes in lipids, glucose, and exercise capacity, but they were not large enough to establish efficacy or long-term safety. Some animal experiments reported increased running endurance, yet such findings do not prove a performance benefit in people. Anti-doping laboratories detect GW501516 and its metabolites in urine or blood using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Detection windows depend on dose, sample type, and individual metabolism. The method is sensitive enough to identify trace residues in tested samples.
Laboratory handling focuses on identity, purity, and stability. Reference standards are typically stored cold and dry, protected from light, because solutions can degrade over time. Analytical checks may use high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection or mass spectrometry. Impurities and related substances can be separated chromatographically and compared with a known standard. Because cardarine is not an approved drug, compendial monographs are absent, and laboratories often rely on in-house methods. Reported purity varies among unregulated products and should not be assumed from a label.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | Cardarine | Also called GW501516 and endurobol. |
| Chemical formula | C21H18F3NO3S2 | Molecular weight about 453.5 g/mol. |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid | Form depends on synthesis and purity. |
| Solubility | Soluble in DMSO and ethanol | Low solubility in water. |
| Typical storage | -20 °C, desiccated, protected from light | Common for research chemicals. |
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.
Regulatory bodies treat GW501516 as a prohibited substance in competitive sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency added it to the prohibited list, and it falls under classes covering metabolic modulators and hormone-related agents. It is not approved by drug regulators for human use, and it is not a lawful dietary supplement. Products sold under the cardarine name may contain unlisted ingredients or different compounds. Because no approved product exists, quality and identity are not guaranteed by pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.
Cardarine is a common name for the investigational chemical GW501516, also written GW-1516. It was developed as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta agonist for metabolic conditions such as dyslipidemia. Early research focused on lipid handling and energy use in skeletal muscle and other tissues. The compound was never approved as a medicine. In public discussion, it is often grouped with performance-enhancing substances, although its receptor target differs from that of anabolic steroids or selective androgen receptor modulators. Regulatory and health authorities have issued warnings about its use.
GW501516 acts on PPARδ, a nuclear receptor that helps regulate fatty acid oxidation and energy homeostasis. In animal studies, activation of this receptor was associated with increased endurance and changes in lipid metabolism. Human trials examined effects on blood lipids and other metabolic markers, but the compound did not advance to approval. Rodent studies later reported tumors in multiple tissues at doses used in those experiments. Whether those findings translate to human risk remains uncertain, and the clinical relevance of the animal data is still debated.
Often used to describe regions affected in diseases like multiple sclerosis. PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) A neuroimaging technique that uses radioactive tracers to measure metabolic processes, often used to study brain activity, neurotransmitter systems, and disease progression. Phantom limb A phenomenon in which amputees feel sensations, including pain, in a limb that is no longer present. Thought to result from cortical reorganization. Phenotype The observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. In neuroscience, may include behavioral traits, brain structure, or disease symptoms. Phineas Gage A famous historical case in neuroscience involving a railroad worker who survived a frontal lobe injury, providing early evidence of the brain’s role in personality and behavior. Photoreceptor A specialized neuron in the retina (rods and cones) that converts light into neural signals for visual processing. Pia mater The innermost of the three meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It closely follows the contours of the brain surface. Place cell A neuron in the hippocampus that becomes active when an animal is in a specific location. Central to the brain’s internal spatial mapping system. Plasticity The brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself through experience, learning, or following injury. See also neuroplasticity. Pons A structure in the brainstem that relays signals between the cerebrum and cerebellum, and plays roles in sleep, respiration, and facial sensation.
=== An–Av === Gloria Long Anderson (born 1938), American chemist, pioneer of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Christian B. Anfinsen (1916–1995), American chemist known for work on ribonuclease, 1972 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Andrea Angel (1877–1917), English chemist known for work on explosives Angelo Angeli (1864–1931), Italian chemist who studied nitrogen compounds such as hydrazoic acid Octavio Augusto Ceva Antunes (died 2009), Brazilian chemist, consultant for the production of anti-HIV drugs Anthony Joseph Arduengo, III (born 1952), American chemist known for chemical compounds with unusual valency Johan August Arfwedson (1792–1841), Swedish chemist who discovered lithium Anton Eduard van Arkel (1893–1976), Dutch chemist who developed a method for preparing pure titanium and other metals Svante Arrhenius (1859–1927), Swedish chemist, one of the founders of physical chemistry, he used physical chemistry to estimate the effect of atmospheric carbon dioxide the Earth's increasing surface temperature; Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1903 Valerie Ashby (born 1965/1966), American chemist known for work on functionalized diene monomers and polymers Barbara Askins (born 1939), American chemist known for inventing a method to enhance underexposed photographic negatives Larned B.
== Relationship to North West Indians == An Alu polymorphism analysis by Mastana S (2007) found a North West Indian contribution (20-23%). Analysis of X chromosome STRs by Perera et al., (2011) showed that the Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils and the Moors of Sri Lanka, cluster close with the Bhil (a tribal group) of North West India.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
A balloon pops when the material that makes up its surface tears or shreds, creating a hole. Normally, there is a balance of the balloon skin's elastic tension in which every point on the balloon's surface is being pulled by the material surrounding it. However, if a hole is made on the balloon's surface, the force becomes imbalanced, since there is no longer any force exerted by the center of the hole on the material at its edge. As a result, the balloon's surface at the edge of the hole pulls away, making it bigger; the high pressure air can then escape through the hole and the balloon pops. A balloon can be popped by either physical or chemical actions. Limpanuparb et al. use popping a balloon as a demonstration to teach about physical and chemical hazards in laboratory safety.
=== Application === Some fission products (such as 137Cs) are used in medical and industrial radioactive sources. 99TcO4− (pertechnetate) ion can react with steel surfaces to form a corrosion resistant layer. In this way these metaloxo anions act as anodic corrosion inhibitors - it renders the steel surface passive. The formation of 99TcO2 on steel surfaces is one effect which will retard the release of 99Tc from nuclear waste drums and nuclear equipment which has become lost prior to decontamination (e.g. nuclear submarine reactors which have been lost at sea). In a similar way the release of radio-iodine in a serious power reactor accident could be retarded by adsorption on metal surfaces within the nuclear plant. Much of the other work on the iodine chemistry which would occur during a bad accident has been done.
== Drug interactions == Repaglinide is a major substrate of CYP3A4 and should not be administered concomitantly with gemfibrozil, clarithromycin or azole antifungals such as itraconazole or ketoconazole. Administration of both repaglinide and one or more of these drugs results in an increase in plasma concentration of repaglinide and may lead to hypoglycemia. Co-administration of repaglinide and clopidogrel (a CYP2C8 inhibitor) may lead to a significant decrease in blood glucose levels due to a drug-drug interaction. In fact, using these drugs together for even one day can cause repaglinide levels to increase over 5-fold...and may lead to significant hypoglycemia. Repaglinide should not be combined with sulfonylurea, because they have the same mechanism of action.
=== 2010-2013 === In 2010, Janusz Bugajski argued that Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev "were convinced that Europe and the United States needed Russia much more than Russia needed the West and calculated that several tangible advantages would be gained from the military attack on Georgia". In 2011, Michael Cecire explained that "citations of ’US training’ to Georgian troops have limited relevance in the context of the August war" since Americans trained Georgians for fighting with the insurgents and not for the war with Russia. Cecire further states: "The absence of Georgia's best troops has also been cited as being one of the clearest signs that Tbilisi did not have a premeditated intention to get into a war, and certainly not one with the Russian military. [...] Many observers agree that even if Georgia did premeditate the August 2008 war (and that is a big if), it was not counting on Russian involvement". In 2011, Dr. Ariel Cohen and Colonel Robert E. Hamilton wrote, "The Vladimir Putin-Dmitry Medvedev administration and the defense establishment formulated far-reaching goals when they carefully prepared over 2 1/2 years for a combined operations-style invasion of Georgia.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Cardarine is a common name for the investigational compound GW501516. It acts as a PPARδ agonist and is not approved for human use. It is prohibited in sport.
It activates PPARδ, a nuclear receptor that influences gene expression related to lipid and energy metabolism. Animal studies show changes in endurance and lipid levels. Human effects and risks are not well established.
No, cardarine is not a steroid. It belongs to a different chemical class, the PPARδ agonists. It is also not a selective androgen receptor modulator.
Anti-doping and clinical laboratories commonly use liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method can identify GW501516 and its metabolites in urine or blood. Detection depends on sample timing and the amount present.