Carcinogenicity 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 2025-12-08. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Cardarine is a common name for GW501516, a synthetic compound developed in the 1990s through research collaborations involving GlaxoSmithKline. It belongs to a class of molecules known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta agonists. Early studies explored its effects on lipid metabolism and energy expenditure in animal models. The compound was never approved as a human medicine, and clinical development was discontinued. In the years since, it has appeared in fitness and bodybuilding communities as a performance-enhancing substance. Regulatory agencies classify it as an unapproved drug.
PPARδ is a nuclear receptor that regulates gene expression related to fatty acid oxidation, glucose homeostasis, and mitochondrial function. GW501516 binds to this receptor with high affinity and activates downstream signaling in skeletal muscle and other tissues. Animal studies reported increased endurance and altered fuel preference, but human data remain limited and inconsistent. The precise relationship between receptor activation and observed physiological changes is still an area of active investigation. Researchers have also examined whether the compound affects inflammation or cell proliferation. No approved therapeutic indication exists for cardarine.
In laboratory settings, cardarine is studied as a tool compound for probing PPARδ biology. Published experiments often use cell cultures, rodent models, or isolated tissues. Some investigations focus on metabolic effects, while others assess potential risks such as carcinogenicity observed in long-term animal studies. Because human trials are sparse, most knowledge comes from preclinical work and adverse event reports. Scientific literature frequently notes the gap between animal findings and human outcomes. The compound is not a dietary supplement and is not intended for human consumption.
Laboratory detection of GW501516 commonly uses liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The method can identify the parent compound or its metabolites in urine and blood after sample cleanup. Protein precipitation, solid-phase extraction, or enzymatic hydrolysis may precede analysis, depending on the matrix. Reference standards are required for accurate quantification and confirmation. Because the compound is not approved, testing often occurs in anti-doping, forensic, or research settings rather than routine clinical care. Results are reported with limits of detection and quantification.
Stability of GW501516 depends on form, temperature, light exposure, and moisture. Solid reference material is typically stored frozen or refrigerated in a desiccator and protected from light. Solutions in organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide are often kept frozen in aliquots to reduce freeze-thaw cycling. Aqueous solubility is low, so aqueous stock solutions can be difficult to prepare without cosolvents. Degradation may appear as changes in chromatographic purity or mass spectral signal. Stability studies are needed to establish shelf life for any specific preparation.
Quality assessment for cardarine samples usually combines identity, purity, and impurity testing. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry can confirm molecular structure, while high-performance liquid chromatography estimates purity. Certificates of analysis from testing laboratories may list these results, but they do not establish safety or legality. In the absence of approved manufacturing, products sold online may contain the wrong compound, variable amounts, or unlisted contaminants. Independent verification is therefore central to analytical work and to interpreting any reported biological activity.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Registry Number | 317318-70-0 | Unique identifier for the compound. |
| Chemical class | PPARδ agonist | Synthetic ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta. |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid | Typical form of research-grade material. |
| Solubility | Soluble in DMSO and ethanol | Poorly soluble in water. |
| Typical storage | -20°C | Recommended for long-term storage of stock solutions. |
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.
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.
1RAR trained in Kenya from December 1943 to September 1944, when it transferred to Ceylon and became part of the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade alongside the 1st KAR and the 3rd Northern Rhodesia Regiment. In December 1944, after three months' training for jungle warfare, 1RAR and the other two components of the brigade joined the Burma Campaign at Chittagong under the command of the 15th Indian Corps. The brigade spent about three months supporting the 25th Indian Division in north-western Burma, advancing through the Mayu peninsula during January 1945 and taking part in the latter stages of the Battle of Ramree Island, landing on the island on 14 February. 1RAR fortified positions at Myinbin, Kyaukkale and Mayin but did not contact Japanese forces. A widespread belief developed among Japanese troops in Burma that the British Army's African soldiers were cannibals, partly because of deliberate disinformation spread by the black troops themselves as they travelled around the country. While entirely unfounded, the notion "that we Africans eat people", as one RAR soldier put it, had a fearsome psychological effect; men of 1RAR reported Japanese soldiers picking up their comrades' bodies in the midst of battle and running away. In March 1945 the 22nd Brigade was ordered south to Dalaba where it became part of the 82nd (West Africa) Division, which had been tasked with clearing the Taungup area of Japanese troops.
== Signs and symptoms == Pain may be the first noticed symptom. People with lipodermatosclerosis have tapering of their legs above the ankles, forming a constricting band resembling an inverted champagne bottle. In addition, there may be brownish-red pigmentation and induration. Symptoms may also include swelling in feet and ankles, leathery skin, flaky skin, itchy skin, leg cramping, leg heaviness, leg swelling, leg tiredness, leg achiness, foot pain, slow healing wounds on legs and feet, bulging varicose veins, warmth in legs, redness in legs, and pain with prolonged standing.
=== Transfer RNAs === Other genes (MT-TH, MT-TL1, and MT-TV) encode mitochondrial specific transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Mutations in the mitochondrial MT-TL1 gene cause more than 80 percent of all cases of MELAS. This gene encodes a tRNA specific to the amino acid Leucine. These mutations impair the ability of mitochondria to make proteins, use oxygen, and produce energy. Researchers have not determined how changes in mitochondrial DNA lead to the specific signs and symptoms of MELAS. They continue to investigate the effects of mitochondrial gene mutations in different tissues, particularly in the brain.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Use of methamphetamine can result in a stimulant psychosis which may present with a variety of symptoms (e.g., paranoia, hallucinations, delirium, and delusions). A Cochrane Collaboration review on treatment for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methamphetamine use-induced psychosis states that about 5–15% of users fail to recover completely. The same review asserts that, based upon at least one trial, antipsychotic medications effectively resolve the symptoms of acute amphetamine psychosis. Amphetamine psychosis may also develop occasionally as a treatment-emergent side effect.
This has led to a significant body of work in reconstructing growth curves and modeling the evolution of growth rates across various dinosaur lineages, which has suggested overall that dinosaurs grew faster than living reptiles. Other lines of evidence suggesting endothermy include the presence of feathers and other types of body coverings in many lineages (see § Feathers); more consistent ratios of the isotope oxygen-18 in bony tissue compared to ectotherms, particularly as latitude and thus air temperature varied, which suggests stable internal temperatures (although these ratios can be altered during fossilization); and the discovery of polar dinosaurs, which lived in Australia, Antarctica, and Alaska when these places would have had cool, temperate climates.
=== Data analysis === Mass spectrometry data analysis is specific to the type of experiment producing the data. General subdivisions of data are fundamental to understanding any data. Many mass spectrometers work in either negative ion mode or positive ion mode. It is very important to know whether the observed ions are negatively or positively charged. This is often important in determining the neutral mass but it also indicates something about the nature of the molecules. Different types of ion source result in different arrays of fragments produced from the original molecules. An electron ionization source produces many fragments and mostly single-charged (1-) radicals (odd number of electrons), whereas an electrospray source usually produces non-radical quasimolecular ions that are frequently multiply charged. Tandem mass spectrometry purposely produces fragment ions post-source and can drastically change the sort of data achieved by an experiment. Knowledge of the origin of a sample can provide insight into the component molecules of the sample and their fragmentations. A sample from a synthesis/manufacturing process will probably contain impurities chemically related to the target component. A crudely prepared biological sample will probably contain a certain amount of salt, which may form adducts with the analyte molecules in certain analyses. Results can also depend heavily on sample preparation and how it was run/introduced.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Quantum properties === The deuteron has spin +1 ("triplet state") and is thus a boson. The NMR frequency of deuterium is significantly different from normal hydrogen. Infrared spectroscopy also easily differentiates many deuterated compounds, due to the large difference in IR absorption frequency seen in the vibration of a chemical bond containing deuterium, versus light hydrogen. The two stable isotopes of hydrogen can also be distinguished by using mass spectrometry. The triplet deuteron nucleon is barely bound at EB = 2.23 MeV, and none of the higher energy states are bound. The singlet deuteron is a virtual state, with a negative binding energy of ~60 keV. There is no such stable particle, but this virtual particle transiently exists during neutron–proton inelastic scattering, accounting for the unusually large neutron scattering cross-section of the proton.
==== Absorption and distribution ==== Fomepizole distributes rapidly into total body water. The volume of distribution is between 0.6 and 1.02 L/kg. The therapeutic concentration is from 8.2 to 24.6 mg (100 to 300 micromoles) per liter. Peak concentration following single oral doses of 7 to 50 mg/kg of body weight occurred in 1 to 2 hours. The half-life varies with dose, so has not been calculated.
In late 2009, the JINR–LLNL collaboration studied the 249Bk + 48Ca reaction in an effort to produce element 117, which would decay to elements 115 and 113 and bolster their claims in a cross-reaction. They were now joined by scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Vanderbilt University, both in Tennessee, United States, who helped procure the rare and highly radioactive berkelium target necessary to complete the JINR's calcium-48 campaign to synthesise the heaviest elements on the periodic table. Two isotopes of element 117 were synthesised, decaying to element 115 and then element 113:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Cardarine is a common name for GW501516, a synthetic PPARδ agonist developed for research. It has not been approved as a medication in any country. It is classified as an unapproved drug and a prohibited substance in sport.
No. Cardarine is not an anabolic steroid; it belongs to a different chemical class that targets PPARδ. Steroids act primarily through androgen receptors, while cardarine acts through a nuclear receptor involved in metabolism.
Some rodent studies reported increased endurance and changes in fat metabolism after cardarine exposure. Long-term studies in animals also raised concerns about cancer in certain tissues. Human trial data are limited, so these findings cannot be directly translated to people.
LC-MS/MS is common, often after sample cleanup. The assay targets GW501516 or its metabolites.