AICAR 50mg

Important Note

This page is informational and does not authorize use. Peptify clients should complete assessment, disclose medications and health history, and follow the clinician-approved plan only.

Do not start, stop, combine, or change a protocol based only on website content.
Emergency symptoms require urgent medical care, not a website or routine follow-up message.

Quickstart Highlights

AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide; also called acadesine) is an AMP-mimetic that activates AMPK, the cell’s energy sensor, and is often described as an “exercise mimetic”[1][2]. This educational page outlines a once-daily subcutaneous approach with a dilution chosen so doses land on easy-to-read insulin-syringe marks. It is an unapproved research chemical, not a medicine; the famous endurance result comes from a 2008 mouse study and has never been shown in humans — presented for research and educational use only.

Add 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water to one 50 mg vial → ~16.67 mg/mL (16,670 mcg/mL), a practical dilution for accurate dosing.
1–3 mg (1,000–3,000 mcg) once daily, titrated upward gradually across an 8-week course.
At ~16.67 mg/mL, 1 unit ≈ 167 mcg; 1 mg ≈ 6 units and 3 mg ≈ 18 units on a U-100 syringe.
Lyophilized: store at −20 °C (−4 °F); once reconstituted, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and do not freeze the solution.
Important: Start with the Prep & Injection Guide — it covers the preparation and safety basics every protocol on this site assumes.

Dosing & Reconstitution Guide

A single practical dilution with accurate once-daily dosing, step by step

Standard / Gradual Approach (3 mL = ~16.67 mg/mL)

Phase / Week(s)	Dose & Frequency	Volume (U-100 units / mL)
Weeks 1–2	1,000 mcg / 1 mg (1× daily)	~6 units (0.06 mL)
Weeks 3–4	2,000 mcg / 2 mg (1× daily)	~12 units (0.12 mL)
Weeks 5–8	3,000 mcg / 3 mg (1× daily)	~18 units (0.18 mL)

Reconstitute: Add 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water to one 50 mg vial → final concentration ~16.67 mg/mL (16,670 mcg/mL).
Typical daily range: 1–3 mg (1,000–3,000 mcg) once daily, raised gradually over an 8-week course.
Easy measuring: At ~16.67 mg/mL, 1 unit ≈ 167 mcg on a U-100 syringe (units = mcg ÷ 167). The micro-doses here are far below the 10–50 mg/kg doses used in rodent studies.
Storage: Lyophilized: store at −20 °C (−4 °F); after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and do not freeze the mixed solution.
Frequency: one subcutaneous injection each day, titrating up as tolerated across the 8-week course[3]. These are illustrative research figures, not approved human dosing; note that AICAR is not approved for human use and is prohibited by WADA[4].

Reconstitution Steps

Draw 3.0 mL of bacteriostatic water into a sterile syringe.

Release it slowly down the vial’s inner wall to limit foaming.
Swirl or roll gently until fully dissolved — don’t shake.
Label with the date and concentration, then refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F), shielded from light.
The 3.0 mL dilution puts a 50 mg vial at ~16.67 mg/mL, so each dose still reads on the lower half of a U-100 syringe (1 unit ≈ 167 mcg). Avoid freezing the reconstituted solution, since freeze–thaw can degrade the compound.
Important: This guide is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. For research use only. Not for human consumption.

Supplies Needed

Quantities below assume an 8–16 week course of once-daily injections with gradual titration.

A 50 mg vial covers roughly 2–3 weeks at the 1–3 mg/day micro-doses used here, so one vial lasts well into the cycle.
8-week course: ~3 vials
Doses 1–3 mg/day: 1 vial ≈ 2–3 weeks
Keep a spare vial on hand
Per injection: 1 syringe
8 weeks (once daily): ~56 syringes
16 weeks (once daily): ~112 syringes
Use ~3.0 mL per 50 mg vial for reconstitution.
8 weeks (3 vials): ~9 mL → 1–2 bottles
Keep a spare bottle for top-ups
One for the vial stopper + one for the injection site each day.
Per injection: 2 swabs
8 weeks (once daily): ~112 swabs → 1–2 boxes

Protocol Overview

A concise summary of the once-daily regimen, drawn from commonly cited reference protocols.

▪Goal: Activate AMPK to promote fatty-acid oxidation and an endurance-type muscle-fiber shift — the “exercise mimetic” effect seen in a 2008 mouse study, not established in humans[5][6].
▪Schedule: Daily subcutaneous injections for 8–12 weeks, optionally extended to ~16 weeks for longer research goals.
▪Dose Range: 1–3 mg (1,000–3,000 mcg) per day with gradual titration over 8 weeks.
▪Reconstitution: 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water per 50 mg vial gives ~16.67 mg/mL (1 unit ≈ 167 mcg).
▪Storage: Keep the dry vial frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F); once mixed, refrigerate at 2–8 °C and do not freeze the solution.

Dosing Protocol

A suggested daily titration approach based on common reference doses.

▪Start: Begin at 1,000 mcg (1 mg) once daily to gauge tolerability.
▪Titrate: Increase by roughly 1,000 mcg (1 mg) every two weeks as tolerated.
▪Target: Reach about 3,000 mcg (3 mg) daily by weeks 5–8.
▪Cycle Length: Typically about 8 weeks for this illustrative schedule.
▪Timing: Inject at a consistent time each day and rotate injection sites systematically.

Storage Instructions

Correct storage is what preserves the peptide’s stability and activity.

▪Lyophilized: Hold the dry vial at −20 °C (−4 °F) in dry, dark conditions and limit moisture exposure[7].
▪Reconstituted: Refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within about 28 days; do not freeze the mixed solution, as freezing can denature peptides[8].
▪Handling: Let frozen vials warm to room temperature before opening so condensation won’t form, and keep the solution clear of heat and direct light.
▪Freeze–thaw: Avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles of the reconstituted solution.

Important Notes

Practical points that keep daily administration safe and consistent.

▪Sterile technique: Use a fresh sterile U-100 insulin syringe each time and drop it straight into a puncture-proof sharps container afterward.
▪Site rotation: Move between abdomen, thighs and upper arms to reduce local irritation and lipohypertrophy[9].
▪Slow injection: Push the plunger slowly and pause a few seconds before withdrawing the needle to prevent backflow.
▪Recordkeeping: Log the daily dose, injection site and any observations to keep the protocol consistent.
▪Regulatory note: AICAR is prohibited by WADA (S4.5 metabolic modulators / AMPK activator, in- and out-of-competition since 2009) and is not FDA-approved for human use[10].

How This Works

AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide; also known as acadesine) is an AMP-mimetic — a small molecule that mimics AMP, the signal a cell produces when its energy is running low[1][2]. By imitating AMP it switches on the cell’s master energy sensor.

Its core mechanism is activation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), the master regulator of cellular energy balance. Once activated, AMPK promotes fatty-acid oxidation and a shift toward oxidative, endurance-type muscle fibers — the changes that earned AICAR the “exercise mimetic” label[5][6].
The famous result is from a 2008 Salk Institute mouse study, in which sedentary mice given AICAR ran significantly longer than untreated mice[11]. Those rodents received 10–50 mg/kg — vastly higher, on a body-weight basis, than the 1–3 mg/day micro-doses on this page[12].
Important caveat: the endurance and fat-loss benefits have never been demonstrated in humans. As a drug (acadesine) AICAR reached Phase III cardioprotection trials but failed to gain approval. Performance and body-composition claims rest on rodent data and anecdote, and should be read as unproven hypotheses.
AICAR is not an approved medicine. It is an unapproved research chemical presented here for research and educational purposes only.

Lifestyle Factors

Habits that may support endurance and metabolic goals alongside the protocol.

▪Nutrition: Support training with adequate protein and sensible carbohydrate timing around workouts.
▪Activity & rest: Endurance and resistance training are the proven drivers of the adaptations AICAR is claimed to mimic — pair them with real recovery time.
▪Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours to support recovery and metabolic health.
▪Stress: Manage stress with evidence-based practices, since it influences metabolism and recovery.

Potential Benefits & Side Effects

What preclinical (mostly rodent) research describes; human efficacy is unproven and individual results vary.

▪Endurance (mouse only): A 2008 mouse study reported markedly improved running endurance in sedentary mice given AICAR via AMPK activation[5][6].
▪Fat metabolism (preclinical): AMPK activation has been linked to increased fatty-acid oxidation and improved glucose uptake in animal and cell models[11].
▪Clinical history (acadesine): Studied in humans as the cardioprotective drug acadesine, but it failed to gain regulatory approval.
▪Note on humans: The endurance and fat-loss benefits are not established in humans — the hype rests on rodent data at far higher doses[13].
▪Injection-site reactions: Mild redness, tenderness or soreness can occur; rotating sites helps.
▪Unknown long-term profile: Long-term human safety data is essentially absent, so caution is advised.
▪Sport restriction: AICAR is a WADA-prohibited substance (S4.5), banned in and out of competition.

Injection Technique

General subcutaneous technique, following established clinical best-practice guidance[14][15].

▪Wash your hands well with soap and water.
▪Wipe the vial stopper with an alcohol swab and let it air-dry.
▪Choose a site (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm) and clean it with a fresh alcohol swab, letting it dry fully[15].
▪Draw the intended dose, then check for air bubbles and push any out.
▪Pinch a skinfold at the chosen site between thumb and forefinger.
▪Insert the needle into the pinch at a 45–90-degree angle (use 45 degrees if the fat layer is thin)[14].
▪Skip aspiration for subcutaneous shots — it isn’t needed[14].
▪Press the plunger slowly and steadily until it’s fully down.
▪Wait 5–10 seconds, then pull the needle straight out to prevent leakage.
▪Drop the used syringe straight into a puncture-proof sharps container — never recap a needle.
▪Return the reconstituted vial to the fridge right away.
▪Rotate the injection site each day to prevent irritation and lipohypertrophy[9].
▪Watch the site for excess redness, swelling, or signs of infection.

Recommended Source

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References

Reference-derived details for AICAR 50mg.

AICAR (50 mg Vial) Dosage Protocol Open source
1 Cell Metabolism / Narkar et al. AMPK and PPARδ agonists regulate the endurance phenotype; the foundational 2008 “exercise in a pill” work on AICAR. View Source ↗ Open source
2 Drug Testing and Analysis (PubMed) Detection of AICAR (AICA-riboside) as an AMPK-activating performance-enhancing agent in doping control. View Source ↗ Open source
3 WADA Scientific Research Research on AICAR as a metabolic modulator and AMPK activator relevant to anti-doping detection. View Source ↗ Open source
4 Racing Medication & Testing Consortium Regulatory bulletin on AICAR and metabolic modulators in equine and human sports medicine. View Source ↗ Open source
5 Salk Institute / Cell (2008) AICAR improved running endurance in sedentary mice — the original “exercise mimetic” finding. View Source ↗ Open source
6 Cell Metabolism (PubMed) Role of AMPK in skeletal-muscle fatty-acid oxidation and the oxidative fiber-type shift. View Source ↗ Open source
7 Peptide Storage Guide Best practices for storing lyophilized peptides (temperature, humidity and light protection). View Source ↗ Open source
8 Bacteriostatic Water Guidance Bacteriostatic water for injection: multi-dose vial stability and handling. View Source ↗ Open source
9 NCBI Bookshelf Best practices for subcutaneous injection: aseptic technique and site rotation. View Source ↗ Open source
10 WADA Prohibited List Classification of AICAR / AMPK activators (S4.5 metabolic modulators) as prohibited in sport. View Source ↗ Open source
11 Diabetes / Endocrinology (PubMed) AICAR-induced AMPK activation increases fatty-acid oxidation and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. View Source ↗ Open source
12 European Heart Journal (PubMed) Phase III cardioprotection trials of acadesine (AICAR) in cardiac surgery — did not reach approval. View Source ↗ Open source
13 ClinicalTrials.gov Trial registry for acadesine (AICAR); no approved human indication for endurance or fat loss. View Source ↗ Open source
14 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Subcutaneous injection technique: angle, site and no-aspiration guidance. View Source ↗ Open source
15 Subcutaneous Injection Technique (Patient Education) How to administer a subcutaneous injection: clinical technique guidelines. View Source ↗ Open source
16 Prime Lab Peptides Prime Lab Peptides — research-compound supplier with purity specifications and certificates of analysis. View Source ↗ Open source

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