Overview
What it is.
AICAR is a nucleotide that activates AMPK, a cellular energy-sensing pathway also engaged by exercise — which is why researchers describe it as an 'exercise mimetic' in metabolic-pathway research.
Research Areas
- Studied for its potential role in AMPK pathway activation
- Studied as an exercise-mimetic compound in preclinical research models
- Studied for its potential role in cellular-energy-metabolism research
Batch & Testing
Proof, not promises.
COA ships with every order
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Research Deep-Dive
How it works.
Research Deep-Dive
How it works.
AICAR (also called acadesine) is a small nucleotide molecule, not a peptide, that directly activates AMPK — the same cellular energy-sensing pathway switched on by exercise. It earned the nickname "exercise in a pill" after an influential 2008 mouse study, and it has since become one of the most recognizable names in exercise-mimetic research.
AICAR makes cells behave as though they are low on energy, which activates AMPK and drives downstream changes in mitochondrial gene expression and muscle-fiber composition — effects that, in animal studies, resembled some of the adaptations produced by actual endurance training.
Use Cases Explored
- Laboratory research into AMPK-pathway activation and mitochondrial biogenesis
- Exercise-physiology research into endurance-performance mechanisms
- Historical clinical research into cardioprotection during cardiac surgery
The Evidence
Narkar et al., 2008 (Cell, mouse model)
Four weeks of AICAR treatment in sedentary mice produced a 44% increase in running endurance and a gene-expression and muscle-fiber profile that resembled voluntary exercise — the foundational study behind its exercise-mimetic reputation, conducted entirely in animals.
Human clinical history
As acadesine, AICAR was studied in cardiac-surgery clinical trials for cardioprotection but was never approved by the FDA or any regulator for that or any other use. It has not been extensively studied in humans for metabolic or performance purposes.
WADA prohibited status
The World Anti-Doping Agency banned AICAR in 2011 as a metabolic modulator — the first exercise-mimetic compound to receive that designation — and it remains prohibited in and out of competition for tested athletes.
Specifications
The essentials.
Specifications
The essentials.
- Form
- Lyophilized powder
- Storage
- Store in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate at 2–8°C after reconstitution
- Shelf life
- 24 months lyophilized; 4–6 weeks refrigerated after reconstitution
- Solubility
- Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water
- Vial capacity
- 3 ml glass vial
Questions
AICAR FAQ
Questions
AICAR FAQ
What is AICAR studied for?+
AICAR is studied as an AMPK-activating nucleotide, examined as an 'exercise mimetic' research compound for its role in cellular-energy-metabolism signaling.
What does 'exercise mimetic' mean for AICAR specifically?+
AICAR activates AMPK, the same cellular energy-sensing pathway that resistance and endurance exercise engage — researchers study it as a chemical probe for that pathway independent of physical activity.
How should AICAR be handled and stored?+
It ships as a lyophilized powder in a single 50 mg size. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water and refrigerate at 2–8°C after mixing — good for roughly 4–6 weeks refrigerated, or up to 24 months unreconstituted in a cool, dry place.
What testing does this batch undergo?+
Every batch is HPLC tested for purity and identity, plus sterility and endotoxin screening, before release. The Certificate of Analysis for that lot ships with your order.
Metabolic
AICAR
5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide
An AMPK-activating compound studied as an exercise-mimetic research subject.
Size
Multi-vial pricing
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All products sold by One Tap Peptides are intended for laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption. Not intended for animal use. Not intended for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
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