Cardarine — also known as GW1516, GW501516 and Endurobol — was originally developed in the 90s to help treat obesity, diabetes, problems with cholesterol and certain heart conditions. However, Cardarine was pulled from human clinical trials when animal studies showed that it causes cancer. Despite this — and its illegality — it continues to be used by athletes and gym-goers in a bid for fat loss and extra endurance.
Here’s what you need to know about cardarine, how it works and its side effects.
What is cardarine or GW1516?
Cardarine is a man-made chemical that changes the way your body uses fat to generate energy. It works by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ), making muscle cells use fat rather than carbohydrates as an energy source.
Cardarine was originally developed as a drug to treat abnormally high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides or other fats in the blood, which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and other health problems. There was also hope for the drug’s potential to treat type 2 diabetes, obesity and even reduce fat deposits and suppress inflammation in the liver.
Is GW1516 a steroid?
No cardarine, is not a steroid or a selective androgen receptor modulator. It works by changing how the body metabolises fat and energy, rather than mimicking or altering natural hormone levels.
Does cardarine cause cancer?
Yes, that’s why it is banned. Experiments using mice and rats show that cardarine causes cancer in multiple organs (including the liver, thyroid gland, tongue, stomach and testes) and death. Although small studies in humans have been performed, the results from animal experiments make long-term clinical studies in humans unethical.
You might have seen websites or content creators dismiss these findings, arguing that animals developed cancer because they were given larger doses of cardarine than humans.
Without long-term clinical studies the carcinogenic effect of cardarine in humans cannot be proven or disproven, but it cannot be considered to be safe. The danger of cardarine use in humans is demonstrated by reports of occasions when a person is hospitalised with suspected complications from cardarine use.
Cardarine side effects
Research on side effects and long-term human safety is lacking, and the drug is considered unsafe for human use.
Is cardarine legal in Australia?
No, cardarine is illegal in Australia. It is banned in professional sports and it is not legally permitted in medications or supplements.
Since June 2018, the TGA has classed cardarine under Schedule 10, which means that it is considered such a danger to health that it is prohibited by law from sale, supply and use. A TGA statement on cardarine states that the “public health risk substantially outweighs the benefit” of “public access to any proposed or known [cardarine] products.”
World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) classifies cardarine as a metabolic modulator and has prohibited it since 2012. Sport Integrity Australia warns that, “Athletes seeking to obtain an ‘edge’ from the use of GW1516 need to be aware that they risk more than a positive test if they choose to take it – they may be risking their life.”
