Cardarine (GW-501516) is a greatly misunderstood supplement that can have a multitude of benefits for athletes. The most common myth to debunk is that Cardarine is NOT a SARM. Rather than working on androgen receptors, Cardarine works on the PPAR pathway as a PPAR Receptor Agonist. Thereby, Cardarine is not hormonal, not anabolic and does not require a post-cycle therapy (PCT).
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-δ) regulates important cellular metabolic functions that contribute to maintaining energy balance and is especially important in regulating fatty acid uptake, transport, and β-oxidation as well as insulin secretion and sensitivity (Liu et al., 2018). For this reason, Cardarine was initially investigated for use in managing and treating obesity and type 2 diabetes among other related conditions, however this was halted due to the findings of a rat study – we will discuss this further on.
Cardarine Benefits
Does Cardarine give you energy?
Endurance – Cardarine can increase endurance, but does not boost energy in the same way as a stimulant would. The endurance benefits of taking Cardarine consistently make it a great choice for any athlete, whether a cyclist, a sprinter or a bodybuilder looking to reduce recovery time between sets and perform better with higher rep work. When paired with 4 weeks of exercise training, GW increases running time by 68% and running distance by 70% over vehicle-treated trained mice by causing adaptations in skeletal muscle (Narkar et al., 2008).
Cardarine and lipids
Lipid profile – Lipid profile can be skewed by the use of PEDs or poor dietary choices (something we advise getting in check before investing in any supplemental intervention). You can help manage this with some cycle support supplements. Cardarine has been shown to increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. One 12-week study found GW501516 demonstrated HDL cholesterol increases up to 16.9% (10 mg) and apoA-I increases up to 6.6%. Reductions were observed in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (-7.3%), triglycerides (-16.9%), apoB (-14.9%), and free fatty acids (-19.4%). The exploratory study showed significant reductions in the concentration of very LDL (-19%), intermediate-density lipoprotein (-52%), and LDL (-14%, predominantly a reduction in small particles), whereas the number of HDL particles increased (+10%; predominantly medium and large HDL) (Olson et al., 2012).