AICAR dose range
The amounts people commonly use, from the low end to the high end, with syringe units, schedule and half-life. The 8 published studies are one click away.
Human trials Metabolic Not a peptide Also called acadesine, AICA-riboside, AICA riboside
Common use ranges
From user guides and clinic write-ups. No drug label exists, and no study has tested these amounts in people. Sources disagree badly. Two vendor guides land on 10 to 25 mg a day, one says 1 to 3 mg, and another says 150 to 500 mg. Human studies used IV infusions that do not convert to a shot.
Sources disagree, or there are very few. The amounts below come from a small number of guides, and they do not line up well. Treat every number on this page as uncertain, and check each source yourself.
- Half-life
- Not on the site yet, being checked
- How it is taken
- subcutaneous injection
- How long people use it
- 4 to 8 weeks on, then a break of 2 to 4 weeks. One guide says not past 3 months in a row.
- Mixing used for the units
- 50 mg vial + 2 mL water. 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe = 250 mcg.
Pick your vial size and how much water you add. The units below change to match.
50 mg vial + 2 mL water: 1 unit = 250 mcg
| Tier | Each dose | Syringe units50 mg vial + 2 mL water | How often | Schedule | Vial lastsat this tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting [1] | 10 mg | 40 units 0.40 mL | once a day | 10 mg once a day in the morning for weeks 1 and 2 | 5 days |
| Typical [2] | 25 mg | 100 units 1.00 mL | once a day | 25 mg once a day from week 3 on, some guides use 5 days on and 2 off | 2 days |
Good to know
- AICAR is not a peptide. It is a small molecule that switches on AMPK.
- Usually taken in the morning or before a workout.
- Low blood sugar is the main short-term risk named in guides.
- On the WADA banned list since 2011.
- At 25 mg a day, one 50 mg vial lasts two days.
Sources for these amounts
- Starting: MyPeptideMatch, AICAR 50 mg protocol · Pantheon Peptides, AICAR 50 mg guide
- Typical: MyPeptideMatch, AICAR 50 mg protocol · Pantheon Peptides, AICAR 50 mg guide
How long people use it: MyPeptideMatch, AICAR 50 mg protocol · Pantheon Peptides, AICAR 50 mg guide · The Peptide Breakdown, AICAR dosage
Take the AICAR chart with you
Get a one-page printable chart for AICAR, with the syringe units for each vial and water mix. We can also email you when a new AICAR study is published.
This page shows what labels, clinics and users report, and what studies gave. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Many of these compounds are not approved for human use. Check your own medicines and lab work with a licensed clinician before using anything.
See the science: 8 published studies
Amounts given to people in studies
How it was given: IV infusion
Every human study gave it by vein in a hospital or lab setting. Taken by mouth, less than 5% was absorbed.
Amounts given to animals in studies
Read this first. Not a peptide. Human doses are per kg of body weight and given by IV drip, often over hours. The large heart surgery trial found no benefit. Human use caused low blood pressure and high uric acid.
Every study used for this page
Proof grade: Human trials. Tested in randomized human trials. Amounts are quoted as each study reported them. Where the abstract does not state an amount, the row says so.
| Study | Who was studied | Amount given, as reported | Route | How often | How long | What the authors reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 2037706Dixon et al, J Clin Pharmacol 1991 | Human, healthy men (4 active and 2 placebo per dose level) | 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg | IV and by mouth | One time per route, 1-week washout | Single doses | Well tolerated at all doses. Half-life about 1.4 h. Less than 5% absorbed by mouth |
| PMID 19190259Babraj et al, Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2009 | Human, 6 young, 8 older and 8 type 2 diabetic men | 10 or 20 mg/kg per hour | IV infusion | Continuous | 3 hours, one time | Muscle glucose uptake rose 1.6 to 2.9 fold. Smaller rise with age |
| PMID 18709353Boon et al, Diabetologia 2008 | Human, 10 men with type 2 diabetes | 0.75 mg/kg per minute | IV infusion | Continuous | One test session | Blood sugar fell because the liver made less glucose. Blood fats fell |
| PMID 21148051Bosselaar et al, J Clin Pharmacol 2011 | Human, 10 healthy adults (8 paired) | 67 mg/kg | IV infusion | One time | Over 60 minutes | No change in glucose uptake. Heart rate went up and blood pressure went down |
| PMID 22782417Newman et al, JAMA 2012, RED-CABG | Human, randomized, 3080 heart bypass patients | 0.1 mg/kg per minute | IV infusion | Continuous | 7 hours, one time | Did not lower death, stroke or heart failure. Trial stopped early for futility |
| PMID 23228986Van Den Neste et al, Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2013 | Human, 24 patients with relapsed leukemia (CLL) | 50 to 315 mg/kg single doses. 210 mg/kg given 2 or 5 times | IV infusion over 4 hours | One time, or repeated | Single dose up to 5 doses | Highest tolerated single dose 210 mg/kg. High uric acid and low blood pressure were side effects |
| PMID 18674809Narkar et al, Cell 2008 | Mouse, sedentary adults | 500 mg/kg/day (PMC full text) | Into the belly (PMC full text) | Once a day | 4 weeks | Running endurance up 44% without exercise training |
| PMID 10846039Winder et al, J Appl Physiol 2000 | Rat, resting | 1 mg/g body weight | Under the skin | Once a day | 4 weeks | Raised mitochondrial enzymes, hexokinase and GLUT-4 in muscle |
How to read the study numbers
- One study, one group. Each figure is what one team chose for its own participants or animals.
- Route matters. An amount given into a vein (IV) is not the same as the same amount under the skin, in the nose or by mouth.
- Animals are not small people. An animal amount is shown as the study gave it. It is not a human amount.
- Short studies. Many studies ran days or weeks. They do not show what happens over longer use.
Common questions
What amounts of AICAR were used in human studies?
In the studies listed here, people were given from 10 mg/kg IV, one time (healthy men) up to 315 mg/kg IV over 4 hours, one time (leukemia patients, 210 mg/kg was the highest tolerated). The amount used most often was 0.1 mg/kg per minute IV for 7 hours, one time (heart surgery trial, 3080 patients). These are what study teams chose for their participants under supervision.
Where do these AICAR numbers come from?
From 8 published studies, each linked to its PubMed or ClinicalTrials.gov record. Every figure was checked against the study abstract or its open full text. Proof grade: Human trials.
Is this a recommendation for how much AICAR to use?
No. This page shows the amounts reported by drug labels, clinics and users, next to what researchers gave in studies. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any of it.