Side-by-side comparison of mechanisms, dosing, interactions, and stacking potential.
| Cardarine (GW-501516) | SR-9009 (Stenabolic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | SARMs | SARMs |
| Standard Dose | Research indicates 10-20 mg daily orally for 8-12 weeks. Clinical trials (metabolic syndrome) used 2.5-10 mg/day. | Research indicates 20-30 mg daily orally, split into 3-4 doses due to very short half-life (~4 hours). Some users prefer sublingual administration for improved bioavailability. |
| Timing | Once daily, 1-2 hours before exercise for acute endurance benefit. Half-life approximately 16-24 hours. Consistent daily dosing. | Split into 3-4 doses throughout the day due to ~4-hour half-life. Example: 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm. Avoid late-night dosing as REV-ERB modulation may affect circadian rhythm and sleep. |
| Cycle Duration | 8-12 week cycles. No HPG suppression, so PCT is not required. However, long-term safety is unknown and cycling is prudent. | 8-12 week cycles. No HPG suppression. Cycling recommended due to limited long-term data. |
| Evidence Level | animal_plus_anecdotal | animal_plus_anecdotal |
Cardarine is a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARd) agonist, not a SARM (it does not bind the androgen receptor). PPARd activation in skeletal muscle upregulates genes for fatty acid oxidation (CPT1B, PDK4, ACOX1), shifting fuel substrate from glycolysis toward beta-oxidation, effectively increasing endurance capacity and fat utilization. It increases oxidative type I (slow-twitch) muscle fiber proportion, enhances mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1a coactivation, reduces circulating triglycerides and LDL, and increases HDL cholesterol. PPARd activation also reduces macrophage-mediated inflammation through NF-kB suppression.
Research indicates 10-20 mg daily orally for 8-12 weeks. Clinical trials (metabolic syndrome) used 2.5-10 mg/day.
Once daily, 1-2 hours before exercise for acute endurance benefit. Half-life approximately 16-24 hours. Consistent daily dosing.
8-12 week cycles. No HPG suppression, so PCT is not required. However, long-term safety is unknown and cycling is prudent.
SR-9009 is a synthetic agonist of REV-ERBa and REV-ERBb, nuclear receptors that form the repressive limb of the circadian clock and regulate metabolic gene expression. REV-ERB activation represses BMAL1/CLOCK transcription, modulating circadian rhythm. In skeletal muscle, SR-9009 increases mitochondrial count and oxidative capacity by upregulating mitochondrial biogenesis genes. It enhances fatty acid and glucose oxidation, increases exercise endurance, and reduces lipogenesis in the liver. SR-9009 also reduces inflammatory gene expression via NF-kB pathway suppression. Recent research has identified significant REV-ERB-independent effects, suggesting the mechanism is more complex than initially characterized.
Research indicates 20-30 mg daily orally, split into 3-4 doses due to very short half-life (~4 hours). Some users prefer sublingual administration for improved bioavailability.
Split into 3-4 doses throughout the day due to ~4-hour half-life. Example: 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm. Avoid late-night dosing as REV-ERB modulation may affect circadian rhythm and sleep.
8-12 week cycles. No HPG suppression. Cycling recommended due to limited long-term data.
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