Cardarine (GW501516) Effects on Improving Metabolic Syndrome

The present study hypothesized that treatment with GW501516 (a selective PPAR-δ agonist) lowers lipids by increasing fatty acid oxidation without adverse effects on oxidative stress. Caucasian men (age 18-50 years, n=18) were randomly assigned to treatment with GW501516, GW590735, or placebo for two weeks while residing in a clinical research facility. A meal tolerance test, skeletal muscle biopsy, and blood/breath sampling were conducted. The study reported that treatment with GW501516 ameliorated multiple metabolic abnormalities associated with metabolic syndrome including oxidative stress, obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance, all while increasing fatty acid oxidation. Notably, no adverse effects were reported. However, the restricted living conditions and/or diets that the participants were subjected to likely do not resemble their normal lifestyle. Therefore, the beneficial effects of GW501516 on metabolic health observed in the study should further be investigated in a real-life setting. During participant recruitment, the use of dietary supplements were minimally considered, thereby increasing the risk for confounding effects on the metabolic parameters assessed in the study. Also, recruiting a larger and more diverse population would allow for a more detailed analysis that may benefit a broader range of people (i.e., examining the effects of GW501516 in certain ethnic groups or with/without exercise programs). Additional research on GW501516 and other PPAR-δ agonists is encouraged since it appears that this class of drugs can ameliorate multiple metabolic syndrome features. Future studies should consider additional metrics relevant to metabolic syndrome such as C-reactive protein, cortisol, and homocysteine.