Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Head-to-head comparison of Cardarine (GW-501516) and Mirabegron (YM-178) — mechanism, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
Cardarine (GW-501516) is a synthetic small-molecule PPARδ agonist — not a SARM and not a peptide, despite gray-market marketing that groups it with SARMs. Developed by GSK and taken into human lipid trials, its clinical development was discontinued around 2007 after rodent carcinogenicity findings. It has no regulatory approval anywhere, is WADA-prohibited at all times, and is sold only as a gray-market research chemical.
Mirabegron is a non-peptide, small-molecule selective β3-adrenergic receptor agonist FDA-approved in 2012 for overactive bladder at 25–50 mg/day oral dosing. It is also sold as unregulated 'research use only' powder by fine-chemical vendors, despite being a prescription pharmaceutical. Investigational metabolic research has used a supratherapeutic 100 mg/day dose to study brown adipose tissue activation—an off-label, non-approved use. Mirabegron is pharmacologically distinct from WADA-prohibited β2-agonists, though its it is not on the WADA Prohibited List (only beta-2 agonists are prohibited, Category S3).
Cardarine (GW-501516)
Mirabegron (YM-178)
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Side Effects
COA-verified vendors · trust score ≥70 required · single-vial price — bulk/bundle deals may be lower
Cardarine (GW-501516)
Mirabegron (YM-178)
No pricing data yet.
Check Mirabegron (YM-178) prices →COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
Cardarine (GW-501516)
2
COAs
99.7%
Avg purity
1
Labs
Mirabegron (YM-178)
1
COAs
99.8%
Avg purity
1
Labs
Completed GSK-sponsored human trials in low-HDL/dyslipidemia subjects (2.5–10 mg/day, 12 weeks) improved lipids (HDL-C +16.9%, triglycerides −16.9%, LDL −7.3%; Sprecher et al., 2012). GSK halted development around 2007 after a 2-year rodent carcinogenicity study reported tumors across multiple organs; a 2019 mouse study found GW-501516 accelerated colitis-associated colorectal cancer. A published human case report documented severe rhabdomyolysis and hepatotoxicity from self-administration. Never approved for any indication; not a peptide.
Mirabegron is an FDA-approved drug with extensive human data, not a novel research chemical. Approved adult dosing is 25 mg once daily, increased to 50 mg after 4–8 weeks for overactive bladder. A registered clinical trial (NCT04823442) used 100 mg/day for 4 weeks in 14 healthy women, reporting increased brown adipose tissue activity/volume, HDL cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and resting energy expenditure with no change in body weight or fat mass (O'Mara et al., J Clin Invest 2020, PMID 31961826)—an open-label study without placebo control. Rat studies confirmed selective β3-adrenoceptor agonist activity with bladder-relaxant effects (Hatanaka et al., 2013, PMID 23239087). Ex vivo porcine ureter studies found mirabegron reduced contractility partly via α1-adrenoceptor antagonism, complicating a pure β3-selectivity profile at the ureter (PMC9192402).
Cardarine (GW-501516) and Mirabegron (YM-178) are both in the Metabolic category and may have overlapping mechanisms. Researchers should review both profiles carefully, understand the mechanisms of action, and monitor the relevant biomarkers when combining compounds in the same class. As always, consult a licensed healthcare provider before making any decisions about combining research compounds.
This platform provides informational tools only, not medical advice. This comparison is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed provider.
Contraindications
Lab Testing
Disclosed Labs