Dosage guide · 50 mg vial

AICAR Dosage Protocol

Acadesine · AMPK-activating nucleoside

The attributed reference protocol presents once-daily subcutaneous AICAR: 1 mg for weeks 1–2, 2 mg for weeks 3–4 and 3 mg for weeks 5–8. With 3 mL in a 50 mg vial, the concentration is 16.67 mg/mL, so the 1 mg starting amount is 6 units (0.06 mL) on a U-100 syringe.

How oftenOnce daily

Starting dose1 mg

Start = units6 units

Mix3 mL BAC water

Reviewed 25 Oct 2026 · Education only, not medical advice

AICAR 50 mg vial

Not currently stocked by Peak Peptides Australia

No product photo — this strength isn't stocked by Peak

Dosage chart How to mix Supplies Calculator About AICAR References

01 · DOSAGE CHART

AICAR dosage chart

Gradual daily approach · 50 mg vial + 3 mL BAC water

BAC water added

Concentration16.67 mg/mL

1 unit (U-100)166.7 mcg= 0.01 mL

How oftenOnce dailySubcutaneous injection

3 mL is the water volume stated in the attributed 50 mg reference protocol.

AICAR dosage chart for a 50 mg vial mixed with 3 mL of bacteriostatic water
Week	Daily dose	Syringe units
Weeks 1–2Start	1 mg	6 units0.06 mL
Weeks 3–4	2 mg	12 units0.12 mL
Weeks 5–8Maintenance	3 mg	18 units0.18 mL

Once daily · subcutaneous injection

The attributed protocol increases by 1 mg every 2 weeks until 3 mg daily.

Its conservative schedule is shown for 8 weeks; the source describes 8–12 weeks as a typical research duration.

Community-reported reference amounts — AICAR has no TGA-approved or clinically established subcutaneous dose. Education only, not medical advice. Dose amounts adapted from AICAR 50 mg vial dosage protocol (PeptideDosages.com); units are recalculated for the vial and mix selected above.

02 · HOW TO MIX

Mixing a 50 mg vial with 3 mL of BAC water

Using a 1 mL (100-unit) insulin syringe, 3 full draws of bacteriostatic water gives 16.67 mg/mL.

1
Add the water slowly
Wipe both rubber stoppers with an alcohol swab and let them dry. Draw 3 mL of bacteriostatic water and let it run slowly down the inside of the vial wall — not straight onto the powder.
2
Swirl gently
Swirl or roll the vial gently until the powder has dissolved. Give it a few minutes to settle if needed.
3
Don't shake it
Shaking can damage the peptide and cause foaming. Gentle swirling only.
4
Check it's fully clear
Only use it once it is fully clear with no particles. Label the vial with the date and 16.67 mg/mL, then store it in the fridge at 2–8 °C.

Full illustrated reconstitution guide

03 · SUPPLIES NEEDED

What you'll need

Counts follow the dosage chart above at the highest amount in each step, using a 50 mg vial mixed with 3 mL.

Length of protocol

1AICAR 50 mg vial42 mg needed in total

291 mL insulin syringesU-100, 27–31G · one per draw + one per vial mixed

1BAC water 10 mL bottle3 mL used for mixing

58Alcohol swabsSkin + stopper, every time

Plus an approved sharps container. Syringes and swabs are sold by Australian pharmacies — Peak Peptides and Pure Performance supply the bacteriostatic water.

Peak Peptides Australia Bacteriostatic water 10 mL

Bacteriostatic water 10 mLPeak Peptides Australia

Pure Performance Australia Bacteriostatic water 10 mL

Bacteriostatic water 10 mLPure Performance Australia

04 · CALCULATOR

Check a different amount

Enter your vial, water and dose to see the matching syringe units.

Concentration Calculator

Labelled Vial Amount (mg)

Verified Final Liquid Volume3 mL

Amount to Evaluate (not a recommendation)

Concentration

16.67 mg/mL

(16667 mcg/mL)

Calculated Liquid Volume

0.060 mL

Equivalent U-100 volume scale position

6markings (not biological IU)

Illustration of a U-100 volume scale, not preparation or injection guidance

05 · PROTOCOL DETAILS

About AICAR

Protocol overview

Starting amount: 1 mg once daily for weeks 1–2
How it increases: 2 mg for weeks 3–4, then 3 mg for weeks 5–8
Frequency: Once daily
Route in source: Subcutaneous injection
Typical duration: 8–12 weeks in the attributed reference protocol
Common mix: 3 mL bacteriostatic water into 50 mg gives 16.67 mg/mL

Storage

Before mixing: The attributed protocol states −20 °C, dry and protected from light.
After mixing: Refrigerate at 2–8 °C and protect from light; no universal product-specific use-by period is established.
Never: Avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles or use of a vial that is cloudy or contains particles.

How it works

The compound commonly sold as AICAR is also called AICAr or acadesine. After entering cells, it is phosphorylated to ZMP, an AMP-like molecule that can activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

Cell and animal research links AICAr exposure with changes in glucose handling and fat metabolism. It also has AMPK-independent actions, so it should not be described simply as an exercise substitute or as having proven human benefits.

Illustrated mechanism explainer

What the research shows

In a human metabolic experiment, 10 men with type 2 diabetes received continuous intravenous AICAR at 0.75 mg/kg/min; hepatic glucose output and plasma NEFA concentrations fell, while blood glucose disposal increased.
A 24-person intravenous acadesine dose-escalation study in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia tested 50–315 mg/kg; the reported maximum tolerated single dose was 210 mg/kg. This is not evidence for the charted subcutaneous schedule.
In the RED-CABG randomised trial, 3,080 participants received perioperative acadesine or placebo; the primary outcome was 5.1% with acadesine and 5.0% with placebo, and the trial stopped early for futility.
The TGA ARTG searches for both AICAR and acadesine returned no matching results. AICAR should not be represented as a TGA-approved medicine in Australia.

Reported side effects

Human safety evidence does not establish the safety of daily subcutaneous AICAR at the charted amounts; the identified human investigations used intravenous administration in specific clinical settings.
In the 24-person intravenous acadesine study, grade 2 or greater hyperuricaemia was common; renal impairment and transient infusion-related hypotension were also reported.
In 10 men with type 2 diabetes, intravenous AICAR lowered circulating glucose during the experiment. Effects on glucose regulation are a relevant uncertainty outside that supervised setting.

Important notes

AICAR is not a TGA-approved medicine: searches of the ARTG for AICAR and acadesine returned no matching results.
Prohibited in sport at all times: WADA lists AICAR among AMPK activators in class S4.4.1 metabolic modulators.
The attributed chart is an educational reference schedule, not a clinically established human subcutaneous regimen; published human research used intravenous dosing in defined clinical populations.
Never use a mixed vial that is cloudy or has particles in it.

Injection basics

Use a new sterile 1 mL (100-unit) U-100 insulin syringe, 27–31G, every time — never reuse or share.
Wipe the vial stopper and the skin with an alcohol swab and let both dry first.
Inject under the skin (subcutaneously) of the abdomen, thigh or upper arm, and rotate sites.
Put used syringes straight into an approved sharps container — the NDSS lists Australian disposal options.

Guidance: World Health Organization · National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS)

06 · QUICK ANSWERS

AICAR questions

How many units is 1 mg of AICAR from a 50 mg vial?

With the default 3 mL mix, a 50 mg vial is 16.67 mg/mL. A 1 mg amount is 6 units, which is 0.06 mL, on a U-100 syringe.

How much bacteriostatic water is used for AICAR 50 mg?

The attributed 50 mg reference protocol uses 3 mL. That calculation gives 16.67 mg/mL, and one U-100 unit contains about 167 mcg of AICAR.

How long does a 50 mg AICAR vial last?

At a steady daily amount, 50 mg lasts 50 days at 1 mg, 25 days at 2 mg or about 16.7 days at 3 mg. These are amount-only calculations and do not establish a product use-by period after mixing.

07 · SOURCES