Pokrywka · Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society 2014 · narrative review · n=?

Metabolic modulators of the exercise response: doping control analysis of an agonist of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (GW501516) and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR).

Cited 29 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review describing preclinical mechanisms, metabolic effects, and doping detection methodologies with no new human trial data.

PubMed 25179079 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

This narrative review summarizes research on the cellular and systemic effects of two metabolic modulators and putative exercise mimetics—the PPAR-delta agonist GW501516 and the AMPK activator AICAR—focusing on their influence on exercise metabolism and the analytical methods developed for their detection in sports doping control.

What was found

The abstract reports no quantitative results or empirical trial metrics. It qualitatively notes that both compounds stimulate fatty acid oxidation, promote muscle remodeling, enhance endurance in animal models, and were placed on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List in 2009 following evidence of potential athletic abuse and illicit distribution.

Why it matters

It consolidates mechanistic and analytical evidence explaining why molecular exercise mimetics developed for metabolic disorders became targets for anti-doping surveillance and detection.

Limits

The abstract provides no original quantitative data, sample sizes, or human clinical trial results. Discussion of physiological efficacy is primarily grounded in animal models and mechanistic hypotheses.

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