AICAR vs Bremelanotide
Head-to-head comparison of AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide Ribonucleotide (Acadesine)) and Bremelanotide (Bremelanotide (PT-141), cyclic melanocortin receptor agonist) — benefits, dosing, side effects, research data, and where to buy.
Research Score
| Property | AICAR | Bremelanotide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Performance | Sexual Health |
| Full Name | 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide Ribonucleotide (Acadesine) | Bremelanotide (PT-141), cyclic melanocortin receptor agonist |
| Molecular Weight | 338.21 g/mol | 1025.2 Da |
| Half-Life | ~2-3 hours | about 2.7 h |
| Amino Acids | Nucleoside analog | 7 |
| Typical Dose | — | 1.75 mg |
| Route | — | Subcutaneous |
| Purity | >99% | ≥98% |
| Studies Count | 180 | 200 |
| Research Status | Active Research | Clinical |
AICAR Benefits
- ✓Increases endurance capacity, enhances fatty acid oxidation, promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, improves glucose uptake, cardioprotective effects
Bremelanotide Benefits
- ✓increases sexual desire
- ✓supports arousal
- ✓may improve erectile response
- ✓on-demand use
AICAR Dosing
Research doses: 50-150 mg subcutaneously. Typically administered 30-60 minutes before physical activity in research settings.
Bremelanotide Dosing
1.75 mg subcutaneous PRN|administer about 45 minutes before activity|max 1 dose per 24 hours
AICAR Side Effects
- ⚠Potential hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis at high doses, injection site reactions. Banned by WADA as a metabolic modulator.
Bremelanotide Side Effects
- ⚠nausea
- ⚠flushing
- ⚠headache
- ⚠transient blood pressure increase
Research Overview
AICAR
Salk Institute researchers demonstrated AICAR could increase endurance in sedentary mice by 44% without exercise training. Activates AMPK, triggering PGC-1α expression, mitochondrial biogenesis, and enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation.
Bremelanotide
Human studies and approval data support meaningful effects on sexual desire in women, with a central mechanism involving melanocortin signaling. It is one of the most clinically relevant peptides in this category and is commonly used as the reference compound for PT-141-type research.
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