Doping Tests.
In 2009, the French anti-doping agency suspected the use of AICAR in the Tour de France race, in order to reduce fat mass, increase endurance and improve oxygen transport
Since 2011, the drug has been on the WADA list of banned drugs.
Scientists at the Doping Research Center (Das Kölner Zentrum für Präventive Dopingforschung) in Cologne, Germany, have developed a method to detect the presence of the banned drug AICAR.
Sports applications
In 2008, researchers at the Salk Institute led by J. Kim discovered that AICAR, depending on the intensity of the load, when used for four weeks in experimental mice significantly improves their performance on the treadmill, apparently through the conversion of rapidly contracting muscle fibers into more energy efficient, lipid-generating, slowly contracting muscle fibers.
After the ergogenic properties of AICAR were identified, the drug became very popular in sports, and the media dubbed them "exercise pills."
Mechanism of Action
The mechanism of action of the drug is related to the impact on the processes of energy production. It increases the formation and subsequent oxidation of fats, which are one of the important sources of energy during physical activity, and increases the rate of blood flow, which ensures the stable transport of lipids to the sites of their metabolism. AICAR is also involved in metabolism of carbohydrates, the main energy source during prolonged exercise, which is why this medication is currently under study for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.