Is AICAR FDA approved?

AICAR is investigational and not FDA approved. It is discussed for research and educational purposes only, not as medical guidance.

How is AICAR administered in research settings?

In research settings, AICAR is typically administered via the subcutaneous or intravenous routes. PeptideBase does not provide dosing or administration instructions.

How is Retatrutide administered in research settings?

In research settings, Retatrutide is typically administered via the subcutaneous route. PeptideBase does not provide dosing or administration instructions.

Home›Research›Compare›AICAR vs Retatrutide

Peptide Comparison

AICAR vs Retatrutide

Name: AICAR vs Retatrutide — Per-mg Price Comparison
Creator: PeptideBase
License: https://peptidebase.io/terms

Both are Metabolic peptides.

AICAR

Acadesine

PerformanceInvestigationalResearch Only

5 providers listed

Full AICAR profile →

Retatrutide

GLP-3

Fat LossUnder clinical reviewResearch Only

Half-life: ~6 days

109 providers listed

Full Retatrutide profile →

Bottom line

Retatrutide carries stronger published evidence (Meta-analysis, 10 key studies) than AICAR (Review, 6); both are research compounds.

Quick Verdict

AICAR

Half-life

—

Retatrutide

Half-life

~6 days

Which One Should You Choose?

Your goal	Better option
Stronger clinical evidence	Retatrutide
Lower typical price per mg	AICAR
More provider options (5 vs 109)	Retatrutide

Research summary only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified provider before making any decisions.

Side-by-Side Comparison

AICAR

Retatrutide

Mechanism Family

Metabolic

Half-life

—

~6 days

FDA Status

investigational

Under clinical review

Admin Routes

subcutaneous, intravenous

subcutaneous

Availability

Research Only

Providers

5 listed

109 listed

FDA Update

—

Under clinical review

Avail. Notes

—

Triple GIP/GLP-1/glucagon agonist by Eli Lilly. Pivotal Phase 3 readouts across obesity (TRIUMPH-1, May 2026), obesity + knee osteoarthritis (TRIUMPH-4, Dec 2025), type 2 diabetes (TRANSCEND-T2D-1, Mar 2026), obesity + type 2 diabetes (TRIUMPH-2, Jul 2026), and severe obesity + cardiovascular disease (TRIUMPH-3, Jul 2026); OSA trial in program. Not FDA-approved; Lilly plans to submit a Biologics License Application (BLA) to FDA in Q1 2027. NCT05929066.

Research Evidence

AICAR

Review · 6 key studies · most recent 2026

Retatrutide

Meta-analysis · 10 key studies · most recent 2026

Research Citations

AICAR

Animal2026 · Anim Reprod Sci

MiR-27b-3p suppresses proliferation and testosterone synthesis in goat Leydig cells by activating the AMPK pa…

Animal2026 · Free Radic Biol Med

The AMPK-PGC-1α-SIRT3 axis mediates mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction and neuronal senescence induced by Al…

Animal2026 · Chin J Integr Med

Berberine Regulates Hepatic Fatty Acid Metabolism via AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α Pathway.

Animal2026 · Eur J Pharmacol

Pharmacological inhibition of TRPM4 channel stabilizes atherosclerotic plaque via inhibiting AMPK-Beclin1-med…

+2 more

Retatrutide

Meta-analysis2026 · Ann Intern Med

Benefits and Harms of Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Living Systematic Revi…

RCT2026 · J Clin Endocrinol Metab

Retatrutide And Lipid And Metabolite Profiles In Participants With Obesity With Or Without Type 2 Diabetes.

RCT2025 · Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Design of the TRIUMPH phase 3 clinical trial programme for retatrutide in obesity and cardiometabolic disease

RCT2023 · New England Journal of Medicine

Triple-hormone-receptor agonist retatrutide for obesity — a phase 2 trial

+6 more

About AICAR

Converted intracellularly to ZMP, a potent AMPK activator. AMPK activation increases fatty acid oxidation, glucose uptake, and mitochondrial biogenesis — the same metabolic pathways activated by sustained aerobic exercise.

Research Areas

endurancefat oxidationmitochondrial biogenesisAMPK activation

About Retatrutide

Triple GIP/GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist; targets three pathways for synergistic fat reduction

Research Areas

profound weight lossappetite suppressionmetabolic improvement

Safety Profile

Information below reflects published research data only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified provider before use.

AICAR

No established clinical contraindications. This is an investigational compound with limited human data and has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety in this context. Consult a qualified clinician.

Retatrutide

Absolute Contraindications

Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)Known hypersensitivity to the drug or excipients

Warnings & Cautions

Acute pancreatitisPregnancy (discontinue; not for use in pregnancy)Gallbladder disease / cholelithiasisDiabetic retinopathy complications (reported with GLP-1 receptor agonist use)Severe GI disease / gastroparesis / ileus riskHypoglycemia when combined with insulin or sulfonylureasAcute kidney injury secondary to volume depletion

Class-based (investigational)

Price (per mg)

AICAR

$1.09/mg

$0.95 – $1.12 range

13 vendors

View price index →Find providers →

Retatrutide

$7.20/mg

$5.61 – $9.57 range

29 vendors

View price index →Find providers →

Find Providers

Where to source these peptides

Providers offering

AICAR

5 listed

Browse directory →

Providers offering

Retatrutide

109 listed

Browse directory →

PeptideBase lists providers for educational research purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before obtaining or using any peptide.

More Metabolic Comparisons

Browse all peptides →

Educational research tools — not medical advice.

Cite this page

Data last updated September 28, 2026

Free to reference and republish with attribution to PeptideBase. Choose a format:

PeptideBase. (2026). AICAR vs Retatrutide — Per-mg Price Comparison. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://peptidebase.io/peptides/compare/aicar/retatrutide

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