Also known as: Salbutamol, Ventolin, Proventil, Albuterol sulfate, Salbutamol sulfate, Levalbuterol
Albuterol, called salbutamol outside the United States, is a beta-2 adrenergic agonist and a standard asthma medicine worldwide. It was approved by the FDA in 1981 and has been the standard rescue bronchodilator for asthma ever since, sold as inhalers, nebulizer solutions, tablets and syrup.
Overview
At A Glance
Albuterol is a selective beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist. Beta-2 receptors are G protein coupled receptors that raise intracellular cyclic AMP through adenylyl cyclase; in airway smooth muscle this causes relaxation and bronchodilation, the licensed effect. The same receptors …
Overview
Albuterol, called salbutamol outside the United States, is a beta-2 adrenergic agonist and a standard asthma medicine worldwide. It was approved by the FDA in 1981 and has been the standard rescue bronchodilator for asthma ever since, sold as inhalers, nebulizer solutions, tablets and syrup. It is an ordinary prescription drug, not a research chemical, and a research liquid is simply an unapproved presentation of it. It appears in fitness contexts because beta-2 receptors are on skeletal muscle as well as airway smooth muscle, and beta-2 agonists have a documented anabolic and lipolytic effect at doses well above what is needed to open airways. That effect is real, it has been measured properly, and the measurements come with costs attached. The cleanest study is an eleven-week randomized trial in which 26 young men took oral salbutamol or placebo during full-body resistance training. Sprint mean power output rose more with salbutamol, cross-sectional area of type IIa muscle fibers increased 35 percent versus 21 percent on placebo, and the muscle shifted toward the IIa isoform. Maximal strength, however, increased the same amount in both groups (PMID: 33357007). A companion study showed increased muscle protein turnover rates after resistance exercise in young men (PMID: 29968301). A 2026 randomized controlled trial in 30 trained men ran the same design with cardiac imaging. Lean mass increased 1.8 kg more than placebo. But while cardiac magnetic resonance found no between-group difference in cardiac structure or function, echocardiography showed increased posterior, septal and relative wall thickness on the drug, time to exhaustion improved 7 percent on placebo and not at all on salbutamol, and muscle capillary density along with citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity fell on salbutamol (PMID: 42274909). The authors described these trade-offs as support for restricting supratherapeutic salbutamol in sport. For endurance there is no benefit to take. High-dose inhaled salbutamol improved lung function measured as FEV1 but did not improve 10 km cycling time trial performance in trained cyclists, whether or not they had exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, while heart rate, respiratory rate, minute ventilation and perceived leg discomfort all increased (PMID: 25856682). WADA places beta-2 agonists in section S3. Inhaled salbutamol is permitted within the limits WADA specifies, all other routes including tablets and syrup are prohibited at all times, and a urine concentration above the listed threshold is treated as an adverse analytical finding unless the athlete demonstrates otherwise through a controlled pharmacokinetic study. Pharmacologists have argued that the single untimed urine sample cannot reliably distinguish permitted inhaled use from prohibited oral use in either direction (PMID: 29722428).
Potential Research Fields
Chemical Information
IUPAC Name
Not yet available
CAS Number
18559-94-9
Molecular Formula
C13H21NO3
Molecular Mass
239.31 g/mol
Dosing & Protocols
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Interactions
Contraindications
Label-based and evidence-based: the approved product labeling governs licensed use and should be followed. Beta-2 agonism is a poor fit for anyone with tachyarrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension or hypokalemia, and it interacts with non-selective beta blockers, which oppose it (PMID: 27771799). High-dose systemic use produced cardiac wall thickening and impaired muscle oxidative capacity in a controlled trial, so people with existing cardiac hypertrophy or cardiomyopathy have a specific reason to avoid it (PMID: 42274909). Oral use is prohibited at all times in tested sport under WADA section S3.
Research Disclaimer
This interaction data is compiled from published research and community reports. It may not be exhaustive. Always consult a healthcare professional before combining compounds.
$59.99
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Tracking since Sep 7, 2026 · 2 data points
Vendors Selling Albuterol (salbutamol)
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Every supplier above is graded 0 to 100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and active listings. Methodology published, no pay-to-rank.
Related Compounds
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Finasteride
PharmaceuticalPreclinicalFinasteride is an orally-active selective type II 5α-reductase inhibitor that blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the primary androgenic driver of both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern hair loss).
Meldonium
PharmaceuticalApproved (Latvia)Meldonium, sold as Mildronate, was developed at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (PMID: 12242052) and is a licensed cardiovascular medicine in Latvia and a number of eastern European and post-Soviet countries.
Mirabegron
PharmaceuticalFDA ApprovedMirabegron is an approved prescription drug, not a research chemical.
Tropisetron
PharmaceuticalApproved (Japan)Tropisetron, coded ICS 205-930 during development and marketed as Navoban, is a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist approved as an antiemetic in Japan and in many other countries outside the United States, with ATC code A04AA03 (KEGG DRUG D02041, D02130).
View Full Dosage Guide →
Protocols, calculator & safety for Albuterol (salbutamol)
Research Score
0 PubMed results
Quality Indicators
Data Completeness
63%Quick Facts
Half-Life
Mean terminal half-life 3.8 hours after intravenous administration in 16 healthy adult men, with absolute oral bioavailability of 44 percent and plasma peaks one to three hours after oral administration (PMID: 3653233)
Molecular Weight
239.31 g/mol
Administration
Inhalation, Oral, Intravenous (clinical studies)
CAS Number
18559-94-9
Trial Phase
FDA Approved
Research Disclaimer
This information is for educational and research purposes only. Not intended as medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Albuterol (salbutamol) used for in research?
Albuterol, called salbutamol outside the United States, is a beta-2 adrenergic agonist and a standard asthma medicine worldwide. It was approved by the FDA in 1981 and has been the standard rescue bronchodilator for asthma ever since, sold as inhalers, nebulizer solutions, tablets and syrup. It is an ordinary prescription drug, not a research chemical, and a research liquid is simply an unapproved presentation of it.
It appears in fitness contexts because beta-2 receptors are on skeletal muscle as well as airway smooth muscle, and beta-2 agonists have a documented anabolic and lipolytic effect at doses well above what is needed to open airways. That effect is real, it has been measured properly, and the measurements come with costs attached.
The cleanest study is an eleven-week randomized trial in which 26 young men took oral salbutamol or placebo during full-body resistance training. Sprint mean power output rose more with salbutamol, cross-sectional area of type IIa muscle fibers increased 35 percent versus 21 percent on placebo, and the muscle shifted toward the IIa isoform. Maximal strength, however, increased the same amount in both groups (PMID: 33357007). A companion study showed increased muscle protein turnover rates after resistance exercise in young men (PMID: 29968301).
A 2026 randomized controlled trial in 30 trained men ran the same design with cardiac imaging. Lean mass increased 1.8 kg more than placebo. But while cardiac magnetic resonance found no between-group difference in cardiac structure or function, echocardiography showed increased posterior, septal and relative wall thickness on the drug, time to exhaustion improved 7 percent on placebo and not at all on salbutamol, and muscle capillary density along with citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity fell on salbutamol (PMID: 42274909). The authors described these trade-offs as support for restricting supratherapeutic salbutamol in sport.
For endurance there is no benefit to take. High-dose inhaled salbutamol improved lung function measured as FEV1 but did not improve 10 km cycling time trial performance in trained cyclists, whether or not they had exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, while heart rate, respiratory rate, minute ventilation and perceived leg discomfort all increased (PMID: 25856682).
WADA places beta-2 agonists in section S3. Inhaled salbutamol is permitted within the limits WADA specifies, all other routes including tablets and syrup are prohibited at all times, and a urine concentration above the listed threshold is treated as an adverse analytical finding unless the athlete demonstrates otherwise through a controlled pharmacokinetic study. Pharmacologists have argued that the single untimed urine sample cannot reliably distinguish permitted inhaled use from prohibited oral use in either direction (PMID: 29722428).
What forms does Albuterol (salbutamol) come in?
Albuterol (salbutamol) is available in liquid form.
How much does Albuterol (salbutamol) cost?
Prices start at $59.99 across 1 vendor.
How do I compare Albuterol (salbutamol) vendors?
Compare prices, payment methods, shipping, and COA scores across 1 vendor.
Research Tools
Related Compounds
View AllClascoterone
PharmaceuticalPreclinicalClascoterone (brand name Winlevi; development codes CB-03-01 and, for the alopecia formulation, Breezula) is a first-in-class topical androgen receptor (AR) antagonist approved by the U.S.
Finasteride
PharmaceuticalPreclinicalFinasteride is an orally-active selective type II 5α-reductase inhibitor that blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the primary androgenic driver of both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern hair loss).
Meldonium
PharmaceuticalApproved (Latvia)Meldonium, sold as Mildronate, was developed at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (PMID: 12242052) and is a licensed cardiovascular medicine in Latvia and a number of eastern European and post-Soviet countries.
Mirabegron
PharmaceuticalFDA ApprovedMirabegron is an approved prescription drug, not a research chemical.
Tropisetron
PharmaceuticalApproved (Japan)Tropisetron, coded ICS 205-930 during development and marketed as Navoban, is a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist approved as an antiemetic in Japan and in many other countries outside the United States, with ATC code A04AA03 (KEGG DRUG D02041, D02130).
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