Cosmetic & dermatologic
AOD-9604
A fragment of human growth hormone marketed for fat loss. Human trials were completed — and did not show meaningful weight loss.
What it is
AOD-9604 is a modified fragment of human growth hormone corresponding to residues 177–191, the region studied for its fat-breaking activity in the laboratory. It was developed in Australia as an anti-obesity drug and taken through phase 2 and phase 3 trials, which failed to show clinically meaningful weight loss. It was never approved, and it is prohibited in sport as a growth hormone fragment.
How it works
- 1
In laboratory fat cells, the fragment stimulates lipolysis — the breakdown of stored fat into fatty acids.
- 2
It is designed to keep growth hormone's fat effects without raising IGF-1 or affecting blood glucose, based on animal data.
- 3
That separation is the central claim, and it is precisely what the human trials failed to translate into weight loss.
- 4
The parent hormone's fat effects depend on much more than this short region, which may explain the gap between laboratory and human results.
What it's studied for
Reported and studied effects
- No statistically significant weight loss versus placebo in the completed human trials
- Lipolysis in isolated fat cells
- Marketed claims of 'fat burning without hormone effects' are not supported by the human trial results
- Long-term body-composition effects in humans are unestablished
Research protocol notes
Research context onlyResearch context only — no approved protocol and no legitimate product. Trials used oral doses in the 1–3 mg per day range for 12–24 weeks, and the primary weight-loss endpoints were not met. This is a record of what was studied, not a recommendation.
These figures are described so you can understand what researchers did. They are not a dose, a schedule, or a suggestion — and they are not a substitute for a doctor.
Possible side effects and contraindications
Safety profile
Possible side effects
- Reported as generally well tolerated in the trials
- Mild gastrointestinal symptoms in some participants
- No long-term safety data
- Injectable products sold online are unregulated and of unknown purity
Contraindications and cautions
- Not established
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Active malignancy — growth hormone pathway concerns apply to any GH-derived product
- Prohibited in competitive sport
A side-effect list is never complete, and these are not the only situations that warrant caution. Anything unexpected, or anything you are unsure about, should be discussed with a doctor before use.
Evidence assessment
Human randomised trials exist but were small and did not demonstrate the marketed effect, so the human evidence is both thin and negative.
References
References link to published literature, regulator pages or literature indexes. Where a link points to a search, it collects the peer-reviewed work on that molecule rather than a single study.
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