Tesamorelin
Also known as: Tesamorelin, Egrifta
A stabilized GHRH analog FDA-approved to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Studied for its strong effect on visceral adipose tissue.
Last updated
Mechanism of Action
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of human GHRH stabilized against enzymatic degradation, binding pituitary GHRH receptors to increase endogenous GH and IGF-1. The resulting GH elevation enhances lipolysis, with a particularly pronounced effect on visceral adipose tissue. It preserves pulsatile GH release while achieving clinically meaningful reductions in deep abdominal fat.
- Half-life
- Approximately 26-38 minutes
- Administration Routes
- subcutaneous
- Research Status
- Clinical
Reported Benefits
- FDA-approved reduction of visceral abdominal fat in HIV lipodystrophy
- Increases GH and IGF-1 while preserving pulsatility
- Improves lipid profile in clinical trials
- May improve cognition in some studies
- Selective effect on visceral fat over subcutaneous fat
Potential Side Effects
- Injection-site reactions (redness, itching, pain)
- Arthralgia (joint pain) and peripheral edema
- Tingling or numbness in extremities
- Possible reduction in glucose tolerance
Common Dosing
The approved clinical regimen is 2 mg once daily by subcutaneous injection. Stated as the labeled clinical dose, not personal advice.
The dosing information above is aggregated from research literature and anecdotal community reports for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation, prescription, or medical advice. Peptides are sold as research chemicals only and are not intended for human use.
Contraindications
- Active malignancy
- Disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (e.g., pituitary tumor, surgery)
- Pregnancy
- Hypersensitivity to tesamorelin or mannitol
Ipamorelin
A selective ghrelin receptor agonist (growth hormone secretagogue) prized for stimulating GH release with minimal effect on cortisol or prolactin. Considered one of the gentler GH peptides.
AOD-9604 + CJC Blend
A combination pairing the fat-loss GH fragment AOD-9604 with the GHRH analog CJC-1295, studied to layer direct lipolytic activity onto elevated endogenous growth hormone.
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Tesamorelin
2011
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Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV
2007
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Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension data
2010
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Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial
2014
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Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial
2019