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Decoding

AOD-9604_

Also known as AOD9604, Anti-Obesity Drug 9604

A growth-hormone fragment marketed for fat loss, with weak proof it works.

Fat lossHGH fragment (176-191)Research only
Common vial size5 mg
Dose0.3 mg per day
FrequencyDaily
RouteUnder the skin (subcutaneous)
StatusResearch only
MixYour choice, calculate it
CycledStudied as daily dosing for up to 12 weeks

Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.

01

What is AOD-9604?

Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.

Overview

AOD-9604 is a modified fragment of growth hormone (the 176-191 tail) with an added amino acid. In plain terms: it was built to trigger growth hormone's fat-burning effect without its muscle or blood-sugar effects, though the human proof that it works is weak.

What it's used for

People use it hoping to burn fat without the muscle or blood-sugar effects of full growth hormone. The human proof that it works is weak.

02

How does AOD-9604 work?

What it does in the body, and where.

AOD-9604 is the tail end of the growth hormone molecule, the fragment linked to fat breakdown, with one amino acid added for stability. The idea was to keep one effect and discard the rest.

  1. 01
    It copies growth hormone's fat-releasing signal
    Specifically the part of the molecule that tells fat cells to release stored fat.
  2. 02
    It leaves IGF-1 alone
    The muscle-building and blood-sugar effects of full growth hormone run through IGF-1, which this fragment does not raise. That is the whole point of using a fragment.
  3. 03
    Human trials did not show the weight loss
    It performed well in animals. Clinical trials in people failed to produce meaningful fat loss, which is why it never reached approval.
Pathway
THE PEPTIDEAOD-9604ACTS ONThe fat-breakdown part of growth …RESULTFat cells release s…RESULTIGF-1 does not rise

A schematic of the compound's mechanism, not a diagnostic image.

03

What else is it used for?

Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.

  • Fat loss without the other effects of growth hormone, which is the main claimResearch only
  • Cartilage and joint repairEarly research
04

How much, and do you cycle it?

The range, and whether you take breaks.

0.3 mg per day, daily. Studied as daily dosing for up to 12 weeksTrial dose

The obesity trials gave it daily for up to 12 weeks with no cycling. Worth knowing that those trials did not show weight loss over placebo, so the schedule question is somewhat academic.

Compare cycling across compounds →

05

How do I dose and price it?

Enter your vial and your dose. Pick a mix. We show the draw and the cost.

The vial holds a fixed amount of drug. Adding more water does not make more drug, it just spreads it thinner, so you draw a bigger number on the syringe for the same dose.

Your vial size (mg)
Printed on the vial.
What you paid per vial
$
Used for cost per dose only.
Your dose (mcg)
Commonly referenced dose: 0.3 mg per dayCommunity practice

Choose your mix

your own mL
units · —
Enter your own volume

Measuring the water1 mL = one full 100-unit syringe.

Your draw

12 / 100 units
Full calculator with reorder date →Read a syringe →
06

How do you store it?

Before mixing, and after.

Dry powder in the freezer or fridge. Once mixed, fridge, and use within about a month.

Unmixed lyophilized AOD-9604 keeps for a long time cold. Once you add water the clock starts: most reconstituted vials hold up for roughly 28 to 30 days at fridge temperature. Keep it out of light, and do not freeze it after mixing.

07

What are the side effects and cautions?

Known cautions and warnings for this compound.

Who should avoid it

Check these before anything else.
  • No formal contraindications established
  • Pregnancy

Stop and get help

These are emergencies. Seek care.
  • Signs of an allergic reaction

Common effects

Expected, and usually mild.
  • Well tolerated across six human trials involving more than 900 people
  • It did not raise IGF-1, unlike growth hormone itself
  • Development stopped in 2007 because it did not produce meaningful weight loss, not because of safety

Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.

08

Is AOD-9604 approved?

And where the numbers on this page come from.
Research only

No. Not FDA-approved.

Sold for research use only. Not cleared for human consumption or medical use.

  • DoseFrom research and community reports. No regulator has reviewed this dose.
  • Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
  • Reviewed22 July 2026
09

What else is like AOD-9604?

Others in Weight loss and metabolic, side by side.

If you're weighing AOD-9604, it's worth reading Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Retatrutide in the same class.

YOU ARE HERE
AOD-9604

A growth-hormone fragment marketed for fat loss, with weak proof it works.

Research only
Dose
0.3 mg per day
How often
Daily
Semaglutide

The drug in Ozempic and Wegovy: a weekly shot that curbs hunger for steady weight loss.

FDA-approved
Dose
0.25 up to 2.4 mg per week (start low, increase slowly)
How often
Weekly
Tirzepatide

The drug in Mounjaro and Zepbound: a weekly shot for major weight loss and blood sugar.

FDA-approved
Dose
2.5 up to 15 mg per week (start low, increase slowly)
How often
Weekly
Retatrutide

An experimental weekly shot with some of the biggest weight-loss numbers yet in trials.

Investigational
Dose
1 up to 12 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
How often
Weekly
10

What these words mean

Show glossary +
Titrate
Starting at a low dose and increasing it slowly over time so your body adjusts and side effects stay mild.
Subcutaneous
An injection just under the skin, into the fat layer, usually with a short, thin insulin needle.
Intramuscular (IM)
An injection into a muscle, using a longer needle.
Reconstitution
Mixing a powdered peptide with liquid (bacteriostatic water) so it can be drawn into a syringe.
Bacteriostatic water
Sterile water with a tiny amount of preservative, used to mix powdered peptides.
Concentration
How strong the mixed peptide is, in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL). More water makes it weaker; less water makes it stronger.
Units (on the syringe)
The marks on an insulin syringe. 100 units equals 1 mL. They measure how much liquid you draw, not the dose in milligrams.
mcg and mg
Units of dose. 1 milligram (mg) equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg).
GLP-1
A natural gut hormone that lowers appetite and blood sugar. Drugs that copy it, like semaglutide, are used for weight loss.
Growth hormone secretagogue
A compound that nudges your body to release more of its own growth hormone, rather than injecting the hormone itself.
Half-life
How long a compound stays active in your body. A longer half-life means you inject less often.
Peptide vs small molecule
A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. A few items here (like MK-677 or methylene blue) are small molecules, not true peptides, but people use them the same way.
Research only
No approved dose or use in people. Sold for research and not reviewed by the FDA for safety or quality.
Investigational
Still being tested in clinical trials and not yet approved or legally sold for general use.
Banned in drug-tested sport
Prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); using it can disqualify a competing athlete.

Last reviewed 22 July 2026