AOD-9604 is a hgh fragment (176-191) used for fat loss. 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.

How much water do I add to AOD-9604?

You can reconstitute AOD-9604 with 0.5, 1, or 2 mL of bacteriostatic water. Each option produces a different concentration and syringe draw for the same dose. Use the calculator to see which is easiest to measure.

What does AOD-9604 cost per dose?

Cost per dose depends on vial size, price paid, and your dose. Enter your vendor's price in the AOD-9604 calculator to see cost per dose and monthly cost.

What is the reference dose for AOD-9604?

The commonly referenced range is 0.3 mg per day, taken daily. This is reference information, not a recommendation. Talk to a licensed clinician.

What are the side effects of AOD-9604?

Reported side effects of AOD-9604 include: Generally well tolerated, but there is little solid evidence it produces real fat loss in people.. Severity and frequency vary by person and dose.

Who should not take AOD-9604?

AOD-9604 is generally not appropriate for: No formal contraindications established; Pregnancy. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting.

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Decoding

AOD-9604_Dosage, benefits & legal status

Also known as AOD9604, Anti-Obesity Drug 9604

By the Peptide Decoding Editorial Team

Published July 22, 2026 · Updated July 25, 2026

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

Fat lossHGH fragment (176-191)Research only

InFat loss without GLP-1

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.

What is AOD-9604?

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

Overview

It was built to trigger growth hormone's fat-burning effect, without the muscle or blood-sugar effects. The human proof that it works is weak.

The technical version

AOD-9604 is a modified fragment of growth hormone (the 176-191 tail) with an added amino acid.

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.

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.

01
It copies growth hormone's fat-releasing signal
Specifically the part of the molecule that tells fat cells to release stored fat.
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.
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

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

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

The published record

Research index

Records indexed for AOD-9604

18 in humans, 9 of them original studies.

FDA: Nominated but withdrawn; previously category 2.

Browse the records

In animalsPro

In the labPro

ReviewsPro

Senior author sharePro

Counted from Europe PMC indexing, not read by a person. Human means indexed under humans, which includes reviews and work on human cells. Original studies exclude reviews and lab work on human cells.Last updated 12 September 2026.

Compound field notes

At a glance

Four things to know about AOD-9604

Evidence

Research only

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 this against the whole library →

How long does it stay in the body?

The half-life, and where the figure comes from.

About 3 minutes in animalsAnimal study

An intravenous figure from rat, primate and pig work. Around 900 people took part in six human trials, including a 502-person phase 2b that missed its primary endpoint, but none of them published a human half-life.

Not yet traced to a primary source.

You can compare this against the whole library to see where it sits.

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

0.5 mL water3units · 10 mg/mL

Half a 100-unit syringe

1 mL water6units · 5 mg/mL

One full 100-unit syringe

Easiest

2 mL water12units · 2.5 mg/mL

Two full 100-unit syringes

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 →

What it costs

AOD-9604 starts at $19.99 across 58 vendors, typically $6.40 – $16.20 per mg.

94 listings, last read Sep 6, 2026. Shipping and card fees are not included.

See all 94 listings →

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.

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

What regulators say

FDA: Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (category 2 and withdrawn nominations), current as of April 22, 2026
Nominated but withdrawn; previously category 2
FDA has identified serious adverse events that may be associated with AOD-9604; causality not clear
Checked 11 September 2026

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

Is AOD-9604 approved?

And where the numbers on this page come from.

No. AOD-9604 is not approved for any use, anywhere. It is sold labelled for laboratory research only, and there is no legal route to buy it for human use.

Approval status
Research only
Route
Under the skin (subcutaneous)
Checked
September 2026

What has happened recently

We have not yet written a full regulatory note for this compound. The status above is current as of the date shown.

You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.

DoseFrom research and community reports. No regulator has reviewed this dose.
Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
Sources
Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone FDA, bulk drug substances for compounding that may present significant safety risks
Reviewed8 September 2026

What else is like AOD-9604?

Others in Fat loss without GLP-1, side by side.

If you're weighing AOD-9604, it's worth reading HGH Fragment 176-191, 5-Amino-1MQ, and SLU-PP-332 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

FRAG

HGH Fragment 176-191

The fat-burning piece of growth hormone, aimed at stubborn fat.

Research only

Dose: 0.25 up to 0.5 mg per day (start low, increase slowly)
How often: Daily

5A1MQ

5-Amino-1MQ

A capsule studied for speeding up metabolism and burning fat.

Research only

Dose: 0.15 up to 5 mg per day injected (the capsule dose is far higher, see below)
How often: Daily, cycled

SLU

SLU-PP-332

An experimental 'exercise in a molecule,' very early and unproven in people.

Research only

Dose: Research only
How often: Cycled

See other fat loss without glp-1

Guides for this compound

How to Reconstitute a Peptide
Mix peptide powder with bacteriostatic water, step by step.
How to Read an Insulin Syringe
Read the units, convert to millilitres, and draw the exact dose.
mcg vs mg: The Peptide Dosing Mistake to Avoid
Your vial says mg and your protocol says mcg. Here is the conversion and how to check it.
How to Read a Peptide COA
What the purity number does and does not tell you, and how to spot an edited report.
How to Vet a Peptide Vendor
Independent COAs, HPLC purity, and the red flags that mean walk away.

Sources

Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone(2001)
Obese Zucker rats, oral 500 mcg/kg for 19 days, over 50 percent less body weight gain than controls. This is the animal study most often cited as if it were a human result.
FDA, bulk drug substances for compounding that may present significant safety risks(2026)
FDA cites immunogenicity risk for certain routes, complexities with peptide-related impurities and characterising the active ingredient, and no or only limited safety information, so it cannot know whether the drug would cause harm in people. It also states that it has identified serious adverse events that may be associated with AOD-9604, while saying causality is not clear. As of the 22 April 2026 version of this page, the substance sits in the second table, headed bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn, rather than in the live category 2 list. The nomination was withdrawn, which is not the same as being approved or cleared: FDA still publishes the safety language above, and no longer has a nomination in front of it to evaluate.

Last reviewed 8 September 2026

Beyond these, 25 records are indexed. Browse the records