Tesamorelin_Dosage, benefits & legal status
Also known as Egrifta, TH9507, Tesa Peptide
An approved shot proven to shrink stubborn belly fat.
Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.
What is Tesamorelin?
Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.Overview
It tells your body to make more growth hormone, and it is specifically proven to shrink deep belly fat. It is FDA-approved for HIV-related belly fat.
Tesamorelin is a stabilized GHRH analog.
What it's used for
An approved shot proven to shrink stubborn belly fat by raising growth hormone. It is approved for HIV-related belly fat and used off-label by others for the same effect.
How does Tesamorelin work?
What it does in the body, and where.Tesamorelin is a GHRH copy that has been stabilised so it survives longer in the blood. It is the only peptide in this family with a specific approved use.
- 01It prompts your pituitary through the GHRH receptorThe same upstream approach as sermorelin, with a modification that resists the enzyme that would break it down.
- 02Deep belly fat shrinks specificallyTrials showed a reduction in visceral fat, the fat around your organs, rather than general weight loss.
- 03Approved for one narrow useFDA-approved for HIV-related belly fat accumulation. Other uses are off-label and not backed by the trials that produced the approval.
Where this compound is thought to act.
What else is it used for?
Each group 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.
Belly fat in HIV lipodystrophy
FDA-approved- Human trialIn two late-stage trials covering 806 patients, deep belly fat fell about 15% at 26 weeks and 18% at 52 weeks.
- Human trialFat just under the skin and overall BMI did not change, so the effect was specific to deep abdominal fat.
- RegulatoryApproved in 2010, with a newer weekly-mixing formulation approved in March 2025.
Liver fat
Investigational- Human trialOver 12 months, liver fat fell about 37% against a 5% increase on placebo.
- Human trial35% of people dropped below the fatty-liver threshold, against 4% on placebo.
- Human trialLiver scarring worsened in 10.5% of the treated group against 37.5% on placebo.
The published record
129
Records indexed for Tesamorelin
98 in humans, 48 of them original studies.
24 registered trials, 10 with posted results.
FDA: Named as an unapproved new drug.
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 11 September 2026.
At a glance
Four things to know about Tesamorelin
Evidence
FDA-approved
Category
Growth hormone
Common vial
2 mg
Half-life
8 to 38 minutes, depending on the product
How much, and do you cycle it?
The range, and whether you take breaks.1.28 up to 2 mg per day, depending on which product you have, daily. Not cycledFDA label
A daily drug taken continuously, with no on/off schedule on the label. In the phase 3 trial visceral fat fell about 15 percent over 26 weeks, and it returns toward baseline within months of stopping, so breaks undo the result rather than preserve it.
Source: Falutz et al., tesamorelin phase 3 (NEJM 2007) and EGRIFTA SV label
How long does it stay in the body?
The half-life, and where the figure comes from.8 to 38 minutes, depending on the productFDA label
Three tesamorelin products are on the market and each label gives a different number for the same molecule. EGRIFTA SV says 8 minutes in healthy subjects. EGRIFTA WR says 11 minutes. The original EGRIFTA says 26 minutes in healthy subjects and 38 minutes in HIV-infected patients. The widely quoted 26 to 38 minutes comes from the oldest of the three.
Source: EGRIFTA SV label section 12.3, DailyMed setid 3d783378-b02d-4f19-99dd-0fc91a042224. EGRIFTA WR label section 12.3, DailyMed setid 839334d3-8c1d-4c26-9036-2ab524a6ea75. Original EGRIFTA label section 12.3.
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.
Choose your mix
Measuring the water1 mL = one full 100-unit syringe.
Your draw
128 / 100 unitsTesamorelin starts at $20.00 across 66 vendors, typically $4.55 – $16.40 per mg.
143 listings, last read Sep 6, 2026. Shipping and card fees are not included.
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 Tesamorelin 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.Match the number to the product in front of you. Tesamorelin is sold in three approved versions and each has its own daily figure: EGRIFTA WR at 1.28 mg, EGRIFTA SV at 1.4 mg, and the original EGRIFTA at 2 mg. They are different concentrations of the same drug, not different strengths, and the FDA says they cannot be swapped milligram for milligram. Never add them together or assume the smaller number is a lighter dose.
Who should avoid it
- Active cancer
- Pregnancy
- Disruption of the pituitary gland from surgery, radiation, or tumour
Stop and get help
- New lumps or masses
- Severe swelling
- Signs of high blood sugar
- Signs of an allergic reaction such as face or throat swelling, hives, or trouble breathing
Common effects
- Injection-site redness, itching, or pain
- Joint aches
- Swelling in the hands or feet
- Muscle pain
What regulators say
- FDA: Warning letter to Royal Peptides LLC, MARCS-CMS 734884, August 24, 2026: unapproved new drugs, misbrandedNamed as an unapproved new drug
The vendor's product, not the approved Egrifta
Checked 11 September 2026
Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.
Is Tesamorelin approved?
And where the numbers on this page come from.Yes. Tesamorelin is FDA approved and available on prescription in the United States.
- Approval statusFDA-approved
- RouteUnder the skin, in the belly
- CheckedAugust 2026
What has happened recently
FDA-approved in 2010 for one narrow use: reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV who have lipodystrophy. The label states in its own words that it is not indicated for weight loss management, because the effect on total body weight is neutral. It moves visceral fat and does not make you lighter. The label also notes that long-term cardiovascular safety has not been established, and it is contraindicated in active cancer and in disruption of the pituitary axis. Almost everything sold as tesamorelin for general fat loss sits outside that indication.
You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.
- DoseFrom the drug label. The manufacturer tested this range and a regulator reviewed it.
- Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
- Sources
- Reviewed14 August 2026
What else is like Tesamorelin?
Others in Growth hormone peptides, side by side.If you're weighing Tesamorelin, it's worth reading GHRP-2, Hexarelin, and MK-677 (Ibutamoren) in the same class.
An approved shot proven to shrink stubborn belly fat.
- Dose
- 1.28 up to 2 mg per day, depending on which product you have
- How often
- Daily
A shot that spikes your own growth hormone to build muscle and recover.
- Dose
- 0.1 up to 0.3 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
- How often
- 1-3x daily
A strong growth-hormone releaser that the body adapts to quickly.
- Dose
- 0.1 mg per dose
- How often
- 1-2x daily
A once-daily pill that raises growth hormone for sleep, appetite, and muscle.
- Dose
- 10 up to 25 mg per day
- How often
- Daily, at night
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.
- Why Does My Peptide Injection Itch or Welt
Injection-site irritation, a histamine reaction, or a true allergy, and how to tell them apart.
Sources
- FDA prescribing information, Egrifta(2010)FDA approval for HIV-related lipodystrophy; label last revised 2019.
- Tesamorelin Phase 3 trial, New England Journal of Medicine
- Tesamorelin liver fat trial, PubMed, 2019
- FDA, EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin for injection) prescribing information(2019)Dose is 1.4 mg daily from the 2 mg per vial formulation. Mean elimination half-life 8 minutes in healthy subjects. States the formulations differ in dosage and are described in separate labels.
Last reviewed 14 August 2026
Beyond these, 129 records are indexed. Browse the records