Growth hormone peptide fragment · Also known as Advanced Obesity Drug 9604, hGH Fragment 176-191
A synthetic peptide fragment derived from the fat-burning region of human growth hormone (amino acids 176-191). It was designed to stimulate fat breakdown without the blood sugar or growth-promoting effects of full HGH.
AOD-9604 was developed in the 1990s as a potential obesity treatment that could harness the lipolytic (fat-burning) properties of growth hormone without its other metabolic effects. Despite completing six human clinical trials involving over 900 participants and demonstrating a strong safety profile, it failed to achieve statistically significant weight loss in its largest Phase IIb trial (536 subjects, 24 weeks) and development was terminated in 2007. It has since been granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status as a food ingredient but is not approved by any regulatory agency as a therapeutic for weight loss. It remains popular in wellness and peptide therapy clinics.
AOD-9604 mimics the lipolytic region of human growth hormone. It enhances the breakdown of stored fat (lipolysis) while inhibiting the formation of new fat (lipogenesis), primarily through interaction with the beta-3 adrenergic receptor pathway. Unlike full-length HGH, it does not increase IGF-1 levels or significantly affect blood sugar regulation.
This selective mechanism means AOD-9604 targets fat metabolism without the broader hormonal effects of growth hormone, such as insulin resistance, fluid retention, or tissue growth. In animal models, it has shown consistent fat-reducing effects, particularly in obese mice, though these results have not translated strongly to human outcomes in controlled trials.
250 mcg/day
Weeks 1-2300-500 mcg/day
4-12 week cyclesMost side effects tend to improve as your body adjusts.