AOD-9604
Advanced Obesity Drug 9604 (hGH Fragment 177-191)
Also called AOD9604, hGH fragment 176-191, growth hormone fragment
The fat metabolism peptide
AOD-9604 is a small piece cut out of the growth hormone molecule, chosen because it was thought to handle fat burning without the rest of growth hormone's effects. It is one of the few fat-loss peptides that got a proper human trial. It did not beat placebo, and development stopped.
AOD-9604 is a fragment cut out of growth hormone, specifically the piece thought to handle fat burning, with the rest of the molecule left behind. The idea was elegant: get the fat-loss effect without the blood-sugar and growth effects of the whole hormone. It is also one of the very few peptides in this space that was put through a proper randomised human trial, which is the part vendors do not mention, because it did not beat the placebo. Development stopped there.
- Half-life
- Under an hour
- Route
- Injection under the skin, or sold as an oral, which is a bad sign
- Typical dose
- Commonly quoted at 300 mcg daily, from convention rather than a trial
- Availability
- Research-only
Human trials published, with more underway
What people use AOD-9604 for
Reported uses, roughly in order of how often they are the reason someone goes looking. Whether it works for any of them is a separate question, answered under each one.
- Fat loss
- What it is sold for. The honest version: it went through a proper randomised human trial in obesity, and the weight difference against placebo was not meaningful. Most peptides never get tested this well; this one did and came up short.
- Joints and cartilage
- A second life it found after the obesity work stopped, usually in combination products for joints. The evidence here is thinner than the fat-loss evidence, which is saying something.
Mechanism of Action
How AOD-9604 works
A good idea that did not survive testing.
- The design. Growth hormone is a long molecule and different stretches of it do different jobs. This is the tail end, the section linked to breaking down fat. Take that piece on its own and, in theory, you get fat loss without growth hormone's other effects.
- What it does in a dish. It nudges fat cells toward releasing their stores and away from building new ones. That part is real, and it is why the compound got funded.
- What happened in people. The trial ran, and the weight difference between drug and placebo was not meaningful. Most peptides sold today have never faced that test. This one did.
- Why it is still sold. It is cheap, it has a growth-hormone story attached, and side effects are close to nothing, which is easy to mistake for it being gentle rather than quiet.
AOD-9604 dosage calculator
Opens at 300 mcg, from the doses reported for AOD-9604. Change any box to match your own vial. It works out where to pull the plunger to.
How much is in the vial?
Printed on the label, in milligrams
How much water did you add?
Bacteriostatic water, in millilitres
What dose are you taking?
The dose you already intend to use
Which syringe?
Barrel size, printed on the wrapper
Draw to
6 units
on a 0.5 mL insulin syringe (0.06 mL)
- Strength once mixed
- 5 mg/mL
- Doses in the vial
- 33
10 mg in 2 mL makes 5 mg/mL. A 300 mcg dose is 0.06 mL of that, which is 6 units.
Want a rounder number? Adding 3.33 mL instead would put this dose at exactly 10 units, which is easier to draw accurately.
This is arithmetic, not advice. It converts a dose you already have into a mark on a syringe. It does not tell you what dose to take, and AOD-9604 is not prescribed by us. Dosing belongs with a qualified clinician.
AOD-9604 side effects: what people reported
This is the quiet one. Across the trials the side-effect picture was close to placebo, which is the flip side of it not doing very much.
What people report
- Very little. Injection-site redness is the usual complaint
- Occasional headache
Worth knowing
- It does not raise IGF-1 the way growth hormone does, which is the argument for it being gentle, and also part of why it does less
Source: Phase 2 obesity trials, mid-2000s. This is a summary of published findings, not a complete safety profile and not medical advice. AOD-9604 should only be considered with a qualified clinician who knows your history.
Your Genetics & AOD-9604
The genes involved in how AOD-9604 works
AOD-9604 works through the receptors these genes build, and the genes vary from person to person. Researchers have linked some of that variation to differences in how people respond. A DNA report tells you which versions you carry.
GHR · ••
The GHR d3 (exon 3 deletion) polymorphism affects GH receptor sensitivity. d3 carriers have enhanced GH signaling — since AOD-9604 is a GH fragment, receptor sensitivity variants may influence fat-metabolizing response.
PPARG · ••
The Pro12Ala variant affects adipocyte differentiation and insulin sensitivity. Ala carriers tend to have smaller fat cells and better insulin sensitivity — AOD-9604's lipogenesis inhibition may be more impactful in Pro/Pro individuals with larger, more insulin-resistant adipocytes.
ADRB3 · ••
The Trp64Arg variant in the beta-3 adrenergic receptor reduces lipolytic response. Since AOD-9604 acts partly through beta-3 receptor pathways, carriers of the Arg64 variant may have a blunted fat-burning response.
FTO · ••
The strongest common genetic risk factor for obesity. AA carriers have higher baseline fat mass and altered energy metabolism — AOD-9604's targeted fat metabolism effect addresses the metabolic component, though FTO also affects appetite regulation.
The dots after each gene are where your own result goes. Your report fills them in with the two letters you carry at that position.
Which variants do you carry?
Upload your DNA data, or get tested through our partner, to find out.
Commonly combined with
What AOD-9604 is most often paired with, and why:
CJC-1295
Fat Loss + GH StackModerate EvidenceCJC-1295 (Modified GRF 1-29)
A copy of the brain signal that tells the pituitary to release growth hormone, rewritten so the enzyme that normally destroys it in minutes cannot. Before you read any dose, check which version you have: with DAC it keeps growth hormone up for days, without DAC it produces a short pulse, and nearly every blend sold with ipamorelin contains the second one.
4
Gene variants
30+
Studies
BPC-157
Metabolic + Joint StackModerate EvidenceBody Protection Compound 157
BPC-157 is the peptide people reach for when something will not heal. Tendons, ligaments, a gut that has been irritated by painkillers, an injury that has stalled. It is a short chain of amino acids copied from part of a protein your stomach already makes, and the animal research on it is unusually consistent for this category: across a lot of separate rat studies, injured tissue healed faster than it did without it. The gap is that this has largely not been repeated in people, and it is not an approved medicine, so nobody is checking what is in the vial you buy.
3
Gene variants
19+
Studies
MOTS-c
Metabolic Optimization StackEmerging EvidenceMitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA Type-c
A peptide written not in your own genome but in the tiny separate one your mitochondria carry, a leftover from when they were free-living bacteria. It behaves like an exercise signal: it switches on the same fuel-burning pathway a hard workout does. Levels fall with age, which is why it turns up in longevity conversations, and essentially all of the good data is in mice.
3
Gene variants
25+
Studies
Sourcing & access
Where to buy AOD-9604
AOD-9604 is sold as a research compound, not a licensed medicine, so quality and legal status vary widely by country and vendor. If you're sourcing it, treat independent purity testing as non-negotiable.
- Insist on a recent third-party Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the exact batch — labs like Janoshik verify purity and identity.
- Check the legal status where you live before ordering — it differs from country to country.
- Reconstitute correctly with bacteriostatic water and start at a conservative dose.
Before you buy: see whether your DNA actually responds to AOD-9604, and at what dose. Analyze my DNA — $99 →
Educational information only, not medical advice. Some outbound links are affiliate links (disclosed, at no extra cost to you). Most peptides are not FDA-approved — consult a qualified professional and check your local laws before purchasing.
Worth knowing before you consider AOD-9604
Interactions and situations where there is a specific reason to be careful. Where the honest answer is that nobody has studied something, it says so and says what that leaves open.
- It failed the test most peptides never take
- Not a reason to panic, a reason to set expectations. If somebody is selling this as a fat burner, ask them what happened in the trial.
- Oral versions make no sense
- It is a peptide fragment with no absorption story behind it. Capsules are the clearest signal that a vendor is not being straight with you.
Last updated
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AOD-9604 used for?
AOD-9604 is used for fat loss and weight management. As a modified fragment of human growth hormone, it stimulates fat breakdown (lipolysis) and blocks new fat storage (lipogenesis) without raising IGF-1. This gives it the fat-metabolizing benefit of HGH without the growth, insulin, or proliferative risks.
Does genetics affect AOD-9604 response?
Yes. ADRB3 variants affect the beta-3 adrenergic receptor AOD-9604 acts through — the Trp64Arg variant can blunt lipolytic response. GHR d3 deletion affects growth hormone receptor sensitivity. PPARG and FTO variants influence baseline fat metabolism and storage patterns that determine how much deficit AOD-9604 targets.
Is AOD-9604 the same as HGH?
No. AOD-9604 is a small fragment (amino acids 177-191) of HGH with a tyrosine modification. It retains only the fat-metabolizing activity. Unlike full HGH, it does not stimulate IGF-1, does not promote tissue growth, does not cause insulin resistance, and does not carry proliferative risks. It is a targeted metabolic tool, not a growth agent.
Learn more about AOD-9604
peptide guides
In depthAOD-9604 fat loss: the trials nobody ever published
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stacking
In depthAOD-9604 + Semaglutide Fat Loss Stack: Two Pathways, One Protocol, and Your Genetics
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safety
Are Peptides Legal in the US? 9 Things You Need to Know in 2026
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genetics
Semaglutide Non-Responders: The Gene Behind the Gap
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how it works
Which Peptides Should You Take? A DNA-First Decision Framework
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Your next move
Two ways forward with AOD-9604.
Not sure it's for you?
How does AOD-9604 relate to your genes?
Your report scores AOD-9604 against your receptor, pharmacogene and pathway variants and shows the genetic markers relevant to it, with commonly cited dosing information to review with a clinician.
Analyze my DNA — $99