About AOD-9604

AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone — specifically, a 15-amino-acid sequence (residues 176–191) from the C-terminus of HGH. The “AOD” stands for Anti-Obesity Drug, reflecting its development origin: researchers identified that the lipolytic effect of HGH was localised to this fragment, but the fragment lacks the GH receptor binding required for the growth-promoting (and metabolic-side-effect) actions of full HGH.

The practical implication: AOD-9604 has been studied for fat-loss applications without raising IGF-1, without impacting insulin sensitivity, and without the receptor desensitisation that limits chronic HGH protocols. It’s a much narrower compound — the trade-off is that effects are correspondingly narrower than full HGH.

Dosing observed in research literature

Application	Dose	Frequency	Notes
Standard research dose	300 mcg	Once daily, AM, fasted	Pre-breakfast on empty stomach
Split-dose protocol	2 × 250 mcg	AM fasted + PM	Some research literature; minimal benefit shown
Higher-range research	500–600 mcg	Once daily AM	No additional benefit demonstrated above 300 mcg

Standard research cycles run 30–90 days. AOD-9604 doesn’t produce the receptor desensitisation seen with HGH, so cycle length is mostly driven by cost and practical research design rather than tolerance.

Typical reconstitution protocols

AOD-9604 typically ships as a 2 mg or 5 mg lyophilised vial:

Vial size	Recommended BAC water	Concentration	300 mcg draw	500 mcg draw
2 mg	1 mL	2000 mcg / mL	15 units (U-100)	25 units
2 mg	2 mL	1000 mcg / mL	30 units	50 units
5 mg	2 mL	2500 mcg / mL	12 units	20 units
5 mg	2.5 mL	2000 mcg / mL	15 units	25 units

For a 5 mg vial, 2.5 mL of BAC water gives a clean 15-unit draw at the standard 300 mcg dose — comfortable to measure and leaves the vial lasting about 17 daily doses, well within the 28-day shelf-life window.

Half-life and frequency

Plasma half-life is short — ~30 minutes. AOD-9604’s mechanism doesn’t depend on sustained plasma concentration; it acts through a transient lipolytic signal that the body translates into adipocyte lipolysis over hours. Once-daily morning dosing is therefore standard despite the brief plasma window.

Morning, fasted administration is the convention because food-mediated insulin elevation blunts the lipolytic signal. A 15–20 minute gap between AOD-9604 and breakfast is typical research protocol.

Storage and shelf life

Lyophilised: store at 2–8°C refrigerated. Reconstituted with bacteriostatic water: stable for up to 28 days refrigerated. Don’t freeze a reconstituted vial.

Frequently asked questions

Does AOD-9604 raise IGF-1 like HGH does?

No. AOD-9604 doesn’t bind the GH receptor and doesn’t trigger downstream IGF-1 synthesis. This is the entire point of using the fragment rather than full HGH — you get the lipolytic effect without the IGF-1 elevation and its associated metabolic profile changes.

Does AOD-9604 affect insulin sensitivity?

Trial data shows no measurable impact on glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity. This contrasts with full HGH (which reduces insulin sensitivity) and is one of the main practical advantages of the fragment approach.

How does AOD-9604 compare to GLP-1 agonists for fat loss?

Different mechanisms entirely. GLP-1 agonists (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Retatrutide) work primarily through appetite suppression and gastric emptying. AOD-9604 works through localised adipocyte lipolysis. In trial data, GLP-1 agonists produce substantially larger absolute weight loss; AOD-9604’s effect size is smaller but the side-effect profile is also much milder.

Can AOD-9604 be combined with HGH?

Some research protocols combine them — HGH for overall body composition + IGF-1 elevation, AOD-9604 for the additional localised lipolytic signal. There’s no clinical advantage demonstrated to combining them; AOD-9604 alone provides essentially the same lipolytic mechanism HGH provides for that specific effect.

Why dose fasted?

Insulin counteracts lipolysis at the adipocyte level. Dosing AOD-9604 with food (which raises insulin) blunts the lipolytic signal the compound provides. Fasted morning dosing maximises the effect window.

What injection site is used?

Subcutaneous abdominal is the standard site. Site rotation across abdominal quadrants is recommended across a typical 30–90 day cycle.

Related compounds

AOD-9604 sits in the growth and performance category as the lipolysis-focused HGH fragment. Adjacent: HGH (the parent compound — broader effects), Tesamorelin (GHRH approach — IGF-1 elevation), Semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonists (alternative weight-loss research mechanisms). For full category overview: Growth & Performance Peptides.