Description
AOD-9604 is a fragment of human growth hormone — specifically the last 15 amino acids at the C-terminal end of the molecule. It was developed with the intention of isolating the fat-burning properties associated with growth hormone while stripping out the blood sugar-disrupting and cell growth-stimulating effects of the full-length hormone. This makes it a useful research tool for studying fat metabolism independently of GH’s broader effects.
What the research has found
• Studies in obese mice showed daily AOD-9604 injections produced significant reductions in body weight and fat mass compared to controls. Notably, these effects were comparable to those produced by full-length growth hormone on fat reduction, but without the anti-insulin effects that make GH problematic in metabolic research models (Heffernan et al., 2001)
• Cell culture experiments confirmed AOD-9604 directly enhances the breakdown of fat (lipolysis) in adipocytes, with dose-dependent increases in glycerol release across a wide concentration range. The research confirmed these effects are not mediated through the classical GH receptor (Ng et al., 2000)
• Critically, studies demonstrated that AOD-9604 does not stimulate IGF-1 production or activate cell proliferation pathways associated with full-length GH — defining its research profile as a selective metabolic fragment rather than a growth promoter (Ng et al., 2000)
• Separate research identified potential effects on cartilage tissue, with AOD-9604 showing influence on chondrocyte function and proteoglycan synthesis — opening a secondary research direction in musculoskeletal biology (Ng et al., 2000)
For research use only. Not intended for use in humans or animals.
References
Heffernan, M., et al. (2001). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11416159/
Ng, F. M., et al. (2000). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10837581/
