AOD-9604, also called hGH fragment 176-191, is a synthetic peptide based on a small portion of human growth hormone. It was designed to explore fat-metabolizing (lipolytic) effects without the full range of growth-hormone activity.

What does research suggest about AOD-9604?

Preclinical animal and laboratory studies reported some fat-metabolizing effects, which prompted human trials for obesity. However, those human clinical trials did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for fat loss to support regulatory approval.

Is AOD-9604 approved by regulators?

No. AOD-9604 is not an approved weight-loss medicine. Its clinical development for obesity did not lead to approval by drug regulators.

Its long-term safety in humans is not well characterized because clinical development did not advance to broad or extended use. It is not a validated therapy, and efficacy for fat loss is not established.

What are the reported side effects of AOD-9604?

The human safety profile is limited and its long-term effects are largely unknown. Because rigorous long-term data are lacking, potential risks cannot be fully described from the available evidence.

AOD-9604 is not an approved medicine for human use, and its commercial availability is restricted. Legal status varies by country, and it is generally handled as a research compound rather than a consumer product.

How is AOD-9604 different from full-length growth hormone or from HGH fragment 176-191 as usually described?

AOD-9604 is a modified version of the tail-end (C-terminal) portion of human growth hormone, corresponding to residues 176-191. The idea behind isolating this fragment was to try to separate the fat-metabolism-related activity from growth hormone's broader effects on tissue growth and blood sugar. Whether that separation translates into a meaningful, reliable benefit in people was never established, which is a key reason it differs from any approved growth-hormone therapy. This is context only, not a therapeutic claim.

Why does AOD-9604 still get attention even though its obesity trials did not lead to approval?

Much of the continued interest is historical and marketing-driven rather than evidence-driven. The compound has an appealing origin story (a growth-hormone piece aimed at fat loss) and circulates widely in the research-chemical and supplement space, which keeps its name in circulation. Popularity in forums or product listings is not the same as demonstrated efficacy or safety, and the human trial record did not support approval as a weight-loss medicine.

Is AOD-9604 the same thing as a banned substance in sport?

AOD-9604 has come up in anti-doping and regulatory discussions because it is a growth-hormone-derived peptide, a class that draws scrutiny in sport. Rules and classifications vary by organization and change over time, so anyone in a tested setting should check current guidance from the relevant authority rather than assume anything from its origin. This is general information, not compliance or medical advice.

Where can I buy AOD-9604 and compare vendors?

Use the vendor comparison on this page. It shows only checked, product-specific links and identifies vendor claims, independent documentation and affiliate relationships separately. Availability and legal status can vary by country.

Metabolic

Buy AOD-9604 – Vendors, Prices, Testing and Evidence

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Also known as: hGH fragment 176-191

Evidence grade C — Early / Preclinical

Short answer

A growth-hormone fragment once investigated for fat loss. Clinical trials did not lead to approval.

Where can you buy AOD-9604?

Crystal Peptides. The table lists only product-specific offers that were checked and for which a real destination exists. Missing prices, quantities, stock and laboratory details are not inferred.

What is known?

AOD-9604 is a fragment of human growth hormone investigated for metabolic effects.

What is not established?

Clinical trials for obesity did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for approval.

Safety

Not an approved therapy; efficacy for fat loss is not established.

Regulatory status

Not an approved weight-loss medicine; clinical development did not lead to approval.

Not medical advice. This educational reference is not diagnosis, treatment, prescribing, dosing or emergency guidance. Consult a qualified professional before making health-related decisions.

Vendor comparison

Buy AOD-9604: compare vendors

The table lists only product-specific offers that were checked and for which a real destination exists. Missing prices, quantities, stock and laboratory details are not inferred.

Vendor	Product	Documentation	Shipping	Checked	Action
Crystal Peptides Code PEPTIDES10 −10% · discount code details Sponsored	AOD-9604 research product	Vendor-supplied data COA stated as available Not independently documented	Europe See the localized country store	Jul 18, 2026	View at vendor

Crystal Peptides

AOD-9604 research product

Code PEPTIDES10 −10% · discount code details

What is it?

AOD-9604 is a fragment of human growth hormone investigated for metabolic effects.

Research and evidence

AOD-9604, also known as hGH fragment 176-191, is a synthetic peptide derived from the C-terminal region of human growth hormone (GH). It was engineered in an attempt to isolate the fat-metabolizing, or lipolytic, portion of the GH molecule while leaving out the segments associated with growth and effects on blood sugar. Because of this design, AOD-9604 became a subject of interest in metabolic and obesity research, where the goal was to influence fat breakdown without triggering the broader hormonal cascade of full-length growth hormone. It is categorized as a metabolic research peptide and is frequently discussed in the context of fat loss and metabolism.

The scientific interest in AOD-9604 centers on how a small fragment of a large hormone might affect lipolysis. Preclinical work reported some fat-metabolizing effects in laboratory and animal models, which is what drove the compound into human clinical development for obesity. That development, however, is the most important part of the honest evidence picture: the human clinical trials conducted for weight management did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy to lead to regulatory approval. In other words, the promising signals seen in early preclinical research did not translate into a proven, meaningful fat-loss benefit in people. Much of what circulates about AOD-9604 online extrapolates from mechanism or animal data rather than from confirmed human outcomes.

As a result, AOD-9604 is not an approved weight-loss medicine, and its efficacy for fat loss is not established. Its long-term safety profile in humans remains poorly characterized because the clinical program did not advance to widespread, long-term use. This page exists as an educational reference to summarize what the research actually shows and where it stops short, so readers can distinguish marketing claims from evidence. Nothing here is medical advice, a recommendation, or a protocol; it is a factual overview of a compound whose reputation often outpaces its clinical record.

Evidence grade: C

Clinical trials for obesity did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for approval. Some preclinical lipolytic effects reported.

Human evidence

Clinical trials for obesity did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for approval.

Animal and preclinical evidence

Some preclinical lipolytic effects reported.

Proposed mechanisms

Discussed effects on lipolysis without the full GH profile

Safety concerns and known side effects

Not an approved therapy; efficacy for fat loss is not established.

Unknown long-term profile

Regulatory status

Not an approved weight-loss medicine; clinical development did not lead to approval.

AOD-9604 research timeline

Mid-to-late 1990s
Researchers in Australia identify the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191) and modify it, aiming to isolate fat-metabolism effects from the full hormone's other actions.
Late 1990s-early 2000s
Preclinical studies report lipolytic (fat-breakdown) activity in animal and cell models, forming the basis for developing the fragment as a candidate anti-obesity drug.
2000s
The compound advances into human clinical trials for obesity, including placebo-controlled studies of oral and injectable forms.
Later 2000s
Reported trial results did not demonstrate weight-loss efficacy sufficient to support approval, and development as a licensed obesity medicine did not proceed.
2010s
The fragment resurfaces on the research-chemical and supplement markets and appears in anti-doping and regulatory discussions; it remains an unapproved compound for weight loss.
Early 2020s
AOD-9604 continues to be sold in the research-market grey zone with no marketing approval as a therapeutic, and its metabolic benefit in humans remains unestablished.

Frequently asked questions about AOD-9604

What is AOD-9604?: AOD-9604, also called hGH fragment 176-191, is a synthetic peptide based on a small portion of human growth hormone. It was designed to explore fat-metabolizing (lipolytic) effects without the full range of growth-hormone activity.
What does research suggest about AOD-9604?: Preclinical animal and laboratory studies reported some fat-metabolizing effects, which prompted human trials for obesity. However, those human clinical trials did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for fat loss to support regulatory approval.
Is AOD-9604 approved by regulators?: No. AOD-9604 is not an approved weight-loss medicine. Its clinical development for obesity did not lead to approval by drug regulators.
Is AOD-9604 safe?: Its long-term safety in humans is not well characterized because clinical development did not advance to broad or extended use. It is not a validated therapy, and efficacy for fat loss is not established.
What are the reported side effects of AOD-9604?: The human safety profile is limited and its long-term effects are largely unknown. Because rigorous long-term data are lacking, potential risks cannot be fully described from the available evidence.
Is AOD-9604 legal?: AOD-9604 is not an approved medicine for human use, and its commercial availability is restricted. Legal status varies by country, and it is generally handled as a research compound rather than a consumer product.
How is AOD-9604 different from full-length growth hormone or from HGH fragment 176-191 as usually described?: AOD-9604 is a modified version of the tail-end (C-terminal) portion of human growth hormone, corresponding to residues 176-191. The idea behind isolating this fragment was to try to separate the fat-metabolism-related activity from growth hormone's broader effects on tissue growth and blood sugar. Whether that separation translates into a meaningful, reliable benefit in people was never established, which is a key reason it differs from any approved growth-hormone therapy. This is context only, not a therapeutic claim.
Why does AOD-9604 still get attention even though its obesity trials did not lead to approval?: Much of the continued interest is historical and marketing-driven rather than evidence-driven. The compound has an appealing origin story (a growth-hormone piece aimed at fat loss) and circulates widely in the research-chemical and supplement space, which keeps its name in circulation. Popularity in forums or product listings is not the same as demonstrated efficacy or safety, and the human trial record did not support approval as a weight-loss medicine.
Is AOD-9604 the same thing as a banned substance in sport?: AOD-9604 has come up in anti-doping and regulatory discussions because it is a growth-hormone-derived peptide, a class that draws scrutiny in sport. Rules and classifications vary by organization and change over time, so anyone in a tested setting should check current guidance from the relevant authority rather than assume anything from its origin. This is general information, not compliance or medical advice.
Where can I buy AOD-9604 and compare vendors?: Use the vendor comparison on this page. It shows only checked, product-specific links and identifies vendor claims, independent documentation and affiliate relationships separately. Availability and legal status can vary by country.

Common discussion areas

Fat lossMetabolism

Sources

Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone — Hormone Research · PubMed

Editorial review and transparency

Written by: peptides.cx Editorial Team
Scientific reviewer: No named medical reviewer is currently assigned
Last editorial review: June 1, 2026
Last vendor check: July 18, 2026
Review method: Source review, claim verification, vendor-data separation and regulatory-context review.
Commercial disclosure and conflicts: Vendor relationships do not determine evidence or safety ratings. No named reviewer conflict is recorded because no named reviewer is assigned.

Editorial policy →Evidence grade →Vendor methodology →

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