Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin is a synthetic 44-amino-acid analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), with a trans-3-hexenoic acid modification that protects it from enzymatic degradation. It is marketed as Egrifta and is FDA-approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. It is one of the few GHRH analogs with a formal FDA approval and is well-studied for visceral adipose tissue reduction. Research-grade tesamorelin is sold for laboratory use.

Tesamorelin is a long-acting cousin of natural GHRH. It tells the pituitary to release growth hormone in natural pulses — the same way your body normally does — and is uniquely studied for its ability to reduce visceral fat (the deep belly fat surrounding organs). It is the only GHRH analog that has full FDA approval, originally for HIV-associated belly fat accumulation, and has become popular off-label for visceral fat reduction in metabolic research.

Tesamorelin binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, triggering pulsatile growth hormone release. The downstream effects include increased IGF-1, increased lipolysis (especially of visceral fat), and modest improvements in body composition. The modification at the N-terminus extends its half-life enough for once-daily dosing while preserving the natural pulse pattern.

Stabilized GHRH analog. Notably effective at reducing visceral (abdominal) fat.

1. Tesamorelin
2. GHRH and/or ghrelin receptors in the pituitary
3. Pulsatile growth hormone release
4. Downstream IGF-1, body-composition and recovery endpoints

A plain-English read on how much published evidence currently exists for Tesamorelin. These ratings describe the volume and maturity of the literature — not effectiveness, safety, or suitability for any use.

Current limitations: most compounds in this category are studied in preclinical or small-sample settings. Absence of large controlled human trials is the single biggest limitation to keep in mind when reading any summary of Tesamorelin.

Lyophilized compounds are supplied as a dry powder. Concentration is simply the total amount in the vial divided by the volume of bacteriostatic water added:

Concentration (mg/mL) = total mg in vial ÷ mL of diluent added

Commonly supplied vial sizes

2mg, 5mg, or 10mg vial

Worked concentration example

5mg + 2mL BAC water → 2.5mg/mL On U-100 insulin syringe:

• • 40 units = 1.0mg
• • 80 units = 2.0mg

Run your own numbers with the reconstitution calculator — it converts vial size and diluent volume into mg/mL and mcg/mL.

The figures below are reported here descriptively, because they are the values most frequently cited in publicly available research literature and reference material. They are not instructions, not a protocol, and not a recommendation. These compounds are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not approved by the FDA for human consumption.

Commonly cited amounts

1–2mg daily subcutaneous (PM typical)

Commonly cited frequency

Daily, typically evening

Commonly cited study duration

26 weeks typical (FDA labeling for HIV lipodystrophy)

Peptides are supplied freeze-dried because peptide bonds degrade far faster in solution than in a dry state. Understanding storage is part of understanding why the powder form exists at all.

• •Lyophilized powder: stored refrigerated, typically stable for months to years.
• •Reconstituted solution: refrigerated at 2–8°C, generally discussed as stable for roughly 30–60 days.
• •Heat and direct light accelerate degradation — vials are kept cool and dark.
• •Reconstituted material is not re-frozen; ice crystal formation disrupts peptide structure.
• •Bacteriostatic water contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative, which is what allows multi-day storage after reconstitution.

More detail in the storage & handling guide and how peptide quality is evaluated.

• •HIV-associated lipodystrophy (FDA-approved indication)
• •Visceral adipose tissue reduction
• •Cognitive function in HIV patients
• •Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease research
• •Cardiometabolic outcomes

Tesamorelin is the GHRH analog of choice for users specifically targeting visceral fat. Compared with CJC-1295, it has more focused belly-fat data and FDA approval, but it is more expensive. Many users cycle tesamorelin with a GHRP like ipamorelin for amplified GH pulses.

“The belly-fat GHRH with the FDA stamp.”

Almost always discussed with ipamorelin or another GHRP for GH-pulse amplification — the classic 'GHRH + GHRP' pairing. Sometimes combined with BPC-157 for recovery during cuts.

Tesamorelin is an FDA-approved GHRH analog used for HIV-associated lipodystrophy and widely studied off-label for visceral fat reduction. It produces pulsatile GH release and is sold as Egrifta and as research-grade peptide.