What Is AOD-9604? Dosage, Half-Life & How to Track It
Also known as: Tyr-hGH Fragment 177–191 · AOD9604 · HGH Frag 176-191
AOD-9604 is a synthetic 16-amino-acid fragment of human growth hormone (the 177–191 region) isolated for its fat-metabolizing effect without HGH’s growth-related side effects. It’s dosed subcutaneously once daily, typically 300 mcg for the first month, then 500 mcg, on an empty stomach. Clinical trials found a placebo-like safety profile, but efficacy data for standalone fat loss is limited. Educational information only.
What AOD-9604 is and how it works
AOD-9604 isolates a small piece of the human growth hormone molecule — amino acids 177 through 191 — the region researchers identified as responsible for HGH’s fat-metabolizing effect, without the rest of the molecule that drives growth and insulin resistance.
The mechanism is twofold: it promotes lipolysis (breaking down stored fat) and inhibits lipogenesis (new fat storage), and it does this without raising IGF-1 or triggering the insulin resistance associated with full-length HGH. That’s the entire premise of the compound — HGH’s fat-loss signal, isolated from its growth signal.
It went through obesity trials with a genuinely clean safety record, but the trials measuring fat-loss efficacy specifically were less convincing, and development for that indication was discontinued. Treat it as well-tolerated with modest, unproven standalone efficacy rather than a strong fat-loss agent on its own.
Typical dosing & reconstitution
AOD-9604 is dosed once daily, typically in the morning on an empty stomach, with a gentle step up over the first month:
- Weeks 1–4: 300 mcg
- Weeks 5–12: 500 mcg
| Vial | BAC water | Concentration | 1 unit (U-100) ≈ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mg | 3 mL | 0.67 mg/mL | 6.7 mcg |
| 5 mg | 3 mL | 1.67 mg/mL | 16.7 mcg |
The larger 5 mg vial concentrates the peptide more per unit, so a 500 mcg dose is 30 units instead of 75 — worth factoring in if syringe precision at low unit counts is a concern. The calculator does this conversion for either vial size.
Half-life & what it means for frequency
As a short peptide fragment (no albumin-binding modification the way semaglutide or tirzepatide have), AOD-9604 clears quickly — on the order of hours — which is why it’s dosed daily rather than weekly. There’s no depot effect to lean on.
The practical upshot is the opposite of a long-half-life GLP-1: timing is forgiving day to day (a late or early dose doesn’t compound the way a missed weekly shot would), but consistency matters more, since there’s no long tail carrying you through a skipped day.
What to track & common side effects
Trials reported a placebo-like safety profile — injection-site irritation is the most commonly noted issue, with nothing resembling the GI burden of GLP-1 drugs.
Because the compound is dosed daily and its fat-loss effect (if any) is modest and gradual, the useful thing to track is the same as any daily peptide: the daily streak, plus weight and waist as a slow trend rather than expecting the dramatic week-to-week movement seen with GLP-1 agonists.
How to track AOD-9604 in Stackeddd
Log AOD-9604 on its daily cadence and watch the streak — consistency is the whole game for a short-half-life peptide with no depot to fall back on. Get the reconstitution dialed in first, since the difference between a 2 mg and 5 mg vial changes your units meaningfully.
Model it yourself · free, no account
Reconstitution Calculator
Model it yourself: enter your vial size and BAC water and the Peptides tab returns concentration and the exact insulin-syringe units for any dose — the same math built into the Stackeddd app.
Related compounds
Related reading: Peptide reconstitution math: how much BAC water to add · What peptides can you mix in the same syringe?
Frequently asked questions
What is AOD-9604 used for?
It’s a 16-amino-acid fragment of human growth hormone (residues 177–191), studied for its fat-metabolizing effect — promoting lipolysis and inhibiting new fat storage — without HGH’s growth-related effects on IGF-1 or insulin sensitivity.
What is the half-life of AOD-9604?
Short — on the order of hours, since it has no albumin-binding modification. That’s why it’s dosed once daily rather than weekly, unlike semaglutide or tirzepatide.
How is AOD-9604 dosed?
A common protocol runs 300 mcg subcutaneously once daily for the first month, stepping to 500 mcg daily after — typically taken in the morning on an empty stomach.
Is AOD-9604 safe?
Clinical trials found a placebo-like safety profile with no significant adverse events tied to the compound itself. Standalone fat-loss efficacy data is more limited than its safety data, so results are less established than its tolerability.
This is educational information, not medical advice. Doses and protocols above reflect published references and community practice — protocol decisions belong with your prescribing physician. Generic names used throughout. How this reference is built & how the AI is tested →
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