What AOD-9604 is
AOD-9604 is a modified fragment from the tail end of human growth hormone, the part thought to drive fat breakdown. It was designed in Australia in the 1990s to get growth hormone's fat-burning effect without its effects on growth or blood sugar.
It's still sold as a fat loss peptide, often alongside GLP-1 drugs. The key fact most sellers leave out: it was tested for weight loss in people, and it didn't work better than placebo.
Regulatory status in 2026
AOD-9604 is not approved and is not on the compounding list. FDA reviewed it in 2024 and recommended against allowing it.
A Phase 2b obesity trial finds no meaningful weight loss over placebo. Development for obesity stops.
FDA proposes not adding AOD-9604 to the compounding list and presents it to its advisory committee.
Not approved and not compoundable. Prohibited in sport at all times under WADA class S2 as a growth hormone fragment.
Regulatory status can change. Check the sources linked at the bottom of this page before relying on anything here.
Claims vs. what the research shows
AOD-9604 is a rare case where the main claim was properly tested in people and didn't hold up.
Burns fat.
Worked in animal studies. Failed to beat placebo in a Phase 2b human trial.
Insufficient dataRepairs cartilage and joints.
Early animal and small studies only.
Animal or limited evidenceSafe because it was tested in people.
Human trials reported it was generally well tolerated, but they weren't designed for long-term safety.
Animal or limited evidenceStorage and stability
Peptides break down with heat, light, moisture, and repeated freezing and thawing. Degraded product is one common reason two vials of the "same" peptide behave differently. These are general peptide handling practices. Your supplier's certificate of analysis or label takes priority.
Sealed powder (lyophilized)
- Refrigerate at 36 to 46°F (2 to 8°C) for routine storage.
- Freezer is generally used for long-term storage.
- Keep in its original sealed vial, away from light.
- Let a cold vial reach room temperature before opening to limit condensation.
After reconstitution
- Keep refrigerated. Do not freeze.
- Protect from light. Clear glass lets it through.
- Opened multi-dose bacteriostatic water is typically discarded 28 days after first puncture.
- Log the mix date so you know the vial's age at a glance.
Light exposure is easy to overlook in a fridge door that opens dozens of times a day. VIALTIGHT is building stackable cases that block light from every side. See vialtight.com for updates.
Reconstitution math
Concentration is just the amount of peptide divided by the volume of water added. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units equals 1 mL, so each unit is 0.01 mL. Enter what is on your vial label and what you added to see the concentration.
This shows concentration only. It is not a dosing recommendation. VialTracker runs this math for every vial you log and keeps it with the vial's history.
Safety flags
Product quality is unverified. Gray-market vials have been found underdosed, mislabeled, or contaminated. A certificate of analysis from the seller is not the same as independent testing.
It didn't work in the trial that mattered. Paying for a product whose main claim failed in people is a real cost.
Immune reaction risk. FDA cited possible immune reactions and limited safety data in its 2024 review.
Tested athletes. Growth hormone fragments such as AOD-9604 are prohibited at all times under WADA class S2.
FAQ
Does AOD-9604 work for weight loss?
In the largest human trial, it didn't produce meaningful weight loss over placebo.
Is AOD-9604 the same as HGH fragment 176-191?
They're closely related fragments from the same region of growth hormone and are often marketed interchangeably.
Does VialTracker tell me what to take?
No. VialTracker organizes the information you enter and runs the math. It does not recommend doses, products, or protocols.