TESAMORELIN
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), stimulating the body’s natural release of growth hormone and increasing downstream IGF-1 activity.
It is FDA-approved in the U.S. for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy and has also been studied for its effects on body composition.
FDA Approved (U.S.)
Body Composition
hormone release
Injection
Human Trials
A Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analogue
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), a hormone involved in signalling the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Rather than supplying growth hormone directly, tesamorelin stimulates the body’s own growth hormone secretion, which in turn increases downstream IGF-1 activity.
Tesamorelin has been studied extensively in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, particularly for its ability to reduce visceral adipose tissue — the fat stored deeper within the abdomen around the internal organs.
In the United States, tesamorelin is FDA-approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is not FDA-approved as a general weight-loss medication.
Outside its approved medical use, tesamorelin has attracted interest in fitness and body-composition communities because of its effects on visceral fat and the growth hormone/IGF-1 pathway. However, evidence from its approved patient population should not automatically be assumed to produce the same results in healthy athletes or bodybuilders.
Tesamorelin is not a GLP-1 medication such as semaglutide or tirzepatide. It works through the growth hormone-releasing hormone pathway rather than primarily reducing appetite.
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Tesamorelin and visceral fat results
I'm about eight weeks in and the main thing I've noticed is that my bodyweight hasn't changed much, but my midsection looks noticeably different...
Tesamorelin vs CJC / Ipamorelin
I've tried both and found them quite different. Tesamorelin seemed much more gradual for me, so I'm interested to hear what other people noticed...
How long before you noticed anything?
For people who've used Tesamorelin for a decent amount of time, when did you actually start noticing a difference? The studies seem to run for months...
What does the product actually contain?
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Tesamorelin
Independently sourced and submitted for third-party laboratory testing. The original laboratory report is available below.
Previous tests
Newest firstSend us a request. Community interest helps us decide which products and suppliers to independently test next.
What are people actually experiencing?
Clinical research tells us what happened under controlled conditions. Here we collect documented Supp Science tests and real-world experiences to see what people actually report.
12 Weeks of Tesamorelin
A documented real-world Tesamorelin test following one participant over 12 weeks, including measurements, observations and overall outcome.
“The most noticeable change was around the waist and midsection rather than overall bodyweight.”Read the Full Test
Document your experience for the community. Supp Science can source the product so the exact product being tested is known from the beginning.
More real-world experiences
Curated experiences from Supp Science reviews, before & afters, Reddit, YouTube and forums.
Slow but noticeable changes around the midsection
Scale weight moved very little, but over time there was a noticeable difference around the waist and abdominal area...
Read ReviewMidsection comparison after a longer Tesamorelin run
A visual comparison documenting changes over time with particular attention to waist and abdominal appearance rather than total bodyweight...
View ResultEight weeks in — scale hasn't moved but stomach looks different
I wasn't expecting a huge change in bodyweight. The main thing I've noticed is how different my stomach looks after several weeks...
Read ExperienceTesamorelin experience after three months
A detailed video discussing changes noticed over roughly three months, including body composition, expectations and what changed over time...
Watch ExperienceTesamorelin vs CJC / Ipamorelin — very different experience
Having used both, Tesamorelin felt much more gradual. The biggest difference was where and when changes started becoming noticeable...
Read ExperienceWhen did people actually start noticing changes?
A longer discussion comparing how quickly different users reported noticing changes and whether those changes were visual or measurable...
Read DiscussionAnother Tesamorelin experience
Additional curated Tesamorelin experiences can continue here as the Supp Science database grows.
Read ExperienceWhat does the research actually show?
Tesamorelin has considerably more human clinical research behind it than many peptides discussed in fitness and research communities. Most of that evidence, however, comes from adults living with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Visceral abdominal fat
Reduction in visceral adipose tissue is the best-established body-composition effect of tesamorelin. Randomised controlled trials have consistently reported reductions in visceral abdominal fat compared with placebo.
Longer-term research found that reductions could be maintained while treatment continued, but the effect did not necessarily persist after treatment was stopped.
Body composition
Tesamorelin appears to affect visceral fat differently from ordinary weight-loss treatments. Studies have found reductions in central or visceral fat without equivalent reductions in subcutaneous fat.
The effect appears more specific to visceral abdominal fat than general bodyweight reduction.
This is one reason tesamorelin has attracted interest in physique-focused communities, but it is not evidence that it is an established fat-loss treatment for healthy people.
Growth hormone & IGF-1
Tesamorelin stimulates GHRH receptors in the pituitary gland, increasing endogenous growth hormone secretion rather than supplying growth hormone directly.
Because circulating IGF-1 can rise substantially, IGF-1 monitoring is an important consideration in clinical use.
Liver fat & metabolic research
Research has also examined tesamorelin's effects on liver fat and metabolic health. Studies in adults with HIV-associated abdominal fat have reported reductions in liver fat alongside visceral adipose tissue.
The evidence is promising in the populations studied, but its relevance to otherwise healthy people is less certain.
Safety & side effects
Clinical use of tesamorelin can produce adverse effects. Reported concerns include injection-site reactions, fluid retention, joint or muscle discomfort, hypersensitivity reactions, increases in IGF-1 and changes in glucose regulation.
U.S. prescribing information also contains precautions relating to malignancy, elevated IGF-1, glucose intolerance or diabetes, fluid retention and hypersensitivity.
The strongest evidence relates to HIV-associated visceral abdominal fat. Evidence for recreational physique enhancement, bodybuilding or general obesity treatment is much less established.
Questions people ask about Tesamorelin
Straightforward answers to common Tesamorelin questions. Vote on the answers that are useful, or add a question we haven't covered yet.
Tesamorelin mimics growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It signals the pituitary gland to release more of the body's own growth hormone, which then increases downstream IGF-1 activity.
Its best-established clinical effect is reducing visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Human trials have shown reductions in visceral abdominal fat, which is the deeper fat stored around internal organs. That is different from simply reducing all abdominal or subcutaneous fat.
The strongest evidence comes from adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, so those results should not automatically be assumed to apply in the same way to healthy adults.
Tesamorelin is not approved as a general weight-loss medication. In the United States, its approved use is reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Its mechanism and clinical use are different from medications specifically intended for general obesity treatment.
No. Tesamorelin does not supply growth hormone directly. It acts like GHRH and stimulates the pituitary gland to increase the body's own growth hormone secretion.
Yes. By increasing endogenous growth hormone secretion, Tesamorelin can increase circulating IGF-1 levels. This is one reason IGF-1 monitoring is relevant in clinical use.
Tesamorelin works through the growth hormone-releasing hormone pathway. Semaglutide and tirzepatide work through incretin pathways such as GLP-1 and primarily influence appetite, glucose regulation and energy intake.
They are different classes of medications with different mechanisms and approved uses.
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Human studies on Tesamorelin
A selection of human clinical studies looking at Tesamorelin, visceral abdominal fat, body composition and related metabolic outcomes.
Tesamorelin and reductions in visceral adipose tissue
Human clinical research found that Tesamorelin reduced visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy while having less effect on subcutaneous fat and overall bodyweight.
Longer-term effects of Tesamorelin on abdominal fat
Longer-duration research found that reductions in visceral fat could be maintained while treatment continued, but some of the effect was lost after Tesamorelin was discontinued.
Growth hormone-releasing factor and abdominal fat reduction
Earlier controlled research helped establish Tesamorelin's effect on visceral abdominal fat and supported further development of the drug for HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
These studies primarily involve adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Their findings should not automatically be assumed to apply to healthy adults using Tesamorelin for body composition.
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