Tesamorelin
Peptide ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Tesamorelin is a stabilized GHRH analog that is FDA-approved as prescription Egrifta products for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is not FDA-approved for general weight loss, bodybuilding, anti-aging, or non-HIV body recomposition, and those uses have limited evidence and meaningful risks. Safety concerns include elevated IGF-1, glucose intolerance, edema, arthralgia, hypersensitivity, pregnancy contraindication, and avoidance in active malignancy or disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This safety record covers a controlled, investigational, or otherwise out-of-scope substance. It remains available for reference, but it is not part of NutriStack's public supplement publication set.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Tesamorelin is a peptide most often used for fda-approved reduction of excess abdominal fat in hiv-associated lipodystrophy, raises endogenous gh and igf-1 under prescription monitoring, may reduce liver fat in selected hiv studies. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is FDA-approved dosing depends on product formulation, such as 1.4 mg/day Egrifta SV or 1.28 mg/day Egrifta WR by subcutaneous injection; no supplement dose exists, commonly taken as fda-approved prescription tesamorelin product used exactly as labeled. This profile indexes 3 sources.
- Injection-site reaction
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Pregnancy
- Active malignancy
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: fda-approved reduction of excess abdominal fat in hiv-associated lipodystrophy, raises endogenous gh and igf-1 under prescription monitoring, may reduce liver fat in selected hiv studies. 3 sources indexed (2012–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Tesamorelin activates pituitary GHRH receptors to increase pulsatile endogenous GH release and downstream IGF-1. In HIV-associated lipodystrophy trials this reduced visceral adipose tissue without being a general weight-loss drug. GH and IGF-1 effects can also worsen glucose tolerance, fluid retention, carpal tunnel symptoms, and theoretical tumor-growth risk.1,2
Dosing & protocol.
Subcutaneous injection only. Egrifta formulations are not substitutable and have specific reconstitution instructions.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes FDA-approved prescription injection.
Prescription drug cost and insurance coverage vary widely; non-prescription products are not appropriate substitutes. Updated 2026-06-04.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Injection-site reaction
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Edema
- Carpal tunnel symptoms
- Numbness or tingling
- Rash or hypersensitivity
- Elevated IGF-1
- Glucose intolerance
Contraindications
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
1- 1Effect of Tesamorelin on Visceral Fat and Liver Fat in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Clinical TrialStanley TL et al. · JAMA · 2014
Tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue and liver fat over 6 months in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation.
Reviews & position papers
1- 2Tesamorelin: A Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor Analogue for HIV-Associated LipodystrophySpooner LM et al. · Annals of Pharmacotherapy · 2012
Review summarized phase 3 trials showing reduced visceral adipose tissue and waist circumference after 26 weeks.
Reference material
1- 3EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection, for subcutaneous use: Prescribing InformationTheratechnologies Inc. · US Food and Drug Administration Label · 2025
Label states indication, dosing, contraindications, IGF-1 and glucose warnings, and limitations of use.
Common questions.
Quick answers about Tesamorelin, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Tesamorelin?
Tesamorelin is a stabilized GHRH analog that is FDA-approved as prescription Egrifta products for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is not FDA-approved for general weight loss, bodybuilding, anti-aging, or non-HIV body recomposition, and those uses have limited evidence and meaningful risks. Safety concerns include elevated IGF-1, glucose intolerance, edema, arthralgia, hypersensitivity, pregnancy contraindication, and avoidance in active malignancy or disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
What is Tesamorelin used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Tesamorelin include: FDA-approved reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; Raises endogenous GH and IGF-1 under prescription monitoring; May reduce liver fat in selected HIV studies; Not proven for general obesity or wellness use. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Tesamorelin?
A typical adult dose of Tesamorelin is FDA-approved dosing depends on product formulation, such as 1.4 mg/day Egrifta SV or 1.28 mg/day Egrifta WR by subcutaneous injection; no supplement dose exists. The commonly recommended form is FDA-approved prescription tesamorelin product used exactly as labeled. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Tesamorelin?
Reported side effects include injection-site reaction, joint pain, muscle pain, edema, carpal tunnel symptoms, numbness or tingling. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Tesamorelin?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Tesamorelin in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.