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Intrinsic Longevity
Performance & body composition

Tesamorelin

A prescription copy of the brain signal for growth hormone, approved to reduce excess belly fat in adults living with HIV.

Class
Growth hormone releaser
Type
Prescription medicine
Brand name
Egrifta
FDA status
FDA-approved (one use)
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Overview

What it is

Tesamorelin is a lab-made copy of growth hormone-releasing hormone, the signal the brain sends to release growth hormone. It is sold under the name Egrifta.

Tesamorelin was developed for a specific problem. Some people on long-term HIV treatment develop lipodystrophy, where fat builds up deep in the abdomen around the organs and is very hard to lose.

It was approved in 2010 for exactly that, and it remains the only use the FDA has cleared. That narrow approval is worth knowing, because tesamorelin often gets discussed as if it were a general fat-loss medicine.

Within the growth hormone family, it sits next to ipamorelin and CJC-1295. Same corner of biology, very different regulatory footing.

Benefits

What it supports

  • FDA-approved to reduce excess deep belly fat in adults with HIV-related lipodystrophy
  • Prompts the pituitary gland to release the body's own growth hormone
  • Studied for its effect on blood fats and other markers that track with belly fat
  • Any other use is off-label and is a provider's call
Mechanism

How it works

1

The brain releases growth hormone-releasing hormone, which travels a short distance to the pituitary gland and tells it to release growth hormone.

2

Tesamorelin is a stable copy of that brain signal. It binds the same receptors on the pituitary and prompts the gland's own bursts of growth hormone.

3

Growth hormone then raises IGF-1 in the liver, and that combination affects how the body stores and uses fat, particularly the deep fat around the organs.

4

Because it prompts your own gland rather than adding hormone directly, the natural burst pattern is largely preserved.

Context

Who it's for

Adults with HIV-related lipodystrophy discussing the approved use with their care team

People who want to understand how growth hormone releasers differ from growth hormone itself

Adults comparing an approved medicine against compounds that have never been reviewed

People tracking body composition who want to know what the evidence actually covers

Landscape

In the landscape

How this compound compares to related options in the wellness landscape.

  • Ipamorelin

    Reaches a different receptor and has never been approved. Same system, different door and different status.

  • CJC-1295 (with DAC)

    Copies the same brain signal but lasts much longer, and it is not FDA-approved.

  • AOD-9604

    A fragment of growth hormone itself rather than a releaser. Different class entirely.

In this area

Related therapies

Other compounds that support overlapping wellness goals.

Questions

Tesamorelin FAQ

Good to know

Regulatory & considerations

Tesamorelin is FDA-approved as a prescription medicine for one use: reducing excess belly fat in adults with HIV-related lipodystrophy. It is not approved for general weight loss, body building, or anti-aging, so any such use is off-label and is decided by a licensed provider.

Peptides in our shop are sourced from US-licensed manufacturers.

The FDA approval covers one thing: reducing excess deep abdominal fat in adults with HIV-related lipodystrophy. It is not approved for general weight loss or anti-aging.

It can raise blood sugar, so people with diabetes or prediabetes need closer monitoring.

It should not be used during pregnancy, and it is not for people with an active cancer.

Fat comes back after stopping, because the effect depends on continued use.

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See current pricing and availability for Tesamorelin in our shop. If a medical evaluation is needed, a licensed provider guides you through it.

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Individual results vary. General information on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice.