GH Fragment 176-191: what it is and what the evidence says
A fragment of the C-terminal end of growth hormone. It is sold on the promise of keeping the effect on fat without the effects of the rest of the molecule.
Last reviewed: August 16, 2026 · How we verify this
The ground it plays on
Metabolism is not a single lever. Talk about metabolic compounds usually collapses three separate mechanisms into one word. Appetite regulation is one. How well cells respond to insulin is another, and largely independent of the first. Mobilizing stored fat is a third. A compound may act on one and leave the other two untouched, so knowing which one is the difference between understanding a molecule and reciting its name.
What it is studied for
Advertised for fat loss.
There is a distinction that almost always gets lost. A compound being studied for something is not the same as achieving it. And even where it works in a dish or in a mouse, that says little about whether it works in a person or whether the benefit is worth the risk. The section below therefore carries more weight than everything above it.
What the human evidence says
There are no published human trials of the unmodified 176-191 fragment. Its analog AOD-9604 went through six randomized trials with close to 900 participants, by the oral and intravenous routes, with tolerability similar to placebo and no changes in IGF-1 or glucose tolerance.
The limitation that matters most
Efficacy was not confirmed: a three-month study reported weight reduction and the six-month study showed no difference from placebo, after which the obesity program was closed in 2007. Human studies of the native fragment and of the subcutaneous route are still missing, as are long-term safety data.
Regulatory status
It is not approved as a medicine by any agency. In December 2024 the FDA's advisory committee voted against adding AOD-9604 to the list of substances for pharmacy compounding. In sport, WADA prohibits it at all times under section S2 (growth hormone fragments).
Status can change and varies by country. Always verify the rules in force where you live before drawing conclusions.
Cautions and context
No human trials support the promise. Also rejected as a supplement ingredient.
With diabetes under treatment, liver disease, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you compete under anti-doping control, have a professional assess it before you start.
What this page cannot give you
A reference page can take you this far. You know what GH Fragment 176-191 is and where its research stands, which already puts you ahead of most readers. Four questions remain that no encyclopedia can answer for you, because the answers depend on your own situation:
- What would you measure beforehand, so that later you could tell whether anything actually changed?
- What would you watch along the way, and how consistently?
- What would you ask a professional, and in how much detail, so you do not walk out with a textbook answer?
- What would make you stop?
That is what the course is for
PeptiXtreme is ${CIF.LECCIONES} lessons that hand out no numbers. Each one ends with your starting point, what to watch along the way, the specific questions you take to a professional and the signals that mean stop. It includes per-module exams, a Certificate of Completion with a verifiable certificate ID, a Progress Tracker to follow how you are doing, and a human advisor you can actually write to.
See the course → Or measure your judgment, freeReferences
Every entry links to its record on PubMed, the US National Library of Medicine database. Open them and check. We would rather have a reader who verifies than one who takes our word for it.
- Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormonepreclinical Horm Res · 2000 · PMID 11146367 →
- The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out micepreclinical Endocrinology · 2001 · PMID 11713213 →
- Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragmentpreclinical Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord · 2001 · PMID 11673763 →
- Identification and characterization of peptide drugs in unknown pharmaceutical preparations seized by the Belgian authorities: case report on AOD9604preclinical Drug Test Anal · 2014 · PMID 24976118 →
- Detection and in vitro metabolism of AOD9604preclinical Drug Test Anal · 2015 · PMID 25208511 →
- The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administrationreview Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · 2026 · PMID 42395176 →
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Frequently asked questions
What is GH Fragment 176-191?
A fragment of the C-terminal end of growth hormone. It is sold on the promise of keeping the effect on fat without the effects of the rest of the molecule. It is studied within the area of metabolic.
Is there human evidence for GH Fragment 176-191?
There are no published human trials of the unmodified 176-191 fragment. Its analog AOD-9604 went through six randomized trials with close to 900 participants, by the oral and intravenous routes, with tolerability similar to placebo and no changes in IGF-1 or glucose tolerance.
Is it approved by any health agency?
It is not approved as a medicine by any agency. In December 2024 the FDA's advisory committee voted against adding AOD-9604 to the list of substances for pharmacy compounding. In sport, WADA prohibits it at all times under section S2 (growth hormone fragments).
What is the dose of GH Fragment 176-191?
We do not publish dosages. This is not an oversight. No single figure works for everyone: the regimen depends on a person's medical history, on whatever medication they already take, and on the goal they are chasing, which is something a professional weighs with the case in front of them. What you can build is the ability to walk into that appointment knowing what to ask.
Where can I learn to evaluate this properly?
This page tells you what GH Fragment 176-191 is and what the evidence says. The PeptiXtreme course teaches the other half: what you would measure before considering anything, what you would watch, the specific questions you would take to a professional and when you would stop.