01 How it works
Tesamorelin copies the hormone that tells the pituitary to release growth hormone, so it raises GH in the body’s natural pulsing pattern rather than replacing it. Higher GH and IGF-1 shift the body toward burning fat — especially the visceral fat packed around the organs.
02 Common uses
03 Run profile
A short, gentle first week, then a steady daily amount. Usually taken in the evening, in twelve-week blocks with a four-week break.
The profile shows the shape. Ask for the numbers for your vial, your goal and your timeline.
04 Pairs well with
05 What to watch for
Joint aches, water retention or swelling, tingling, and injection-site reactions are the most reported. It can raise blood sugar, so diabetes needs monitoring. Not for pregnancy, or anyone with active cancer or pituitary problems.
06 Evidence & status
Approved (as Egrifta®)Strong: multiple randomised trials show significant visceral-fat reduction, which led to its approval.
FDA-approved as Egrifta® to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Other uses are off-label.
Sources
- EGRIFTA SV- tesamorelin kit (prescribing information)DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2026 · Prescribing information
- EGRIFTA WR- tesamorelin kit (prescribing information)DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025 · Prescribing information
- NDA 22-505 approval package, Egrifta (tesamorelin) 1 mg/vialU.S. Food and Drug Administration (Drugs@FDA), 2010 · Regulator document
- Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extensionJournal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2010 · Clinical trial
- Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension dataThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2010 · Clinical trial
- The Prohibited ListWorld Anti-Doping Agency, 2026 · Regulator document
Status and sources last checked November 3, 2026. Something out of date? Tell us.
07 How long until it works
The two phase 3 trials that led to approval ran 26 weeks and measured visceral fat by CT scan: tesamorelin at the then-approved 2mg daily dose reduced visceral fat by roughly 15–18% against little change on placebo, with the difference clear by the 26-week scan. IGF-1, the marker of growth-hormone effect, rose within weeks.
Two things to know from the same trials. The effect is on fat around the organs, not the number on the scale: body weight changed little. And the benefit did not last off treatment; when people stopped, visceral fat came back over the following months. That is why the page describes blocks and breaks rather than a one-off course.
08 Tesamorelin vs CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin
Both raise the body’s own growth hormone rather than replacing it, which is the point of the whole category. The difference is evidence. Tesamorelin is an approved medicine with placebo-controlled trials, a known effect size on visceral fat and a label listing its side effects and exclusions. CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin is a research combination: human data on raising GH exist for CJC-1295 with DAC, and the combination’s effects on muscle, fat or sleep are anecdotal.
If visceral fat is the goal, tesamorelin is the one with proof. If the goal is the broader “GH support” people describe (recovery, sleep, composition), neither has trial evidence for it, and tesamorelin at least has safety data.
The CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin dossier →09 Stacking
People pair tesamorelin with a GLP-1 medicine during fat loss, on the reasoning that one works on appetite and the other on visceral fat. No trial has tested that combination. The label’s own cautions are the ones that matter: it raises blood sugar, so diabetes needs monitoring, and it raises IGF-1, which is why active cancer is an exclusion.
10 Where it stands legally
Tesamorelin is FDA-approved as Egrifta, to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. The product has changed over time: the original 1mg vials (2mg daily) were replaced by Egrifta SV (1.4mg daily) and, in 2025, Egrifta WR (1.28mg daily, mixed weekly). The label states it is not indicated for weight loss, so every other use, including the recomposition use on this page, is off-label. Because it is the active ingredient of an approved medicine, pharmacies can compound it within the usual 503A rules for patient-specific prescriptions.
In sport it is unambiguous: WADA’s Prohibited List names growth-hormone-releasing factors, tesamorelin included, under S2, banned at all times.
11 FAQ
Is it the same as taking growth hormone?
No — it prompts your own pituitary to release GH in natural pulses, rather than adding GH directly.
Why evenings?
Natural GH release peaks during sleep, so evening dosing works with that rhythm.
How long until results?
Visceral-fat changes in trials were measured over months, not weeks.
Does tesamorelin help with weight loss?
Not as a weight-loss drug. In its trials body weight changed little; visceral fat around the organs fell. The label says it is not indicated for weight management.
What happens when I stop tesamorelin?
In the trials, visceral fat returned over the months after stopping. The effect depends on continued use.
Is tesamorelin banned in sport?
Yes. WADA lists growth-hormone-releasing factors, with tesamorelin named, under S2, prohibited at all times.
Why is the dose on this page lower than the approved one?
The schedule tops out at 1mg; the approved regimens are 1.28–2mg daily. The lower amount is common use for off-label purposes, not a studied dose, and the calculator above will not go above the original approved 2mg.
Educational information only — not medical advice. The Daily Stack does not sell or supply any products. Talk to a licensed healthcare professional about your own health decisions.