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Prescription / GLP-1

Tesamorelin: Benefits, Dosage and Side Effects

What the Tesamorelin research shows: its FDA-approved use for visceral fat in HIV, the label dose, and documented side effects.

Sebastian Hunter, Founder and EditorWritten bySebastian Hunter, Founder and EditorI'm a 42-year-old senior advisor and distance runner who came to peptides as a sceptic. I'm not a doctor: I read the research, run my own experiment and keep honest notes. Read full bio

The short version

Tesamorelin is a growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogue, the same class as CJC-1295 and sermorelin. Unlike them, it has 26 randomised trials and an FDA approval, for reducing excess visceral fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is the best evidence this class has, and it is narrower than the marketing around the class suggests.

  • 26 randomised trials, including one in JAMA.
  • Approved for a specific population, with visceral fat as the endpoint.
  • It shows the class can work, in patients with a diagnosed condition.

Tesamorelin at a glance

What it is
GHRH analogue
Main use
Approved for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Generic name
tesamorelin
Brand names
Egrifta WR and Egrifta SV (Theratechnologies) Label
Also called
Egrifta, TH9507
Molecular formula
C221H366N72O67S (5136 g/mol) Structure
Evidence
Strong human evidence
US status
FDA-approved · prescription only
Dose
Set by the FDA label Dosing page

What is tesamorelin?

Dosing: what the label says.

Tesamorelin is a growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue that finished development. It belongs to the same class as CJC-1295, ipamorelin and sermorelin, and works the same way. Unlike them, it has 26 randomised controlled trials and an FDA approval.

My pages on those other peptides tell a similar story: a plausible mechanism and thin human evidence for what they are sold to do. Tesamorelin is the best evidence this family has, so what its trials showed is worth knowing.

Tesamorelin structure

2D chemical structure of Tesamorelin, C221H366N72O67S
2D structure from PubChem CID 16137828 (NCBI, public domain). Open it in PubChem to zoom or view in 3D.
Molecular formula
C221H366N72O67S
Molecular weight
5136 g/mol
Length
44 amino acids
Sequence
YADAIFTNSYRKVLGQLSARKLLQDIMSRQQGESNQERGARARL
Modifications
The full human GHRH(1-44) sequence with a trans-3-hexenoyl group on the N-terminal Tyr; C-terminal amide.
PubChem CID
16137828

Egrifta contains tesamorelin acetate; the diagram is the peptide itself.

Identity checked against FDA prescribing information (Egrifta SV), DailyMed.

What it was approved for

Tesamorelin is approved to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. In that condition, fat moves around the body in ways that are metabolically harmful and hard to treat. The approval covers that use only.

Tesamorelin randomised trials cited here, by population
  • People with HIV-associated fat changesincluding a JAMA trial
    4
  • Healthy adults, body compositionthe reason people look it up
    0

Every trial is in people with HIV. The evidence that makes tesamorelin the credible member of the GHRH family is about a specific clinical complication, not body composition in general.

The trials cited here run from:

Why this page matters if you are looking at the other GH peptides

The case for CJC-1295, ipamorelin, sermorelin and the rest usually goes: this class raises growth hormone, growth hormone affects body composition, so it will change yours.

Tesamorelin is where that idea was tested to a conclusion. The result that won approval was narrow: one fat compartment, in one patient group, with a specific clinical problem.

Tesamorelin dosage

The FDA label for Egrifta WR gives 1.28 mg injected under the skin of the abdomen once daily, rotating injection sites. The vial is mixed with the supplied diluent and used within 7 days. That is a clinical dose for a diagnosed condition, prescribed and monitored. The tesamorelin dosage page has the full mixing steps and who the label excludes.

Tesamorelin also turns up in the same research-chemical channels as the unapproved GH peptides, sold to people without the condition it treats. That means taking on grey-market risks to get something that already exists in a controlled form.

Tesamorelin side effects

Because tesamorelin is approved, its FDA label has a real adverse-reaction table from the trials.

When starting

  • Injection-site reactions are the most common: 25% of patients on tesamorelin versus 14% on placebo over the first 26 weeks (warnings section 5.6). They include redness, itching, pain, irritation and bruising. The label’s adverse-reaction table (Table 1) gives a lower combined figure of 17% versus 6% for the same period, and the label doesn’t explain the difference.

Ongoing

  • Also more common than on placebo: joint pain (13% vs 11%), pain in a limb (6% vs 5%), swelling in the legs or arms (6% vs 2%) and muscle pain (6% vs 2%).
  • Fluid retention can show up as swelling, joint pain or carpal tunnel syndrome. The label says it usually passes or resolves when the drug is stopped.
  • Glucose intolerance: the label says to check blood glucose before and during treatment. In trials, 5% of patients developed an HbA1c of 6.5% or higher, versus 1% on placebo.
  • IGF-1 rises and needs monitoring: 47% of patients had levels more than two standard deviations above normal by 26 weeks.

Rare but serious

  • Allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions occurred in about 4% of patients. The label says to get medical attention immediately if one is suspected.
  • It must not be used with active cancer, a disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis (from tumor, surgery or head injury), known allergy to tesamorelin, or in pregnancy. People with HIV already have a higher background cancer risk, which the label says to weigh before starting.

For the injection itself, see injection-site reactions for what is ordinary and what needs attention.

Get medical care right away for any sign of an allergic reaction. Tell a prescriber about new swelling, joint pain, or numbness or tingling in the hands, which can signal fluid retention or carpal tunnel. See dosing for what the label specifies.

US legal status - FDA-approved · prescription only

Tesamorelin is an FDA-approved prescription medicine for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It requires a prescriber. Grey-market vials carry the name without the approval, the quality control, or the indication.

Tesamorelin has been regulated as a biological product since 23 March 2020. On that date, under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, the Egrifta approval (application 022505, Theratechnologies) was deemed to be a biologics licence (BLA).

FDA says licensed biologics are not eligible for the 503A and 503B compounding exemptions. In its words, the law “does not provide a legal pathway for marketing biological products that have been prepared outside the scope of an approved BLA.” So “compounded tesamorelin” sold by clinics has no compounding pathway under FDA’s rules.

Research-labelled vials have drawn FDA action too. Two FDA warning letters dated 24 August 2026, to Peptide Partners and Peak Performance Peptides, named tesamorelin among products FDA called unapproved new drugs.

Compared with the most-searched oral GH secretagogue: Tesamorelin vs MK-677.

Regulatory changes for this compound and others, as they happen: US peptide regulation tracker.

How Tesamorelin compares

GHRH analogues (act on the GHRH receptor). Doses for unapproved compounds are common practice, not trial-established. All growth hormone and muscle peptides →

CompoundMain useEvidenceUsual doseUS status
CJC-1295Investigated as a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue to raise GH and IGF-I. Reached Phase 2 and was discontinued; never approved for any indication.Limited human data100-300 mcg, once daily, 5 days a week (5 days on, 2 off), usually the no-DAC formResearch use only
TesamorelinApproved for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.Strong human evidenceFDA labelFDA-approved · prescription only
SermorelinMarketed to adults for sleep, body composition and aging. Its former FDA approvals, as Geref, were for growth hormone deficiency in children and a 0.05 mg diagnostic test; both are discontinued.Limited human data200-600 mcg, once nightly; most protocols run 5-7 nights a week, some as 5 days on/2 offUnapproved drug

Where to get Tesamorelin legally

Tesamorelin is an FDA-approved prescription medicine, so the legal route is a licensed prescriber, in person or by telehealth, and a licensed pharmacy.

I found no published cash price for EGRIFTA; the maker's THERA programme supplies it free to qualifying patients.

Every legal route for tesamorelin →

How telehealth prescribing works, what it costs and what to check: telehealth peptide prescribing.

Research-labelled tesamorelin (not the approved medicine)

These checked vendors sell a research-labelled version. It has not been reviewed by FDA, is labelled not for human use, and is tested only as the seller chooses.

  1. 1.Next Level Pharm

    5 mg vial

    • No FDA warning letter found
    • Names its testing lab
    • Batch COAs published
    • Takes card payment

    $69.99as of 3 October 2026

    View product →My Next Level Pharm review

  2. 2.Spartan Peptides

    5 mg vial

    • No FDA warning letter found
    • Names its testing lab

    $159.00as of 3 October 2026

    View product →My Spartan Peptides review

  3. 3.BioEdge Research Labs

    10 mg vial

    • No FDA warning letter found
    • Names its testing lab
    • Batch COAs published

    $79.00as of 3 October 2026

    View product →My BioEdge Research Labs review

How research-labelled tesamorelin differs, and what FDA has said →

See all vendors and how they compare →

Common questions

What is tesamorelin approved for?

Reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. That is a specific complication in a specific patient group, and it is what the trials measured.

What is the usual tesamorelin dose?

The current FDA label for Egrifta WR gives 1.28 mg injected under the skin of the abdomen once daily, rotating sites. That is the only dose the approval covers. The tesamorelin dosage page has the mixing steps and who the label excludes.

Is compounded tesamorelin legal?

Not under FDA's compounding rules. Tesamorelin has been regulated as a biological product since 23 March 2020, when the Egrifta approval was deemed a biologics licence under a 2009 law. FDA says licensed biologics are not eligible for the 503A and 503B compounding exemptions, so compounded tesamorelin sold by clinics has no compounding pathway in FDA's terms. The approved product, Egrifta, needs a prescription.

Does tesamorelin work for body composition in healthy adults?

Nobody has tested that. The trials are in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, where visceral fat build-up is a recognised clinical problem. The evidence doesn't support extending that to a healthy adult who wants to lose belly fat.

How does tesamorelin compare to CJC-1295 or sermorelin?

Same mechanism, very different evidence. Tesamorelin has 26 randomised trials and an approval. CJC-1295 has no completed development programme, and sermorelin was approved for growth hormone deficiency in children and later discontinued. Among GHRH analogues, tesamorelin is the one where the science finished.

Is tesamorelin sold as a research chemical?

Yes, in the same grey channels as the research GH peptides. An approved, quality-controlled version exists and needs a prescriber. A vial bought online carries the name without any of that.

What are the side effects of tesamorelin?

Injection-site reactions are the most common: 25% of patients versus 14% on placebo over the first 26 weeks (label section 5.6). Joint and muscle pain, limb pain and swelling follow. The label also flags fluid retention, glucose intolerance (5% developed a raised HbA1c versus 1% on placebo), rising IGF-1 that needs monitoring, and allergic reactions in about 4%. It must not be used with active cancer, a disrupted pituitary axis or in pregnancy.

What does taking tesamorelin do?

It prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone in pulses, which raises IGF-1. In trials of people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, that led to less visceral abdominal fat, the effect the FDA approval rests on. This page covers what the trials measured and what they didn't.

Is tesamorelin similar to Ozempic?

No. Ozempic is semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that acts on appetite and insulin and is approved for type 2 diabetes. Tesamorelin is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue approved for visceral fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Both are injected peptides, but they work through different hormones and were tested in different patients.

Will tesamorelin get rid of belly fat?

Not reliably. In people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy it reduced visceral fat, the fat around the organs, compared with placebo. In one trial it didn't change the fat under the skin of the abdomen, and the loss reversed quickly when patients switched to placebo. I found no trial in healthy adults.

How long does tesamorelin take to lose fat?

The trials measured visceral fat at 6 months. In one, it fell 10.9% on tesamorelin against 0.6% on placebo, and by about 18% in patients who continued to 12 months. Those figures come from people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, not healthy adults.

Why am I gaining weight on tesamorelin?

The FDA label describes tesamorelin as weight neutral, but it does list fluid retention, thought to come from the rise in growth hormone. That shows up as swelling (oedema), joint pain or carpal tunnel symptoms, and passes or resolves when treatment stops. Raise new swelling or unexpected weight gain with the prescriber.

What is the brand name of tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is sold under the brand names Egrifta WR and Egrifta SV, made by Theratechnologies. Egrifta WR is approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss). Egrifta SV is approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss).

What is the generic name for Egrifta WR?

The generic name for Egrifta WR is tesamorelin. Egrifta WR is Theratechnologies's brand, approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss).

What is the generic name for Egrifta SV?

The generic name for Egrifta SV is tesamorelin. Egrifta SV is Theratechnologies's brand, approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss).

Is Egrifta WR the same as tesamorelin?

Yes. Egrifta WR is a brand of tesamorelin, made by Theratechnologies: the active ingredient is tesamorelin. It comes as a once-daily injection under the skin of the abdomen (11.6 mg powder vial, mixed once a week), dosed at 1.28 mg once daily. Compounded or research-vial tesamorelin is not Egrifta WR and has not been through its FDA review.

Is Egrifta SV the same as tesamorelin?

Yes. Egrifta SV is a brand of tesamorelin, made by Theratechnologies: the active ingredient is tesamorelin. It comes as a once-daily injection under the skin of the abdomen (2 mg powder vial, mixed for each dose), dosed at 1.4 mg once daily. Compounded or research-vial tesamorelin is not Egrifta SV and has not been through its FDA review.

Is Egrifta WR the same as Egrifta SV?

Egrifta WR and Egrifta SV contain the same active ingredient, tesamorelin, and both are made by Theratechnologies. They are approved for different uses and doses: Egrifta WR for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss) (1.28 mg once daily); Egrifta SV for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy (not approved for weight loss) (1.4 mg once daily).

What well-known people have said about Tesamorelin

Public statements, shown because people search for them. Each is one person's account, in their words or a faithful summary, with where and when they said it. None of it is evidence that Tesamorelin works or is safe; that is what the rest of this page is for.

  • Ben Greenfield

    Ben Greenfieldfitness author and podcasterSaid they use it

    Greenfield wrote that he had got the best results taking tesamorelin in the morning before a fasted workout.

    “I’ve experienced the best results by taking tesamorelin in the morning before my fasted workout.”

    Ben Greenfield's own website (article), 17 September 2024. Source: Ben Greenfield Life

    Photo: TAterPARsOLI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

References (10 sources)

Bibliographic detail is fetched from PubMed, not written by me - so a citation here cannot drift from the paper it names. Study design comes from PubMed's own tags rather than my judgement.

  1. 1.Stanley TL, Feldpausch MN, Oh J et al. Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014;312(4):380-9.Randomised trialPMID 25038357full text
  2. 2.Falutz J, Potvin D, Mamputu JC et al. Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extension. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010;53(3):311-22.Randomised trialPMID 20101189
  3. 3.Clemmons DR, Miller S, Mamputu JC. Safety and metabolic effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue, in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. PLoS One. 2017;12(6):e0179538.Randomised trialPMID 28617838full text
  4. 4.Russo SC, Ockene MW, Arpante AK et al. Efficacy and safety of tesamorelin in people with HIV on integrase inhibitors. AIDS. 2024;38(12):1758-1764.Randomised trialPMID 38905488full text
  5. 5.FDA's List of Approved NDAs for Biological Products That Were Deemed to be BLAs on March 23, 2020 - includes tesamorelin acetate (Egrifta and Egrifta SV, 022505, Theratechnologies).- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
  6. 6.FDA guidance, Mixing, Diluting, or Repackaging Biological Products Outside the Scope of an Approved BLA (January 2018) - licensed biologics are not eligible for the 503A and 503B compounding exemptions.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
  7. 7.FDA warning letter to Peptide Partners LLC, 24 August 2026 - names "Tesa Peptide (Tesamorelin)" among unapproved new drugs, despite research-only labelling.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
  8. 8.FDA warning letter to Peak Performance Peptides, 24 August 2026 - names tesamorelin among unapproved new drugs.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
  9. 9.EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection - prescribing information- DailyMed, National Library of Medicinelabel
  10. 10.EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin) for injection - prescribing information- DailyMed, National Library of Medicinelabel

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