Description

Overview

What Is Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is a synthetic growth hormone releasing hormone analogue used in the treatment of visceral adiposity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients with lipodystrophy. Tesamorelin is given subcutaneously and has major effects on glucose and lipid metabolism, but has not been linked to serum aminotransferase elevations during therapy or to instances of clinically apparent acute liver injury.

Benefits of Tesamorelin:

• Significant increases in IGF-1 (Growth Hormone)
• Reduction of visceral fat, especially around the stomach
• Increase in lean muscle mass and tones the body
• Benefits overall cardiovascular health
• Increases recovery post workout

Scientific Information

Tesamorelin (tes” a moe rel’ in) is a synthetic 44 amino acid polypeptide analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH). The N terminal portion of the molecule has been modified to improve its stability and pharmacokinetics in comparison to native GHRH. Tesamorelin activates GHRH receptors in the pituitary which leads to the synthesis and release of growth hormone that acts on multiple cells of the body, including hepatocytes, where it stimulates the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 mediates many of the effects of growth hormone, which in the liver include growth, inhibition of programmed cell death, glucose uptake, and lipolysis. Serum IGF-1 levels tend to be low in patients with obesity, diabetes, and particularly in those with lipodystrophy.

Tesamorelin was evaluated and found to be effective in decreasing visceral adiposity in patients with lipodystrophy associated with antiretroviral therapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Tesamorelin was approved for use in the United States as therapy to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with antiviral therapy-related lipodystrophy in 2010. Tesamorelin is also being evaluated as therapy for insulin resistance, obesity, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Tesamorelin is available in solution in vials of 1 mg/mL under the brand name Egrifta. The recommended dose is 2 mg daily given by subcutaneous injection. Side effects are not common but can include injection site reactions, itching, arthralgia, myalgia, and peripheral edema. Tesamorelin raises IGF-1 levels and monitoring for elevations during therapy is recommended. Potential, rare adverse events include stimulation of malignant tumor growth, glucose intolerance, diabetes, and hypersensitivity reactions.

Research Highlights

Tesamorelin is a man-made analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), a hormone critical to regulating growth hormone (GH) in the body. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved for the treatment of visceral adiposity in HIV. This article will explore its effects in reducing fat. Overall, tesamorelin is a safe and efficacious agent for the treatment of excess fat in HIV-infected patients. It has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in fat content and quality of life in well-controlled trials in those affected with HIV. Common side effects include pain and injection site reactions. It has also been studied in other conditions, such as NAFLD. However, it is not approved for use in patients that are not HIV-positive.

References

1. Tesamorelin – PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548730/
2. Tesamorelin Therapy – Novagenix: https://novagenix.org/more/tesamorelin-therapy
3. Tesamorelin Overview – Weight Loss and Vitality: https://www.weightlossandvitality.com/blog/tesamorelin-a-growth-hormone-peptide-overview

Additional information

size	2mg, 5mg