Comparison
AOD-9604 vs Coenzyme Q10
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and Coenzyme Q10. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
AOD-9604
AOD 9604 peptide: 16-amino-acid hGH fragment 176-191. Preclinical lipolytic activity, phase 2 obesity trial showed no weight loss vs placebo.
Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10 supplement guide: 100 to 300 mg/day dosing, ubiquinol vs ubiquinone absorption, Q-SYMBIO heart failure data, statin myalgia evidence.
Effects at a glance
AOD-9604
- •Modified 16-amino-acid synthetic fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191)
- •Preclinical models show lipolytic activity in adipose tissue without GH-axis growth effects
- •Phase 2 obesity trial (Heffernan 2001) showed no significant weight-loss difference versus placebo
- •Anecdotal protocols use 250 to 500 mcg subcutaneously daily on an empty stomach
- •No FDA approval; the obesity drug development program was discontinued in 2007
- •Granted GRAS status in some jurisdictions for compounded use; not validated for fat loss in humans
Coenzyme Q10
- •Q-SYMBIO trial showed 43% reduction in major cardiovascular events at 300 mg/day in heart failure
- •Reduces statin-induced myalgia in some patients at 100-200 mg/day per Banach 2014 meta-analysis
- •Migraine prophylaxis at 300 mg/day daily; AHS lists at Level B for prevention
- •Ubiquinol absorbs 2-3x better than ubiquinone in adults over 60
- •Plasma CoQ10 falls 15-40% with chronic statin therapy
- •Small blood pressure reduction (3-5 mmHg systolic) at 100-200 mg/day
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | Coenzyme Q10 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | CoQ10, ubiquinone, ubiquinol, Q10 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 34 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 200 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | 1 to 3 times daily with a fat-containing meal |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 6 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 720 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 863.36 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C59H90O4 |
| Mechanism | Modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone proposed to stimulate beta-3 adrenergic receptor signaling in adipocytes, increasing lipolysis and fatty-acid oxidation without engaging the GH receptor or activating IGF-1. | Mobile electron carrier between Complex I/II and Complex III of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Ubiquinol form acts as a lipid-soluble antioxidant in cell membranes and regenerates oxidized vitamin E. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Dietary supplement (most jurisdictions); prescription cardiac medication in Japan |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Limited safety data; precautionary use at standard doses |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 303-98-0 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 5281915 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q140453 |
Safety profile
AOD-9604
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- transient mild headache (anecdotal)
- minimal in clinical trials
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- no established human safety profile for chronic use
Interactions
- beta-blockers: theoretical antagonism of beta-3 adrenergic lipolytic signaling(minor)
Coenzyme Q10
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
- insomnia at very high doses
Contraindications
- active warfarin therapy without monitoring (modest interaction with INR)
Interactions
- warfarin: structural similarity to vitamin K may modestly reduce warfarin efficacy; monitor INR(moderate)
- antihypertensives: additive blood pressure-lowering at high doses(minor)
- statins: statins reduce CoQ10 synthesis; CoQ10 supplementation does not affect statin efficacy(minor)
- chemotherapy (oxidative-stress-dependent agents): theoretical interference; coordinate with oncology team(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Coenzyme Q10 comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. AOD-9604 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick AOD-9604.
- → If your priority is body composition, pick AOD-9604.
- → If your priority is cardiovascular health, pick Coenzyme Q10.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Coenzyme Q10.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Coenzyme Q10 is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Coenzyme Q10. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for AOD-9604 only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between AOD-9604 and Coenzyme Q10?
AOD-9604 and Coenzyme Q10 differ in category (peptide vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, AOD-9604 or Coenzyme Q10?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; Coenzyme Q10 half-life is 34 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with Coenzyme Q10?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper