Comparison
AOD-9604 vs Creatine Monohydrate
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and Creatine Monohydrate. 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.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate supplement guide: 3-5 g/day raises phosphocreatine stores, lifts anaerobic output 5-15%, supports lean mass and cognition under sleep loss.
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
Creatine Monohydrate
- •Increases anaerobic strength and power output by ~5 to 15% across multiple training studies
- •Adds ~1 to 2 kg of lean body mass over 4 to 12 weeks, partly intracellular water and partly true tissue gain
- •Improves 1-rep max on bench and squat by ~5 to 10% versus placebo in resistance-trained adults
- •Cognitive benefit appears mainly under sleep deprivation or high mental load, less so in well-rested individuals
- •Saturation reached in ~28 days at 3 to 5 g/day, or ~5 to 7 days with a 20 g/day loading phase
- •No evidence of renal harm in healthy adults across long-term studies; caution in pre-existing severe renal disease
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | Creatine Monohydrate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | creatine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 3 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 5000 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | daily |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 168 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | - |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 149.15 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C4H9N3O2 |
| 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. | Donates a phosphate group to ADP via creatine kinase, regenerating ATP during high-intensity, short-duration efforts. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Dietary supplement (most jurisdictions) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 57-00-1 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 586 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q408389 |
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)
Creatine Monohydrate
Common side effects
- water retention
- mild GI upset at loading doses
- weight gain (2 to 4 lb from intracellular water)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment
Interactions
- caffeine (high-dose acute): mixed data on ergogenic interference; chronic use appears compatible(minor)
- nephrotoxic drugs (NSAIDs, cyclosporine): theoretical additive renal strain in at-risk patients(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Creatine Monohydrate 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 strength or hypertrophy, pick Creatine Monohydrate.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Creatine Monohydrate.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Creatine Monohydrate is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Creatine Monohydrate. 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 Creatine Monohydrate?
AOD-9604 and Creatine Monohydrate 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 Creatine Monohydrate?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; Creatine Monohydrate half-life is 3 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with Creatine Monohydrate?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper