Comparison
AOD-9604 vs Curcumin
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and Curcumin. 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.
Curcumin
Curcumin supplement guide: turmeric extract at 500-1000 mg/day, piperine and Meriva for absorption, evidence in joint inflammation and mood.
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
Curcumin
- •Reduces osteoarthritis knee pain comparable to ibuprofen at 1500 mg/day enhanced formulation
- •Modest antidepressant effect (SMD ~0.34) as monotherapy or SSRI adjunct in major depression
- •Standard curcumin has ~3% bioavailability; Meriva, BCM-95, Theracurmin shift absorption 5-30 fold
- •Inhibits NF-kB and COX-2; reduces hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha in chronic inflammation
- •Antiplatelet effect at higher doses; meaningful interaction with warfarin and DOACs
- •Iron chelation can contribute to deficiency in already-marginal patients
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | Curcumin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | natural |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | turmeric extract, diferuloylmethane |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 7 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | 1 to 2 times daily with meals |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 368.38 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C21H20O6 |
| 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. | Inhibits NF-kB transcription factor, COX-2, and lipoxygenase; activates AMPK and Nrf2; modulates JAK-STAT and PI3K-Akt kinase signaling. Pleiotropic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Dietary supplement (global) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Culinary turmeric is safe; supplemental curcumin best avoided in pregnancy |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 458-37-7 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 969516 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q312266 |
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)
Curcumin
Common side effects
- nausea
- diarrhea
- dyspepsia
- yellow stool (benign)
Contraindications
- active gallstones (curcumin stimulates gallbladder contraction)
- severe biliary obstruction
- scheduled elective surgery (discontinue 1-2 weeks prior)
Interactions
- warfarin and DOACs: additive antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects; meaningful bleeding risk at 1000+ mg/day(major)
- aspirin and NSAIDs: additive antiplatelet effect(moderate)
- tacrolimus and cyclosporine: CYP3A4 and P-gp modulation may alter drug levels(moderate)
- iron supplements: curcumin chelates iron; can contribute to deficiency in marginal patients(moderate)
- chemotherapy agents: potential interference with multiple agents; coordinate with oncology team(major)
Which Should You Take?
Curcumin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B 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 post-training recovery, pick Curcumin.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Curcumin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Curcumin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Curcumin. Lower friction to source, 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 Curcumin?
AOD-9604 and Curcumin differ in category (peptide vs natural), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, AOD-9604 or Curcumin?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; Curcumin half-life is 7 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with Curcumin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper