Comparison
AOD-9604 vs Lion's Mane
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and Lion's Mane. 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.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supplement profile: hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF in vitro. Human cognition trials are small.
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
Lion's Mane
- •Edible medicinal mushroom containing NGF-stimulating hericenones and erinacines
- •Mori 2009 trial (n=30) in mild cognitive impairment showed cognitive improvement at 3 g/day for 16 weeks, reversing 4 weeks after discontinuation
- •Saitsu 2019 (n=31) in older adults reported MoCA improvements at 3.2 g/day over 12 weeks
- •Multiple small mood trials suggest reduced anxiety and depression scores at 1 to 4 g/day extract
- •Mechanistic case rests on NGF stimulation and remyelination support; in vivo human NGF measurement is absent
- •Product quality varies substantially; mycelium-on-grain products can be over 50% grain by weight
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | Lion's Mane |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | natural |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 1000 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | 1 to 2 times daily |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 168 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1344 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | - |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | mixed extract |
| 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. | Hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF mRNA expression and NGF protein release in cultured neurons; secondary anti-inflammatory and remyelination-supportive activity in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | OTC supplement and food |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q146050 |
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)
Lion's Mane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- occasional skin rash
- contact dermatitis (rare)
Contraindications
- mushroom allergy
Interactions
- anticoagulants: theoretical antiplatelet effect, no documented clinical events(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Lion's Mane 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 focus or working memory, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Lion's Mane is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Lion's Mane. 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 Lion's Mane?
AOD-9604 and Lion's Mane 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 Lion's Mane?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with Lion's Mane?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper