Comparison
AOD-9604 vs Spermidine
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and Spermidine. 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.
Spermidine
Spermidine supplement benefits cover autophagy induction, longevity signals, and cognition. Wheat germ extract data, doses, and human trials reviewed.
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
Spermidine
- •Endogenous polyamine that induces autophagy via EP300 acetyltransferase inhibition and TFEB activation
- •Concentrated in wheat germ, soybeans, aged cheese, and mushrooms; ~10 to 15 mg/day in Mediterranean diets
- •Eisenberg 2016 reported dietary spermidine extended mouse lifespan and improved cardiac function
- •Wirth 2018 pilot (n=28) reported cognitive signal at 0.9 mg/day in older adults at risk for dementia
- •Larger Wirth 2019 follow-up (n=85) did not replicate the memory benefit at 12 months
- •Generally regarded as safe at supplemental doses; food-source position is reassuring
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | Spermidine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | spermidine trihydrochloride, wheat-germ-extract spermidine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | daily, typically morning with food |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 145.25 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C7H19N3 |
| 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. | Induces macroautophagy via inhibition of EP300 histone acetyltransferase and activation of TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis. Substrate for hypusination of eIF5A, required for translation of mitochondrial respiration proteins. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | OTC dietary supplement (wheat-germ extract has GRAS status in US) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended at supplemental doses |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 124-20-9 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 1102 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q411089 |
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)
Spermidine
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- wheat-germ allergy or celiac disease (for wheat-germ-extract products)
- active cancer (theoretical)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
Interactions
- DFMO (difluoromethylornithine): competing polyamine metabolism; do not combine without oncology guidance(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Spermidine comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 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 healthspan extension, pick Spermidine.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Spermidine.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Spermidine is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Spermidine. 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 Spermidine?
AOD-9604 and Spermidine 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 Spermidine?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; Spermidine half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with Spermidine?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper