IGF-1 raises a handful of sensible questions. This page answers them in order, starting with the fundamentals and moving to applications.
Reviewed 2026-07-08. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide whose sequence matches the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone, specifically residues 176 through 191. This region differs from the full hormone in its receptor interactions. The peptide is not a growth hormone secretagogue and does not bind the growth hormone receptor in the same manner. Researchers have examined it for effects on lipid metabolism, but its exact pharmacological profile remains an active area of study.
Development of AOD-9604 began in the 1990s as scientists sought to isolate metabolic effects of growth hormone without its growth-promoting actions. Early laboratory work focused on fat cells and animal models. Several human trials followed, examining changes in body composition and fat mass. Results have been mixed, and the peptide has not progressed to widespread clinical approval. Interest continues in research settings, particularly regarding its mechanism and potential metabolic targets.
Regulatory status varies by country. In the United States, AOD-9604 is not approved as a prescription drug. It is sometimes sold as a research chemical or dietary supplement, though such marketing may fall outside legal frameworks. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits its use in sport. Researchers must obtain it through legitimate suppliers and follow institutional rules. Its legal classification continues to evolve as authorities increasingly assess peptide products more broadly.
Clinical development of AOD-9604 included trials in people with obesity. Reports from early-phase and mid-phase studies described modest or inconsistent changes in body weight. A phase IIb program did not meet its primary endpoint, and the compound was not approved for medical use. Differences in formulation, delivery route, and participant characteristics may explain some of the variation. Later investigations explored whether the peptide might have effects in other tissues, including cartilage.
Regulatory treatment of AOD-9604 is shaped by its classification as a peptide hormone. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists it as a prohibited substance, and many national anti-doping organizations adopt that list. It does not hold approval as a prescription medicine in the United States, the European Union, or other major markets. Products sold online are frequently labeled for research use only and may not undergo independent quality testing. Import and possession rules differ by country, so legal status depends on local law.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular class | Peptide fragment | Corresponds to hGH residues 176-191 |
| Common synonyms | AOD9604, hGH 176-191 | Also written as AOD-9604 |
| Typical form | Lyophilized powder | Often supplied in sealed vials |
| Solubility | Water-soluble | Dissolves in aqueous buffers |
| Regulatory status | Not approved as drug | Banned in sport; varies by country |
AOD9604 is a synthetic peptide modeled on the C-terminal region of human growth hormone. It corresponds to a short sequence near the end of the 191-amino-acid hormone, often described as residues 176–191 or a related fragment. Researchers designed it to separate metabolic effects from the growth-promoting actions of full-length growth hormone. Early work in the 1990s explored it as a candidate for weight and lipid disorders. It is not a naturally circulating hormone fragment produced in large amounts.
Laboratory studies have reported that AOD9604 can increase lipolysis and reduce lipid accumulation in fat cells. The precise molecular target remains uncertain, and the compound does not appear to activate the growth hormone receptor in the same way as full-length hGH. Proposed mechanisms include effects on beta-adrenergic signaling and enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis, but these pathways are not firmly established. Because most evidence comes from cell and animal models, whether the same effects occur in humans is an open question.
Clinical development of AOD9604 included trials in people with obesity, but the results did not lead to approval as a prescription medicine in major markets. Interest later shifted to research settings and to unapproved products marketed for body composition. Regulatory agencies have questioned whether the peptide qualifies as a dietary ingredient, and some have issued warnings about its presence in supplements. Long-term human safety data are limited, and questions about efficacy, dosing, and target populations remain unresolved.
AOD-9604 is listed as a prohibited substance in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency. It falls under the peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics class on the prohibited list. Anti-doping organizations treat its presence in an athlete's sample as an adverse finding unless a therapeutic use exemption applies. The prohibition reflects concerns about performance enhancement in competitive settings and the difficulty of distinguishing exogenous peptide use from endogenous hormone fragments.
Detection of AOD-9604 in biological samples relies on analytical techniques capable of distinguishing a small synthetic peptide from related endogenous sequences. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry is commonly used for confirmatory analysis. Sample preparation may involve immunoaffinity enrichment or solid-phase extraction to concentrate the peptide. Because the molecule is small and may be present at low concentrations, assay sensitivity and specificity are ongoing analytical challenges. Laboratories also validate methods against reference materials when available.
Regulatory interest in AOD-9604 increased after high-profile anti-doping cases involving peptide products. In some cases, the substance was supplied under alternative names or in compounded preparations, complicating traceability. Sports tribunals and anti-doping panels have discussed whether the peptide was explicitly banned at the time of use, leading to clarifications by the World Anti-Doping Agency. For consumers and researchers, the legal status can vary by jurisdiction, and products marketed as research chemicals may lack independent quality verification.
The compound has been studied as a potential treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Published trials have examined changes in body weight, fat mass, and safety markers over limited durations. Results have been mixed or modest, and no large-scale outcome trials are established. Regulatory agencies in several countries have not approved it as a therapeutic drug. Some commercial products have been marketed outside regulated pharmaceutical channels, which raises questions about quality and claims.
In the scientific literature, AOD-9604 appears in reviews of growth hormone fragments and in discussions of peptide-based metabolic research. Some sources distinguish it from growth hormone itself, while others group it with compounds marketed for weight management. The evidence base is small compared with approved obesity medications. Questions about long-term efficacy and clinical relevance remain open, and independent replication of key findings is limited. Most published reports are early-stage and exploratory.
== Organisation == Offizielle Ausrichter der Europameisterschaften waren der Schweizer Leichtathletik-Verband Swiss Athletics zusammen mit der Stadt Zürich. Zur operativen Umsetzung wurde die Leichtathletik EM 2014 AG gegründet, bei der VfG/LCZ (Trägerverein von Weltklasse Zürich) Hauptaktionär und Athletissima sowie der LC Zürich Aktionäre sind. Am mit 35 Millionen Schweizer Franken veranschlagten Budget haben sich weitere Vereine, Kantonalverbände, Laufveranstalter und Privatpersonen der Schweizer Leichtathletikszene beteiligt. Auch die Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, vertreten durch das Bundesamt für Sport (BASPO), leistete einen einmaligen Unterstützungsbeitrag von 3,3 Millionen Schweizer Franken.
=== City Festival === Als Begegnungszone für die einheimische Bevölkerung sowie Gäste und Athleten war ein City Festival auf dem Sechseläutenplatz geplant. Hierzu wurde das House of Switzerland, das zuletzt bei den Olympischen Winterspielen 2014 in Sotschi im Einsatz war, im Zentrum Zürichs aufgebaut.
== Sportliche Leistungen == In diesem Jahr waren die Europameisterschaften für den Großteil der Athleten wieder der Jahreshöhepunkt. Erstmals war dies bei Leichtathletik-Europameisterschaften 2012 nicht der Fall gewesen, nachdem diese Großveranstaltung zum ersten Mal nicht mehr alle vier, sondern alle zwei Jahre durchgeführt worden war. So fielen jede zweite Europameisterschaften gleichzeitig auf eine olympische Saison mit den Olympischen Spielen als Höhepunkt des Jahres. Das Leistungsniveau war entsprechend hoch in Zürich. In der Medaillenwertung der teilnehmenden Länder lagen Großbritannien (12-mal Gold/5-mal Silber/6-mal Bronze) und Frankreich (9 G/8 S/8 B) vor allen anderen Nationen. Auf dem dritten Platz folgte Deutschland (4 G/1 S/3 B). Russland (3 G/5 S/8 B) konnte trotz fünfzehn nachgewiesener Dopingfälle mit zahlreichen aberkannten Medaillen noch den dritten Platz halten. Auf ebenfalls drei Titelgewinne kamen die Niederlande (3 G/2 S/1 B). Mit Polen, Ukraine, Spanien, Italien und Belarus errangen dahinter fünf Länder jeweils zwei Goldmedaillen. Folgende Rekorde wurden neu aufgestellt:
ein Weltrekord 3:32:33 h – Yohann Diniz (Frankreich), 50 km Gehen zwei Meisterschaftsrekorde in zwei Disziplinen: 2:25:14 h – Christelle Daunay (Frankreich), Marathon 78,76 m – Anita Włodarczyk (Polen), Hammerwurf, Finale sechs Weltjahresbestleistungen in sechs Disziplinen: 82,69 m – Krisztián Pars (Ungarn), Hammerwurf, Finale 8616 P – Andrej Krautschanka (Belarus), Zehnkampf 22,03 s – Dafne Schippers (Niederlande), 200 Meter, Finale 2,01 m – Ruth Beitia (Spanien), Hochsprung, Finale 71,08 m – Sandra Perković (Kroatien), Diskuswurf, Finale 78,76 m – Anita Włodarczyk (Polen), Hammerwurf, Finale acht Europajahresbestleistungen in sieben Disziplinen: 48,54 s – Rasmus Mägi (Estland), 400 Meter Hürden, Halbfinale 37,93 s – Großbritannien (James Ellington, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Richard Kilty, Adam Gemili), 4-mal 100 Meter, Finale 2:58,79 min – Großbritannien (Conrad Williams, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Michael Bingham, Martyn Rooney), 4-mal 400 Meter, Finale 88,01 m – Antti Ruuskanen (Finnland), Speerwurf, Finale 1:58,15 min – Maryna Arsamassawa (Belarus), 800 Meter, Finale 42,29 s – Frankreich (Céline Distel-Bonnet, Ayodelé Ikuesan, Myriam Soumaré, Stella Akakpo Gueï), 4-mal 100 Meter, Vorrunde 32,24 s – Großbritannien (Asha Philip, Ashleigh Nelson, Jodie Williams, Desiree Henry), 4-mal 100 Meter, Finale 3:24,27 min – Frankreich (Marie Gayot, Muriel Hurtis, Agnès Raharolahy, Floria Gueï), 4-mal 400 Meter, Finale 30 Landesrekorde in 16 Disziplinen In der Medaillenwertung zeigte sich Großbritannien mit zwölf EM-Titeln besonders stark.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone, corresponding to amino acids 176-191. It is studied for potential effects on fat metabolism, but it is not approved as a drug in most countries. Its exact mechanism remains under investigation.
No, it is a small fragment of the full growth hormone protein. It does not appear to stimulate growth or increase growth hormone levels in the same way. Its actions are thought to be more limited to metabolic pathways.
Regulatory status varies. It is not approved for medical use in the United States or many other countries. It is banned in sport by WADA, and its sale as a supplement or research chemical may be subject to legal restrictions.
No. Major drug regulators have not approved AOD-9604 for weight loss or any other therapeutic indication. It remains an investigational compound studied in research settings.