HomePeptidesHGH Fragment 176-191
HGH Fragment 176-191: what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
HGH Fragment 176-191 is a synthetic copy of the last 16 amino acids of human growth hormone, residues 176 to 191. It is not the same as AOD-9604, which is residues 177 to 191 with a tyrosine added at the front.
At a glance
US Not approved
Canada Not authorized
Group Weight loss and metabolic
Sources 14
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is HGH Fragment 176-191?
HGH Fragment 176-191 is a synthetic copy of the last 16 amino acids of human growth hormone, residues 176 to 191. It is not the same as AOD-9604, which is residues 177 to 191 with a tyrosine added at the front. [5]
Other names: Frag 176-191, Fragment 176-191, hGH 176-191, hGH fragment 176-191, GH fragment 176-191, 176-191.
How it has been given to people: no human use on record.
Looking for doses? HGH Fragment 176-191 dosage chart and vial math
Is HGH Fragment 176-191 approved in the US and Canada?
United States: Not FDA approved. No product or label for a growth hormone fragment was found in Drugs@FDA. [10]
Canada: No growth hormone fragment product is in Health Canada's Drug Product Database, and Health Canada lists HGH Fragment among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized from an online seller. [13]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain HGH Fragment 176-191?
No approved medicine containing HGH Fragment 176-191 was found in the US or Canada. Anything sold under this name is not a regulated product, so there is no label to check a dose against.
What human studies of HGH Fragment 176-191 exist?
The 7 findings listed here: 7 from animal or lab work.
The one early paper that tested the 176-191 fragment by name gave it to normal rats, where it raised blood sugar for a short time and raised insulin for longer. [1]
In the same rat study a single dose of the active fragments made the animals less sensitive to insulin. This is the opposite of the claim that the fragment has no effect on blood sugar. [1]
Work on the one-residue-shorter fragment, hGH 177-191, found it slowed fat building in rat fat tissue but did not speed fat breakdown. [2]
In obese mice, long-term treatment with hGH 177-191 cut weight gain and fat mass. This is the 177-191 fragment, not 176-191. [3]
In obese Zucker rats, 20 days of the 177-191 fragment (lab code AOD9401) reduced weight gain. [4]
The modified version, AOD9604, reduced weight gain in obese mice without raising blood sugar. This is a result for AOD-9604, not for Fragment 176-191. [6]
The only PubMed paper with Fragment 176-191 in its title is a cell study that loaded it into nanoparticles with a chemotherapy drug and tested them on breast cancer cells. It says nothing about fat loss. [7]
What are the side effects of HGH Fragment 176-191?
No side effect data from human studies was found for HGH Fragment 176-191. That is a gap in the research, not a sign that it is safe.
How does HGH Fragment 176-191 compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under weight loss and metabolic. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retatrutide | Not approved, in trials | Not authorized | About 6 days, from a 12-week phase 1b trial of once-weekly dosing in people with type 2 diabetes (72 enrolled). | Yes |
| Tirzepatide | Approved, prescription | Authorized, prescription | About 5 days. | Yes |
| Semaglutide | Approved, prescription | Authorized, prescription | About 1 week. | Yes |
| Cagrilintide | Not approved, in trials | Not authorized | 159 to 195 hours, about 6.6 to 8.1 days, measured in a phase 1b trial where it was given with semaglutide 2.4 mg. | Yes |
| AOD-9604 | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| 5-Amino-1MQ | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| SLU-PP-332 | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| HGH Fragment 176-191 | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
What could not be found
These were searched for and did not turn up. They are listed so a missing number is not mistaken for a hidden one.
- No published human study of HGH Fragment 176-191, by any route or at any dose. PubMed searches for 176-191 and 177-191 with growth hormone returned rat, mouse, cell and doping-test papers only.
- No trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: a search for growth hormone fragment 176-191 as the intervention returned no studies.
- No human half-life or other pharmacokinetic figure.
- No human side effect data. The only safety signal found is from rats, where the fragment raised blood sugar and lowered insulin sensitivity [1].
- No approved label in the US or Canadian sources searched, so no official dose, contraindications or storage instructions.
- No study comparing Fragment 176-191 with AOD-9604 head to head.
HGH Fragment 176-191 questions
Is HGH Fragment 176-191 approved in the US?
Not FDA approved. No product or label for a growth hormone fragment was found in Drugs@FDA.
Is HGH Fragment 176-191 authorized in Canada?
No growth hormone fragment product is in Health Canada's Drug Product Database, and Health Canada lists HGH Fragment among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized from an online seller.
Has HGH Fragment 176-191 been tested in a randomized human trial?
No randomized human trial was found. What exists is listed under the studies heading on this page.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Ng FM et al. Hyperglycemic action of synthetic C-terminal fragments of human growth hormone. Am J Physiol 1978. PubMed 645904.
- Wu Z et al. Antilipogenic action of synthetic C-terminal sequence 177-191 of human growth hormone. Biochem Mol Biol Int 1993. PubMed 8358331.
- Natera SH et al. Reduction of cumulative body weight gain and adipose tissue mass in obese mice: response to chronic treatment with synthetic hGH 177-191 peptide. Biochem Mol Biol Int 1994. PubMed 7987248.
- Ng FM et al. Molecular and cellular actions of a structural domain of human growth hormone (AOD9401) on lipid metabolism in Zucker fatty rats. J Mol Endocrinol 2000. PubMed 11116208.
- Cox HD et al. Detection and in vitro metabolism of AOD9604. Drug Test Anal 2015. PubMed 25208511.
- Heffernan MA et al. Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001. PubMed 11673763.
- Habibullah MM et al. Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 Peptide Enhances the Toxicity of Doxorubicin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022. PubMed 35783198.
- Dominikowski A et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2026. PubMed 42395176.
- Coutinho LFD et al. A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2026. PubMed 41880199.
- US Food and Drug Administration Drugs@FDA searches via openFDA for hgh fragment, somatropin fragment, 176-191 and frag 176-191 (no match) 2026. api.fda.gov.
- Health Canada Health Canada Drug Product Database, active ingredient searches: hgh fragment and growth hormone fragment (0 records) 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- US Food and Drug Administration Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks 2026. fda.gov.
- Health Canada Unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized and sold by Canada Peptide may pose serious health risks 2025. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
- World Anti-Doping Agency The Prohibited List 2026. wada-ama.org.
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HGH Fragment 176-191 dosage2 mg vialWeight loss and metabolicStatus in Canada
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