AOD 9604 dosage
Everything published on AOD 9604 dosage — from the 1 mg/kg oral doses used in Phase II clinical trials to the 300 mcg subcutaneous protocols referenced in research literature. Vial sizes, reconstitution math, injection timing, and cycle length, all in one place.
- Research protocols most commonly reference 250–500 mcg subcutaneous daily, with 300 mcg being the most cited figure.
- The Phase IIb Metabolic Pharmaceuticals trial tested oral doses up to 54 mg/day (approximately 1 mg/kg) due to AOD 9604's poor oral bioavailability.
- AOD 9604 is typically sold in 2 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg lyophilized vials reconstituted with bacteriostatic water.
- Cycle length in published protocols ranges from 4 to 12 weeks on with a short washout period, though no cycling benefit has been clinically demonstrated.
- Reported elimination half-life is short — approximately 38 minutes — which is why once-daily morning dosing on an empty stomach is the most common schedule.
The standard AOD 9604 dosage in research
Across the published literature and the original Metabolic Pharmaceuticals clinical trial program, AOD 9604 dosage has been studied in two distinct forms: subcutaneous injection (used in preclinical and early-phase studies) and oral administration (used in the Phase IIb obesity trials). These routes require radically different amounts of peptide because AOD 9604's oral bioavailability is extremely low — on the order of a few percent.
For subcutaneous injection, the most frequently referenced AOD 9604 dosage in research and peptide literature is 300 mcg per day, administered once daily on an empty stomach. Some protocols scale this to 250 mcg for smaller individuals or 400–500 mcg for larger ones. For oral use — tablets, troches, capsules, or lozenges — the Metabolic Pharmaceuticals Phase IIb trial used doses of 1 mg/kg body weight per day, which translated to roughly 54 mg/day for a 60 kg adult.
AOD 9604 dosage chart by vial size
AOD 9604 is typically supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in 2 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg vials. The vial is reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before use. The table below shows how each vial size maps to a 300 mcg daily dose and how long the vial lasts at that dosage.
| Vial size | Reconstitution | Dose volume (300 mcg) | Days per vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mg | 2 mL BAC water | 0.30 mL (30 units on an insulin syringe) | ~6 days |
| 5 mg | 2 mL BAC water | 0.12 mL (12 units) | ~16 days |
| 5 mg | 5 mL BAC water | 0.30 mL (30 units) | ~16 days |
| 10 mg | 2 mL BAC water | 0.06 mL (6 units) | ~33 days |
| 10 mg | 5 mL BAC water | 0.15 mL (15 units) | ~33 days |
Units on the chart assume a standard U-100 insulin syringe, where 1.00 mL equals 100 units. The peptide amount per dose does not change with reconstitution volume — only the injection volume on the syringe changes. More diluent makes the dose easier to measure but delivers the same 300 mcg.
AOD 9604 dosing schedule and timing
Most AOD 9604 dosing schedules are structured around three principles drawn from the drug's pharmacokinetics and the clinical trial design:
- Once daily, in the morning. AOD 9604's short half-life means blood levels rise and fall within a single dosing cycle. Morning dosing aligns peak activity with the fasted state, when lipolysis is already elevated.
- On an empty stomach. Food — particularly carbohydrate and fat — suppresses lipolysis through insulin and FFA feedback. Taking AOD 9604 at least 30 minutes before the first meal is the standard protocol.
- Before fasted cardio, if applicable. Research on the parent hGH fragment suggests fat-mobilizing activity is amplified when dosed before low-intensity exercise in a fasted state.
There is no published evidence that splitting the AOD 9604 dose into multiple smaller injections per day produces better outcomes than a single morning dose. Twice-daily dosing is occasionally mentioned in protocol write-ups but is not supported by the clinical trial record.
AOD 9604 cycle length and duration
The Metabolic Pharmaceuticals Phase IIb trial ran for 12 weeks of active dosing. Most non-clinical protocols referenced online follow the same timeline — a 12-week continuous course — while some recommend shorter 4- to 8-week blocks followed by a 2- to 4-week washout. There is no clinical data demonstrating that cycling AOD 9604 is necessary or that tolerance develops. Because the peptide does not bind the hGH receptor and does not affect IGF-1, the receptor-desensitization concerns that drive cycling of traditional growth-hormone secretagogues do not directly apply.
AOD 9604 peptide dosage for bodybuilding and fat loss
In peptide-user communities, AOD 9604 dosing for body-composition goals tends to cluster around the same 250–500 mcg/day injectable range used in research. A few more aggressive protocols reference 500 mcg twice daily, but these are anecdotal and unsupported by clinical data. For bodybuilding contexts specifically, AOD 9604 is often stacked with other growth-hormone-related peptides such as CJC-1295 or ipamorelin — though that combination changes the safety profile and moves outside the scope of the original clinical program.
AOD 9604 dosage calculator logic
If you are reviewing a vial and working out the correct injection volume, the math is:
Injection volume (mL) = target dose (mcg) ÷ (vial amount in mcg ÷ reconstitution volume in mL)
For example: a 5 mg vial (5,000 mcg) reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water has a concentration of 2,500 mcg/mL. To deliver 300 mcg, you would draw 300 ÷ 2,500 = 0.12 mL, which reads as 12 units on a U-100 insulin syringe.
Regulatory note
AOD-9604 is not an FDA-approved drug and is not lawfully sold for human use in the United States. It was previously compounded under section 503A but was removed from the FDA bulks list. Dosing information on this page is drawn from published clinical trial reports and is presented for research and educational purposes only. Do not self-administer AOD-9604 or any other peptide outside of licensed medical supervision.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical AOD 9604 dosage?
The most frequently cited subcutaneous AOD 9604 dosage in peptide literature is 300 mcg per day, injected once daily in the morning on an empty stomach. The Phase IIb clinical trial used oral doses up to approximately 1 mg/kg body weight per day because oral bioavailability is very low.
How do I dose AOD 9604 from a 5 mg vial?
Reconstitute a 5 mg vial with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water. That gives a concentration of 2,500 mcg per mL, so a 300 mcg dose is 0.12 mL — 12 units on a standard U-100 insulin syringe.
How long is an AOD 9604 cycle?
The Metabolic Pharmaceuticals Phase IIb trial dosed participants for 12 weeks. Most non-clinical protocols mirror that length or use 4- to 8-week blocks. There is no clinical evidence that cycling is required to maintain effect.
Is AOD 9604 dosed daily or only on training days?
Research and clinical trial protocols used daily dosing, not training-day dosing. The short half-life (~38 minutes) and the underlying lipolytic mechanism both favor continuous daily administration.
What is the maximum safe AOD 9604 dose?
No maximum tolerated dose has been established in humans. The Phase IIb oral trial tested doses up to 54 mg per day without dose-limiting toxicity, but extrapolating that to subcutaneous administration is not straightforward and is not medically advised outside a clinical setting.