Peptide Profile
5-Amino-1MQ
A small-molecule NNMT inhibitor studied in animals for fat loss and NAD+ metabolism.
Compound Profile
Scientific & Efficacy Data
C10H11N2+ (cation); commonly supplied as the iodide salt (C10H11IN2)
Molecular Formula
159.21 g/mol (cation); 286.11 g/mol (iodide salt)
Molecular Weight
Not established in humans; preclinical rodent data suggest a few hours (compound is membrane-permeable and orally active)
Half-Life
Orally bioavailable in animal studies (high membrane permeability shown by PAMPA and Caco-2 assays); human data not established
Bioavailability
42464-96-0 (salt form)
CAS #
950107
PubChem ID ↗
Developed By · 2018
Harshini Neelakantan, Stanley J. Watowich, Stanton F. McHardy and colleagues
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and University of Texas at San Antonio
Primary Benefits
Consistently reduced body weight and white fat mass in obese mice across multiple studies [1][2]. Strong in animals, unproven in humans.
Improved insulin, glucose tolerance, triglycerides, and liver fat in mice [2].
Raises intracellular NAD+ and SAM by blocking NNMT, supporting cellular energy metabolism [1][4].
Amino Acid Sequence
Not applicable — 5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule NNMT inhibitor (a methylquinolinium compound), not a peptide.Dosing
How much
do I take?
Starting Dose
50 mg per day (oral, community-reported)
No human trials exist, so there is no proven human dose. This low end reflects community protocols only, not peer-reviewed evidence. Animal studies used 10-32 mg/kg by injection, which does not translate directly to a human milligram dose [1][2].
Standard Dose
100 mg per day (oral, community-reported)
A commonly cited community range. It is not backed by human studies. Start low and only increase if well tolerated. There is no established human maximum [1].
Advanced Dose
150 mg per day (oral, community-reported)
The upper end of community protocols. No safety data supports doses this high in humans. Higher doses also raise the theoretical off-target MAO-A concern [2].
Timing
Best time to take
Community users typically take it in the morning; no human study has tested timing.
With food?
Can be taken with or without food (community practice); no peer-reviewed guidance exists.
If stacking
Some community users stack it with NAD+ precursors like NMN or NR because 5-Amino-1MQ raises NAD+ by a different route [1]. This combination has never been tested together in humans.
Adjusting Your Dose
Increase if
- +A lower dose is well tolerated with no side effects after several weeks (community practice, not clinically validated)
Decrease if
- -You notice any nausea, headache, flushing, or unusual fatigue
- -You take any medication affected by MAO-A [2]
Signs of right dose
- ✓No validated markers exist in humans; in animals the signs were gradual fat and weight loss without reduced appetite [1]
Dosing Calculator
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Suitability
Is this
right for me?
Best For
Fat loss research
The clearest, most repeated finding: obese mice lost body weight and fat mass on 5-Amino-1MQ without eating less [1][2]. This is the main reason people are interested — though it is animal data, not human proof.
Metabolic health support
In mice, it improved blood sugar, insulin, and liver fat [2]. Researchers see NNMT inhibition as a promising angle for metabolic syndrome [4].
NAD+ and cellular energy science
By blocking NNMT, it raises NAD+ and SAM inside cells, which supports how cells make and use energy [1][4]. This makes it interesting to people studying aging and metabolism.
Consider Alternatives If
Goal: Proven weight loss in humans
Consider: GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide (FDA-approved and studied in humans), Mazdutide (advanced human trials)
Goal: Raising NAD+ levels
Consider: NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), NR (nicotinamide riboside)
Who Should Avoid
Do not use if
- ×You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- ×You take an MAO inhibitor
- ×You want only treatments proven safe and effective in humans
Use with caution if
- !You take SSRIs or other serotonergic medications [2]
- !You have any chronic medical condition
- !You take prescription medications of any kind
- !You have a history of blood pressure problems
Administration
How do I
use it?
Reconstitution
What you need
- •5-Amino-1MQ (oral capsules do not need mixing)
- •For injectable powder: bacteriostatic water
- •Insulin syringe
- •Alcohol swabs
- •Sterile vial
Injection
Route
Oral capsule is the most common community route; subcutaneous injection was used in animal studies [1][2]
Best sites
- •Abdomen (subcutaneous, if injected)
- •Upper thigh (subcutaneous, if injected)
Technique
- 1.Most community users take capsules by mouth with water
- 2.If injecting, pinch the skin and insert at a 45-90 degree angle into the fat layer
- 3.Rotate sites to avoid irritation
- 4.No injection technique has been validated for humans with this compound
Storage
Signs of degradation
Safety
Is it
safe?
Safety Profile
Here is the honest picture: no one has run a human safety trial on 5-Amino-1MQ. Everything we know about safety comes from mice. In those studies, the animals tolerated it well — no obvious harm, no change in appetite, and healthier livers at the doses tested [1][2]. But mice are not people, and short animal studies cannot rule out problems that show up over months or years in humans. Treat this as an experimental compound. If you are considering it, talk to a doctor first, especially if you take any medication.
All safety information is preclinical (animal and lab data). The main studies used 20 mg/kg three times daily for 11 days [1] and 10-32 mg/kg once daily for about a month [2] in mice — these are animal doses, not human doses. Lab screening found the compound can inhibit monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) at higher concentrations, which is why caution with MAO-sensitive drugs and foods is reasonable [2]. Human pharmacokinetics, long-term safety, and effective human doses are all unknown.
Common Side Effects
Experienced by some users
No verified human side effects
Because no human trials have been run, there is no verified list of common side effects. In animal studies, mice showed no obvious adverse effects at the doses tested [1][2].
Management: Understand that safety in people is unknown. Track how you feel and stop if anything feels wrong.
Mild nausea or headache (community-reported)
Some people using it outside of studies mention mild stomach upset or headache. This is anecdotal and not confirmed by any trial.
Management: Take with food, lower the dose, or stop. Talk to a doctor if it persists.
Less Common
- •Fatigue or flushing (community-reported)
These typically resolve with continued use or dose adjustment.
Stop and Seek Help If
- ×Any severe or unexpected symptom
- ×Signs of a reaction to MAO-A effects such as severe headache, racing heart, or spiking blood pressure [2]
- ×Persistent nausea, headache, or fatigue
- ×You start a medication affected by MAO-A
- ×You become pregnant or are breastfeeding
This is an experimental research compound with no human safety data. This information is educational and not medical advice. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider before using it and before stopping any prescribed medication.
Interactions
With other peptides
- ✓Community users sometimes stack these to support NAD+; the combination has never been tested in humans [1]
With medications
- !MAO inhibitors - Avoid. The compound inhibited monoamine oxidase-A in lab screening, so combining could compound MAO-blocking effects [2]
- !SSRIs / serotonergic drugs - Use caution due to theoretical off-target MAO-A activity [2]
- !Drugs metabolized via MAO pathways - Discuss with a doctor before combining
With supplements
- ✓NMN or NR - Community-reported pairing to support NAD+; unstudied together in humans
- ✓Tyramine-rich foods/supplements - Theoretical caution alongside possible MAO-A inhibition [2]
Effectiveness
Does it
work?
Evidence Level
Preclinical only
What to Expect
Weeks 1-2
What you might notice
- •Likely nothing obvious
- •In mice, changes built up gradually rather than overnight [1]
- •No human timeline has been studied
What's normal
- •Feeling no different early on is expected
- •This is not a fast-acting stimulant
What's next
- →Focus on tolerating the compound and watching for any side effects
Weeks 3-6
What you might notice
- •Community users hope to notice gradual body-composition changes
- •In animal studies, fat and weight reductions appeared over weeks of dosing [1][2]
What's normal
- •Slow, steady change (if any) rather than dramatic shifts
- •Any effect in humans is unproven
What's next
- →Reassess how you feel and whether to continue
- →Keep diet and activity consistent so you can judge honestly
Weeks 7-12
What you might notice
- •This is where longer animal studies showed the fullest effects on fat mass and metabolic markers [2]
- •Human results at this stage are unknown
What's normal
- •A full cycle in community protocols runs roughly 8-12 weeks
What's next
- →Take a break and reassess
- →There is no evidence on safe long-term continuous use in humans
Signs It's Working
Physical Response Indicators
- ✓Gradual body-fat reduction (seen in mice; unproven in humans) [1]
- ✓Changes in waist or body measurements over weeks
- ✓No drop in appetite — animal fat loss happened without eating less [1]
Subjective Changes
- ✓Community users report a sense of steadier energy (anecdotal, not verified)
- ✓No validated subjective markers exist for this compound in humans
Measurable Markers (if tested)
- ✓In mice: lower fasting insulin and better glucose tolerance [2]
- ✓In mice: reduced triglycerides and liver fat [2]
- ✓In humans, any bloodwork changes would need a doctor to interpret and are not established
Not Seeing Results?
Common reasons
- •Expecting fast results — animal changes were gradual over weeks [1]
- •No human dose is established, so a chosen dose may simply be too low or ineffective
- •Diet and activity not held steady, making any effect impossible to judge
- •Product quality varies widely for research compounds; purity is not guaranteed
- •The compound may simply not work the same way in humans as in mice
Key Research
[1]"Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice"
Neelakantan H, Vance V, Wetzel MD, Wang HL, McHardy SF, Finnerty CC, Hommel JD, Watowich SJ, 2018
Finding: The foundational study. In diet-induced obese mice, 5-amino-1MQ at 20 mg/kg given three times daily for 11 days significantly reduced body weight and white fat mass, shrank fat cells, and lowered plasma cholesterol, with no change in food intake and no observable adverse effects. The compound was highly selective for NNMT and membrane-permeable. Published in Biochemical Pharmacology, volume 147, pages 141-152.
View Study[2]"Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase Inhibition Mitigates Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysfunctions"
Babula JJ, Bui D, Stevenson HL, Watowich SJ, Neelakantan H, 2024
Finding: In diet-induced obese mice, 5-amino-1MQ at 10 or 32 mg/kg once daily by subcutaneous injection for 28-30 days dose-dependently suppressed weight gain, lowered fasting insulin, improved oral glucose tolerance, reduced triglycerides, and cut liver fat (hepatic steatosis) by up to 73% at the high dose while normalizing liver enzymes. No serious adverse effects; off-target screening showed the compound inhibited monoamine oxidase-A at 10 micromolar. Published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, volume 26, issue 11.
View Study[3]"Reduced calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice"
Dimet-Wiley A, Wu Q, Wiley JT, Eswar A, Neelakantan H, Savidge T, Watowich SJ, 2022
Finding: In obese mice, combining a reduced-calorie diet with 5-amino-1MQ (32 mg/kg by subcutaneous injection) produced body weight and fat mass indistinguishable from lean control animals — better than diet change alone — and shifted the gut microbiome, increasing Lactobacillus. Published in Scientific Reports.
View Study[4]"Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT): a novel therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome"
Sun WD, Zhu XJ, Li JJ, et al., 2024
Finding: A review explaining how NNMT methylates nicotinamide using SAM to make 1-methylnicotinamide, depleting NAD+ precursors and raising homocysteine. It describes 5-amino-1MQ as a nicotinamide analog that competitively inhibits NNMT, is highly selective, and reversed obesity in high-fat-diet mice by raising NAD+ and lowering fat mass. Published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, volume 15, article 1410479.
View Study[5]"PubChem Compound Summary: 5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium (CID 950107)"
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2024
Finding: Official chemical database record confirming the identity and structure of 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium: molecular formula C10H11N2+ (cation), molecular weight 159.21 g/mol, PubChem CID 950107, salt CAS 42464-96-0.
View StudyFrequently Asked Questions