Adipotide dosing & administration
A targeted fat-destroying peptide that works like a smart missile, cutting off blood supply to fat cells and causing rapid weight loss in primate studies.
Written by Michael Carroll — Owner, Director of Research · Reviewed by the Peptide Initiative Research Team
Dosing
How much do I take?
Subcutaneous: A small injection into the fatty layer just under the skin — the same way insulin is given.
Bioavailability High — most of the dose reaches your bloodstream, just more gradually than an IV.
0.10 mg/kg
Frequency
Once daily
Duration
About 2 weeks before stepping up
Adipotide is research-only and has never been approved for people. These numbers come from a dose-finding study in obese monkeys, where the dose was raised step by step every 2 weeks [2]. The first-in-man Phase 1 study started lower, at 0.03 mg/kg under the skin once daily for 28 days; it enrolled 4 people and was terminated without posting results [5].
0.25 mg/kg
Frequency
Once daily
Duration
About 2 weeks at this step
Middle step in the rhesus macaque dose-finding study — not an approved or established human dose. Renal tubular degeneration with elevated creatinine was dose-dependent in those macaques, and this level sits at the point where that injury was observed. The mechanism makes it expected rather than incidental: adipotide is a homing sequence fused to a pro-apoptotic domain, and the kidney accumulates it. [2]
0.43 mg/kg
Frequency
Once daily
Duration
Up to ~3-4 weeks at this level (studies ran 28 days at the top dose)
This was the best-working ("optimal") dose in obese monkeys, leading to about 10.6% body-weight loss over 28 days. It is from animal research and is not an approved or established human dose. [2]
Timing
Best time to take
Morning, at a consistent time each day
With food?
Can be administered with or without food. Ensure adequate hydration throughout the day.
If stacking
If using BPC-157 for potential renal support, administer at a different time of day. Avoid combining with other nephrotoxic substances.
Adjusting your dose
Increase if
- Tolerating current dose well with stable kidney markers
- Minimal side effects after 1-2 weeks
- Fat loss progress has plateaued at current dose
- Serum creatinine remains within normal range
Decrease if
- Serum creatinine rises above normal range
- Significant proteinuria or glucosuria develops
- Signs of dehydration despite adequate fluid intake
- Any concerning changes in urination patterns
Signs of right dose
- Steady fat loss of 2-3% body weight per week
- Stable kidney function markers
- Improved insulin sensitivity on bloodwork
- No significant side effects
Administration
How do I use it?
Reconstitution
What you need
Example
10mg vial + 2mL BAC water = 5mg/mL concentration. For an 80kg person at 0.25 mg/kg dose: 80 x 0.25 = 20mg needed. At 5mg/mL, draw 4mL total (split into multiple injections if needed).
Calculate your dose in mg by multiplying your body weight in kg by the mg/kg dose. Then divide by your concentration to get the volume to inject.
Injection
Route
Subcutaneous injection once daily
Best sites
Technique
- 01Calculate your dose based on body weight and verify the math
- 02Clean injection site thoroughly with alcohol swab and let dry
- 03Pinch skin to create a fold at the injection site
- 04Insert needle at 45-90 degree angle depending on body composition
- 05Inject slowly and steadily
- 06Remove needle and apply light pressure - do not rub
Storage
Before reconstitution
Store lyophilized powder at -20°C for long-term storage (up to 2 years) or 2-8°C for short-term storage (up to 3 months). Keep in original container protected from light. Do not expose to repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
After reconstitution
Refrigerate immediately at 2-8°C. Store upright to prevent contamination of the stopper. Use within 14 days of reconstitution. Never freeze reconstituted solution as this will destroy the peptide.
Signs of degradation — discard the vial
Sample daily schedule
Morning (7:00-9:00 AM)
Calculated based on body weight and current tier injection
Site: Rotate between abdomen, thigh, and arm
Take at the same time each day. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. Monitor urine color - should be light yellow.
Safety
Is it safe?
Safety profile
Everything known about adipotide's safety comes from animals. It has been given to mice [1], to mice and rats [4], and to obese monkeys of three different species [2]. The main safety finding is the kidneys. In the monkey study, the doses that worked best also produced changes in the function of the renal proximal tubule — the part of the kidney that reabsorbs what the body needs from filtered blood. Those changes were dose-dependent and they reversed after treatment stopped [2]. The selectivity claim comes from a direct comparison rather than an impression: the same peptide that completely reversed diet-induced obesity in mice on a high-fat diet did not reduce body weight in animals on a low-fat diet [4]. There is no human safety data. One first-in-man Phase 1 study opened in 2012 in men with metastatic prostate cancer and obesity. Four people were enrolled. It was terminated, the registry records the reason as the principal investigator's request rather than a safety finding, and no results have ever been posted [5].
The animal work is real and was published in serious journals — Nature Medicine [1], Science Translational Medicine [2] and Diabetes [4]. The monkey study is the one that matters most, because rodent obesity results often fail to translate, and it showed weight loss and improved insulin resistance in a primate [2]. But there is no published human trial. The only registered human study enrolled 4 people and closed without posting results [5], so the human safety profile is unknown — including whether the reversible kidney changes seen in monkeys behave the same way in people.
Common side effects
Experienced by some users
Elevated Serum Creatinine
The most consistently observed effect in primate studies, indicating the kidneys are processing the compound.
Management: Monitor with regular blood tests. Usually normalizes within 4 weeks of stopping treatment. Stay well-hydrated.
Proteinuria
Mild to moderate protein appearing in urine, reflecting kidney filtration changes.
Management: Monitor with urinalysis. Reduce dose if marked. Ensure adequate hydration.
Glucosuria
Glucose appearing in urine even with normal blood sugar, due to effects on kidney tubules.
Management: Monitor blood glucose to ensure it remains normal. Not typically concerning if blood sugar is stable.
Reduced Appetite
Decreased food intake observed in all treated animals - appears to be genuine appetite reduction rather than nausea.
Management: Ensure adequate protein intake despite reduced appetite. This effect contributes to weight loss.
Less common
- Mild Dehydration
- Injection Site Reactions
These typically resolve with continued use or dose adjustment.
Stop and seek help if
- Serum creatinine rises significantly above your baseline
- Marked proteinuria that persists or worsens
- Signs of kidney problems (pain in lower back, changes in urination)
- Severe or persistent dehydration despite adequate fluid intake
- Any allergic reaction (rash, swelling, difficulty breathing)
- Completion of the recommended 4-week treatment cycle
Adipotide is a research compound without FDA approval. Use only under medical supervision with regular kidney function monitoring. Stop immediately and consult a healthcare provider if you experience any concerning symptoms.
Interactions
With other peptides
- BPC-157 - May provide protective effects for kidneys - consider using for support
- TB-500 - No known interactions, but avoid adding kidney stress
- AOD-9604 - Both target fat loss through different mechanisms - use caution with combination
- Semaglutide - Different mechanisms but overlapping goals - not recommended to combine
With medications
- NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, etc.) - Can compound kidney stress - avoid during Adipotide use
- ACE Inhibitors - May affect kidney function - monitor closely if combining
- Diuretics - Increases dehydration risk significantly - avoid combination
- Metformin - Generally safe but monitor kidney function more frequently
With supplements
- Electrolytes - Highly recommended to maintain proper hydration and mineral balance
- Protein supplements - Recommended to preserve muscle mass during rapid fat loss
- Creatine - May confound creatinine monitoring - consider stopping during treatment
- High-dose Vitamin C - Very high doses may affect kidney stone risk - use moderate amounts
Published research
What the studies show
Kolonin MG, Saha PK, Chan L, Pasqualini R, Arap W · 2004
This foundational study discovered that the CKGGRAKDC peptide homes to white fat blood vessels by binding prohibitin. When linked to a cell-death-inducing sequence, it caused targeted destruction of fat tissue and rapid obesity reversal in mice without detectable side effects.
Barnhart KF, Christianson DR, Hanley PW, et al. · 2011
Obese rhesus monkeys lost an average of 11% body weight in just 4 weeks of treatment. MRI confirmed 17-27% reduction in white adipose tissue. Treated monkeys showed 50% improvement in insulin sensitivity. Kidney effects were predictable and fully reversible.
Kolonin MG, Pasqualini R, Arap W · 2011
This study validated the peptide screening platform used to discover Adipotide and demonstrated how targeting specific vascular markers can be used therapeutically. The approach has implications beyond obesity for targeted drug delivery.
Kim DH, Woods SC, Seeley RJ · 2010
Lean and obese mice and rats were given the pro-apoptotic fat-homing peptide for 4 or 27 days. It completely reversed diet-induced obesity in mice and reduced body weight in mice and rats on a high-fat diet, but did not reduce body weight in animals on a low-fat diet — the selectivity for excess fat comes from this comparison. Weight loss occurred with no change in energy expenditure and with reduced food intake, and a conditioned taste aversion test found no sign of visceral illness. All of this is rodent data.
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · 2012
The only registered human study of adipotide. It opened in May 2012 in men with metastatic prostate cancer and obesity, starting at 0.03 mg/kg injected under the skin once daily for 28 days. Four people were enrolled. The record closed in January 2019 with the status TERMINATED and the reason given as "Terminated per PI's request" — the registry does not attribute the termination to a safety finding. No results have been posted, so there is no published human efficacy or safety outcome for adipotide.
Head to head
Adipotide compared
Want the full picture?
The complete Adipotide research profile: mechanism of action, clinical studies, effectiveness timeline, and FAQ.