Last Updated February 15, 2024

 February 15, 2024

Researchers curious about tesamorelin side effects should know the peptide is generally considered safe — based on past clinical trial data.

However, there are safety concerns researchers should consider before starting a study of this peptide.

This comprehensive review will outline all known tesamorelin side effects and complications. Our research team will also explain what this peptide is, the benefits it offers, and which side effects to pay attention to when conducting experiments or trials. 

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What is Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin peptide is a synthetic compound made up of a sequence of amino acids [1]. There are thousands of peptides in the body and they work together as chemical signals to regulate various functions [2].

Tesamorelin has a structure that is virtually identical to one of the body's natural peptide hormones called growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) [3]. GHRH has one specific function: helping to upregulate human growth hormone (HGH).

What is HGH?

HGH is a hormone that is essential to all tissue growth and repair processes that happen throughout the body. It is involved in everything: building muscle, bone growth, replacing collagen in the skin, even healing wounds, and more [4].

But HGH levels in the body naturally decline with age [5].

Research has found that exogenous HGH therapy can have a number of positive benefits like helping increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat in test subjects [6]. But there are significant downsides to supplementing HGH directly; it has been linked to serious side effects [7].

Tesamorelin and HGH

Researchers have found that it is much safer to increase HGH levels in the body indirectly by using peptides that cause the body to produce and secrete more of its own, natural HGH. Tesamorelin can do just that.

Tesamorelin, since it looks like GHRH, can bind to the same receptors that GHRH does. When it binds to receptors in the pituitary gland, which is responsible for synthesizing and secreting HGH, it signals the gland to produce more HGH.

The primary effect of tesamorelin is to increase levels of HGH in the body. But what about its other benefits? We’ll explore those in the following section.


tesamorelin side effects


Tesamorelin Benefits

Research has linked tesamorelin to numerous benefits.

Its main benefit is that it increases HGH levels [8, 9]. There's no comparison between tesamorelin before and after in terms of HGH levels.

But there are several other benefits of tesamorelin that occur indirectly as a result of raising blood HGH levels.

These benefits of Tesamorelin HGH include:

  • Burning fat [310, 11]
  • Increasing lean muscle [12].
  • Improving cognition [13, 14, 15].
  • Repairing nerve damage [16].
  • Reducing the risk of Cardiac disease [11, 17].

Is Tesamorelin Legal?

It offers many benefits, but is tesamorelin legal?

Yes. It was approved by the FDA as a prescription medication for people with lipodystrophy. But it's also legal for researchers to buy tesamorelin online for research purposes.


Tesamorelin Side Effects | A Comprehensive Review

After digging through clinical trial data on Tesamoreling, here are the side effects to pay attention to:

Tesamorelin is Safe for Most Test Subjects

Research has shown that tesamorelin is generally considered safe and well-tolerated when administered to test subjects. Virtually all research conducted on tesamorelin peptide has concluded that it's safe and produces no serious side effects [3, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22].

But some side effects can occur, so let's take a look.

Tesamorelin Side Effects

Research has linked tesamorelin to some side effects. From the most common to the least common, they include [23]:

  • Injection site reactions, like pruritus, rash, pain, and swelling (3.1%)
  • Arthralgia (2.4%)
  • Pain in the extremities (1.1%)
  • Myalgia (1.1%)
  • Peripheral edema (1.1%)
  • Paresthesia (0.9%)
  • Hypoesthesia (0.7%)
  • Rash (0.7%)
  • Dysepsia (0.3%)
  • Muscle pain (0.3%)
  • Pruritus (0.3%)
  • Vomiting (0.3%)
  • Muscle stiffness (0.3%)
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (0.2%)
  • Joint swelling (0.2%)
  • Night sweats (0.2%)
  • Palpitations (0.2%)

Use in Specific Populations

In addition to the adverse effects listed above, researchers must be extra cautious when administering tesamorelin to test subjects in the following populations:

  • Individuals with hypothalamic-pituitary axis issues. Tesamorelin works on the body through the pituitary gland, so it should not be administered to test subjects with disorders that disrupt that system. This includes test subjects with hypophysectomy, hypopituitarism, pituitary tumor/surgery, head irradiation, or even head trauma [23].
  • Individuals with active malignancy. Test subjects with existing cancer tumors should be excluded from experiments or trials involving tesamorelin.
  • Pregnant women. Tesamorelin should not be administered to pregnant test subjects. There is some concern that burning visceral adipose tissue in the belly could cause harm to the fetus [23].
  • Children. The safety and effectiveness of tesamorelin for use in children hasn't been established, so it should not be administered to test subjects from this population [23].

Researchers should also keep in mind that the safety of tesamorelin has not been studied in older adults and seniors, or individuals with kidney or liver impairments. Test subjects in these groups should be screened for the above-cited issues before being included in experiments or studies involving tesamorelin. 

Tesamorelin and Cancer?

There is currently no evidence linking tesamorelin use to any form of cancer.

However, there is a concern (as with all substances that increase HGH) that tesamorelin could increase the speed of the growth of malignant tumors if those tumors already exist [23]. This is because HGH speeds up tissue growth—including cancerous tissue growth.

For that reason, tesamorelin should not be used by test subjects that suffer from an active malignancy. Individuals with a history of malignant tissues should be excluded from any experiments or studies involving tesamorelin. 

Tesamorelin, Glucose Intolerance, and Diabetes

One further caution is warranted for test subjects with glucose or insulin sensitivities, including those with diabetes or prediabetes.

Research has found that tesamorelin can increase glucose intolerance [23]. Some research even suggests that tesamorelin could increase the risk of developing diabetes [23].

For that reason, test subjects with glucose intolerance should not participate in tesamorelin research.


tesamorelin side effects


Where to Buy Tesamorelin Online? | 2024 Edition

Researchers seeking tesamorelin for their work are well-advised to evaluate potential vendors on aspects like quality assurance, customer service, payments accepted, and shipping times.

At Peptides.org, we have tested all of the major research chemical vendors and wholeheartedly recommend the following sources of high-purity tesamorelin:

Xcel Peptides

Xcel Peptides is a top-rated vendor that ships research-grade tesamorelin within reasonable timeframes.

Here’s a rundown of why we endorse them:

  • High-Quality Products: Xcel Peptides submits their peptides to a third-party lab for HPLC-MS quality testing, and posts the lab results right on their website for easy review.
  • Fast Shipping: Xcel Peptides is an American company, so US-based researchers typically receive their orders within 2-5 days. All US orders over $200 ship free.
  • Great Service: In our experience, Xcel Peptides has a friendly and knowledgeable support team that works efficiently to resolve any questions or concerns.

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Limitless Life

We recommend using Limitless Life to source tesamorelin for research studies, as well. This is for several reasons, including their commitment to quality and safety and their outstanding reputation.

Here are a few of the key reasons we like Limitless Life:

  • High Purity and Quality Standards: By partnering with independent laboratories, Limitless Life is able to ensure product quality through third-party testing.
  • Inexpensive Shipping Insurance Available: Limitless Life places a high priority on satisfaction, which is why they offer a flexible returns process as well as inexpensive shipping insurance to cover packages that are lost or damaged in transit.
  • Highly Ethical: Research peptides are intended only to be used in research studies. This is made abundantly clear on the Limitless Life website.
  • Trustworthy and Reputable: Limitless Life cares deeply about researcher experience, product quality, and safety. This is why they have developed a reputation as a trustworthy peptide vendor.

To order tesamorelin, join the Limitless Life VIP Club and get instant access:

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Bacteriostatic Water for Tesamorelin

Qualified researchers must adhere to the standard methods of peptide handling and storage. This applies to Tesamorelin and all other research peptides.

To successfully comply with the correct measures, researchers need a full set of specialty supplies, including sterile vials, bacteriostatic water, and more.

Sourcing the entire series of requisite materials may be a challenge, demanding hours of searching for reputable distributors who might not even carry all the products. However, it is essential for the research.


Side Effects of Tesamorelin | Verdict

Researchers interested in experimenting with tesamorelin will be encouraged to know that this reference material can be safely administered to test subjects. This guide has highlighted certain populations who must be screened from tesamorelin research, including:

  • Individuals with hypothalamus or pituitary gland issues
  • Individuals with a malignant tumor
  • Pregnant women
  • Children

Is tesamorelin safe?

Seemingly so, but as a research peptide caution is still warranted. Virtually all research involving tesamorelin has shown that this peptide is safe for most test subjects. 

Buy Tesamorelin from our top-rated vendor...


References

  1. Food and Drug Administration (2010). Chemistry Reviews: Application 22-505. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2010/022505Orig1s0 00ChemR.pdf
  2. Mine, Y., Li-Chan, E., & Jiang, B. (2010). Biologically active food proteins and peptides in health: an overview. Bioactive proteins and peptides as functional foods and nutraceuticals. Hoboken: Wiley‑Blackwell, 5-11.
  3. Dhillon, S. (2011). Tesamorelin. Drugs, 71(8), 1071-1091.
  4. Bergan-Roller, H. E., & Sheridan, M. A. (2018). The growth hormone signaling system: Insights into coordinating the anabolic and catabolic actions of growth hormone. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 258, 119-133.
  5. Bartke, A. (2019). Growth hormone and aging: Updated review. The World Journal of Men's Health, 37(1), 19-30.
  6. Jørgensen, J. O. L., Thuesen, L., Ingemann-Hansen, T., Pedersen, S. A., Jørgensen, I., Skakkebaek, N. E., & Christiansen, J. S. (1989). Beneficial effects of growth hormone treatment in GH-deficient adults. The Lancet, 333(8649), 1221-1225.
  7. Anderson, L. J., Tamayose, J. M., & Garcia, J. M. (2018). Use of growth hormone, IGF-I, and insulin for anabolic purpose: pharmacological basis, methods of detection, and adverse effects. Molecular and cellular endocrinology, 464, 65-74.
  8. Editorial, A. (2004). Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102LN. Drugs in R & D, 5, 236-239.
  9. Broglio, F., Boutignon, F., Benso, A., Gottero, C., Prodam, F., Arvat, E., … & Muccioli, G. (2002). EP1572: a novel peptido-mimetic GH secretagogue with potent and selective GH-releasing activity in man. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 25(8), RC26-RC28.
  10. Sivakumar, T., Mechanic, O. J., Fehmie, D. A., & Paul, B. T. (2011). Growth hormone axis treatments for HIV‐associated lipodystrophy: a systematic review of placebo‐controlled trials. HIV medicine, 12(8), 453-462.
  11. Stanley, T. L., Feldpausch, M. N., Oh, J., Branch, K. L., Lee, H., Torriani, M., & Grinspoon, S. K. (2014). Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 312(4), 380-389.
  12. Adrian, S., Scherzinger, A., Sanyal, A., Lake, J. E., Falutz, J., Dubé, M. P., … & Brown, T. T. (2019). The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone analog, Tesamorelin, decreases muscle fat, and increases muscle area in adults with HIV. The Journal of Frailty & Aging, 8(3), 154-159.
  13. Zdravkovic, M., Søgaard, B., Ynddal, L., Christiansen, T., Agersø, H., Thomsen, M. S., … & Ilondo, M. M. (2000). The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety and tolerability of a single dose of NN703, a novel orally active growth hormone secretagogue in healthy male volunteers. Growth Hormone & IGF Research, 10(4), 193-198.
  14. Friedman, S. D., Baker, L. D., Borson, S., Jensen, J. E., Barsness, S. M., Craft, S., … & Vitiello, M. V. (2013). Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Effects on Brain γ-Aminobutyric Acid Levels in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Aging. JAMA Neurology, 70(7), 883-890.
  15. Baker, L. D., Barsness, S. M., Borson, S., Merriam, G. R., Friedman, S. D., Craft, S., & Vitiello, M. V. (2012). Effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone on cognitive function in adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults: results of a controlled trial. Archives of Neurology, 69(11), 1420-1429.
  16. Tuffaha, S. H., Singh, P., Budihardjo, J. D., Means, K. R., Higgins, J. P., Shores, J. T., … & Brandacher, G. (2016). Therapeutic augmentation of the growth hormone axis to improve outcomes following peripheral nerve injury. Expert opinion on therapeutic targets, 20(10), 1259-1265.
  17. Falutz, J., Allas, S., Blot, K., Potvin, D., Kotler, D., Somero, M., … & Turner, R. (2007). Metabolic effects of a growth hormone–releasing factor in patients with HIV. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(23), 2359-2370.
  18. Zdravkovic, M., Christiansen, T., Eliot, L., Agersoe, H., Thomsen, M. S., Falch, J. F., … & Ilondo, M. M. (2001). The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability following 7 days daily oral treatment with NN703 in healthy male subjects. Growth Hormone & IGF Research, 11(1), 41-48.
  19. Svensson, J., Monson, J. P., Vetter, T., Hansen, T. K., Savine, R., Kann, P., … & Ilondo, M. M. (2003). Oral administration of the growth hormone secretagogue NN703 in adult patients with growth hormone deficiency. Clinical Endocrinology, 58(5), 572-580.
  20. Zdravkovic, M., Olsen, A. K., Christiansen, T., Schulz, R., Taub, M. E., Thomsen, M. S., … & Ilondo, M. M. (2003). A clinical study investigating the pharmacokinetic interaction between NN703 (tabimorelin), a potential inhibitor of CYP3A4 activity, and midazolam, a CYP3A4 substrate. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 58(10), 683-688.
  21. Piccoli, F., Degen, L., MacLean, C., Peter, S., Baselgia, L., Larsen, F., … & Drewe, J. (2007). Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of an oral ghrelin agonist in healthy subjects. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(5), 1814-1820.
  22. Luzi, L., Meneghini, E., Oggionni, S., Tambussi, G., Piceni-Sereni, L., & Lazzarin, A. (2005). GH treatment reduces trunkal adiposity in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy: a randomized placebo-controlled study. European Journal of Endocrinology, 153(6), 781-789.
  23. FDA (n.d.). Highlights of Prescribing Information: Egrifta. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/022505Orig1s010lbl.pdf

Scientifically Fact Checked by:

David Warmflash, M.D.

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