5-Amino-1MQ
A small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme NNMT, not a peptide. The published evidence is mouse and cell studies: no clinical trial of 5-Amino-1MQ is indexed in PubMed, so no human dose is established.
Last updated: September 2026
Category
Metabolic Enhancer
Frequency
Not established (research compound)
Research
Preclinical onlyWhat is 5-Amino-1MQ?
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small molecule inhibitor of NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase), an enzyme involved in fat cell metabolism. Technically it is not a peptide, but it is sold in the peptide market and used by the same community. By inhibiting NNMT, it may increase NAD+ levels in fat tissue and shift metabolism toward fat burning. Think of it as targeting fat cells at the enzyme level rather than through appetite suppression.
How does NNMT inhibition work? NNMT is overexpressed in obesity and metabolic disease. It consumes SAM (S-adenosylmethionine) and produces 1-methylnicotinamide, depleting methyl donors and slowing metabolism. By blocking NNMT, 5-Amino-1MQ preserves SAM and raises NAD+ levels. Higher NAD+ activates sirtuins which regulate mitochondrial biogenesis and fat oxidation. The result is fat cells that burn more energy and become less efficient at storing fat.
What does the research actually show? Early stage. Promising animal data on fat reduction without calorie restriction. No large human clinical trials yet. In preclinical mouse studies, it prevented obesity even when subjects were fed a high-fat diet. The mechanism is well-understood but the clinical evidence in humans is thin. Position it honestly as an interesting research compound, not a proven weight loss drug.
Unlike GLP-1 peptides that work by suppressing appetite, 5-Amino-1MQ targets metabolism at the cellular level. Semaglutide and tirzepatide make you eat less. 5-Amino-1MQ makes fat cells burn more, at least in mice. Some people combine them, but no trial has tested that combination, so what exists is anecdote rather than evidence, and this page does not publish combination guidance.
5-Amino-1MQ is available in both oral capsule form and injectable form. Oral capsules are more common because most users who want to inject already have GLP-1s for that purpose. In Vietnam, it is available research-grade. Often comes in capsule form rather than injectable, which makes it more accessible for users who do not want to inject. For verified suppliers, see the supply index. Verify purity via the COA guide. For legal context, see the peptide legality guide.
In the biohacking weight loss community, 5-Amino-1MQ is commonly reported alongside retatrutide, tirzepatide or AOD-9604 (community practice, no trial). None of those combinations has been tested in a published study, in animals or in people, so the appeal of pairing appetite suppression with a cellular mechanism is a rationale rather than a result, and this page does not publish combination guidance.
How It Works
NNMT Inhibition: NNMT is overexpressed in obesity and metabolic disease. It consumes SAM and produces 1-methylnicotinamide, depleting methyl donors and slowing metabolism. By blocking NNMT, 5-Amino-1MQ preserves SAM and raises NAD+ levels.
NAD+ Elevation: Higher NAD+ activates sirtuins (particularly SIRT1 and SIRT3) which regulate mitochondrial biogenesis, fat oxidation, and energy expenditure. This effectively raises the metabolic rate of fat cells.
Adipocyte Reprogramming: Preclinical data shows 5-Amino-1MQ can cause fat cells to take on characteristics of "beige" fat: a more metabolically active form that burns energy through thermogenesis rather than storing it.
Benefits
- Increased fat oxidation without appetite suppression (animal and adipocyte studies: food intake was unchanged and lipogenesis was suppressed, PMID 29155147)
- Boosts NAD+ levels, supporting cellular energy and longevity (adipocyte studies measured higher intracellular NAD+ and SAM, PMID 29155147; longevity was not measured)
- May reduce stubborn fat (visceral and subcutaneous) (animal studies measured total white adipose mass and adipocyte size, not depot by depot, PMID 29155147)
- Proposed synergy with GLP-1 peptides (mechanism argument only, no trial has tested the combination)
- Improves metabolic health markers in preclinical models (animal studies: lower body weight and lower plasma total cholesterol, PMID 29155147)
- Oral form available (capsule); membrane permeability shown only in artificial membrane and Caco-2 cell assays, no human bioavailability study (PMID 29155147)
- Aged-muscle regeneration after injury in 24-month-old mice (animal study, PMID 30753815)
Dosing Described in Research and Labels
| Phase | Dose | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigational | No established human dose | Oral (research) | Not established |
| Human evidence | No human dose established: no clinical trial of 5-Amino-1MQ is indexed in PubMed as of September 2026, so every figure below is an animal dose and not a recommendation | Not established | Not established |
| Animal: NNMT inhibitor in diet-induced obese mice | Dose not stated in the abstract (animal study, not a recommendation) | Given systemically to diet-induced obese mice, route not stated in the abstract | Body weight, white adipose mass, adipocyte size and plasma total cholesterol measured (animal study, PMID 29155147) |
| Animal: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium with a low-fat diet | Dose not stated in the abstract (animal study, not a recommendation) | Combined with a switch to a low-fat diet in diet-induced obese mice, route not stated in the abstract | Cecal microbiome and adiposity compared against lean and obese controls (animal study, PMID 35013352) |
| Animal: aged muscle regeneration | 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg in 24-month-old mice (animal study, mouse, route not stated, PMID 30753815, not a recommendation) | Route and dosing interval not stated in the abstract | 1 week or 3 weeks after an induced muscle injury (animal study, PMID 30753815) |
These figures summarise what published research and approved labels describe. They are educational, not a recommendation or a personal protocol. Any dose, schedule, or decision to use a compound belongs with a licensed prescriber.
Side Effects
Common
- ⚠Mild fatigue in first week (as metabolism shifts) (community reports, no human trial)
- ⚠Increased thirst (community reports, no human trial)
- ⚠Slight appetite changes (community reports, no human trial)
- ⚠Injection site reactions (if using injectable form) (community reports, no human trial)
Rare
- •Limited human data available: monitor response closely
- •Potential interactions with methylation pathways
- •Unknown long-term effects in humans
Who Should NOT Use 5-Amino-1MQ
- ✕Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- ✕Active cancer (NNMT can be protective in some cancers: consult oncologist)
- ✕Under 18 years old
- ✕Severe liver disease
- ✕Limited human safety data: use caution
What to Expect
Adjustment phase. Some users report mild fatigue as cellular metabolism shifts. No dramatic changes visible yet (community practice, no trial).
Increased energy levels reported by most users. Subtle improvements in body composition may begin, especially when combined with exercise (community practice, no trial).
More noticeable changes in body composition are reported, particularly around the midsection (community practice, no trial). No human trial has measured body composition on this compound at any timepoint, and reported results track concurrent calorie deficits as readily as they track the compound.
Notes from Ho Chi Minh City
5-Amino-1MQ is an oral small molecule, which is its main practical draw in Thao Dien: a capsule with morning coffee adds a metabolic angle to a GLP-1 regimen without another injection. The honest framing the data forces is that human evidence is thin; most of the enthusiasm extrapolates from mouse adipocyte-browning studies, and self-reported effects track concurrent caloric deficits more than any independent metabolic lift. On the Vietnam market, research-grade 5-Amino-1MQ is sourced through cold-chain importers rather than pharmacies. Whether it belongs in a regimen, and at what dose, is a prescriber's call rather than a forum extrapolation.
Sourcing in Vietnam
5-Amino-1MQ has no FDA approval and no DAV-registered pharmaceutical brand in Vietnam. It is not stocked at Long Châu, Pharmacity, FV Hospital, or Vinmec. What circulates here is research-grade material brought in by cold-chain importers, packaged as capsules or injectable vials in strengths that vary by importer; those listing figures are product specifications, not doses, and no source on this page supports any of them as an amount to take. Capsule form is the more common purchase route. See the supplier list and COA guide before purchasing.
FAQ
Q: Can I stack 5-Amino-1MQ with Retatrutide or Tirzepatide?
A: No trial has studied 5-Amino-1MQ alongside a GLP-1 receptor agonist, so there is no evidence describing what that pairing does in people and no published interaction data of any kind. Absence of interaction data is not a finding of safety. The two also sit at completely different evidence tiers: tirzepatide has large randomised human trials and an approved label, retatrutide has one phase 2 trial and no approval anywhere, and every published 5-Amino-1MQ result is preclinical. Whether an unapproved research compound belongs anywhere near a prescribed GLP-1 medicine is a question for the prescriber managing that medicine.
Q: Oral vs injectable 5-Amino-1MQ: which is better?
A: No human trial has compared the two forms, so there is nothing to point at and no basis for calling either better. What can be said factually is that 5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule rather than a peptide, which is why an oral form exists at all in a market where almost everything else has to be injected. The published evidence behind it is preclinical: NNMT inhibitors from the methylquinolinium series reduced body weight, white adipose mass and adipocyte size in diet-induced obese mice, given systemically (mouse study, not a human dose, PMID 29155147). Which form is appropriate, if either is, is a clinical decision rather than a preference.
Q: How long are cycles for 5-Amino-1MQ?
A: Community practice reports: 8 to 12 week cycles followed by roughly 4 weeks off (community practice, no trial). Disclaimer: no clinical trial has established a human dose, a cycle length or an off period for 5-Amino-1MQ, and there is no approved label in any market to cite instead. The published work is preclinical and mostly in mice. The cycling pattern is a precaution people adopted because nobody has measured what continuous use does in humans, which is a reason for caution rather than a schedule anyone tested. Source from the community-verified supplier list.
Where to Get 5-Amino-1MQ in Vietnam
See our community-verified supplier list with COA verification and cold-chain shipping to Vietnam.
Related Peptides
Research & Sources
- Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity · Kraus D, Yang Q, Kong D, et al. · Nature (2014) (PMID: 24717514)
Foundational paper demonstrating NNMT inhibition prevents obesity in diet-induced mouse models.
- Structure-Activity Relationship for Small Molecule Inhibitors of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase · Neelakantan H, Wang HY, Vance V, et al. · Journal of medicinal chemistry (2017) (PMID: 28548833)
Medicinal chemistry series on quinolinium NNMT inhibitors from the same group; in vitro structure and activity data only, and the abstract does not name 5-amino-1MQ itself.
- 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, et al. · Biochemical Pharmacology (2018) (PMID: 29155147)
In vivo evidence that 5-Amino-1MQ reverses obesity and improves metabolic parameters in established obese mice; the abstract refers to the compound as an NNMT inhibitor or a methylquinolinium scaffold and does not name 5-amino-1MQ explicitly.
- Roles of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes · Liu JR, Deng ZH, Zhu XJ, et al. · BioMed Research International (2021) (PMID: 34368359)
Mechanistic review of NNMT in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- Small molecule nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibitor activates senescent muscle stem cells and improves regenerative capacity of aged skeletal muscle · Neelakantan H, Brightwell CR, Graber TG, et al. · Biochemical Pharmacology (2019) (PMID: 30753815)
Animal study in 24-month-old mice, the only source on this page that states a milligram per kilogram figure (5 and 10 mg/kg). Muscle injury model, no human arm, and the abstract does not state the route; the abstract refers to the compound as an NNMT inhibitor or a methylquinolinium scaffold and does not name 5-amino-1MQ explicitly.
- Reduced calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice · Dimet-Wiley A, Wu Q, Wiley JT, et al. · Scientific Reports (2022) (PMID: 35013352)
Animal study that names 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium directly, paired with a low-fat diet switch in diet-induced obese mice. Microbiome endpoints and no dose stated in the abstract. The senior author founded, and two other authors are paid by, the company developing the inhibitor.
Important Disclaimer
Educational content only. Not medical advice. Peptides discussed on this page are not approved by Vietnam’s Ministry of Health (Bộ Y Tế) or the Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV) for the indications described. Research peptides are not stocked at Long Châu, Pharmacity, or any retail pharmacy in Vietnam. Consult a licensed physician before any use.