5-Amino-1MQ

DNot approvedMitochondrial, antioxidant and longevity compounds →5-amino-1-methylquinoliniumNNMT inhibitor
In one paragraph5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule — not a peptide — that blocks an enzyme called NNMT, which is elevated in the fat tissue of obese people. In mice, inhibiting NNMT reduces fat mass and improves metabolic markers, which is the basis of its sale as a weight-loss and metabolic 'peptide'. It has never been tested in a controlled human trial and is not approved anywhere.
Overall gradeD No human evidence
Human trials0 controlled
Outcomes graded2
Last reviewed3 September 2026
EvidenceWhat it isHow it worksUnknownsMolecule & PKRegulationQuestionsReferences

What the human research shows

Legitimate metabolic-enzyme biology from mouse studies, sold years ahead of any human data. The target is real and interesting; the human evidence for this compound is nonexistent.

MetabolicCardioMuscleHealingNeuroImmuneSexualSkinAgeing

Evidence profile0–5

  • Metabolic & weightD0.0
  • Cardiovascular—0.0
  • Muscle & growth—0.0
  • Healing & repair—0.0
  • Neuro & sleep—0.0
  • Immune & inflammation—0.0
  • Sexual & hormonal—0.0
  • Skin & appearance—0.0
  • Ageing & longevity—0.0
No benefit outcome for 5-Amino-1MQ has both human evidence and a measurable effect, so the profile is empty. That is the finding, not a gap in the chart.
OutcomeGradeEffect sizeHuman studiesWhere the evidence comes from
Fat loss / metabolic healthDNo human evidenceNot measurable0 controlledInhibiting NNMT with 5-amino-1MQ reduced fat mass and improved metabolic measures in mouse models of diet-induced obesity. No human trial has tested it for weight or metabolism.
Safety in humansadverseDNo human evidenceNot measurableNoneNo human dosing study exists; there is no safety dataset. NNMT sits at a hub of NAD+ and methylation metabolism, so systemic inhibition has plausible but unstudied off-target effects.
AMultiple good human trials, consistentBSome human trials, mostly consistentCFew or weak human studiesDAnimal or anecdotal onlyeffect size · red = adverse

Literature searched to 3 September 2026. Human studies only; animal and cell work informs the mechanism section and nothing else.

What it is

5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme over-active in obese fat tissue and in some cancers. It is not a peptide, but is sold and injected in the same market.

Its reputation as a fat-loss compound comes entirely from rodent studies of NNMT inhibition.

How it is thought to work

By blocking NNMT it is thought to shift cellular NAD+ and methylation balance in fat tissue toward greater energy expenditure — shown in mice. Whether that produces safe, useful fat loss in a person is untested.

What is still unknown

  • Whether it does anything to weight or metabolism in people.
  • The safety of inhibiting a central metabolic enzyme systemically in humans.
  • Dose, route and pharmacology in people — none established.

The molecule and how long it lasts

Identity
Formula
C10H11N2+
Molecular weight
159.21 g/mol
CAS number
685079-15-6
PubChem
CID 950107

PubChem record, read 23 September 2026.

Pharmacokinetics
Route
Oral as sold; no human study
Half-life
No human pharmacokinetic data; a rat PK assay paper exists

Animal data only — no human pharmacokinetic study: Development and validation of an LC–MS/MS assay for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium in rat plasma: application to pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability studies. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021

Regulatory status

European Union
Unauthorised medicinal product

No marketing authorisation in any member state. Supplying it for human use is an offence under national medicines law; a 'research use only' label does not change that.

United States
Not approved

Not an approved drug and not a dietary-supplement ingredient. Sold as a 'research chemical' outside the medical system; the FDA has warned against several compounds in this class.

United Kingdom
Unlicensed medicine

Not licensed by the MHRA. Selling or supplying it for human use is an offence under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

Australia
Prescription-only / unapproved

Not on the ARTG. Supply without a prescription is unlawful; imports are seized.

Canada
Not authorised

No Drug Identification Number; selling it for human use is illegal.

Sport (WADA)
Prohibited at all times

As a non-approved substance, 5-amino-1MQ falls under WADA class S0 (non-approved substances) and is prohibited in and out of competition.

Questions people actually ask

Does 5-amino-1MQ cause weight loss in people?
Unknown. The fat-loss data are from mice. There is no controlled human trial of the compound for weight or metabolism.
Is it a peptide?
No. It is a small synthetic molecule that inhibits the NNMT enzyme. It is grouped with peptides only because it is marketed and injected alongside them.

One page per claimed effect

References

  1. 1
  2. 2
    Yang M, et al. NNMT in cancer-associated fibroblasts drives tumour progression; inhibition with 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium.J Immunother Cancer, 2024;12:e008340Illustrates the enzyme's broader biology; not a metabolic trial.

Change log

  • 2026-09-03Initial publication. Grade D on absence of any human trial.