5-Amino-1MQ
| Category | Metabolic & GLP-1 |
| Goals | Fat Loss |
| Evidence level | Preclinical (mouse data; no human trials) |
| Legal status | Research-only — not approved for human use |
| FDA status | Not approved; not a recognized drug or dietary ingredient (2026) |
| Half-life | Not well established (no human PK) |
| Routes | Oral · Subcutaneous (reported) |
| CAS / MW / Type | 42464-96-0 (iodide salt) · 159.21 g/mol (cation) · small-molecule NNMT inhibitor |
| Last reviewed | 2026-06-05 |
In one line
A small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme NNMT (not actually a peptide), studied in mice for fat loss and metabolic health by sparing cellular NAD+ and methyl-group reserves.
Evidence at a glance
All efficacy data for 5-Amino-1MQ comes from preclinical (mouse and cell) studies. There are no peer-reviewed human interventional trials. It is widely sold as a “metabolic” supplement, but human safety and efficacy are unproven. See Evidence Grading Explained and the Disclaimer.
Key Takeaways
- A quinolinium small molecule (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium), commonly grouped with peptides in research-chem stores but chemically not a peptide.
- Acts as a NNMT inhibitor — blocking an enzyme that consumes NAD+ precursors and methyl groups (the “methyl sink”).
- In diet-induced obese mice, it reduced fat-cell size and improved glucose tolerance without dietary changes — striking, but rodent-only.
- No human trials; half-life and human PK are not established.
- Not FDA-approved and not a recognized dietary ingredient; sold as a research chemical, often as oral capsules or liquid.
What Is It
5-Amino-1MQ is the common name for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). Despite being sold alongside peptides, it is not a peptide — it is a quinoline-derived cationic compound (commonly supplied as the iodide salt). It emerged from academic and patent work on NNMT inhibitors as a tool to probe — and potentially treat — obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
Mechanism of Action
The proposed mechanism is biochemically specific but demonstrated only in preclinical models:
- NNMT inhibition (preclinical) — NNMT consumes nicotinamide (an NAD+ precursor) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to produce 1-methylnicotinamide. This is sometimes called a “methyl sink” because it drains methyl-donor and NAD+ precursor pools.
- NAD+ preservation (preclinical/theoretical) — by blocking NNMT, more nicotinamide is available to regenerate NAD+, theoretically supporting sirtuin activity and mitochondrial energy metabolism.
- Adipocyte effects (preclinical) — in obese mice, NNMT inhibition was associated with smaller fat cells and improved metabolic parameters.
Limitations
The NAD+/sirtuin and “anti-obesity” effects are rodent- and mechanism-level, not confirmed in humans. NNMT is expressed in many tissues, so chronic inhibition in people has unknown systemic consequences.
Evidence by Outcome
| Outcome | Evidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fat-cell size reduction | Preclinical | ~30–40% reduction reported in obese mice, without diet change |
| Weight / adiposity reduction | Preclinical | Reversed diet-induced obesity in mice |
| Glucose tolerance | Preclinical | Improved in mouse models |
| NAD+ / sirtuin / “anti-aging” | Preclinical / theoretical | Mechanistic rationale only; no human outcome data |
| Energy / metabolic-rate claims | Anecdotal | User reports; no controlled human data |
Reported Dosing
Not medical advice
Protocols as reported in community sources. There is no clinically established human dose. See Reconstitution & Dosing Math.
| Route | Dose (reported) | Frequency | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral (capsule) | ~50–150 mg/day (commonly ~50 mg) | 1× daily, often AM | ~8–12 weeks reported |
| Subcutaneous | Sometimes marketed | 1× daily | Variable |
Pharmacokinetics
Human pharmacokinetics, including half-life and oral bioavailability, are not established. It is most often sold and used orally as a small molecule (capsules/liquid), which is plausible for a non-peptide but unvalidated for this compound in humans. See Half-Life & Pharmacokinetics.
Side Effects & Risks
- Human safety data is essentially absent — the central risk. Preclinical tolerability in mice does not establish human safety.
- NNMT is widely expressed; long-term, off-target, and systemic effects of inhibition in humans are unknown.
- Anecdotal reports: nausea, headache, sleep changes, jitteriness — not systematically documented.
- Sourcing risk: as a research chemical, identity, purity, and actual content vary widely — see Sourcing and Red Flags & Scams.
- See Side Effects & Risk Management and Bloodwork & Monitoring.
Cycling
No evidence-based cycling standard exists; anecdotal protocols run 8–12 weeks then pause. See Cycling.
Stacks It Appears In
- Marketed alongside other “metabolic” agents and GLP-1 drugs like Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in community fat-loss stacks — no controlled data supports these combinations.
- Sometimes paired with NAD+ precursors in “longevity” stacks — again, mechanistic rationale only.
Comparisons
- vs GLP-1 agonists (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide): those have large, FDA-approved human weight-loss trials; 5-Amino-1MQ has none.
- vs GH/lipolytic peptides (AOD-9604, Tesamorelin): entirely different mechanism (enzyme inhibition vs GH-axis), and unlike Tesamorelin it has no approved human use.
Sourcing & Quality
Sold as a research chemical (capsules, powder, or liquid), so identity and purity are not guaranteed and dosing accuracy is a concern. Evaluate quality before trusting a product: How to Read a CoA, Sourcing, Red Flags & Scams. Reconstitution/handling: Reconstitution & Dosing Math. No vendors are endorsed here.
Legal & Regulatory Status
(As of 2026-06-05.) Not FDA-approved for any use and not an FDA-recognized dietary ingredient. It is sold as a research chemical; marketing it as a supplement or for weight loss is not FDA-sanctioned. Status varies by country, and it may be prohibited in tested sport. See Regulatory & Legal Status.
FAQ
Is 5-Amino-1MQ a peptide? No. It is a small-molecule quinolinium compound (an NNMT inhibitor), though it is often sold alongside peptides.
Is it FDA-approved? No. It has no approved human use and is not a recognized dietary ingredient.
Does it work for fat loss in humans? Unknown. The encouraging fat-loss data is from mice only; there are no published human trials.
How is it taken? Most commonly orally (capsule or liquid), since it is a small molecule rather than a peptide.
References
- Kraus D. et al. (2014). “Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity.” Nature.
- Neelakantan H. et al. (2017–2018). Small-molecule NNMT inhibitors and metabolic effects in diet-induced obese mice. Biochemical Pharmacology.
- U.S. Patent literature on quinoline-derived NNMT inhibitors (e.g. US 11,401,243; US 12,071,409).
- PubChem CID 950107 — 5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium (C10H11N2+).
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