The drug doesn’t make you lose fat from your skin or your arms and legs — it only targets the fat deep inside your belly, which is the kind that’s most dangerous.

Scientific Claim

Tesamorelin (2 mg subcutaneous daily) does not cause significant changes in subcutaneous abdominal or limb fat in HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy with central fat accumulation over 6 months, demonstrating selective action on visceral fat.

Original Statement

“Trunk fat (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.02), and waist-hip-ratio (P = 0.001) improved, with no change in limb or abdominal SC fat.”

From study:Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The RCT design with compartment-specific body composition analysis supports definitive language. The claim accurately reflects the absence of effect on subcutaneous fat.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2010 Mar

The study found that the drug shrinks the deep belly fat (visceral fat) in HIV patients but doesn’t change the fat under the skin in the belly or limbs, meaning it only targets the dangerous internal fat.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Score: 81

DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181cbdaff

Similar Assertions

The drug shrinks the fat around the torso and makes the waist smaller, but doesn’t change the fat on the arms, legs, or just under the skin — meaning it targets only the dangerous internal fat.

95%

Tesamorelin only targets dangerous belly fat in HIV patients, leaving other fat stores like arms and legs unchanged.

94%

A daily injection called tesamorelin helps HIV patients with a big belly lose nearly 11% of their dangerous internal belly fat in six months, while those getting a fake shot don’t lose any.

93%

If HIV patients keep taking the injection for a full year, they lose even more belly fat inside their abdomen—about 18% total.

92%

A hormone treatment called tesamorelin doesn't change the fat under the skin in people with HIV who have excess belly fat after six months of treatment.

92%