Can a drug help HIV patients lose belly fat and think better?
Effects of Tesamorelin on Neurocognitive Impairment in Abdominally Obese Persons with HIV.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists tested a drug called tesamorelin on people with HIV who had belly fat. The drug helped them lose 2.7 cm from their waist, but didn’t help them think better. Their bodies made more of a growth hormone, but that didn’t help their thinking or belly fat loss.
Surprising Findings
Boosting IGF-1 didn’t improve brain function or fat loss
IGF-1 is often marketed as a brain-boosting, anti-aging hormone. The fact that increasing it didn’t help cognition or fat loss contradicts popular beliefs in longevity and biohacking circles.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re considering tesamorelin for belly fat, it may help — but don’t expect it to sharpen your mind.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists tested a drug called tesamorelin on people with HIV who had belly fat. The drug helped them lose 2.7 cm from their waist, but didn’t help them think better. Their bodies made more of a growth hormone, but that didn’t help their thinking or belly fat loss.
Surprising Findings
Boosting IGF-1 didn’t improve brain function or fat loss
IGF-1 is often marketed as a brain-boosting, anti-aging hormone. The fact that increasing it didn’t help cognition or fat loss contradicts popular beliefs in longevity and biohacking circles.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re considering tesamorelin for belly fat, it may help — but don’t expect it to sharpen your mind.
Publication
Journal
The Journal of infectious diseases
Year
2025
Authors
Ronald J. Ellis, F. Vaida, Keren Hu, Michael Dube, Brook Henry, Felicia Chow, Robert K. Heaton, Daniel Lee, Fred Sattler
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Claims (5)
People with HIV who have belly fat and are on medication to control the virus who took tesamorelin had a waist size that was about 2.7 centimeters smaller on average compared to those who didn't, and this difference was statistically significant. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available
People with HIV who have belly fat and are on medication to control the virus who took tesamorelin did not show a significant improvement in thinking skills compared to those who received usual care after six months. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available
People with HIV who have belly fat and are on medication to control the virus who took tesamorelin had higher levels of a growth-related hormone called IGF-1. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available
In people with HIV who have belly fat and are on medication to control the virus, changes in IGF-1 levels from tesamorelin treatment did not relate to changes in thinking skills or waist size. This finding is from the abstract summary - full study details were not available
Tesamorelin is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog that stimulates the pituitary gland to produce endogenous growth hormone in a physiologically appropriate pattern, as opposed to exogenous growth hormone administration.