Fragment 176-191 (modified version of AOD9604) is a small piece of human growth hormone (hGH) that is sometimes referred to as the “lipolytic fragment.” Fragment 176-191 earned this latter name due to the fact that laboratory research has shown it to enhance fat burning, particularly in mice genetically engineered to produce large fat stores. Fragment 176-191 has been heavily researched in animal models because even while it preserves the fat-burning effects of hGH, it avoids some other effects of its parent protein such as increasing insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, negatively impacting carbohydrate metabolism, altering insulin sensitivity, increasing long bone growth, and so forth. The targeted effects of fragment 176-191 make it useful for exploring human fat metabolism and may eventually provide the basis for developing anti-obesity medications.
