On this page
- Quick reference
- Dosage chart and four steps
- Supplies needed
- Vial and research context
- Tesamorelin 5 mg Dose and Concentration Context
- 5 mg Vial Yield at the Research Amount
- Handling and Research Records
- Phase 3 Tesamorelin Dosing Schedule
- Tesamorelin 5 mg Reconstitution and U-100 Measurement
- Why the 5 mg Vial Is Not EGRIFTA SV
- Tesamorelin, GHRH, Growth Hormone, and IGF-1
- Human Trial Findings for Visceral Abdominal Fat
- Liver Fat and Metabolic Research
- Subcutaneous Injection Sites and Sharps Safety
- Tesamorelin Side Effects and Monitoring Context
- Tesamorelin 5 mg Dosage Frequently Asked Questions
- Important Research Note
- References
- Related research, protocols, and guides
Tesamorelin Quick Reference (5 mg Vial)
Research context: For evidence on mechanisms, human and preclinical research, limitations, and safety, read Tesamorelin Peptide: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, Dosage, and Research.
Tesamorelin Dosage Chart
Dosing & Reconstitution Guide
5 mg vial calculations and four reconstitution steps
Phase 3 Research Schedule (2.5 mL = ~2.0 mg/mL)
| Research Period | Daily Dose (mg / mcg) | Units (per injection) (mL) |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–26 | 2 mg / 2000 mcg | 100 units (1.00 mL) |
Frequency: Once daily by subcutaneous injection. Phase 3 trials evaluated 2 mg daily for 26 weeks, with extension data through 52 weeks.[3] This research schedule is distinct from the current EGRIFTA SV label, which uses a different formulation and dose.
Reconstitution Steps
- Draw 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water with a sterile syringe.
- Inject slowly down the vial wall; avoid foaming.
- Gently swirl until dissolved. Do not shake.
- Label with the compound, concentration, and preparation date; refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F), protected from light.
Storage note: Bacteriostatic water does not establish a universal use-by period. Follow the exact product label and formulation-specific stability instructions.
Supplies Needed
Supply calculations below use the displayed 2 mg once-daily research amount for 8, 12, and 16 weeks.
- Peptide vials (Tesamorelin, 5 mg each):
- 8 weeks: 23 vials (112 mg total)
- 12 weeks: 34 vials (168 mg total)
- 16 weeks: 45 vials (224 mg total)
- U-100 insulin syringes:
- 8 weeks: 56 syringes
- 12 weeks: 84 syringes
- 16 weeks: 112 syringes
- Bacteriostatic water (10 mL bottles):
- Use 2.5 mL per vial.
- 8 weeks: 57.5 mL → 6 bottles
- 12 weeks: 85 mL → 9 bottles
- 16 weeks: 112.5 mL → 12 bottles
- Alcohol swabs:
- Two per administration.
- 8 weeks: 112 swabs — 2 boxes required (100 swabs each)
- 12 weeks: 168 swabs — 2 boxes required (100 swabs each)
- 16 weeks: 224 swabs — 3 boxes required (100 swabs each)
Sharps safety: Place used syringes directly into an appropriate sharps container and follow local disposal requirements.
Tesamorelin Vial and Research Context
- Reconstitute: Add 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water per 5 mg vial → 2.0 mg/mL concentration.
- Phase 3 research amount: 2 mg (2000 mcg) once daily by subcutaneous injection for 26 weeks.[3]
- Easy measuring: At 2.0 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL = 20 mcg on a U-100 insulin syringe.
- Storage: Lyophilized: refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F); reconstituted: refrigerate and follow the exact formulation’s validated use-by period.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone that stimulates pituitary growth hormone release and can raise IGF-1.[1][2] Human phase 3 trials evaluated 2 mg subcutaneously once daily in adults with HIV-associated excess abdominal fat.[3] This strength-specific page keeps that schedule intact while calculating a separately supplied 5 mg vial.
Tesamorelin 5 mg Dose and Concentration Context
The 5 mg vial is total nominal vial content, not the amount assigned to each administration. With the unchanged 2.5 mL final volume, the concentration is 2 mg/mL. The phase 3 research amount of 2 mg therefore equals 1.00 mL, or 100 U-100 syringe units.[3]
Vial strength changes concentration, draw volume, nominal yield, and supply counts. It does not create a different research schedule.
5 mg Vial Yield at the Research Amount
Dividing 5 mg of nominal vial content by the 2 mg research amount produces two complete 2 mg calculations, with 1 mg nominally remaining. That arithmetic does not establish sterility, potency, or a use-by period after reconstitution.
The 5 mg product listing supports the vial identity and supplier destination; it is not evidence for a clinical regimen.[10]
Handling and Research Records
Label the prepared vial with Tesamorelin 2 mg/mL, the preparation date, and the exact diluent used. Record the study day, 2 mg mass, 100-unit marking, 1.00 mL volume, injection site, and vial identifier. Follow the exact product documentation for refrigeration, light protection, and discard timing.
Phase 3 Tesamorelin Dosing Schedule
The accepted family schedule remains the schedule shown in the primary chart: 2 mg by subcutaneous injection once daily for 26 weeks. The pooled phase 3 analysis followed participants through the randomized 26-week period and reported extension observations through 52 weeks.[3] A separate 12-month trial also used 2 mg subcutaneously each day and found that visceral-fat reductions were maintained among participants who continued tesamorelin, while the earlier improvement was lost after switching to placebo.[12]
This is a published study schedule, not a strength-dependent titration. A 5 mg vial changes only the concentration, syringe units, volume, nominal yield, and supply arithmetic used to express the same research amount.
Tesamorelin 5 mg Reconstitution and U-100 Measurement
This page uses 2.5 mL of bacteriostatic water as its calculation volume. Five milligrams divided by 2.5 mL equals 2 mg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, one unit is 0.01 mL, so each unit represents 20 mcg at this concentration.
- 1 mg: 50 units (0.50 mL).
- 2 mg: 100 units (1.00 mL).
- Full vial: 5 mg in 2.5 mL.
The four reconstitution checks in the primary chart remain authoritative for this page: draw 2.5 mL, add it slowly down the glass wall, gently swirl rather than shake, and label and refrigerate the prepared vial as documented. Changing the water volume changes the concentration, syringe units, and draw volume together; it cannot be changed independently.
Why the 5 mg Vial Is Not EGRIFTA SV
EGRIFTA SV is a specific FDA-approved 2 mg single-dose vial with a supplied sterile-water diluent, a labeled 1.4 mg once-daily dose, a 0.5 mL reconstitution volume, and immediate-use instructions.[7] Those directions do not transfer to this separately supplied 5 mg tesamorelin vial.
The 5 mg page is a strength-specific calculation guide based on a 2.5 mL final volume and the 2 mg daily amount evaluated in the cited phase 3 research. It does not substitute the vial strength, diluent, injection volume, storage period, or dosage instructions of one formulation for another.
Tesamorelin, GHRH, Growth Hormone, and IGF-1
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It acts at receptors on pituitary somatotroph cells, stimulates pulsatile endogenous growth hormone release, and can increase circulating IGF-1.[1][2] That pathway differs from administering growth hormone directly and helps explain why clinical sources monitor IGF-1, glucose, fluid retention, and injection-site reactions.
Exploratory cognitive research has also been reported, but it does not establish a tesamorelin dosage for cognitive enhancement, healthy aging, or use outside the studied populations.[5]
Human Trial Findings for Visceral Abdominal Fat
In a randomized study of 412 HIV-infected adults with abdominal fat accumulation, daily subcutaneous tesamorelin for 26 weeks reduced visceral adipose tissue by 15.2%, while the placebo group increased by 5.0%. Triglycerides and the total-cholesterol-to-HDL ratio also improved in the tesamorelin group.[11]
The pooled phase 3 analysis likewise reported reduced visceral adipose tissue and maintenance of that reduction during continued treatment through 52 weeks.[3] A responder analysis associated an 8% or greater reduction in visceral adipose tissue with selected improvements in triglycerides, adiponectin, and glucose-homeostasis measures, but those associations apply to the defined trial population and response criteria.[14]
These findings concern adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. They do not make a 5 mg vial a general weight-loss product, and the current FDA label states that EGRIFTA SV is not indicated for weight-loss management.[7]
Liver Fat and Metabolic Research
A six-month randomized clinical trial in antiretroviral-treated adults with HIV and abdominal fat accumulation used 2 mg of tesamorelin daily. The study reported reductions in visceral and liver fat compared with placebo; an early fasting-glucose difference was not sustained as a significant between-group difference at six months.[13]
A 12-month randomized trial in people with HIV and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease reported a greater reduction in hepatic fat fraction with tesamorelin than placebo.[15] A later analysis among participants using integrase inhibitors reported reductions in visceral and hepatic fat without evidence of worsened glycemic control in that subgroup.[16]
A separate randomized study in people with type 2 diabetes evaluated 1 mg and 2 mg amounts for 12 weeks and did not find a significant between-group change in overall glycemic control, underscoring that population, duration, and monitoring context matter when interpreting the effects of tesamorelin.[4]
Subcutaneous Injection Sites and Sharps Safety
Clinical and prescribing sources describe subcutaneous injection in the abdomen with rotation of injection sites.[6][7] General subcutaneous technique includes cleaning the vial stopper and selected skin site, allowing the alcohol swab to dry, using a new sterile syringe and needle, and following the governing procedure for needle angle and draw volume.[9]
- Confirm both the 100-unit marking and its 1.00 mL equivalent before recording the 2 mg research amount.
- Remember that U-100 syringe units are volume markings, not peptide international units.
- Rotate documented injection sites rather than repeatedly using one location.
- Place used needles and syringes directly into an appropriate sharps container.
Tesamorelin Side Effects and Monitoring Context
Clinical and labeling sources identify injection-site reactions, fluid retention, joint or muscle symptoms, carpal-tunnel symptoms, hypersensitivity, elevated IGF-1, and glucose intolerance or diabetes risk as relevant considerations.[1][7][8] These sources also describe contraindications that include active malignancy, pregnancy, disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, and hypersensitivity to the labeled formulation.[7]
Adverse-event frequencies and monitoring procedures belong to the cited population, product formulation, and study design. They are not a safety guarantee for a separately supplied vial or another research context.
Tesamorelin 5 mg Dosage Frequently Asked Questions
How much bacteriostatic water does this 5 mg chart use?
The chart uses 2.5 mL, producing a 2 mg/mL concentration. The water volume is a page-specific calculation input, not a universal instruction for every tesamorelin formulation.
How many U-100 syringe units equal 2 mg?
At 2 mg/mL, 2 mg occupies 1.00 mL, which is 100 units on a U-100 insulin syringe.
How many complete 2 mg calculations are in a 5 mg vial?
Two complete 2 mg calculations, with 1 mg nominally remaining. This is mass arithmetic only; it does not determine storage life or permission to retain a reconstituted vial.
Does the 5 mg vial change the tesamorelin dosing schedule?
No. The family schedule remains 2 mg once daily for 26 weeks, with extension evidence through 52 weeks.[3] Vial strength changes the measurement and supply calculations, not the study-defined amount or frequency.
Is this 5 mg vial the same as EGRIFTA SV?
No. EGRIFTA SV is a different 2 mg single-dose formulation with its own supplied diluent, 1.4 mg labeled dose, preparation directions, and immediate-use requirement.[7]
What if a study participant misses a dose?
This calculation page does not create catch-up or double-dose instructions. Missed-dose handling must come from the exact study protocol or product-specific prescribing information.
Important Research Note
This tesamorelin 5 mg dosage page translates the accepted phase 3 research schedule into strength-specific concentration, U-100 syringe units, mL, nominal vial yield, and supply planning. It does not establish an individualized regimen, validate a product-specific storage period, or constitute medical advice.
References
- 1Tesamorelin – LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2018)
- 2Tesamorelin (Subcutaneous Route) – Drug Information — Mayo Clinic / IBM Merative
- 3Effects of Tesamorelin in HIV-Infected Patients With Excess Abdominal Fat: Pooled Phase 3 Analysis — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2010)
- 4Safety and Metabolic Effects of Tesamorelin in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes — PLOS ONE (2017)
- 5Tesamorelin Can Improve Cognitive Function — Nature Reviews Endocrinology research highlight (2012)
- 6Tesamorelin Injection — MedlinePlus Drug Information
- 7EGRIFTA SV Prescribing Information — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2024)
- 8Tesamorelin: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, and Warnings — Drugs.com
- 9Administration of Parenteral Medications — Open RN Nursing Skills, NCBI Bookshelf (2023)
- 10Pure Lab Peptides Tesamorelin 5 mg Product Page — product identity and supplier information
- 11Metabolic Effects of a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor in Patients With HIV — New England Journal of Medicine (2007)
- 12Effects of Tesamorelin in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: Randomized Trial and Safety Extension — Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2010)
- 13Effect of Tesamorelin on Visceral Fat and Liver Fat in HIV-Infected Patients — JAMA (2014)
- 14Reduction in Visceral Adiposity Is Associated With an Improved Metabolic Profile — Clinical Infectious Diseases (2012)
- 15Effects of Tesamorelin on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in HIV — Lancet HIV (2019)
- 16Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People With HIV on Integrase Inhibitors — AIDS (2024)
Related research, protocols, and guides
Explore the available research context, protocol variants or comparisons, and practical guides. When vial-strength variants exist, they remain separate because vial strength, concentration, and syringe-unit calculations can differ. Related compounds and blends are comparisons only, not interchangeable.
Research overview
Other vial-strength protocols
Related protocols and comparisons



