What Is 5-Amino-1MQ? Dosage, Half-Life & How to Track It
Also known as: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium · NNMT inhibitor · 1MQ derivative
5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule inhibitor of NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase), an enzyme involved in fat-cell metabolism and cellular NAD+ levels. It’s typically dosed 2.5–5 mg once or twice daily, subcutaneously or orally, with a short ~4–7-hour half-life that makes twice-daily dosing common for steadier effect. Human trial data is limited; most evidence comes from preclinical and mechanistic research. Educational information only.
What 5-Amino-1MQ is and how it works
5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule — not a peptide — that inhibits NNMT, an enzyme found at elevated levels in fat cells that becomes more active as fat tissue expands. NNMT consumes a molecule your cells also use to make NAD+, so blocking it is thought to do two things at once: free up more NAD+ for cellular energy metabolism and shift fat cells away from storage mode.
The proposed downstream effect runs through SIRT1, a metabolic regulator that NAD+ activates — more available NAD+ is thought to support SIRT1 signaling associated with fat metabolism and lean-mass preservation. This is a genuinely different mechanism from GLP-1 or amylin drugs: it isn’t an appetite suppressant, it’s a metabolic-enzyme target.
The caveat is real: most of the supporting research is preclinical (cell and animal studies) rather than human clinical trials. It’s a promising mechanism with thin human evidence, not an established fat-loss drug.
Typical dosing & reconstitution
Dosing is small in absolute terms and short-acting enough that twice-daily splitting is common:
- Days 1–2 (tolerance): 2.5 mg
- Day 3+ (standard): 5 mg once daily, or split as 2.5 mg twice daily
| Vial | BAC water | Concentration | 1 unit (U-100) ≈ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5 mg/mL | 50 mcg |
| 50 mg | 4 mL | 12.5 mg/mL | 125 mcg |
The 50 mg vial concentrates the compound more per unit (125 mcg vs. 50 mcg), which matters for stretching a single vial across a longer daily protocol — a 50 mg vial at this dilution lasts roughly 10–20 days at 5 mg/day versus 2–4 days from a 10 mg vial. The calculator does the math for either.
Half-life & what it means for frequency
5-Amino-1MQ’s plasma half-life is short — roughly 4 to 7 hours — which is the direct reason twice-daily (BID) dosing shows up as a common alternative to once daily: splitting the same total dose into two shots keeps NNMT inhibition more continuous across the day.
There’s no accumulation curve to think about the way there is with a weekly GLP-1 — each dose largely stands on its own, clearing well within a day. Consistency day to day matters more than any single dose’s exact timing.
What to track & common side effects
Reported side effects are mild and mostly injection-site related; the compound doesn’t carry the GI burden associated with GLP-1-class drugs, consistent with its non-appetite mechanism.
Given the thin human evidence base, the most useful thing to track is simply whether it’s doing anything for you specifically — dose, frequency, and a fat-loss or energy marker you actually care about, logged consistently enough to tell signal from noise over weeks, not days.
How to track 5-Amino-1MQ in Frontload
Log each dose — especially if you’re splitting it BID — so the twice-daily cadence doesn’t quietly slip to once. Track a fat-loss or energy marker alongside it consistently; with limited human trial data, your own logged trend is the best evidence you’ll have for whether it’s working for you.
Model it yourself · free, no account
Reconstitution Calculator
Model it yourself: enter your vial size and BAC water and the Peptides tab returns concentration and exact units for any dose — the same math built into the Frontload app.
Related compounds
Related reading: Peptide reconstitution math: how much BAC water to add
Frequently asked questions
What is 5-Amino-1MQ used for?
It’s a small-molecule NNMT inhibitor studied for its effect on fat-cell metabolism and cellular NAD+ levels. Most supporting evidence is preclinical; human clinical trial data is limited.
What is the half-life of 5-Amino-1MQ?
Roughly 4–7 hours, which is why twice-daily dosing is common — splitting the total daily amount keeps NNMT inhibition steadier than one dose alone.
How is 5-Amino-1MQ dosed?
A typical range is 2.5–5 mg once or twice daily, subcutaneous or oral, often starting at the lower end for a couple of days before moving to the standard dose.
Is 5-Amino-1MQ the same as NMN or NAD+ supplements?
No — it works upstream of NAD+ by inhibiting NNMT, an enzyme that consumes an NAD+ precursor, rather than supplying NAD+ or its precursors directly the way NMN or NR supplements do.
This is educational information, not medical advice. Doses and protocols above reflect published references and community practice — protocol decisions belong with your prescribing physician. Generic names used throughout. How this reference is built & how the AI is tested →
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