The subcutaneous form of the NNMT inhibitor — the same route used in the original mouse studies. Why inject instead of swallow, SC dosing, reconstitution, and safety.
Injectable 5-Amino-1MQ is the same molecule as the oral version — 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, a small-molecule inhibitor of NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase) — supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in a vial that you reconstitute with bacteriostatic water and inject subcutaneously, the same way most peptides on this site are administered.
It's worth knowing up front: the foundational animal research on this compound used subcutaneous injection, not capsules. In the original obesity study, mice received the NNMT inhibitor by SC injection — the injectable route isn't an afterthought, it's the route the published efficacy data actually came from.
If you want the background on the molecule itself — mechanism, the NAD+/SAM story, and the oral capsule protocol — see our companion oral 5-Amino-1MQ guide. This guide focuses specifically on the injectable / subcutaneous route.
Not FDA approved. Not specifically named on the current WADA list. Sold as a research chemical. No human clinical dosing has been validated for either route.
The case for the injectable route comes down to how the body handles the molecule. The only published pharmacokinetic work (a rat study, Awosemo et al., 2021) measured ~38% oral bioavailability — meaning roughly 60% of a swallowed dose is lost to first-pass metabolism and incomplete GI absorption before it reaches circulation. Subcutaneous injection bypasses that first pass, so a much smaller milligram amount reaches the bloodstream.
| Oral (capsule) | Injectable (SC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical dose | 50–150 mg/day | ~2.5–5 mg/injection |
| Bioavailability | ~38% (rat data) | Bypasses first pass |
| Used in the studies? | No (later development) | Yes — original SC mouse data |
| Convenience | Easiest — swallow a capsule | Requires reconstitution + injection |
| GI side effects | Possible (stomach upset) | Avoided; injection-site stinging instead |
Bottom line: oral is more convenient; injectable mirrors the route used in the research and sidesteps GI losses. Neither route has a human-validated dose — the milligram figures above are community convention, not clinical equivalence.
NNMT uses SAM (a methyl donor) to convert nicotinamide — a NAD+ precursor — into 1-methylnicotinamide, which is excreted. Blocking NNMT spares both the nicotinamide pool and the SAM methyl-donor pool. In cell studies, NNMT inhibition produced a concentration-dependent ~1.2–1.6-fold rise in NAD+ (1–60 µM range) plus higher intracellular SAM.
NNMT is overexpressed in obesity-expanded fat tissue and aging muscle. The compound shows high membrane permeability, and subcutaneous delivery puts active drug into circulation directly — the same exposure model the preclinical SC studies relied on.
Inhibiting NNMT in muscle has been linked to improved satellite-cell function and grip strength in aged mice; in fat tissue it's associated with smaller adipocytes and increased fat oxidation rather than storage.
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Start Tracking Free| Finding | Evidence (preclinical, subcutaneous) |
|---|---|
| Fat / weight loss | DIO mice, SC 20 mg/kg ×3/day, 11 days: ~5.1% weight loss, ~35% lower white-fat mass, no change in food intake |
| Smaller fat cells | >30% decrease in adipocyte size, >40% decrease in adipocyte volume |
| Cholesterol | ~30% lower total cholesterol in treated mice |
| Muscle strength | Aged mice: grip-strength gains exceeding exercise alone; lower intramuscular fat |
| NAD+ / SAM | ~1.2–1.6× higher NAD+ and increased SAM in cell studies |
Every result above is from animal or cell studies — there are no published human trials of 5-Amino-1MQ by any route. Human translation is unproven.
Start at 2.5 mg for the first 1–2 weeks to gauge tolerance and injection-site response before considering a higher dose. The rat half-life (~4–7 hours) means most people dose once daily; a few split AM/midday, though there's no evidence that's better.
These figures come from community and clinic practice scaled down from preclinical (Neelakantan/Watowich) work — not from human trials. There is no established human dose, dose-equivalence with oral, or long-term safety data. Treat all numbers as starting points to discuss with a qualified provider, not recommendations.
Pre-filled with a typical 5-Amino-1MQ (Injectable) setup. Edit any field — the draw updates live.
Insulin syringe — 100 units = 1 mL
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Injectable 5-Amino-1MQ ships as a lyophilized powder. You add bacteriostatic water to dissolve it, then draw your dose on an insulin syringe.
Use the StackTrax calculator to map any vial size + water volume to syringe units for your chosen dose.
To minimize: inject slowly and steadily, don't aspirate for SC, and rotate sites (abdomen, outer thigh, back of upper arm).
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Start Tracking FreeNeither is proven better in humans — there are no human trials of either route. The argument for injectable is pharmacological: rat data show oral 5-Amino-1MQ is only ~38% bioavailable, so subcutaneous injection bypasses first-pass losses and uses far smaller milligram doses. It also matches the route used in the original mouse studies. Oral wins on convenience. Both are research-chemical, off-label uses.
Community and clinic practice is roughly 2.5–5 mg subcutaneously per injection, usually once daily and often on a 5-days-on / 2-off schedule, with beginners starting at 2.5 mg. These figures are scaled down from preclinical research, not validated in humans. No RCT-established human dose exists.
Two reasons people choose the injectable route: (1) bioavailability — the rat pharmacokinetic study found only ~38% of an oral dose reaches circulation, while subcutaneous injection bypasses that loss; and (2) the published efficacy data (fat loss, muscle effects) came from subcutaneous injection in mice, not oral dosing. The trade-off is that you must reconstitute the vial and inject, versus simply swallowing a capsule.
Add bacteriostatic water to the lyophilized vial and swirl gently until dissolved. A common mix is a 10 mg vial with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, giving 5 mg/mL — so 2.5 mg is 0.5 mL (50 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe) and 5 mg is 1.0 mL. Refrigerate the reconstituted solution at 2–8 °C. Use the StackTrax reconstitution calculator to convert any vial size and water volume into syringe units.
A mild injection-site sting is commonly reported and is attributed to the compound’s quinolinium chemistry. Injecting slowly, not aspirating, and rotating sites (abdomen, outer thigh, upper arm) generally reduces it. Occasional local redness or irritation can also occur.
No. 5-Amino-1MQ is not FDA approved for human use by any route and has not entered registered human clinical trials. The injectable form is sold only as a research chemical, and its subcutaneous pharmacology has not been formally characterized in peer-reviewed human studies. Long-term safety is unknown. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.
Disclaimer: This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The compounds discussed are not FDA approved for human use. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or peptide protocol. StackTrax does not sell peptides or supplements directly — purchase links go to third-party vendors. StackTrax is not responsible for the products, quality, or business practices of any third-party vendor. This page contains affiliate links — StackTrax may earn a commission on purchases at no extra cost to you.
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StackTrax guides cover peptides and compounds that are not FDA-approved for the uses discussed. The dosing, reconstitution, and safety information is compiled from published research and community protocols for educational purposes only.
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