Tesofensine
What it’s used for
Tesofensine is an oral small-molecule drug, not a peptide, that boosts dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin signaling to affect appetite and energy use. People use it for appetite control and weight loss. It has been tested in human obesity trials, but it isn't FDA approved, and the main 2008 trial carries a published expression of concern.
- Weight loss Small human studies Tested in a 24-week trial of 203 adults with obesity; that trial's results carry a published expression of concern.
- Appetite control Community reports Used to curb appetite and help manage weight.
- Metabolic effects Community reports Explored for energy use, insulin sensitivity and blood lipids.
What to expect
- Weeks 1–2
Appetite drops
- Weeks 2–4
Weight starts to change
- Months 3–6
Weight change continues
Side effects & safety
Side effects
- Faster heart rate
- Higher blood pressure
- Dry mouth
- Trouble sleeping
- Stomach and gut (GI) symptoms
- Serious risks listed: serotonin-related problems, seizures, and heart and blood-vessel problems
- It stays in the body a long time, so side effects can drag on
Stop and get help if
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Palpitations, or a rise in blood pressure that doesn't settle
- Severe insomnia or headache
- Dehydration
- Agitation, fever or muscle rigidity
- Suicidal thoughts or mood changes
Which symptoms mean call 911 or see a doctor
What regulators say
- It isn't FDA approved; listed precautions are for an investigational drug, not a prescribing label.
Why most peptides aren’t FDA-approved What’s really in “research use only” vials
Avoid or check first if
- Taking SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs or bupropion — risky overlaps for serotonin, seizures or blood pressure
- Using stimulants — added strain on the heart; caffeine also calls for caution
In sport
Banned in competition. Named as a stimulant in S6.B, so it’s banned in competition, from 11:59 p.m. the day before an event until the event ends. Because it’s a “specified” substance, a positive test is presumed unintentional if the athlete shows it was used out of competition.
Which peptides are banned in sport
How much people take
For every goal: Oral
- Standard weight loss Once daily in the morning 0.5 mg
- Conservative & starting dose Once daily in the morning 0.25 mg
- Maximum studied dose Once daily (higher side effect rate) 1 mg
Similar doses appear in 2 other sources
How to store it
How many units do I draw?
Room temp Protect from moisture
Ready to use
The oral form doesn’t need mixing.
Combining it with others
AI assessment Based on how each compound works, not on studies of the combination. How we assess
Don’t combine 1
- MAO inhibitors Risk of dangerous serotonin and blood-pressure spikes.
Use caution 13
- Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs) Both raise serotonin. Too much can cause serotonin syndrome.
- Semaglutide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Tirzepatide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Retatrutide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Survodutide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Mazdutide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Orforglipron Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Cagrilintide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Eloralintide Tesofensine raises heart rate and blood pressure, and with a strong appetite drug it’s easy to undereat.
- Melanotan II Both can raise blood pressure.
- PT-141 Both can raise blood pressure.
- Bromantane Both raise dopamine. Expect more jitters, poor sleep and a faster heart rate.
- DSIP Opposite effects: DSIP is for sleep, this is stimulating.
What the research says
Few human studies
- That concern also limits confidence in the trial's safety data.
- The identity, purity and formulation of research-market products are unknown.
- There's no reliable human half-life estimate.
- Community dosing has no controlled outcome data behind it.
What studies found
- Major evidence-quality caveat The Lancet issued an expression of concern about the widely cited 2008 trial. Its headline weight-loss estimates should not be presented as uncontested evidence.
Molecule details haven’t been verified for this compound.
How long it stays in your body
Half-life is how fast the level in your body halves — not how long effects last or how often to dose.
- Half-life
- 234 hours
- Mostly cleared
- 49 days ≈97% gone after 5 half-lives
Human data Oral
50% left in the body
9.75 d after a dose
Drag to see how much is left over time.
Sources
Sources 11
How this page was made
How it may work: Raises dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin signaling, influencing appetite and energy regulation.
Preparation in studies: No universal bacteriostatic-water volume or validated preparation method is established for this entry.
Reference contraindication labels describe precautions for an investigational compound, not a U.S. prescribing label.
Research last checked: Oct 12, 2026 (a targeted search, not a full review).
Community doses, how long people take it, timing and storage are compiled with AI from public peptide guides, clinics and forums, cross-checked against other sources where we could, and rewritten in plain language. “Combining it with others” is an AI assessment of how the compounds work. Study notes are written from each paper’s abstract where one exists. How we source
Original source guide