5-Amino-1MQ[5-amino-1-methylquinolinium; 5A1MQ]
Compound snapshot
Class
Research peptide
FDA approved
No
Clinical development
Phase 2
Last reviewed
September 2026
Research areas
Metabolism / Body weight / Mitochondrial function
Regulatory status
Research chemical — not a peptide and not approved
Internet attention
Moderate
Registry query
5-Amino-1MQ
A small quinolinium molecule often sold beside peptides, but it is not a peptide. It was developed as an inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme linked to cellular energy and methyl-group metabolism.
Reality check — what we actually know
Supported by human evidence
- No adequately powered randomised human trials establish the outcomes this compound is marketed for.
Animal research only
- Reduced body weight and fat mass in high-fat-diet mouse studies
- Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese mice
- Reduced fatty-liver changes and improved several metabolic markers in preclinical work
Mechanistically plausible
- Inhibits NNMT, which normally uses S-adenosylmethionine to methylate nicotinamide. In obese-mouse models, changing this pathway affected NAD-related metabolism, energy expenditure, fat storage and insulin sensitivity.
Common internet claims
- Online discussion frequently presents 5-Amino-1MQ as a proven treatment rather than a research compound.
Not established
- Human efficacy for the outcomes commonly claimed
- Optimal route, quantity and duration in humans
- Long-term human safety
Evidence distribution
Each band is a live PubMed search for 5-Amino-1MQ, filtered to that kind of study. Top is the strongest evidence; the base is reasoning, not proof. A band with no records means that kind of study has not been published for this compound yet.
Mechanism and reported findings
Inhibits NNMT, which normally uses S-adenosylmethionine to methylate nicotinamide. In obese-mouse models, changing this pathway affected NAD-related metabolism, energy expenditure, fat storage and insulin sensitivity.
- Reduced body weight and fat mass in high-fat-diet mouse studies
- Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese mice
- Reduced fatty-liver changes and improved several metabolic markers in preclinical work
- Produced greater fat loss when paired with a lower-calorie diet in mice than diet alone
Strength of the evidence: Preclinical only. The published evidence is from cells and animal models; there are no published controlled human trials establishing effectiveness, pharmacokinetics or safety for weight loss.
Safety and known cautions
Not approved for any human use. NNMT participates in normal liver, kidney and methyl-donor biology, so blocking it may have effects that mouse studies cannot predict. Internet products are unregulated research chemicals, not weight-loss medicines.
Evidence at a glance
No single score, on purpose. The line beside each bar shows how much reported outcomes vary between studies.
Development stage
- Discovery
- Preclinical
- Phase 1
- Phase 2Current
- Phase 3
- Regulatory review
- Approved