5-Amino-1MQ
Also known as: 5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium, 5A1MQ, 5-Amino-1MQ NNMT inhibitor
Lower numbers = closer to natural. Higher numbers = more enhanced.
Why this rating?
5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase). By blocking NNMT it spares nicotinamide and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), raises intracellular NAD+, and, in obese mice, increases energy expenditure and reduces fat mass without changing food intake. It is an oral metabolic/NAD+ agent, not a hormone, and does not build muscle or affect testosterone. It is rated 1 (basically natty) because it does not push muscle, strength, or body composition beyond a natural ceiling by any established path: its fat-loss/metabolic-rate effect is an unproven, mouse-only extrapolation with no human efficacy data, making it a longevity/NAD+ biology compound rather than a real physique-enhancing agent.
Overview
An orally-active small molecule that inhibits nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme overexpressed in fat tissue in obesity. NNMT normally clears nicotinamide by methylating it (spending a methyl group from SAM); blocking it is intended to recycle more nicotinamide back into NAD+, raise cellular NAD+, and increase metabolic rate in fat cells. It sits on the same NAD+/methylation axis as NAD precursors but works from the opposite direction, reducing NAD breakdown rather than adding raw material.
Purpose & Use Cases
Fat Loss / Metabolic Rate
The headline use: NNMT inhibition raised metabolic rate and reduced fat mass in obese mice without appetite changes; extrapolated to a fat-loss/recomp aid.
Raising Intracellular NAD+
Blocks the NNMT "leak" that clears nicotinamide, sparing it for NAD+ salvage, an alternative to loading NAD+ precursors.
Sirtuin / Longevity Support
Higher NAD+ supports sirtuin activity, tying it to the broader NAD+/longevity theme.
Oral Convenience
Unlike injectable metabolic peptides, it is a small molecule taken orally.
Benefits
- Increases metabolic rate and reduces fat mass in animal models (no change in food intake)
- Raises intracellular NAD+ by blocking its breakdown pathway
- Spares SAM/methyl groups (opposite of the methylation burden from high-dose niacin)
- Supports sirtuin activity via higher NAD+
- Orally active small molecule: no injections
- Non-hormonal: no PCT, no aromatization, no androgenic effects
Good to Know
It is the "other end" of the NAD+ / methylation story
On the NAD+ page, NNMT is the enzyme that clears excess nicotinamide by methylating it, spending SAM and generating homocysteine. 5-Amino-1MQ blocks that very enzyme, so instead of buffering the methyl drain with TMG (the NAD-precursor approach), it prevents the drain and keeps nicotinamide in the NAD+ salvage loop. Same axis, opposite lever.
A small molecule, not a peptide
Despite being sold on peptide-research sites, 5-Amino-1MQ is an orally-active small molecule (a methylquinolinium). That is why it is dosed as oral capsules rather than injected and is categorised as "other," not a peptide.
All the good data is in mice
The fat-loss, higher-NAD+, and increased-energy-expenditure findings come from Neelakantan et al. (2018) and cell-culture work. There are no human efficacy or safety trials. The community fat-loss reputation is extrapolation from rodent studies.
Not anabolic or androgenic
It does not build muscle, aromatize, convert to DHT, or affect testosterone, no AI, no finasteride considerations, and no PCT apply. Its lane is metabolism and NAD+ biology.
Dosage Guidelines
| Experience Level | Dosage Range |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 50 – 50 mg/day |
| Intermediate | 50 – 100 mg/day |
| Advanced | 100 – 150 mg/day |
There is no validated human dose. These ranges reflect community practice, typically 50-150mg once daily in 8-12 week blocks, loosely back-calculated from rodent efficacy doses (roughly 10-34mg/kg/day via subcutaneous injection in Neelakantan et al. 2018 and Babula et al. 2024), which do not translate directly to human oral dosing. Oral bioavailability in rats is ~38% with a ~6.9 hour oral half-life (Awosemo et al. 2021), consistent with once- or twice-daily oral dosing, but no human PK data exist. Best treated as an adjunct to diet/training, not a standalone fat-loss driver.
~6.9 hours after oral dosing in rats (~3.8 hours IV); oral bioavailability ~38% (Awosemo et al. 2021). No human pharmacokinetic data exist.
Side Effects
Limited Human Safety Data
commonThe single biggest issue: no human trials exist, so the real-world side-effect profile is essentially unknown. Reported tolerability is anecdotal.
Recognise it as experimental; start low; do not assume mouse safety transfers.
Mild GI Upset
uncommonOccasional nausea or stomach discomfort with oral dosing.
Take with food; lower the dose.
Theoretical NNMT-Inhibition Effects
rareNNMT also influences methylation balance and has context-dependent roles in some cancers; the long-term consequences of chronically inhibiting it in humans are unknown.
Avoid indefinite use; cycle; be cautious with a relevant medical history.
Sourcing / Purity Risk
commonUnregulated research chemical: purity and actual content vary by supplier.
Use a tested product with a certificate of analysis.
General Mitigation Strategies
The dominant caution with 5-Amino-1MQ is the complete absence of human data rather than any specific known toxicity. Treat it as experimental: start low, cycle rather than run indefinitely, pair it with diet and training rather than relying on it, and verify product quality. Consider basic bloodwork if used for extended periods.
Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)
Not hormonal. Does not affect the HPTA or testosterone. No PCT required.
How It Works
NNMT methylates nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3 and an NAD+ precursor) into 1-methylnicotinamide, consuming a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) in the process. In obesity, adipose NNMT is upregulated, so it burns through nicotinamide and SAM and drains the pool available for NAD+ synthesis. 5-Amino-1MQ is a selective, membrane-permeable NNMT inhibitor: by shutting the enzyme down it spares nicotinamide (allowing more to be salvaged into NAD+) and spares SAM (a methyl donor). The resulting rise in intracellular NAD+ increases activity of NAD+-dependent sirtuins (SIRT1/SIRT3), which promote fatty-acid oxidation, mitochondrial function, and energy expenditure. In diet-induced-obese mice this reduced body weight and white-fat mass and lowered cholesterol without changing food intake; in adipocyte culture it lowered lipid accumulation and raised NAD+ and oxygen consumption.
Fundamentals
Reference on the practices relevant to 5-Amino-1MQ: how they are done and where they go wrong. Not a recommendation to use it.
Common Stacks
- 5-Amino-1MQ + NAD+/NMN - Raise NAD+ from both synthesis and breakdown sides
- 5-Amino-1MQ + Metformin - Metabolic/insulin-sensitivity fat-loss support
- 5-Amino-1MQ + GLP-1 (e.g. semaglutide) - Appetite control plus a metabolic-rate angle
Legal Status
Research chemical (USA). Not FDA-approved for human use. Sold for research; commonly taken orally.
Legal status varies by country and changes over time. This is a general summary, not legal advice.
WADA Status
5-Amino-1MQ is not explicitly named on the WADA Prohibited List and does not map to the listed S4 metabolic-modulator subsections. As an unapproved research chemical with no governmental approval for human therapeutic use, it could plausibly be argued under the S0 catch-all (Non-Approved Substances) for tested athletes, so its status is genuinely unclear rather than confirmed. Verify with your sport's anti-doping body before competition.
References
- Neelakantan et al. 2018: Selective NNMT inhibitors reverse high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice (Biochem Pharmacol; DOI 10.1016/j.bcp.2017.11.007)
- Babula et al.: NNMT inhibition (5A1MQ) mitigates obesity-related metabolic dysfunctions in diet-induced obese mice (Diabetes Obes Metab 2024, PMC11622326)
- Roles of NNMT in obesity and type 2 diabetes (review, PMC8337113)
- Awosemo et al. 2021: LC-MS/MS assay for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium in rat plasma: pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability study (J Pharm Biomed Anal; DOI 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114255)