What it is
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small molecule, not a peptide. It is a membrane-permeable inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme concentrated in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. It appears in preclinical metabolic, adipose, and muscle-ageing research.
How it works
NNMT methylates nicotinamide, and blocking that step is proposed to raise cellular NAD+ and S-adenosylmethionine in adipocytes. Published work reports suppressed lipogenesis in fat cells, though the pathway linking this to whole-animal fat loss is not established.
Regulatory status
- Cosmetic ingredient
- Research compound
- In clinical trials
- Approved medicine
Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or the EMA. Some are registered in individual countries. Supplied for laboratory research only.
What published research is studying
- Body weight, fat mass, and adipocyte size in diet-induced obese mice
- Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and hepatic steatosis in rodent models
- Muscle stem cell activity, grip strength, and regeneration in aged mice
- NAD+ and methyl-donor metabolism in cultured adipocytes
Key findings
In diet-induced obese mice, small-molecule NNMT inhibitors reduced body weight, white adipose mass, adipocyte size, and plasma cholesterol, with no change in total food intake.
Neelakantan H et al., Biochem Pharmacol 2018In diet-induced obese mice given 5-amino-1MQ over 28 days, gains in body weight and fat mass fell dose-dependently, with improved oral glucose tolerance.
Babula JJ et al., Diabetes Obes Metab 2024In 24-month-old mice, an NNMT inhibitor was associated with roughly 40% greater grip strength than sedentary controls, and roughly 60% when paired with exercise.
Dimet-Wiley AL et al., Sci Rep 2024In aged mice after muscle injury, an NNMT inhibitor was reported to nearly double myofiber cross-sectional area and raise peak tibialis anterior torque by about 70% versus controls.
Neelakantan H et al., Biochem Pharmacol 2019
What the studies measured
Study durations
- Diet-induced obesity study in mice: 28 days of dosing (Babula et al. 2024).
- Aged-mouse muscle function study: dosing from 22 to 24 months of age (Dimet-Wiley et al. 2024).
- Muscle regeneration study: 1 to 3 weeks of dosing after injury in 24-month-old mice (Neelakantan et al. 2019).
Endpoints
- Body weight and fat mass gain in rodents
- White adipose mass and adipocyte size
- Oral glucose tolerance and fasting insulin
- Hepatic triglyceride content and transaminase levels
- Grip strength, peak torque, and myofiber cross-sectional area
How strong is the evidence?
All published efficacy data come from rodent and cell-culture studies. No completed human trial of 5-amino-1MQ has been published.
Common questions
Is 5-Amino-1MQ an approved medicine?
Research compound. Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or the EMA. Some are registered in individual countries. Supplied for laboratory research only.
How much human research is there on 5-Amino-1MQ?
All published efficacy data come from rodent and cell-culture studies. No completed human trial of 5-amino-1MQ has been published.
Does UU supply 5-Amino-1MQ?
Yes, as premium-grade research material for laboratory use. Every batch is tested by an independent lab and the certificate of analysis is published.