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5-Amino-1MQ

PRECLINICAL ONLY

Studied in cells and mice only. No published human trials.

At a glance. A small molecule that blocks an enzyme in fat tissue, studied in mice for obesity. Often sold alongside peptides, but it is not one.

Written and maintained by the AVERON Research Desk · Last reviewed September 2026

What it is

5-Amino-1MQ, short for 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, is a small molecule. It is frequently sold by peptide suppliers and discussed alongside peptides, but chemically it is not a peptide: it is not made of amino acids, and it is far smaller.

It works by blocking an enzyme called NNMT, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase. NNMT is particularly active in fat tissue, where it consumes a molecule that the body would otherwise use to make NAD+, a molecule central to energy metabolism. The theory is that blocking NNMT leaves more of that raw material available and changes how fat cells use energy.

What researchers study it for

Obesity, fat-cell metabolism and, in separate animal work, the regeneration of ageing muscle.

What the research shows

Interest in NNMT as a target began with a study by Daniel Kraus and colleagues in Nature in 2014, which found that reducing NNMT in the fat and liver of mice protected them against diet-induced obesity.

5-Amino-1MQ was then developed as a chemical inhibitor of the enzyme. A study by Harshini Neelakantan and colleagues, published in Biochemical Pharmacology in 2018, found that in mice made obese by a high-fat diet, treatment with NNMT inhibitors including 5-Amino-1MQ reduced body weight and fat mass, reduced the size of fat cells and lowered cholesterol, without a change in food intake.

That is the extent of the published evidence: studies in cells and in mice.

What it does not do, and what is not known

  • There are no published human trials of any kind. Nothing is known about its effects in people.
  • It has no established human safety profile.
  • Animal doses cannot be translated reliably into human use.
  • It is not a peptide, so information about peptide handling and stability does not necessarily apply to it.
  • Results in mice fed a high-fat diet often do not carry over to humans.

Adverse effects reported in research

No human studies have been published, so there is no adverse-effect data in people. The mouse studies did not report obvious toxicity at the doses used, but that tells us little about human safety.

Regulatory and anti-doping status

Regulatory: Not approved as a medicine anywhere.

Anti-doping: With no approval for human therapeutic use, it falls under WADA's category S0 (non-approved substances). Prohibited at all times in tested sport.

At AVERON

5-Amino-1MQ is not yet in stock. When it arrives, it will be listed in the shop, and its independent lab report will be published on our verify page before it is sold.

Frequently asked questions

No. It is a small molecule. It is often sold alongside peptides, but it is not made of amino acids.

No published human trials exist. All evidence comes from cell and mouse studies.

It is an enzyme, especially active in fat tissue, that consumes a building block the body uses to make NAD+.

Yes. As a non-approved substance it falls under WADA category S0.

Doses mentioned on this page are the arms of published trials, given to describe their results. They are not guidance.

Sources

  1. Kraus D, Yang Q, Kong D, et al.. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity. Nature, 2014;508:258–262. Link
  2. Neelakantan H, Vance V, Wetzel MD, et al.. Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. Biochemical Pharmacology, 2018;147:141–152. Link
  3. World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. WADA. Link

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