Overview
5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule that inhibits NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase), an enzyme involved in cellular metabolism. By blocking NNMT, it may increase NAD+ levels and activate SIRT1, potentially supporting fat metabolism and energy production. Preclinical studies suggest benefits for reducing fat mass while preserving lean muscle.
What the evidence shows
Separated by study type- HumanClinical trials and human studies
- No published human clinical trials.
- AnimalRodent and other animal models
- In diet-induced obese mice, NNMT inhibition combined with a low-fat diet normalised whole-body adiposity and weight to age-matched lean levels, an effect the diet switch alone did not achieve in the same timeframe. Treated animals showed a distinct caecal microbiome signature.
- In vitroCell and tissue studies
- NNMT enzyme inhibition is the established biochemical activity.
Key studies & findings
2 studies- 1
In diet-induced obese mice, the NNMT inhibitor 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium combined with a low-fat diet produced dramatic whole-body adiposity and weight loss, rapidly normalising both to age-matched lean animals — whereas the low-fat diet switch alone did not.
- 2
Treated mice developed a distinct caecal microbiome pattern, with decreased Erysipelatoclostridium and increased Lactobacillus relative abundance versus vehicle counterparts.
Benefits & effects
No benefit data has been compiled for this entry yet.
Side effects & safety
No specific adverse events have been compiled for this entry. Absence of data is not evidence of safety.
Limitations & open questions
No human trial data of any kind. The headline rodent result required a simultaneous switch to a low-fat diet — the compound was studied as an adjunct to calorie restriction, not as a standalone fat-loss agent, and marketing that omits the dietary arm misrepresents the finding. Long-term consequences of chronically inhibiting a methyltransferase that consumes S-adenosylmethionine have not been characterised. It is also frequently mis-sold as a peptide, which it is not.
Pharmacology
5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule quinolinium cation (C10H11N2+, MW 159.21, CAS 685079-15-6, PubChem CID 950107). As a permanently charged quaternary-type cation its membrane permeability and tissue distribution differ substantially from neutral small molecules. No published human pharmacokinetic data exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5-Amino-1MQ a peptide?
No. It is a small-molecule quinolinium salt with molecular formula C10H11N2+ and no amino acid sequence. It is commonly sold on peptide sites, which causes the confusion.
Does 5-Amino-1MQ cause fat loss without dieting?
That is not what the study showed. The dramatic adiposity normalisation in obese mice occurred with the inhibitor **combined with** a switch to a low-fat diet. The diet switch alone was insufficient over the same period, but the compound was never tested as a standalone intervention in that design.
Has it been tested in humans?
No published human clinical trial exists. All efficacy evidence is from rodent models.
What does NNMT actually do?
It methylates nicotinamide using a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine. This both consumes methyl donors and diverts nicotinamide away from NAD+ salvage, which is the basis for the interest in inhibiting it.
Citations
1 sources- 1