Skip to content
Peptigraph home

IGF-1 LR3 vs Tesamorelin: What the Research Shows

IGF-1 LR3 and Tesamorelin side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
IGF-1 analogNot FDA approved · research chemicalIGF-1 LR3IGF-1 LR3, a long-acting IGF-1 analog with no published human trial; in rats it was 2.5 to 3 times more potent than IGF-I at restoring growth.[15]Growth hormone+230% searchesGHRH analogFDA approved (Egrifta)TesamorelinFDA-approved GHRH analog (Egrifta) for excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; visceral fat fell 15.2% versus a 5.0% rise with placebo in a randomized trial.[16]Growth hormone+188% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider IGF-1 LR3 if…

No sourced contrast for this side yet. We add a point here only when it is tied to a study or label.

Consider Tesamorelin if…

  • you want a product with an FDA label: Egrifta is indicated to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy and is not indicated for weight loss management[10]
  • you want randomized data in HIV-associated lipodystrophy: Visceral adipose tissue fell 15.2% with tesamorelin and rose 5.0% with placebo by the end of treatment.[16]

What they have in common

  • Only animal or lab studies of IGF-1 LR3 were found (e.g. rat): The IGF-I variants were 2.5-3 times more potent than IGF-I at restoring growth in diabetic rats.[15]
Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 12 of 14 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026 are the same or both unknown.

FieldIGF-1 LR3Tesamorelin
ClassIGF-1 analogGHRH analog
Also calledLR3tesa, Egrifta
FDA statusNot FDA approved · research chemicalFDA approved (Egrifta)
WADAProhibited by WADA (S2.3)IGF-1 and its analogues (LR3 is an IGF-1 analogue) are prohibited in S2.3, at all times.Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.4)Tesamorelin is named as a GHRH analogue in S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors), prohibited at all times. Tesamorelin is also an FDA-approved medicine; an athlete would need a therapeutic use exemption.
Anti-doping detectionNone reportedanti-doping literature, as of 2 Oct 2026
  • A urine assay detects CJC-1295 and other GHRH analogues at very low concentrations.PMID 35298973
  • Labs expect GHRH analogues like CJC-1295 to be hard to find because of tiny urine concentrations; the study reports no detections in routine anti-doping samples.PMID 34665524
Half-life563 min half-life in wound fluid (versus 872 min for IGF-I)wound chamber (rat) (rat) · The American journal of physiology 1999, PMID 1019830211 minutessubcutaneous (EGRIFTA WR 1.28 mg) · FDA label (Egrifta WR)
Evidence strengthHuman observational evidence, 3 of 4Strongest: Growth hormone & IGF research 2010, PMID 20675162Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: eNeurologicalSci 2026, PMID 42382101
Human studies we summarised1 human (0 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold0.1 mg, 1 mg2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
US searches per month22,200 · +230% searches165,000 · +188% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026Not in the letters we trackYes (24 Aug 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

IGF-1 LR3 and Tesamorelin together

People also search for this pair as a stack. The stack page covers timing and interaction questions as they are sourced. Evidence for the combination: No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 1 result, 2 Oct 2026).

Open the stack page
StackIGF-1 LR3 + Tesamorelin, taken as separate injectionsStack page

Sources

  1. 1FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Clearance of IGFs and insulin from wounds: effect of IGF-binding protein interactions.The American journal of physiology · 1999PMID 10198302Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Detection of His-tagged Long-R³-IGF-I in a black market product.Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society · 2010PMID 20675162Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5IGF-1 LR3 does not promote growth in late-gestation growth-restricted fetal sheep.American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism · 2025PMID 39679943Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Intranasal long R3 insulin-like growth factor-1 treatment promotes amyloid plaque remodeling in cerebral cortex but fails to preserve cognitive function in male 5XFAD mice.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2025PMID 39610283Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Insulin-like growth factor-I and analogues increase growth in artificially-reared neonatal pigs.The British journal of nutrition · 2002PMID 12067429Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8An antibody-free, ultrafiltration-based assay for the detection of growth hormone-releasing hormones in urine at low pg/mL concentrations using nanoLC-HRMS/MS.Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2022PMID 35298973Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs.Drug testing and analysis · 2021PMID 34665524Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10EGRIFTA WR (TESAMORELIN) KIT [THERATECHNOLOGIES INC.]FDA label (Egrifta WR), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11The effect of growth hormone-releasing hormone on cognition and brain connectivity in adults with cognition ranging from normal to mild cognitive impairment.eNeurologicalSci · 2026PMID 42382101Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial.The lancet. HIV · 2019PMID 31611038Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV.The Journal of frailty & aging · 2019PMID 31237318Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14PubMed search: ("Long R3"[tiab] OR (LR3[tiab] AND (IGF[tiab] OR "IGF-1"[tiab] OR "IGF-I"[tiab] OR "insulin-like growth factor"[tiab]))) AND (tesamorelin[tiab] OR Egrifta[tiab] OR TH9507[tiab] OR "TH-9507"[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15Insulin-like growth factor-I and more potent variants restore growth of diabetic rats without inducing all characteristic insulin effects.The Biochemical journal · 1993PMID 7683875Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV.The New England journal of medicine · 2007PMID 18057338Accessed 2 Oct 2026

Found an error? Report a correction.