Does tesamorelin help build muscle?
One analysis of two HIV trials reported that, among participants whose visceral fat fell clinically significantly, tesamorelin increased skeletal muscle area and density.
Short answer
One analysis of two HIV trials reported that, among participants whose visceral fat fell clinically significantly, tesamorelin increased skeletal muscle area and density.[1]
What the muscle measurements show
The muscle analysis kept only participants whose visceral fat fell by at least 8% on tesamorelin, so it does not describe everyone who received the drug.[1]
The measured gains were small: the rectus and psoas muscles grew by about 0.44 and 0.46 square centimetres on CT scans.[1]
A pooled analysis of four trials in people with HIV lipodystrophy reported higher lean body mass with tesamorelin, a whole-body measure rather than a muscle-specific one.[2]
An earlier dose-ranging trial in people with HIV also found lean body mass improved versus placebo, without giving a figure in the abstract.[3]
More questions on Tesamorelin
More on Tesamorelin
Sources
- 1The 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
- 2Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People Living With HIV (PLWH) With Lipodystrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care · 2026PMID 42538058Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 3A placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of a growth hormone releasing factor in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation.AIDS (London, England) · 2005PMID 16052083Accessed 2 Oct 2026
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