What it is
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, often written 5A1MQ) is a small molecule, not a peptide. It blocks an enzyme called nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). One research group (Neelakantan, Watowich and colleagues) developed a family of these quinolinium inhibitors and has published most of the work on them.
It appears in this library because research suppliers sell it next to fat-loss peptides, and because people ask about it alongside MOTS-c and SLU-PP-332. All of the evidence so far is from cells and mice.
How it works
NNMT attaches a methyl group to nicotinamide (vitamin B3), using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as the methyl donor. The product is 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA).
The interest in NNMT started with a 2014 Nature paper by Kraus and colleagues. They found NNMT expression was raised in the fat tissue and liver of obese and diabetic mice. When they knocked the enzyme down in those tissues, the mice were protected against diet-induced obesity, because their cells burned more energy. Knockdown also raised SAM and NAD+ levels in fat tissue.
Small-molecule inhibitors such as 5-Amino-1MQ are an attempt to get the same result with a drug instead of gene knockdown. By stopping NNMT from consuming nicotinamide, the idea is that more of it stays available for making NAD+, a coenzyme central to energy metabolism.
What the research found
There are no published human trials. Everything below is animal or cell data.
Cell and chemistry studies
- Neelakantan, 2017. Quinolinium compounds inhibited NNMT at low micromolar concentrations (IC50 around 1 micromolar) and were selective for NNMT over related methyltransferase enzymes.
Mouse studies
- Neelakantan, 2018. In fat cells, the inhibitors lowered 1-MNA, raised intracellular NAD+ and SAM, and suppressed fat production. In diet-induced obese mice, a potent inhibitor reduced body weight and white fat mass, shrank fat cells and lowered total cholesterol, without changing how much the mice ate.
- Babula, 2024. This study used 5A1MQ by name. Obese mice on a high-fat diet received it once daily for 28 days. It limited gains in body weight and fat mass in a dose-dependent way, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, reduced fatty liver, and normalised the liver enzymes ALT and AST. After subcutaneous dosing, it reached fat, muscle and liver.
- Neelakantan, 2019. In 24-month-old mice, an NNMT inhibitor activated ageing muscle stem cells and improved muscle regeneration after injury.
What this does not tell us: whether the doses that worked in mice are safe or effective in people, whether the oral capsules sold online reach the same tissue levels as the subcutaneous doses used in the 2024 study, or what happens with long-term use.
Side effects reported in studies
No human safety data has been published. The mouse papers did not report adverse effects in their abstracts, but mouse studies are not designed to pick up the effects that matter in people. Anyone reading claims of a known human side-effect profile should ask where the data comes from.
5-Amino-1MQ vs other metabolic research compounds
| Compound | Type | Best evidence | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Amino-1MQ | Small molecule, NNMT inhibitor | Obese mice | Preclinical |
| MOTS-c | Mitochondrial peptide | Mice | Early research |
| SLU-PP-332 | Small molecule, ERR agonist | Mice | Preclinical |
| Semaglutide | GLP-1 agonist peptide | Large human RCTs | Approved medicine |
Status in the Philippines
5-Amino-1MQ is not registered with FDA Philippines and is not approved by any drug regulator elsewhere. It is not a controlled substance. Locally it is sold as a research compound, mostly in capsule form, with more visibility in Manila wellness circles than elsewhere.
Storage
As a dry small molecule it is less fragile than a peptide, but heat and humidity still degrade most research compounds. Keep capsules or powder sealed, dry and away from heat. In a Philippine summer, a cool cupboard is the minimum; refrigeration is a reasonable default for powder.
