Tesa peptide dosage explained: tesamorelin ranges, TESA/IPA blend ratios, injection timing, side effects, and legal status in the United States.
Tesamorelin — usually shortened to "tesa" — is dosed at 1.4 mg to 2 mg injected subcutaneously once daily in its FDA-approved form. A TESA/IPA blend used in research and community settings is typically dosed at about 1 mg tesamorelin plus 100–300 mcg ipamorelin per injection. Only tesamorelin alone is FDA-approved (as Egrifta SV, for HIV-associated lipodystrophy), so blend dosing comes from user protocols rather than controlled trials.
What "Tesa Peptide" Refers To
"Tesa" is shorthand for tesamorelin, a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It binds GHRH receptors in the pituitary and prompts the body to release its own growth hormone, which in turn raises IGF-1.
The FDA approved tesamorelin in 2010 as Egrifta, and a lower-dose formulation, Egrifta SV, in 2014. The approved indication is reduction of excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy — not general weight loss or anti-aging.
Ipamorelin is a separate peptide that mimics ghrelin and triggers a growth hormone pulse with little effect on cortisol or prolactin. Stacking the two is popular in research circles because they act on different receptors, but the combination has not been studied in large human trials.
Tesamorelin Dosage: What the Label Actually Says
The approved dosing is simple, and it is the only tesa peptide dosage backed by phase 3 data.
| Form | Dose | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egrifta SV | 1.4 mg | Once daily | Single-use vial, subcutaneous abdomen |
| Original Egrifta | 2 mg | Once daily | Reconstituted with the provided diluent |
Injections go into the abdomen, and the site should be rotated each time. The label recommends injecting at the same time every day, and many clinicians suggest bedtime because natural growth hormone release peaks during deep sleep.
- Do not inject into skin that is red, bruised, or scarred.
- Missed doses are generally skipped rather than doubled.
- IGF-1 levels are often monitored during treatment.
TESA/IPA Blend Dosage
Blend vials are sold in several ratios, most commonly 1:1 or 2:1 tesamorelin to ipamorelin. Because the ratio changes how much of each peptide sits in every tick on the syringe, a tesa ipa blend dosage should always be stated in micrograms or milligrams of each peptide — never in "units."
| Vial Ratio | Reconstitution | Concentration | 0.1 mL (10 units) delivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg tesa / 5 mg ipa | 2 mL BAC water | 5 mg/mL total | 250 mcg tesa + 250 mcg ipa |
| 10 mg tesa / 5 mg ipa | 3 mL BAC water | 5 mg/mL total | 333 mcg tesa + 167 mcg ipa |
| 10 mg tesa / 10 mg ipa | 2 mL BAC water | 10 mg/mL total | 500 mcg tesa + 500 mcg ipa |
Community protocols usually land in one of three ranges. These numbers are not validated by clinical trials and are listed only to show how people describe tesa ipa dosage.
| Approach | Tesamorelin | Ipamorelin | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 300–500 mcg | 100–150 mcg | Once daily, pre-bed |
| Standard | 1 mg | 100–200 mcg | Once daily, pre-bed |
| Higher | 1.4–2 mg | 200–300 mcg | Once daily, pre-bed |
How to Calculate a Blend Dose
- Read the total milligrams of each peptide on the vial label.
- Add bacteriostatic water slowly down the inside wall of the vial — never shake it.
- Divide total milligrams by milliliters of water to get the concentration.
- Multiply that concentration by the volume you plan to draw to get the dose of each peptide.
- Use a U-100 insulin syringe, where 100 units equals 1 mL.
Skip any vial without a printed lot number, peptide mass, or third-party purity report. Independent lab testing is the only way to know what is actually inside the vial.
Timing, Storage, and Injection Basics
- Fasting: Carbs and insulin blunt growth hormone pulses, so most protocols use a fasted state — roughly two hours before and 30 minutes after injecting.
- Timing: Pre-bed dosing lines up with the body's natural overnight growth hormone peak.
- Storage: Unreconstituted powder stays in the fridge or a cool, dark place; reconstituted vials go in the refrigerator at 2–8 °C and are usually discarded after about 28 days.
- Handling: Never freeze reconstituted peptide, and keep it out of direct light.
Side Effects and Safety
Tesamorelin's label lists injection site reactions, joint and muscle pain, swelling, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. It can also raise IGF-1 and blood sugar, which matters for anyone with diabetes or a personal history of cancer.
Tesamorelin is contraindicated during pregnancy, in people with active malignancy, and in people with pituitary or hypothalamic disruption. Ipamorelin is generally described as gentler on cortisol and prolactin, but it remains an unapproved research peptide.
Any use of a TESA/IPA blend outside a clinical trial is off-label and unsupervised. A licensed healthcare provider is the right person to discuss risks, lab work, and monitoring.
Both tesamorelin and ipamorelin are banned by WADA, so tested athletes should assume any use would produce a positive result.
Is Tesa Peptide Legal in the United States?
Tesamorelin is a prescription drug in the US, sold as Egrifta SV for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Using it for fat loss, body composition, or anti-aging is off-label even when a prescription is involved.
TESA/IPA blends sold online are almost always labeled "for research use only, not for human consumption." That label does not make personal use legal, and the FDA has repeatedly warned about unapproved peptide products sold directly to consumers.
Other Peptide Dosages People Compare
Because tesa is one of several growth hormone–related peptides, searchers often end up comparing entire protocols. A cjc 1295 ipamorelin peptide dosage, for example, is usually written in micrograms per injection rather than milligrams, and it is often stacked on the same fasted pre-bed schedule.
In fat-loss research, an aod 9604 peptide dosage for beginners is typically listed far lower than a tesamorelin dose, and a lipo-c peptide dosage chart is usually built around weekly injections rather than daily ones.
Metabolic and sleep peptides attract similar questions. A mots-c peptide dosage protocol is normally described as a short cycle with breaks, while a dsip peptide injection dosage is almost always tied to bedtime because of its effect on sleep architecture.
Forum threads are not a dosing standard. Numbers posted on Reddit, TikTok, or vendor blogs are frequently copied from unrelated peptides, and some are simply wrong.
Bottom Line
The only well-documented tesa peptide dosage is 1.4 mg to 2 mg of tesamorelin injected subcutaneously once daily for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Blend doses of roughly 1 mg tesamorelin plus 100–300 mcg ipamorelin come from community protocols, not from controlled research. Because neither the blend nor off-label tesamorelin use is FDA-approved, talk with a healthcare provider before considering any peptide injection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much tesa peptide should I take daily?
The FDA-approved tesamorelin dose is 1.4 mg (Egrifta SV) or 2 mg (original Egrifta), injected subcutaneously once daily. Research blends are commonly described at 300 mcg to 1 mg of tesamorelin plus 100–300 mcg of ipamorelin, but those numbers have not been tested in clinical trials. A healthcare provider, not a vendor's website, should guide any dosing decision.
What is the best tesa/ipa blend dosage?
There is no established best dose, because no TESA/IPA blend has been approved or formally studied in humans. Most community protocols use a 1:1 to 2:1 tesamorelin-to-ipamorelin ratio and target about 1 mg tesamorelin with 100–200 mcg ipamorelin once daily before bed. Always describe the dose in micrograms of each peptide, since syringe units change with every vial ratio.
Can you buy tesa peptide legally without a prescription?
No. Tesamorelin is a prescription-only drug in the United States and is approved only for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Vials sold online as research chemicals are not a legal way to obtain it for personal use. Importing or using unapproved peptides carries legal risk plus unknown purity and sterility.
This page provides educational research information and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.