5-Amino-1MQ

5-Amino-1MQ, in full 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium and sometimes written 5-amino-1MQ or 5A-1MQ, is a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It is a positively charged quinolinium salt developed as a research tool for studying fat cell metabolism, and all published data comes from cells and mice. This page lists every brand of 5-Amino-1MQ stocked at Free Muscle, compared on strength per capsule where stated, capsules per pack and whether a batch certificate is available. Sold for laboratory research to adults only.

What is 5-Amino-1MQ?

NNMT is an enzyme found at high levels in the liver and in white fat. It transfers a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine onto nicotinamide, producing 1-methylnicotinamide. In doing so it consumes both a methyl donor and a precursor of NAD+, the coenzyme at the centre of cellular energy metabolism. In 2014 a group at Harvard reported that NNMT expression is raised in the fat of obese mice and that knocking the enzyme down protected the animals against diet-induced obesity, which made NNMT a target for drug discovery.

5-Amino-1MQ came out of a medicinal chemistry programme at the University of Texas Medical Branch that screened quinolinium compounds for NNMT inhibition. It was chosen because it inhibits the enzyme selectively, enters cells despite its permanent positive charge, and does not inhibit related methyltransferases. In cultured fat cells it reduced the accumulation of lipid, and in mice fed a high-fat diet it reduced body weight and fat mass. It has never been in a clinical trial. There is no human pharmacokinetic, safety or efficacy data, it is not approved as a medicine anywhere, and the claims that accompany it online go well beyond anything published.

What the published research reports

• NNMT knockdown and diet-induced obesity in mice (2014). Using antisense oligonucleotides rather than a drug, researchers reduced NNMT in the liver and fat of mice on a high-fat diet. Treated animals gained less fat, showed higher energy expenditure, higher NAD+ levels and changes in polyamine metabolism. This established the target but did not test any small-molecule inhibitor. Kraus D, et al. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity. Nature. 2014;508(7495):258-262. PMID: 24717514.
• Small-molecule NNMT inhibitors reverse diet-induced obesity in mice (2018). Membrane-permeable quinolinium inhibitors including 5-amino-1MQ were tested in cultured adipocytes and in obese mice. Treated mice lost body weight and white fat mass and had lower plasma cholesterol than controls, without a change in food intake. The study covered a matter of weeks in an obesity model only and did not examine lean animals or long-term effects. Neelakantan H, et al. Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. Biochem Pharmacol. 2018;147:141-152. PMID: 29155147.
• Muscle regeneration in aged mice (2019). Twenty-four-month-old mice with an acute muscle injury received an NNMT inhibitor for one to three weeks. Muscle stem cell proliferation, myofibre cross-sectional area and peak contractile torque were higher than in untreated aged controls, with torque roughly 70 per cent higher. The authors describe the findings as limited to senescent mice and cell culture, with unclear relevance to human ageing. Neelakantan H, et al. Small molecule nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibitor activates senescent muscle stem cells and improves regenerative capacity of aged skeletal muscle. Biochem Pharmacol. 2019;163:481-492. PMID: 30753815.

All of this is preclinical, largely from one research group, and involves doses set per kilogram of mouse body weight that do not translate to a capsule. NNMT also acts in the liver and in cancer biology, and the consequences of inhibiting it in humans over time have not been studied. None of the above is a claim about any product on this page.

Brands of 5-Amino-1MQ we stock

• Thoroughbred Labs 5-Amino-1MQ, 60 capsules. A third-party brand in capsule form, 60 capsules per pack. The per-capsule strength is not stated in our listing data, so check the label detail on the product page before comparing. A batch certificate of analysis is shown only where Thoroughbred Labs supplies one for the batch we hold, and is not shown otherwise. View Thoroughbred Labs 5-Amino-1MQ.

At present this is the only 5-Amino-1MQ we stock. Free Muscle does not make its own version. Other brands will be added to this page when held in stock, on the same terms.

How to compare them

Multiply the strength per capsule by the number of capsules to get total milligrams per pack, then divide the price by that figure for a cost per milligram. Where a listing does not state a strength, treat the pack as unquantified until you have seen the certificate, because a pack of 60 capsules can contain very different amounts of compound. Check who tested the batch, what method was used, whether the certificate covers identity as well as purity, and whether the batch number on the certificate matches the pack. Note also that 5-Amino-1MQ is a salt, so the certificate should say whether the stated weight refers to the salt or to the active cation.

Batch testing and certificates of analysis

A certificate of analysis (COA) for a research compound reports identity, confirming that the material is 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, and purity, the proportion of the sample that is the compound, typically by HPLC with mass spectrometry to confirm identity. A good certificate names the laboratory, method, batch number and date. Because this compound is a simple quinolinium salt, identity testing matters: related quinolinium compounds exist and would not be distinguished by appearance.

For Thoroughbred Labs we show a certificate only where the manufacturer supplies one for the batch we hold. A generic PDF with no batch number, no date or no named laboratory is not a batch certificate. Free Muscle brand products are assayed by Janoshik Analytical for every batch, with certificates available by email on request. See our lab testing page for how to read one.

Legal status in the UK

5-Amino-1MQ is not a licensed medicine in the UK. The MHRA has not assessed it, it has never been through a clinical trial, and it is not an authorised food supplement or a permitted novel food. It is supplied by Free Muscle for laboratory research to adults aged 18 or over, and not for human consumption.

For sport, 5-Amino-1MQ is not named on the WADA Prohibited List, and we are not aware of published anti-doping detection work on it. That is not the same as being permitted: the list's metabolic modulators section includes a clause for substances with similar biological effects, and the status of a compound can change at each annual revision. Anyone subject to anti-doping rules should check with their governing body and should assume that an unlicensed metabolic compound is at risk of being treated as prohibited. Our SARMs research guide explains how the UK regulates unlicensed research compounds in general.

Storage and handling

Keep the container tightly sealed in a cool, dry place away from direct light and heat. Quinolinium salts can be sensitive to moisture and light, so reseal promptly after opening. Keep the batch number with the material, do not transfer capsules into unlabelled containers, and handle in line with good laboratory practice. Keep out of the reach of children and animals.

Delivery and returns

Free Muscle is a UK company, FreeMuscle LTD, based in Scunthorpe. Every order ships with free tracked UK delivery in plain packaging. Orders placed before 2pm Monday to Friday are processed the same working day. EU delivery takes 3 to 7 working days. Unopened items can be returned within 30 days. Customers must be 18 or over. See shipping and our guarantee for the full terms.

Related reading

• What Are SARMs? The 2026 Research Guide
• How to Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Price per milligram: the only honest way to compare
• Muscle Market is live: five brands, one basket, one parcel

Related collections: SLU-PP-332, Metabolic support, Cardarine (GW-501516), Thoroughbred Labs.

All products on this page are supplied for laboratory research use only. 5-Amino-1MQ is not a licensed medicine, has no human data and has not been evaluated by the MHRA, EMA or FDA. It is not a food supplement and is not for human consumption. You must be 18 or over to order. Nothing on this page is medical or dosing advice.

Research guides

• SLU-PP-332 and 5-Amino-1MQ: what the mouse data show