Daily Deep Dive: Tesofensine was originally developed for Alzheimerās and Parkinsonās, but it ended up showing powerful fat loss effects ā around 10%+ body weight reduction in 6 months in clinical trials. Hereās whatās going on under the hood š
āļø Mechanisms of Action
Tesofensine is a triple monoamine reuptake inhibitor, meaning it blocks the reuptake (or recycling) of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain.
That does a few key things:
š§© 1. Increased Dopamine ā Motivation & Drive
- Dopamine elevation boosts energy, focus, and reward signaling.
- This is one reason users report more motivation to train and a general āfeel-goodā effect.
- However, too much dopamine activity over time can lead to tolerance or burnout, so cycling or taking breaks helps.
š„ 2. Increased Norepinephrine ā Fat Mobilization
- Norepinephrine is your āfight or flightā hormone ā it raises metabolism, heart rate, and thermogenesis.
- By keeping norepinephrine elevated longer, tesofensine promotes greater lipolysis (fat breakdown) and energy expenditure even at rest.
š½ļø 3. Increased Serotonin ā Appetite Suppression
- Serotonin plays a major role in satiety and mood regulation.
- Higher serotonin = stronger appetite control, fewer cravings, and greater satisfaction from smaller meals.
- This is one of the primary reasons tesofensine works so well for weight loss ā it directly reduces food intake at the brain level.
ā” Net Effect
- ā Appetite (stronger than phentermine)
- ā Energy expenditure & fat oxidation
- ā Mood, focus, and motivation
- ā Cravings and emotional eating
𧬠Additional Notes
- Tesofensine does not act like a stimulant (no direct amphetamine structure), but the neurochemical profile is similar to a mix of bupropion + phentermine + serotonin modulators.
- Because it acts centrally, dosing too high can cause jitteriness, sleep disruption, or elevated blood pressure.
- Common cycle length: 8ā12 weeks, followed by a break to prevent receptor desensitization and dopamine depletion.
š” Takeaway
Tesofensine works through a multi-pathway approach ā increasing catecholamine activity to burn fat while improving serotonin balance to crush hunger. It's one of the few compounds that simultaneously targets motivation, metabolism, and appetite ā which is why itās gaining so much attention in modern metabolic optimization.
š¤ Research dosing
- 250mcg -1 mg per day via capsule
- Low and Slow
- The Research Doesn't Work Unless You Do