In a randomised study of people with HIV and abdominal fat accumulation, tesamorelin reduced visceral fat compared with placebo after six months. Researchers measured the change using scans.
What visceral fat is
Visceral fat sits around the internal organs. A bathroom scale measures total weight and cannot tell you how much fat is in that area. The trial did not find a corresponding difference in abdominal fat just under the skin.
What participants experienced
A separate placebo-controlled study in a similar population reported an improvement in how distressed participants felt about their body image. Both findings came from studies of people with HIV and central fat accumulation, so these studies leave open how the results apply to people pursuing general weight loss.
Evidence reviewed 15 November 2026.