Melanotan II

Name: Melanotan II: uses, evidence and safety
Creator: Cited Peptides Editorial

Tanning and libido. Sold online; regulators have warned against it.

By Cited Peptides Editorial Updated 2026-10-10 Medical review pending

This page has not yet been reviewed by a credentialed medical professional. It is educational and is not medical advice.

Melanotan II: key facts

Evidence level Human trials
Approved as a medicineNo
Randomized trials on PubMed4
Papers on PubMed250
Trials testing it (ClinicalTrials.gov)1
In tested sportCheck the current WADA Prohibited List

In one sentence: Melanotan II is not an approved medicine. Its strongest evidence is human trials, with 4 randomized trials on PubMed that mention it.

What the evidence says

Small human studies exist, but it is unapproved and carries recognized safety concerns.

Key studies

Randomized trials Listed on PubMed as randomized trials that mention it. Some only measure it rather than test it as a treatment.

Clinical Trial, Comparative Study1997 Skin pigmentation and pharmacokinetics of melanotan-I in humans Biopharm Drug Dispos PMID 9113347 → Randomized Controlled Trial2006 Effect of MELANOTAN, [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]-alpha-MSH, on melanin synthesis in humans with MC1R variant alleles Peptides PMID 16293341 → Clinical Trial, Randomized Controlled Trial2000 Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction Urology PMID 11018622 → Clinical Trial, Clinical Trial, Phase I2004 Effects of a superpotent melanotropic peptide in combination with solar UV radiation on tanning of the skin in human volunteers Arch Dermatol PMID 15262693 →

Reviews Summaries of other studies.

English Abstract, Review2015 [Undesirable pigmentation] Hautarzt PMID 26315100 → Review2019 Eruptive Melanocytic Nevi: A Review Am J Clin Dermatol PMID 31119650 → Case Reports, Review2019 Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan BMJ Case Rep PMID 30796078 → Review2014 Update on tanning: More risks, fewer benefits J Am Acad Dermatol PMID 24388421 →

Other notable papers The most relevant other papers on PubMed.

Case Reports, Letter2011 Melanotan-associated melanoma Br J Dermatol PMID 21564053 → 2012 [Melanotan] Actas Dermosifiliogr PMID 22051769 → Case Reports, Letter2013 Melanotan-associated transverse melanonychia J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol PMID 22182016 → Case Reports2025 Pyoderma Gangrenosum Secondary to Melanotan Cureus PMID 41487785 →

See its full evidence profile and newest papers →

Clinical trials

RecruitingPhase 2 Melanotan II (MT-II) as an Adjunct to NB-UVB Phototherapy for Repigmentation in Stable Nonsegmental Vitiligo 60 people · Hudson Biotech NCT07437560 →

Search all trials live →

Where it fits

GoalPeptides for skin & hair GoalPeptides for libido ComparisonGHK-Cu vs Melanotan II

Common questions

Is Melanotan II approved?

No. Melanotan II is not an approved medicine in the US or Canada.

Has Melanotan II been tested in people?

4 randomized trials on PubMed mention it. Small human studies exist, but it is unapproved and carries recognized safety concerns.

Is Melanotan II allowed in sport?

Check the current WADA Prohibited List; unapproved substances can be banned under its catch-all category.

This is a short, data-driven profile. Study and trial lists come from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and are refreshed periodically. "What people use it for" describes common claims, not recommendations. Educational only, not medical advice.