Melanotan-2 Dosage Calculator

The presets in our calculator reflect the dosing parameters most frequently utilized in clinical pharmacokinetics studying non-selective melanocortin receptor (MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, MC5R) agonism. 

• Low (0.1mg / 100mcg): Often utilized as a baseline to evaluate subject tolerability. Due to MT-II’s potent side effect profile (such as acute nausea and flushing), conservative loading protocols initiate at this threshold to stimulate initial melanogenesis without autonomic distress.¹
• Mid (0.5mg / 500mcg): The standard median dosage cited in early clinical trials evaluating substantial increases in melanin density and the initiation of behavioral (arousal) responses via MC4R pathways.²
• High (1.0mg / 1000mcg): The upper threshold typically used in acute study phases. While doses up to 1mg have been heavily documented to produce significant changes in skin pigmentation and erectile function, research universally notes a high correlation with nausea, lethargy, and mild blood pressure fluctuations at this peak dose.³
  

In experimental loading protocols, Melanotan-2 is most commonly administered once daily. To simulate photoprotection, researchers often coordinate administration with UV exposure models. Because MT-II has a cumulative effect on melanin density, research protocols typically transition from a daily “loading phase” to a vastly reduced “maintenance schedule” (e.g., 1 to 2 times weekly) once the target melanogenic baseline is achieved.¹

The standard route of administration in clinical literature is Subcutaneous (SubQ) injection. Subcutaneous delivery ensures steady systemic distribution to the vast network of melanocortin receptors, driving both the peripheral (pigmentation) and central nervous system (appetite suppression and sexual arousal) effects.²

MT-II research generally follows two distinct timelines to observe peptide accumulation:

• Acute Loading Phase: 1 to 3 weeks is the standard timeline for observing rapid, macroscopic shifts in melanin density in the basal layer of the epidermis.³
• Longitudinal Maintenance Phase: Observations track subjects over several months on a tapered frequency to monitor the stability of the photoprotective effect, assessing whether prolonged use induces atypical melanocytic changes or cumulative toxicity.
  

While early-phase clinical trials demonstrated Melanotan-2’s profound ability to induce skin pigmentation without extensive UV exposure and powerfully stimulate erectile pathways, widespread clinical development was ultimately stalled due to its non-selective receptor profile, which triggers nausea and cardiovascular/blood pressure fluctuations. It is not approved by the FDA as a sunless tanning agent, photoprotective therapeutic, or treatment for sexual dysfunction. All data provided is strictly for educational context, and all compounds are restricted to Research Use Only (RUO).

1. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1777-1784. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8637402/
2. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol. 1998;160(2):389-393. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9679884/
3. Hadley ME, Dorr RT. Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization. Peptides. 2006;27(4):921-930. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16412534/