Melanotan II research: studies, doses and safety

• After early injections: The three-man pilot reported nausea at most dose levels and spontaneous erections lasting one to five hours after some injections.
• During the two-week pilot: One man developed notable sleepiness and fatigue at the highest tested dose as doses rose.
• One week after the pilot ended: Two of the three men showed darker skin one week after active dosing ended.

An early three-man pilot used five active injections over two weeks, alternating with saline; this does not establish a safe tanning course.

Three published experiments enrolled 23 men; a 2026 vitiligo study has no posted results. Safety evidence mainly comes from individual reports.

Key studies

• Single-blind, alternating-day controlled pilot: Five alternating active doses caused pigment and erection effects. (source)
• Erection crossover: 10 men: A small crossover showed an erectile effect, not long-term safety. (source)
• Organic erection problems: Erections and desire increased, with substantial nausea. (source)
• Vitiligo registration, no results: Listed as recruiting, with no results posted by 2026-10-18. (source)
• Severe toxicity after 6 mg: Systemic toxicity and muscle breakdown followed injection. (source)
• Kidney infarction report: The report cannot establish a rate or prove causation. (source)