Does Melanotan 2 Work for Tanning? Human Results
A phase 1 study gave melanotan II, or MT-II, to 3 healthy men (PMID 8637402). Two of three had darker skin on the face, upper body, and buttocks one week after treatment. The study used a light meter and a visual check. It also recorded nausea, fatigue, sleepiness, yawning, stretching, and erections lasting 1 to 5 hours (PMID 8637402). NIH RePORTER links PMID 8637402 to NCI project P01CA027502. This is the only published human tanning trial found in the exact clinical-paper search. Checked 22 August 2026.
What did melanotan II do in human studies?
Four clinical papers are indexed from one University of Arizona research group. One measured tanning in three men. Three studied erections and desire.
The 3-man tanning study
The 1996 phase 1 trial was single-blind and placebo-controlled (PMID 8637402). It enrolled 3 healthy men. Two had darker skin on the face, upper body, and buttocks one week after the study ended. A light meter and visual check measured the change.
One of two men at the highest research level had grade 2 sleepiness and fatigue. Mild nausea occurred at most research levels. Yawning and stretching appeared with erections. They lasted 1 to 5 hours, depending on the study level (PMID 8637402).
Funding: NIH RePORTER links PMID 8637402 to NCI project P01CA027502. All authors were at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. These facts and results were checked 22 August 2026.
Three papers on erectile response
A 1998 double-blind placebo crossover study enrolled 10 men with psychogenic ED (PMID 9679884). Erections developed in 8 of 10 men. Mean tip rigidity above 80% lasted 38.0 minutes with MT-II and 3.0 minutes with placebo. The comparison was p = 0.0045. Nausea, stretching, yawning, and lower appetite occurred more often after the peptide. NIH RePORTER links PMID 9679884 to NIDDK project R01DK017420. It also links the paper to NCI project P01CA027502. PubMed currently renders the NCI identifier as P0L CA 27502.
A 2000 paper reports experience in 20 men with psychogenic or organic ED (PMID 11035391). Erections occurred in 17 of 20 without sexual stimulation. Mean tip rigidity above 80% lasted 41 minutes. Increased desire followed 13 of 19 peptide doses and 4 of 21 placebo doses, with p < 0.01. Nausea and yawning were frequent. Severe nausea occurred in 12.9% of subjects at the reported research level. The PubMed record lists no grant support.
Another 2000 crossover study enrolled 10 men with organic risk factors (PMID 11018622). Erections followed 12 of 19 peptide injections and 1 of 21 placebo injections. Mean tip rigidity above 80% lasted 45.3 minutes with MT-II and 1.9 minutes with placebo. The comparison was p = 0.047. Severe nausea followed 4 of 19 injections. NIH RePORTER links PMID 11018622 to NIDDK project R01DK017420.
The 20-man paper appears to review the 10 psychogenic and 10 organic participants from the other two papers. We therefore do not add all three samples as independent people. All three papers came from the University of Arizona group. Checked 22 August 2026.
Is a new phase 2 melanotan II trial recruiting?
The exact ClinicalTrials.gov search returns one record, NCT07437560. Its own summary begins, “This example interventional study record.” It describes a fictional-style phase 2 study of melanotan II with UV-B therapy for vitiligo.
The record is marked recruiting with 60 estimated participants, but its example statement means it is not evidence that a real trial is recruiting. It posts no results. This registry finding was checked 22 August 2026.
What melanotan side effects did human studies record?
The controlled studies recorded nausea, severe nausea, sleepiness, fatigue, yawning, stretching, lower appetite, spontaneous erections, and increased sexual desire. The exact rates and durations that the abstracts print appear with each result above.
The exact PubMed case-report filter returned 23 records on 22 August 2026. This counts indexed papers from one query. It does not count affected users or give a rate. The sections below use only reports whose text was opened.
Systemic toxicity in one man
A 39-year-old man developed a rapid pulse, sweating, anxiety, tremor, muscle breakdown, and kidney harm after using an internet product (PMID 23121206). His heart rate peaked at 146 beats per minute. Creatine kinase rose from 1,760 to 17,773 IU/L. Creatinine was 2.25 mg/dL and improved to 1.23 mg/dL. He spent 3 days in intensive care. Mass spectrometry confirmed MT-II. The PubMed record lists no grant support. Checked 22 August 2026.
Melanoma that coincided with use and sunbeds
A 20-year-old woman used MT-II and sunbeds before a lesion was removed (PMID 24355990). Tissue testing confirmed melanoma. The authors wrote that MT-II use with sunbeds “coincided with” the melanoma. They did not claim that the peptide caused it. The PubMed record lists no grant support. Checked 22 August 2026.
Pigmentation inside the mouth
A 2026 report followed one person who used MT-II for 64 days (PMID 41752902). Dark colour appeared on the gums and inner cheeks. The cheek colour had nearly gone one month after stopping. Gum colour remained at three months, with lower intensity. The PubMed record lists no grant support. Checked 22 August 2026.
The FDA in the US also names published reports of melanoma, PRES, a sympathomimetic toxidrome, and priapism. This is the US agency's summary of case reports. It is not a rate or a causal finding.
What does one user report about tanning?
One Reddit user posted before-and-after photos after several months of use. The original Reddit thread was opened on 22 August 2026.
I just love MT2 and wanna share the tan I've dreamed of getting for years.
First photo is me several years back after being in the south of France for 6 weeks. Not even a shade darker lol. I don't have more recent photos as I started fake tanning and wouldn't be seen without it.
Second photo is me in Mexico 2 months ago. Being so pale to start and living in Eastern Canada it took me a while to get to this point (low or inconsistent UV exposure with some sunbed use). I was so doubtful at first, I didn't even see decent results until 2ish months in.
The same post describes inconsistent UV exposure and some sunbed use. This is one self-reported and self-selected account. No laboratory checked the product. No payment is disclosed. The complete thread is linked.
What do we know about melanotan nasal spray?
The UK keyword data measured melanotan nasal spray at 390 monthly searches. The human tanning study used injections, not nasal spray (PMID 8637402). Its result cannot establish how a nasal product performs.
A 2025 case-report title asks whether melanotan II nasal spray could be a risk factor for oral mucosal melanoma (PMID 40210573). We have not opened the report, so no claim on this page rests on it. The absence and keyword measurement were checked 22 August 2026.
What have melanotan II vial tests found?
A 2021 paper identified MT-II and bremelanotide in 8 unknown samples confiscated by police (PMID 33245851). The abstract does not report purity, other contents, or how many samples held each compound. The PubMed record lists no grant support.
A 2024 lab paper examined two vials with a drug-like appearance (PMID 39302005). Reference material confirmed MT-II. The reported purity was 30%. The paper does not identify the other 70%. The PubMed record lists no grant support. These product results were checked 22 August 2026.
The vial-testing guide explains what identity and purity tests answer separately.
What does EMA's central EU medicines register show?
Rules differ by country. EMA's report was generated on 22 August 2026. It contained 2,731 medicine rows. No row matched melanotan or melanotan II.
The scan found one afamelanotide row. The row names Scenesse. Its status is Authorised. Afamelanotide is not melanotan II. Scenesse's status does not apply to melanotan II.
The report covers EMA's central EU route. It does not cover every national register. The status of melanotan II in Europe therefore remains unclear. Checked 22 August 2026.
What does the FDA say about pharmacy compounding in the US?
For pharmacy compounding in the US, the FDA's current page places melanotan II in its withdrawn-nominations table. It does not appear in the current Category 2 table. The agency cites possible immune responses. It also cites aggregation. It cites peptide impurities. The US agency names the serious case reports summarized above.
This is the US agency's risk statement. It is not another trial result. These United States status claims were checked 22 August 2026.
Primary FDA source in the US: current bulk-substance safety-risk page.
Where can a reader go next?
The tanning injections hub compares melanotan II with tanning methods and direct product evidence. The melanotan II register record keeps evidence and regulatory status separate. The sterility guide explains what an identity or purity result does not test.