PeptideCalculations
non-selective melanocortin agonist

Melanotan II dosage

Melanotan II is a cyclic alpha-MSH analog that darkens skin and, as a side effect, triggers erections and nausea. The only human dosing study used 0.01 to 0.03 mg/kg subcutaneously (0.7 to 2.1 mg for a 70 kg person) and recommended 0.025 mg/kg. Community dosing is lower: 0.25 to 0.5 mg a day during a loading phase, then 0.5 to 1 mg once or twice a week to hold the color. Nausea at most doses is the norm. It has no approval anywhere.

By the Peptide Calculations editors · Updated 2026-10-19 · Studied for skin tanning, sexual arousal (the PT-141 precursor)

Dose
0.01 mg/kg to 0.03 mg/kg
per day · Human trial
How often
daily or every other day while loading
evening or before bed, so the nausea and flushing happen while you sleep
How long
loading 1 to 3 weeks
then maintenance for the season; many stop for months at a time
Route
subcutaneous
abdomen

1Dose ranges by source

RangePerBasisNote
0.01 mg/kg to 0.03 mg/kg (0.7 mg to 2.1 mg at 70 kg)dayHuman trial
clinical trial (Dorr et al. 1996, Life Sciences, pilot phase 1, 3 men, weekday injections for 2 weeks)
0.025 mg/kg was recommended for later studies; 0.03 mg/kg caused somnolence and fatigue
0.25 mg to 0.5 mg per daydayCommonly reported
commonly reported
loading phase, 1 to 2 weeks, with sun or UV exposure; some go to 1 mg
0.5 mg to 1 mg per dosedoseCommonly reported
commonly reported
maintenance, 1 to 2 times a week

2Dose to units chart

10 mg vial + 4 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL, so each unit on a U-100 insulin syringe holds 25 mcg.

DoseDraw (mL)UnitsDoses in vial
0 mcg001000000
0 mcg00500000
0 mcg00400000
0 mcg00333333
Open in the Melanotan II calculatorFull 10 mg + 4 mL table

10 mg + 4 mL = 2.5 mg/mL, so 250 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units, 500 mcg = 20 units and 1 mg = 40 units. With 2 mL of water the same doses are 5, 10 and 20 units.

3Side effects

nausea (most doses in the trial)facial flushingspontaneous erections lasting 1 to 5 hours (men)fatigue and yawningdarkening of moles and frecklesnew molesappetite loss
Before you start. No regulator has approved MT-2 and the sole human study had 3 subjects. It darkens existing moles and reports of new or changed moles are common; anyone with a history of melanoma or many atypical moles should not use it. Nausea is dose-linked, so start at 0.25 mg. Not medical advice. Talk to a clinician and start low.

Storage: lyophilized: fridge or freezer; reconstituted: fridge, dark, use within 4 weeks (commonly reported)

4Melanotan II dosage questions

How much melanotan 2 should I take to start?

0.25 mg (250 mcg) the first few days, moving to 0.5 mg if nausea is tolerable. The human study dosed by weight at 0.01 to 0.03 mg/kg and found nausea at almost every level, so there is no reason to start high.

Melanotan 2 maintenance dose?

Once you have the color you want, 0.5 to 1 mg once or twice a week holds it for most users. Keep some sun or UV exposure; MT-2 amplifies tanning, it does not replace light.

How many units is 0.5 mg of melanotan 2?

At 2.5 mg/mL (10 mg in 4 mL) 0.5 mg is 20 units. At 5 mg/mL (10 mg in 2 mL) it is 10 units. Write the concentration on the vial.

Why does melanotan 2 make me nauseous?

It hits several melanocortin receptors, including the ones that control nausea and appetite. The 1996 study saw mild nausea at most doses. Dosing before bed, on a full stomach, and keeping the dose at or under 0.5 mg are what users do about it.

5Sources

  1. Dorr RT et al., Life Sciences 1996, Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide, in a pilot phase I clinical study (PubMed 8637402)
  2. Peptide Protocol Wiki, Melanotan 2 dosing (community loading and maintenance ranges)

Educational summary of published labels, trials and commonly reported use. Not medical advice.

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