Melanotan-2 Dosage: 100mcg → 500mcg Loading Chart

Melanotan 2 (MT-2) is a synthetic analog of alpha-MSH that stimulates melanin production with minimal UV exposure. It has no FDA approval for any indication and carries significant side effects requiring careful management. This is not medical advice.

Research-context information only. Melanotan-2 is a research peptide. Protocols, doses, and reactions reported below come from published research and self-reported community sources. This article reports what has been documented, not what should be done. Consult a licensed physician for personal medical decisions.

Quick Reference: Community Protocol

Melanotan 2 has no standardized clinical dosing protocol — this is a community protocol based on decades of underground use and limited clinical data.

Cycling Details

MT-2 follows a distinct two-phase approach:

Loading (Weeks 1-3): community protocols describe 500 mcg daily (beginning at 250 mcg for the first 2-3 days to gauge nausea), combined with 10-15 minutes of daily UV exposure, with the goal of reaching the desired tan depth.

Maintenance (Week 4+): community sources describe 500 mcg twice per week to maintain an established tan with minimal ongoing UV, continued as long as tan maintenance is desired.

First-time users typically need 3 weeks loading. Returning users respond faster (2 weeks). Competition prep may extend loading to 4-6 weeks.

Routes of Administration

Subcutaneous (standard): abdomen, thigh, or arm. Community sources commonly describe injecting before bed to sleep through nausea and rotating injection sites. Volume is typically 0.1 mL with an insulin syringe.

Intranasal (alternative): Less common, absorption is less predictable. May cause nasal irritation. Requires higher doses than subcutaneous.

Not effective oral — peptide degraded by stomach acid.

Reconstitution Quick Reference

Math: 10,000 mcg / 2 mL = 5,000 mcg/mL. 500 mcg / 5,000 = 0.1 mL = 10 units. Refrigerate after mixing, protect from light, use within 30 days.

For step-by-step instructions, see the Melanotan 2 Reconstitution Guide.

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Where These Numbers Come From

MT-2 has some human clinical data, primarily from sexual dysfunction studies rather than tanning.

Wessells et al. (2000) tested intranasal MT-2 at 0.025 mg/kg (approximately 1.75 mg for 70 kg person) in a Phase II erectile dysfunction trial with significant efficacy (PMID 11035391). Dorr et al. (1996) published the Phase I clinical study of MT-II demonstrating melanotropic activity (PMID 8637402).

The loading/maintenance pattern evolved from decades of underground use: early protocols (1990s) used higher doses with more side effects; current protocols have been refined through community experience. The community settled on 250-500 mcg range as the sweet spot for effective MC1R saturation without excessive nausea.

Stacking Protocols

MT-2 is rarely stacked due to its unique mechanism and side effect profile.

Community sources describe MT-2 and PT-141 as redundant rather than synergistic, since both work through melanocortin receptors — typically one is chosen based on the primary goal (tanning vs sexual enhancement). Community sources similarly describe MT-2 and Melanotan-1 as redundant overlap rather than a complementary stack.

Side Effects & Safety

• Nausea — community sources report 80-90% of users experience it during loading, especially at higher doses. Peaks 2-4 hours post-injection, lasts 4-6 hours. Community sources describe bedtime dosing to minimize impact
• Facial flushing — within 30-60 minutes, lasts 1-2 hours
• Appetite suppression — community sources describe reductions exceeding 50% during the loading phase
• Libido increase — pronounced; led to PT-141 development
• Fatigue/lethargy — especially first week
• Mole/freckle darkening — potentially permanent; community and clinical sources describe dermatological monitoring for these changes, especially with long-term use
• Injection site darkening — localized hyperpigmentation
• Mood changes — irritability reported by some during loading

Managing nausea: community sources commonly describe beginning at 100-250 mcg, injecting before bed on an empty stomach, using anti-nausea medication (ondansetron) when needed, and escalating the dose gradually.

mg to Units Conversion

On a standard 100-unit insulin syringe, each "unit" equals 0.01 mL (so 100 units = 1 mL). Once Melanotan-2 is reconstituted, the conversion from a target dose to syringe units depends on the chosen dilution.

The two reconstitution ratios most often described in community protocols are below.

Reconstitution A: 10 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water (5 mg/mL) — the standard dilution from the Quick Reference above.

Reconstitution B: 10 mg vial + 3 mL BAC water (3.33 mg/mL) — more BAC water for larger, easier-to-measure draws.

These conversions reflect the dilutions documented in community reconstitution protocols. They report how the math is described, not a recommended dosing schedule.