Research record / starter review

Melanotan II

Synthetic peptide discussed in tanning and appearance communities

Safety review neededLast reviewed 2026-07-13

Also called

Melanotan 2 · MT-2

What people ask about

Community claims

tanning claimsappearance claims

These are topics circulating in appearance, physique, or recovery communities. Listing them does not validate them.

What this record can say

Evidence snapshot

The direct human paper identified is an early phase-I pilot in three men from 1996. It observed pigmentation and short-term symptoms but is far too small and old to establish safety or a modern appearance-use conclusion.

Safety context

Read uncertainty as information

FDA describes immunogenicity concerns and cites published case reports of serious adverse events in its compounding-safety table. Case reports cannot establish how often an event occurs or prove causation by themselves.

Tested sport

Anti-doping context

No simplified clearance label is shown. Tested athletes should verify the current List with their anti-doping organisation before relying on any status.

Regulatory scope

Context is not a universal answer

United States: this reflects FDA's compounding-safety source, not a global legal determination.

Study-level evidence

What the individual records actually say.

Every row preserves identity and context. A related molecule, a tissue experiment, or a trial registration cannot become proof for the community claim.

Published pilot phase-I human study1996

Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study ↗

PMID: 8637402.

Identity: Exact compound name: Melanotan-II

Design & population: Single-blind, alternating-day placebo-controlled pilot in three healthy male volunteers.

Question studied: Early pharmacology, observable pigmentation, and short-term effects in a very small phase-I study.

Record finding: The paper describes increased pigmentation in two participants and reports short-term symptoms including nausea and fatigue/somnolence in the small sample.

Does not show: Three participants cannot establish safety, long-term skin outcomes, comparative effectiveness, or an acceptable risk profile. It is not recent research.

Direct human evidence — very small early-phase studyChecked 2026-07-13

Primary sources

Read the source, not only our summary.

regulatory / safetyCertain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety RisksU.S. Food and Drug Administration ↗anti-doping2026 Prohibited ListWorld Anti-Doping Agency ↗