Melanotan II
Melanotan-II is a laboratory-produced chemical that resembles a hormone that occurs naturally in the human body. Melanotan-II should not be confused with metatonin. Melanotan-II is administered by injection to induce an erection in men suffering from erectile dysfunction, to tan the skin and to prevent sun cancer caused by overexposure to the sun.
How does Melanotan-II work?
Melanotan-II is similar to Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone, which occurs naturally in the human body and increases the production of skin pigment. Melanotan-II may also act in the brain to stimulate a penile erection.
How effective is Melanotan-II?
Melanotan-II is potentially effective in the following applications:
- Inducing erections in men suffering from erectile dysfunction when injected subcutaneously.
- Tanning of the skin when injected subcutaneously.
There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Melanotan-II in preventing skin cancer caused by overexposure to the sun. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Melanotan-II in this application.
Safety and side effects
Melanotan-II is potentially safe when used under medical supervision for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. It may cause nausea, stomach cramps, reduced appetite, skin flushing, fatigue, yawning, darkening of the skin, spontaneous penile erections and other side effects.
There is not enough information to say whether Melanotan-II is safe for other uses.
Precautions and warnings
Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of Melanotan-II during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Melanotan-II.
Interactions
There is currently no information on interactions between Melanotan-II and medications or supplements.
Dosage
The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:
Injected subcutaneously:
- To induce an erection in men suffering from erectile dysfunction: the typical dosage of Melanotan-II is 0.025 mg per kilogram of body weight.
- To tan the skin: the typical dosage of Melanotan-II is 0.025 mg per kilogram of body weight.