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№ 004

MT-1 (Melanotan I)

Tanning peptide that darkens your skin by driving melanin production. An alpha-MSH analog with a cleaner side effect profile than MT-2.

Pigment
Evidence: Strong

MT-1 (Melanotan I): Tanning peptide that darkens your skin by driving melanin production. An alpha-MSH analog with a cleaner side effect profile than MT-2. MT-1 mimics a hormone your body uses to make pigment in your skin.

FDA ⓘ
Approved
WADA
Not banned
Typical dose
Loading: 250-500 mcg sub-q daily for 2-3 weeks
Half-life ⓘ
~1 hour
Route ⓘ
Subcutaneous
Schedule
Daily loading → 1-2x weekly maintenance
In plain English

MT-1 mimics a hormone your body uses to make pigment in your skin. With sun or tanning-bed exposure, it gives you a darker tan from much less UV time. Cleaner side effect profile than the more popular MT-2.

Status & legalityWhat do these mean? →
Natty? ⓘ
Not natty
FDA ⓘ
Approved

Approved as Afamelanotide (Scenesse), 2019, for adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Compounding ⓘ
Approved drug

Available as an FDA-approved drug, not a compounded peptide.

WADA ⓘ
Not listed
Prescribed ⓘ

Yes, Scenesse implant prescribed by dermatology / specialty providers for EPP. Off-label use for general pigmentation is outside the FDA approval.

Who it's for

  • →Light-skinned users wanting baseline tan with less UV time
  • →People who tried MT-2 and didn't tolerate the libido / nausea hit
  • →Anyone running it under medical context (Afamelanotide is the drug version)

What to expect

  1. Week 1

    Nausea at first doses. Slight darkening if UV exposure is paired.

  2. Week 4

    Visible pigmentation if you've actually been in the sun.

  3. Week 8

    Maintenance phase. Pigment holds with weekly dosing + occasional UV.

Looking at MT-1 (Melanotan I)? Your next 3 steps

  1. 1Work out your exact dose

    Vial size + BAC water turns into the exact units to draw for MT-1 (Melanotan I).

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  2. 2See what to stack & monitor

    The companion supplements and the bloodwork worth tracking on this kind of protocol.

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  3. 3Save it & ask the Coach

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How it works (mechanism)

Alpha-MSH analog that binds melanocortin receptors (primarily MC1R). MC1R activation in melanocytes triggers the eumelanin-production pathway, deepening skin pigment with UV exposure.

Dosing protocol

Members only

Stacks well with

Members only

Side effects

01Nausea (first doses, usually fades)
02Facial flushing
03Appetite suppression
04Mole / freckle darkening (mole-map first)
05Headache

When NOT to use

  • ⚠Personal history of melanoma
  • ⚠Atypical mole syndrome
  • ⚠Pregnancy / nursing

Common mistakes

  • • Skipping the mole-map baseline
  • • No UV exposure during the cycle (no pigment response)
  • • Confusing dosing protocol with MT-2

Drug & supplement interactions

  • ⚠MAO inhibitors theoretically amplify melanocortin response
  • ⚠Antihypertensives: melanocortins may slightly elevate BP
  • ⚠Use mole-mapping as monitoring; SSRIs may interact with mood-axis effects

The Pepdex take

Pepdex take: 500mcg loading for 14 days then 250mcg twice weekly is the standard pattern. Pigment holds cleanly with much less drama than MT-2, but the trade-off is real: tan ends up roughly 70% as deep as what MT-2 produces. MT-1 is the safer call though, no libido bump, no aggressive mole reactivity reports, no melanoma signal noise. If you want MT-2 results without the moles-and-libido conversation, this is the move. Take loading doses pre-bed to sleep through the nausea.
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AI Coach, live sample
Members only
is 250mcg of bpc enough for a knee injury?
For a knee, 250 mcg sub-q daily is the standard working dose and a solid place to start. The trick with BPC is consistency, give it weeks, not days. Inject close to the joint, run it 4-6 weeks, and don't drop below 200 mcg, it tends to stop cracking the threshold reliably down there. If it hasn't moved at all by week 3, that's when adding TB-500 earns its place.
how much bac water for a 10mg reta vial?
3 mL is the standard play for a 10 mg reta vial. That's 3,333 mcg/mL, clean unit math across the titration: 2 mg = 60 units, 4 mg = 120 units, 6 mg = 180 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe. Run 2 mL instead if you want fewer, more concentrated shots (5,000 mcg/mL, so 2 mg = 40 units). Since most people titrate up over ~12 weeks, 3 mL keeps the numbers cleanest.
what should i track on bloodwork for tirzepatide?
Lipid panel, ALT/AST (liver enzymes), and an A1C, baseline before you start then every 3 months. If you've got metabolic-syndrome history, add fasting glucose and insulin so you can actually watch insulin sensitivity improve. You don't need a big hormone panel for a GLP-1.

Ask the Coach anything about MT-1 (Melanotan I) or your own stack. This is it working.

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Frequently asked

What is MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
MT-1 mimics a hormone your body uses to make pigment in your skin. With sun or tanning-bed exposure, it gives you a darker tan from much less UV time. Cleaner side effect profile than the more popular MT-2.
Is MT-1 (Melanotan I) FDA approved?+
Approved as Afamelanotide (Scenesse), 2019, for adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Is MT-1 (Melanotan I) legal?+
MT-1 (Melanotan I) is not FDA-approved. It is sold by compounding pharmacies (with a prescription) and as "research only" by peptide vendors. Possession is generally not criminalized but distribution without authorization may be. Verify local laws.
Is MT-1 (Melanotan I) banned by WADA?+
MT-1 (Melanotan I) is not currently on the WADA prohibited list.
Are you still natty after taking MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
No. MT-1 (Melanotan I) is a performance-enhancing peptide and would disqualify a strict natty claim.
Do doctors prescribe MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
Yes, Scenesse implant prescribed by dermatology / specialty providers for EPP. Off-label use for general pigmentation is outside the FDA approval.
What's the typical dose of MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
Loading: 250-500 mcg sub-q daily for 2-3 weeks. Maintenance: 250-500 mcg, 1-2x weekly. UV exposure required.
What are the side effects of MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
Common side effects include: Nausea (first doses, usually fades); Facial flushing; Appetite suppression; Mole / freckle darkening (mole-map first). Less common effects and full safety details are on the entry page.
How long until MT-1 (Melanotan I) starts working?+
Nausea at first doses. Slight darkening if UV exposure is paired.
What can you stack with MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
Common pairings: Standalone. Full stacking protocol and timing on the entry page.
Where do people get MT-1 (Melanotan I)?+
MT-1 (Melanotan I) is most commonly sold by research-only peptide vendors and by compounding pharmacies (the latter requires a prescription). Pepdex is not a vendor, see /coa for how to verify a Certificate of Analysis before buying from any source, and /guides/scam-vendor-spotting for vendor red flags.
MT-1 (Melanotan I) vs MT-2 (Melanotan II), which is better?+
MT-1 vs MT-2 for tanning: side effect profile, libido effects, FDA status, and which is gentler. Full head-to-head comparison: https://pepdex.co/compare/mt-1-vs-mt-2

Head-to-head with MT-1 (Melanotan I)

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MT-1 (Melanotan I) vs MT-2 (Melanotan II) →

More in Pigment

№ 010
MT-2 (Melanotan II)

Tans your skin harder than MT-1 and also bumps libido, but brings rougher side effects. A less selective alpha-MSH analog.