Searching "where to buy Melanotan 1" returns a wide range of vendors, from established research peptide suppliers to fly-by-night shops with no documentation. The compound itself has specific quality requirements, and the gap between a verified vial and a degraded one is bigger than most buyers realize.
🔑 Where to Buy Melanotan 1 at a Glance
- Best source: Ascension Peptides carries Melanotan 1 10mg (10mg), third-party tested, US-based shipping.
- Typical price: $30-70 for the standard vial size from a quality vendor.
- Format: Lyophilized vial (you reconstitute) is the most stable. Pre-mixed options exist but degrade faster.
- Red flags: No COA, suspiciously cheap pricing, vague compound naming, no storage guidance.
- Legal status: Research compound in the US; not FDA-approved for human use. Sold for research only.
Melanotan 1 (MT-1) is the more research-aligned cousin of Melanotan 2. It has a shorter side-effect profile and a clinical analog (afamelanotide / Scenesse) that's FDA-approved for a rare photoprotection condition. Most online vendors only stock MT-2; finding quality MT-1 takes more care.
This guide is for the buyer who already knows roughly what Melanotan 1 is and now wants the practical buying side: who actually sells it, what to demand from a vendor, fair pricing, and what to skip.
Where to Buy Melanotan 1: Best Source in 2026
Short answer: Ascension Peptides is the cleanest option for Melanotan 1 (MT-1) in 2026. They carry Melanotan 1 10mg (10mg) at $40, with documented third-party purity testing, transparent shipping, and a long enough operating history that you're not buying from a vendor that may disappear before your next order.
What you're getting from Ascension is research-grade Melanotan 1 in lyophilized vials, not Melanotan 2 mislabeled as MT-1 by an inexperienced vendor.
Why source matters this much with Melanotan 1:
- MT-1 is far less common than MT-2 in the research peptide market; many vendors only stock MT-2.
- Some vendors sell MT-2 as "Melanotan I" out of confusion or by mistake; verify the molecular weight (1,646.85 g/mol for MT-1, 1,024.18 for MT-2) on the COA.
- MT-1 has a clinical analog (afamelanotide) used for erythropoietic protoporphyria; clinical pricing is dramatically higher than research-grade.
- Lyophilization quality matters; pre-mixed MT-1 solutions degrade quickly without cold storage.
What to Look for in a Melanotan 1 Vendor
Most peptide vendors look the same on the surface. Melanotan 1 specifically weeds out the careless ones. Here's what separates a legitimate source from a risk:
Third-Party Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Non-negotiable. The COA should come from an independent lab, not the manufacturer's own testing, and confirm peptide purity (≥98%), correct molecular weight, and absence of common contaminants. If a vendor can't produce a lot-specific COA, walk away.
Clear Compound Naming
The product page should specify exactly what's in the vial. Vague labels are a warning sign. Melanotan 1 specifically has lookalike compounds and mislabeling risks; verify what you're buying.
Lyophilized (Freeze-Dried) Format
Melanotan 1 in solution degrades faster without proper cold storage. Quality vendors sell it lyophilized, you reconstitute yourself. Pre-mixed options can work but have shorter usable life once mixed.
Transparent Shipping and Storage Guidance
Good vendors specify how the peptide is packed, whether ice packs are included in summer months, and how long it can safely sit at room temperature in transit. Silence on storage is not reassuring.
Reasonable Pricing
Melanotan 1 synthesis isn't cheap. Suspiciously low pricing usually means purity is compromised, mg count is inflated, or it isn't actually Melanotan 1.
Melanotan 1 Red Flags to Avoid
Patterns that show up repeatedly with bad Melanotan 1 sources:
- No COA or only manufacturer self-testing, independent verification is the whole point.
- Vague "pharmaceutical grade" claims, this is marketing language unless backed by actual GMP documentation.
- Prices well below the typical range, quality Melanotan 1 has irreducible production costs.
- Pre-mixed solution with no batch date, once Melanotan 1 is in solution, the clock starts ticking.
- No business presence beyond a checkout page, fly-by-night peptide shops appear and disappear regularly.
- FDA approval claims, no research-grade peptide is FDA-approved for human use.
Melanotan 1 Pricing Guide (2026)
What that means per session: at the 0.5mg–1mg doses described above, a single 10mg vial yields roughly 10 to 20 doses. At $25 a vial that works out to $1.25 to $2.50 per dose, which makes the bacteriostatic water and syringes a meaningful share of a first order rather than a rounding error. Budget for the vial, a 10mL bottle of bacteriostatic water, and insulin syringes together rather than pricing the peptide alone.
Budget for a complete first order: lyophilized vial + bacteriostatic water + standard injection or research supplies if needed. Total typically lands within the price range above from a quality vendor.
💡 Value Tip
Buying from a vendor with verified COAs and consistent purity is worth the small premium over the cheapest option. The cost difference per dose is usually pennies; the cost of a degraded or mislabeled vial is the entire research cycle.
Melanotan 1 vs Melanotan 2: Which to Buy
Two distinct compounds share the Melanotan name and they're not interchangeable.
Melanotan 1 (MT-1) is a 13-amino-acid analog of alpha-MSH. Its half-life and side-effect profile are different from MT-2. The clinical analog (afamelanotide / Scenesse) is FDA-approved for erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Melanotan 2 (MT-2) is a shorter, cyclic peptide. It's more commonly sold by research vendors, has stronger pigmentation effects, and is associated with more side effects (nausea, libido changes, freckle/mole darkening).
If your search specifically said "Melanotan 1," verify the vial you're buying actually is MT-1, some vendors mislabel them. The molecular weights are different (1,646.85 vs 1,024.18 g/mol), so a third-party COA should make the distinction clear.
Reconstituting and Storing Melanotan 1
When your Melanotan 1 arrives, it will be a lyophilized powder in a sealed glass vial. Stable at room temperature for short periods, but freezer storage is ideal if you're holding it for months.
Gather supplies
Bacteriostatic water, an insulin syringe for measuring, alcohol swabs, and additional syringes for administration.
Calculate concentration
For a standard vial: adding 1 to 2mL of bacteriostatic water gives you a workable concentration. Use the reconstitution calculator for non-standard volumes.
Reconstitute carefully
Inject bac water down the inner wall of the vial, never directly onto the powder. Swirl gently, never shake. The powder should dissolve into a clear solution.
Store refrigerated
Once reconstituted, store at 2 to 8°C. Use within 4 weeks for most peptides. Label the vial with the reconstitution date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related guides: Melanotan I vs Melanotan II, Melanotan dosage guide, Afamelanotide vs Melanotan 1.