Drug & supplement interaction

Melanotan + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Melanotan and Naproxen in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Melanotan and Naproxen

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Naproxen and Melanotan in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Melanotan at all — not against Naproxen, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Melanotan safety at a glance

Melanotan overall Avoid Melanotan is an unapproved, unregulated injectable peptide with real safety risks and no quality control.
Pregnancy Avoid There is no safety data; avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is no safety data; avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Naproxen and Melanotan? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Melanotan and Naproxen May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems / Raised blood pressure Worth acting on Additional detail

    Melanotan

    “Melanotan can cause fatigue and somnolence, as well as yawning and stretching.

    There is a case report of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) occurring in a 20-year-old female who had a single seizure following use of subcutaneous melanotan daily for 1 week. The seizure resulted in reduced sensation on one side and reduced concentration and word-finding ability.”

    Melanotan · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in epilepsy.

    6 sources cited
    1. 5685. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci 1996;58:1777-84. PubMed
    2. 5687. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction; double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol 1998;160:389-93. DOI
    3. 5688. Wessells H, Gralnek DR, Dorr RT, et al. Erectogenic properties of melanotan II in men with organic erectile dysfunction. 1999. Abstract Info-American Urological Association, Inc. DOI
    4. 99190. Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000;56(4):641-6. PubMed
    5. 99179. Kaski D, Stafford N, Mehta A, Jenkins IH, Malhotra P. Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(9):707-8. PubMed
    6. 99183. Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(10):1169-73. PubMed

    Naproxen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Naproxen. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Sweating / A fast or pounding heartbeat / Drowsiness / Tiredness reported in 7.9% of FDA reports for Naproxen Additional detail

    Melanotan

    “Subcutaneously, melanotan can cause gastrointestinal cramping, nausea, decreased appetite, facial flushing, fatigue, somnolence, dizziness, yawning, stretching, and spontaneous penile erections. It can also cause increased pigmentation of the face, upper body, and buttocks.”

    Melanotan · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    6 sources cited
    1. 5685. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci 1996;58:1777-84. PubMed
    2. 5687. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction; double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol 1998;160:389-93. DOI
    3. 5688. Wessells H, Gralnek DR, Dorr RT, et al. Erectogenic properties of melanotan II in men with organic erectile dysfunction. 1999. Abstract Info-American Urological Association, Inc. DOI
    4. 99190. Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000;56(4):641-6. PubMed
    5. 106742. Mallory CW, Lopategui DM, Cordon BH. Melanotan tanning injection: a rare cause of priapism. Sex Med. 2021 Feb;9(1):100298. PubMed
    6. 99176. Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-6. PubMed

    Naproxen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Naproxen, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Anxiety or restlessness / Dizziness reported in 5.5% of FDA reports for Naproxen Additional detail

    Melanotan

    Recorded for Melanotan in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Sweating / A fast or pounding heartbeat / Drowsiness / Tiredness above.

    Naproxen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Naproxen, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Reduced appetite / Nausea reported in 7.4% of FDA reports for Naproxen Additional detail

    Melanotan

    “Subcutaneously, melanotan can cause gastrointestinal cramping, nausea, and decreased appetite. Severe nausea has occurred after up to 20% of injections, with vomiting rarely.”

    Melanotan · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    5 sources cited
    1. 5685. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci 1996;58:1777-84. PubMed
    2. 5687. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction; double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol 1998;160:389-93. DOI
    3. 5688. Wessells H, Gralnek DR, Dorr RT, et al. Erectogenic properties of melanotan II in men with organic erectile dysfunction. 1999. Abstract Info-American Urological Association, Inc. DOI
    4. 99176. Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-6. PubMed
    5. 99190. Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000;56(4):641-6. PubMed

    Naproxen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Naproxen, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Showing the 10 most notable of 11 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Melanotan but not commonly for Naproxen: erection problems, flushing, severe muscle breakdown and seizures.

Effects for Naproxen come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Melanotan come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 165,062 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Naproxen that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

From our Q&A

Questions About Melanotan or Naproxen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Melanotan or Naproxen, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Naproxen

This page covers Melanotan only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Melanotan and Naproxen Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Melanotan
Steady interest

#761 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#46 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Melanotan reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Melanotan and Naproxen records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Melanotan

What is Melanotan?

  • Skin tanning
  • Reducing sun exposure for tanning
  • Erectile dysfunction (Melanotan II)
  • Appetite or body composition (unproven)

Melanotan is a lab-made synthetic peptide (not an herb) marketed online to darken the skin and, in one form, to aid erections. It is not approved or regulated as a supplement, its purity and dosing are unreliable, and it has been linked to serious safety concerns, so we do not recommend using it.

Synthetic peptide (laboratory-made) · Injectable solution, nasal spray (sold illicitly online)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Melanotan is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Melanotan record says about it on its own.

Melanotan: dosing

There is no established, safe, or standardized dose for Melanotan, and no health authority recommends its use as a supplement. The products sold online do not have reliable dosing instructions, and the actual amount of peptide in a vial can vary widely.Because of the safety concerns and lack of regulation, we do not provide dosing guidance for Melanotan.

From our Melanotan monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Melanotan monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Naproxen

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (165,062 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 13,047 reports
Nausea 12,185 reports
Arthralgia 11,086 reports
Headache 10,504 reports
Diarrhea 9,841 reports
See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Melanotan

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Melanotan — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Melanotan References

The 17 references that drive our Melanotan monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci 1996;58:1777-84. PubMed
  2. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction; double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol 1998;160:389-93. DOI
  3. Wessells H, Gralnek DR, Dorr RT, et al. Erectogenic properties of melanotan II in men with organic erectile dysfunction. 1999. Abstract Info-American Urological Association, Inc. DOI
  4. Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-6. PubMed
  5. Schulze F, Erdmann H, Hardkop LH, et al. Eruptive naevi and darkening of pre-existing naevi 24 h after a single mono-dose injection of melanotan II. Eur J Dermatol. 2014;24(1):107-9. PubMed
  6. Reid C, Fitzgerald T, Fabre A, Kirby B. Atypical melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection. Ir Med J. 2013;106(5):148-9.
  7. Kaski D, Stafford N, Mehta A, Jenkins IH, Malhotra P. Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(9):707-8. PubMed
  8. Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(10):1169-73. PubMed
  9. Ong S, Bowling J. Melanotan-associated melanoma in situ. Australas J Dermatol. 2012;53(4):301-2.
  10. Paurobally D, El Hayderi L, Richert B, Andre J, Nikkels AF. Melanotan-associated transverse melanonychia. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013;27(1):128-9. PubMed
  11. Ferrándiz-Pulido C, Fernández-Figueras MT, Quer A, Ferrándiz C. An eruptive pigmented lesion after melanotan injection. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2011;36(7):801-2. PubMed
  12. Paurobally D, Jason F, Dezfoulian B, Nikkels AF. Melanotan-associated melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(6):1403-5. PubMed
  13. Cousen P, Colver G, Helbling I. Eruptive melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection. Br J Dermatol. 2009;161(3):707-8. PubMed
  14. Langan EA, Ramlogan D, Jamieson LA, Rhodes LE. Change in moles linked to use of unlicensed "sun tan jab". BMJ. 2009;338:b277. PubMed
  15. Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000;56(4):641-6. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Melanotan and Naproxen Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Melanotan with Naproxen?
We do not list a known interaction between Melanotan and Naproxen. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Melanotan and Naproxen have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Naproxen interact with any supplements?
Yes. Naproxen has documented interactions with 311 supplements in our database — Melanotan is not one of them. The Naproxen interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Naproxen and Melanotan?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.