The rise, fall, and stealth return of the world’s first medically proven aphrodisiac.
By Frederick Kaufman
As soon as the bremelanotide (a.k.a. PT-141) arrived in the mail, I shook the white crystal onto a mirror and began to chop it into powder. I snorted some and a bitter taste began its steady descent down the back of my throat. But I wasn’t about to complain. Thanks to a website called Tanresearch.com and $65, I finally had my hands on the most revolutionary sex drug ever created. This potion had undergone studies for almost a decade in a quest to make it the first-ever FDA-approved aphrodisiac to hit the U.S. market.
Sure, history and folk medicine are full of purported aphrodisiacs, like Spanish fly and rhinoceros horn. But bremelanotide isn’t like those — neither is it simply an erectile dysfunction drug like Viagra or Cialis, so-called PDE-5 inhibitors that work by pushing blood around the body. Bremelanotide belongs to a new class of drugs called melanocortins, which work in the mind, increasing sexual desire. Deep inside the brain, the substance stirs passion by activating hypothalamic and limbic emotional structures, the parts that naturally flare when you’re turned on. Scientists aren’t exactly sure how melanocortins do this, but the result is clear: Before you know it, you want to have sex. Or at least that’s what the research has shown.
After snorting 10 milligrams of the stuff, I felt nothing. Several hours later I still wasn’t the slightest bit horny. So at midnight I went to bed, totally unaware of the flood of animalistic desire that was to take hold of me.
—-
A year earlier i was in the montreal lab of Jim Pfaus, arguably the world’s preeminent expert on bremelanotide.
A 50-year-old neuroscientist, Pfaus was in the last stages of preclinical trials aimed at getting FDA approval for bremelanotide. Originally developed as a self-tanning agent, the drug had been repurposed when male study subjects reported a surprising side effect: erections. A New Jersey pharmaceutical company called Palatin Technologies had bought the drug, then turned the pill into a powder that could be delivered nasally, hoping that sleek nasal-spray dispensers could blow away little blue pills — and earn profits that would dwarf the $150 million that Palatin had spent on research and clinical testing.
Pfaus showed me stunning testimonials from human test subjects. “On the five-point scale, I would rate the erection I had as a six,” said one of the 1,300 anonymous testers. “You get this humming feeling,” said another. “You’re ready to take your pants off and go.”
The drug worked equally well on women, who chronicled “an intense arousal” that lasted from six to 72 hours. “I was focused on sex,” said one of the women.
But there were side effects, and in 2007, Palatin’s sex drug hit a roadblock just before entering phase-three testing, the FDA’s final clinical hurdle before the drug is released to the public. Some of the men who sniffed bremelanotide experienced an increase in blood pressure, and about one third of the women who took the drug reported nausea.
There were also those who doubted the drug would actually cause couples to want to jump into bed together. “It’s baloney,” says Leonore Tiefer, a professor of psychiatry at New York University’s Langone School of Medicine. “You might increase genital itchiness, but you won’t increase desire.”
It appeared that bremelanotide would fall into the ash heap of failed aphrodisiacs, to rest in peace with tiger penis soup. But then something unexpected happened.
In 2008, Iranian urologist Mohammad Reza Safarinejad published findings he had gathered by testing bremelanotide that he purchased from a company in Dubai on men and women. “He got fantastic results,” says Pfaus. “Palatin had published everything about the drug — including the exact sequence of the compound.” Middle Eastern chemists used that sequence to create the drug themselves. Shortly thereafter, several companies began offering the drug online.
But was it safe? “Well,” says Pfaus, “we never resolved that blood pressure thing. There’s no guarantee of purity. The FDA won’t regulate it.”
—-
Clearly, the purity issue wasn’t going to stop me. Several hours after taking the drug, I wasn’t experiencing a headache, a palpitating heart, or nausea, but, sadly, I also hadn’t enjoyed a spontaneous erection. Then, at four in the morning, it took hold. I felt a great surge of affection (greater than any regular level of arousal) for my lovely wife. My body tingled and, yes, I developed an erection that wouldn’t quit. For two hours the drug wouldn’t let me out of its grasp — nor my wife out of mine.
—-
This article originally appeared in the September 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Hmmm - does your magazine’s lawyer(s) know you have a direct link in your story here to that Tanresearch company that sells “Bremelantide”?
Because that drug was not only NOT approved by the FDA, but actually rejected for approval due to an increase in blood pressure and extreme vomiting in a limited number of test subjects.
Not to mention it is widely believed that many/most/all US companies selling Bremelanotide online are having it made in China for them. You know… China? The country that produces poison toothpaste, poison dog food, and even poison milk that’s given to their own children.
So no offense if this is a legitimate oversight and/or maybe every single sample of PT-141 that Tanresearch ships is 100% pure… But don’t be too surprised when the families of heart attack victims come knocking on your door after their relatives clicked through to Tanresearch from your website and ordered Bremelanotide to snort or inject subcutaneously.
And since that company sells Bremelanotide (PT-141) “with water”, and subcutaneous injection is the new delivery method being tested by Palatin, there’s a good chance some people will read your article and click that link to buy the drug, and then start sticking needles in themselves with whatever it is that’s shipped to them.
Yipes.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:46 pm
wow… some of what you say makes since.. i bet you believe in managed health care too??? or rather, how much money should the government use to keep an aged person alive?? after all what value do they have to society??
how many people die a year using Viagra?? how many die a year, or have their quality of life improved by these types of drugs??
I’ve used the drug.. Snort it?? no way and not effective, but a simple injection (”yikes” your words) using a simple subq injection that has no pain and when proper sanitary procedures are followed less risk of infection than standing in a clinic waiting for a flu shot..
Did you get your flu shot?? how about the new swine flu vaccine?? what proof is there that it will work?? none?? and are they restricting the administration to the young 2-25 yr olds and medical workers, hope you get your chance with that..
Well, as a 42 yr old woman it’s great to have the old fire back in my life. My healthy husband and i have rekindled our sex life and with the kids out of the house and me not able to get pregnant it’s a whole new world. The product works, and for me 2mg administered subq injection using a 29guage needle was no more painful than a pinch on the hand.
The only advice/warning i would give to anyone wanting to try this product is to make sure they are in good physical health and can effect rigorous exercise..
My point is the sky is not falling, the evil is not out to get you. Relax and enjoy life, after all what are your odds of being hit by a car this year and being maimed or killed??
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robert Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Thanks for the info, I just received 3 10mg bottles and the water, how should i mix and dose this for both me and my wife, Also have you taken in a nasal inhaler.
thanks
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sally johnson Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 2:35 pm
1mL of BW into the vial of powder, allow to mix and then draw out 10iu on an insulin syringe… = 1mg of product..
opresource .net (take out the spaces) has great prices and are affiliated with the original makers of this peptide
Hope that helps
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CG Reply:
September 16th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Relax; the FDA these days is a joke! The FDA has been so far out of touch with its mission, I wonder who or what they now stand for. Just look at the T.V. commercials that promote so called safe prescription drugs and then check out the laundry list of possible side effects. Do you really think that the FDA is doing a good job? For all that matters cigarettes, table salt, and a whole host of other readily available products can raise your blood pressure. Just relax you have the information, so now make your own informed decision. Maybe, that should be the FDA’s new mission.
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Sherry Reply:
September 16th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I believe this article is professional journalism. People can think think and make decisions on their own.
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Men’s Journal does not promote tanresearch.com. We were simply reporting a story and the source from which we were able to obtain the drug. As Jim Pfaus points out he “never resolved that blood pressure thing. There’s no guarantee of purity. The FDA won’t regulate it.”
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Sally Johnson Reply:
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
And thank you for sharing the information and the experience that writer had with the product..
I personally enjoyed using it and will continue to do so in the future as well as everyone i tell the effects of the product to..
After all, i spend $200 month on my hair, it might as well look good on the pillow..
Sally
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September 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I totally agree. I love when hair looks good on the pillow, or on the couch, or the kitchen table… its all great.
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September 21st, 2009 at 6:14 pm
I bought some, pried off the metal cap and snorted about a third of the 10 Mg bottle. Not only did this make me feel like a degenerate coke addict, but I felt no effect at all. Has anyone else snorted it? I was unclear about the delivery instructions as the author said he snorted it, yet there is a picture of a nasal spray device and yet others, including the prior poster speaks of injections. Self injection makes me nervous because I’ve never done it. Don’t you risk a bubble in the blood stream? How do you mix the water and the drug? Do you fill a syringe with the water and then inject it into the bottle carrying the drug? then do you take out 2ml and inject it into where?? thanks for the help.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Ummmm.. no you do not risk a bubble in the blood stream.. it is a subcontinents injection, that is just into the fat under the skin, see youtube.com on a way to do the injection, nsasafe.com also has good instructions that I found on how to use the product.
The subcontinuous injection is just like using insulin and the same type of needle is used when using p141t.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Here is a video on youtube showing how to mix the product correctly and use..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpQSxbf4ZM8
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September 28th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Here is a video on using this in a nasal sprayer, seems better than snorting the whole thing.. And for me works lots better if you dont’ want to do the injection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZRwTHVefME
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September 28th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Bremelanotide is still under development as a sexual dysfunction/libido drug by Palatin.
In an August 12, 2009 press release they announced positive results of a phase I human trial of bremelanotide administered subcutaneously:
http://www.palatin.com/news/news.asp?param=221
In the same press release they had the following explanation relative to the elevated blood pressure effects encountered in their phase II intranasal trial:
“This study supports our hypothesis that increases in blood pressure and gastrointestinal events seen with intranasally administered bremelanotide were primarily related to high plasma levels in a subset of patients. We believe this was due to variability in drug uptake with intranasal administration,” said Trevor Hallam, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Development of Palatin. “The switch from intranasal to subcutaneous administration appears to address the blood pressure concerns raised by the FDA. Our next step is to put this data in front of the FDA as we prepare to move bremelanotide back into a Phase 2 study later this year.”
Essentially with subcutaneous administration it is possible to have much more control over how much of the drug is expressed in sanguine plasma levels such that just enough can be administered for efficacy while limiting/preventing the previous intranasal blood pressure effects.
A word of caution: Unfortunately with these types of drugs (ie: bremelanotide and the melanotan peptides) being sold on the internet in their current unlicensed and unregulated state it is not too uncommon to find folks posing as seemingly neutral parties about the benefits of drug usage while limiting discussion about the negatives (or potential negatives). One should have a healthy bit of skepticism when encountering both predominantly glowing reports of usage as well as predominantly negative reports of usage.
Sincerely,
-Scott Stevenson
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October 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I use foreign made supplements all the time, and do not hesitate to recommend them.
I would recommend being a little hesitant about injecting the same thing because there you lose some of the body’s normal filtering mechanisms that might filter out some contamination.
Since you can’t swallow this, I recommend inhaling this and monitoring your Blood Pressure, as opposed to injecting it.
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October 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Hi everyone,
I will say I have been very interested in this substance. So much I will try it one day. In the meantime, I have scoured the internet on PT-141 with some very interesting results. As far as purity goes it’s anyone’s guess. There is always someone who cares more about the dollar then what they do to others. And believe me Viagra is no exception. Even as far as the pill looking exactly the same, including the box. I also find a lot of mis-informed people out there. For one via nasal, seems to require much more substance then injections. 10 Mgs vs 1-2 Mgs or so I have read. I have read reports from people who state it did not work at all. And those who had side effects not listed as common like blood pressure. It was no wonder that they where on anti-depressants. So entirely possible to interact with other substances.
Point being; The risk is your own. The benefit is your own. Best not to down others for wanting to enhance their lives. Sex is great sex is fun and sex is healthy for both male and females. So what if you can have great sex without anything else but your bodies? Certainly nothing wrong with having better sex through chemistry. It’s up to all of us to decide what is best and the risk that is involved is one to consider. Just like getting in your car and driving to work no one gives you stuff about that, nonetheless you can be killed if you do not walk. And not out of the question if you do. Use good judgment, be informed, educate yourself and if you have some experience share it with others so they can benefit from it as well. Both good and bag. Just like life. Good and bad it’s all there.
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October 8th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Even though PT-141 is still under development my wife and I decided to give it a shot and LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING! It changed my life!
We both were finding our love lives fall and about 15 minutes after taking the PT-141 it was in full swing. It does everything it claims and more!
We bought a 30mg package for fairly cheap on the internet at http://www.PT141.ca. I chose them over tanresearch because of their professionalism and website quality. I ordered and spoke with customer service right on the phone who helped us the whole way.
I really like the product and hope that ANYONE that even has a slight doubt about this product to TRY IT. It will change your life.
I hope someday that the FDA down here will soon release this wonderful product to the market. My guess is that Viagra and Cialis have WAY more pull in Washington as to what gets passed and what doesn’t being that their companies are so huge and have been established for years and years. I TRULY believe that this product is MUCH better than Viagra or Cialis (having used both for 10 yrs) because it takes care of your mental mood as well which is the most important part.
Snort it, inject it, squirt it WHATEVER! Just GET YOUR HANDS ON SOME!
-Mike and Theresa
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Sally Johnson Reply:
October 11th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Yea, that’s a nice website, why don’t they accept american express and discover?? and they are located outside of the usa… what is .ca anyway??
I’d prefer to use a company that the author used and no doubt 1,000s of others have too with great success, paying just a little more for a quality product just makes sense to me. But that was a nice plug you did there..
I’ll agree that the product will change the users life in more ways than one..
Sally
Sally
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scott Reply:
June 11th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
.ca is a canadian code, and montreal is practicing with this wonderful drug! its hitting canada right now.
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John Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Mike:
Can I ask how many mgs of the product did you use for one shot?
Thank you.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I’m not Mike, but 1mg is pretty safe, and 2mg is a fairly strong dose for most people that I’ve communicated with regarding this product, that is while using the sub Q injection.
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John Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:00 am
Sally, thank you for the response. Can you tell me if I have a 50 IU insulin syringe (1/2 cc), does 1 mg equal the number 10 on the syringe?
Thank you.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
depends on how much bacteriostatic water you put in the vial of peptide..
If you put 1cc or 1mL then yes, 10iu = 1mg
hope that helps..
The insulin pins come in 100iu and 50iu that’s why there is some confusion with users.
John Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Sally:
Thank you, again for your prompt response. I am using a 50 IU syringe and plan to put two of them in,(which I understand to be 1ml) 10mg of the PT141. Therefore, you are saying that 10IU would be 1mg? Thank you. Just wantr to be very certain.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Hello,
Mike here again. The dose I used was 1mg. I’ve tried 2mg and LITERALLY I could not stop… Amazing for a weekend. Not for a Monday LOL.
http://www.PT141.ca is a Canadian company but they have shipping centers in the US, Canada and Europe so really it’s great that you don’t need to worry about customs inspections. And they guarantee the quality.
I’ve ordered my third order now and my wife and I are LOVING IT. I’ve spoke to my doctor who hadn’t heard of it and he was surprised, did some reading and bought the exact same product from them. He’s now recommending (not prescribing) it to his patients and SWEARS by it.
I personally did some reading and found that they are coming out with a new product called PL-6983 to replace PT-141 in future. I called customer service at http://www.PT141.ca who are aware and are working with their team to produce it cheaper. It’s possible to custom order PL-6983 directly through them by phone however the price is $125 for a 10mg vial and only in limited quantities!!!
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Sally Johnson Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Wow, didn’t know Palatin was allowing anyone to produce under that license.
http://www.palatin.com/pdfs/pl-6983.pdf
Here is a link to what they say about the PL-6983
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November 3rd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Just how long does a 1mg or 2mg dose of this stuff last? Am I mixing apples and oranges here thinking about the 1 dose Cialis that lasts 36 hours is the same as a 1 dose PT141 injection or is it more of a one dose for one performance or one day limit?
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Sally Johnson Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Depends on if you are a man or a woman and how you respond, many people will respond with 1/2 mg.. some need more.. As for how long does it last?? women can remain in a heightened state of arousal for 2-3 days, thats how it is with me. Men, it can last all night. Remember, it works on the “Libido” meaning the desire to have sex. Here’s a great way to use it, figure out what works for you, then take that dose on friday night, then on saturday night take the same dose.. wow what a ride, the effects set in within 1 hour and i couldn’t hardly contain myself, felt like when i was back in college just frees me to be and do what i want..
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Melanie Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Hello Sally, My name is Melanie and my bf does not have a libido problem. He has an ED one. Is this something that may work for us or do you think I am wasting money on it. Viagra did NOT help. We happened across the article in MJ which has peaked our interest.
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Sally Johnson Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I’d have to say I am not a doctor, and I assume that if you did use Viagra that was prescribed by a doc so that you know it is real that you BF has some issues that need to be addressed by a Doctor since Viagra seems to cause an erection in significant # of users that use it, even with the side effects. In what i have read from users of the product, is that used with the Sub Q injection (just like using insulin) men that suffer from ED have been able to achieve a satisfactory erection. Hope that helps, i’m sure it’s clear as mud, but all i can say is give it a try. Good luck.
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Melanie Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
yes that helped, thank you. May I also ask if you know what they do with the leftover in the bottle. Is it storable?
Sally Johnson Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Yes, it is storeable, after reconstitution keep the peptide in the frig..
Good luck.
Jerry Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Stores for a long time in the fridge. To my surprise, the product worked well after being mixed for the past 3 months.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
I got some of this stuff and it is amazing.
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November 27th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Amazing article this is. It gets a thumbs up from me. I’ve been blogginf about sexual issues related to men’s health for sometime now. We also promote Vimax. To buy vimax pills, vimax extenders, patches and other products at cheapest online prices, please check out my blog.
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November 27th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Great write up - five stars. I bookmarked this page. I am promoting my blog which is based around the topic of men’s health and we are also promoting a few men’s sexual health related products like Vimax Pills, Vimax Extenders, Vimax Patches etc. Please check out my bog for more details.
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December 14th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
well i have certainly heard about how this drug affects ones libido. my question is the other side effect from this drug, which it was originally developed for, the tanning factor. does it really have a noticeable effect in that area?
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December 15th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
$20 for 2mg of the product is now available so it’s much more cost effective to try it for the 1st time. tanresearch.com has the 2mg dose. I’ve found that they have had the best quality and quickest availability of the product and now with the 2mg I don’t have to make up the whole bottle, just enough for me and my husband.
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Chris Reply:
January 18th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Very nice, thank you Judy
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judy Reply:
January 18th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Actually I just saw that they have it for sale for $14 for 2 mg now.
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December 21st, 2009 at 2:24 am
Libido drug for men and women are now available and can be bought through internet. It was originally developed for use in treating sexual dysfunction. However, this application was discontinued in 2008 due to the adverse side effects. But there are safe libido drug. You can buy it online
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vhien12 Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 10:48 pm
If I’m not mistaken, pt-141 was derived from melanotan and you are right. They are sold online, I’ve visited buymelanotanii site and got 10% discount for mtan ii vial. This is great,less expense but not less on its effect. Great tan! I love the discount code(bm2tana1) I’ve got. You can use it too. And for bremelanotide, gm2labs site offers discount on pt-141. You can visit this site too.
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yourmaninindia Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Have to love the outsourced SEO/SEM…haha
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Mike T Reply:
April 25th, 2010 at 8:35 am
@yourmaninindia That must have been why I found that site on google when searching for PT141. Although in fairness, I’ve ordered from a few sites mtanforyou and gm2labs but I like the fact I can pay with my paypal account on gm2labs. Two clicks and my order is on its way (i got it in under 3 days). I’m not trying to plug any sites but thought I would share as there seems to be a lot of interest in the product now. PT141 and Mtan 2 has definitely improved my love life as the GF craves it way more than I did but now I’m able to deliver and it seems to last a few days but maybe that’s just me.
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March 14th, 2010 at 10:12 am
has any one tried the site magic skin solutions? they are offering melenotan 1 and 11 and pt 141 at great prices but would like to know if they are a trustworthy site
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richard Reply:
May 6th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Generally want to stay away from sites with the word magic in them. Stick with the name dropped URL in the first paragraph
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June 8th, 2010 at 2:28 am
While the Fda is taking it’s sweet time figuring out how the companies they represent can make money pimping PT-141 I have unlimited boners and a girlfriend who has never been hornier in her life. This stuff brings out the animals in both of us.
Seriously, there is nothing like this product on the market. I’m 29 and basically I am at half chub all day long. Anytime my gf wants it, Little Elvis is there, standing at attention. Since she is a stripper, snorting is something she is pretty good at. It’s actually our preferred method of delivery. We picked ours up from gm2labs as well. Needles are scary.
This stuff is stripper approved!
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June 11th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Hello Sally!
I was wonderingi just purchased a vial of 10mg pt141 and im about to use but before i do i need to know if i inject the BW into the vial and use 1cc then i dont plan on useing the vial again for say 2 weeks, will it still be usable, like is it okay for the vial to sit with bw in it for months , as my bf only comes home from work every 2 weeks and so that would be a few months of use (1cc every week hes home i figure) it would be sitting after..while hes away,,Thanks
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June 11th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Hello Sally!
You seem to know quite a bit about this drug and as an active user, I was wondering I got my hands on some MT2, I have not used it yet, it says its used for a nice tan but does it have the libido effect that Pt141 has? And with PT141 do you get a nice tan as well? cause that would be a nice bonus!
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June 22nd, 2010 at 9:21 am
Came over from onedollardrugs.com ’s forum (linked above), I had never heard of this until then. I have to say though that I don’t think I am comfortable injecting myself with anything by needle into my body. I am also confused. So this affects your libido and not your penis blood flow? I always thought that you could have the libido without the other, so how then is this going to help? Thanks for any information.
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Tanner Reply:
August 22nd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Melanocortins are able to effect libido, more info at MelanotanHQ forums (linked above)
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