PT-141: Benefits, Uses, Dosage, and More

What is PT-141?

PT-141, also known as bremelanotide or melanocortin, is a peptide that can be used in the body as a therapy. PT-141 is not a naturally occurring peptide, instead, it is synthetically made to mimic the naturally occurring peptide alpha-MSH. 

A peptide is simply a short branch of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, so when many amino acids or peptides are chained together they can form a protein. PT-141 was first made for a self-tanner so that you can get a tan without having to be in the sun. 

With some experiments, it was found that PT-141 had other uses as well. Mainly it is used for those with sexual dysfunction. 

How Does PT-141 Work in the Body?

Due to the similar structure of the peptide alpha-MSH, the body has receptors in the body that will react when the PT-141 reaches them. These receptors are located in the nerve cells of the central nervous system. 

The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord, so this is where the receptors of PT-141 are located. It signals to the parts of the brain that are associated with emotions, arousal, and sexual desire, called the hypothalamus. 

When these areas are stimulated in the brain, it helps to increase blood flow to the reproductive organs including the penis and vagina. When blood enters the penis this is when an erection occurs. Since this is the function of the drug, it can help with erectile dysfunction and other sexual dysfunction issues. 

This is in stark contrast to other ED medications like Viagra and Cialis, which instead target the vascular system, i.e. how blood flows into and out of the penis. 

Who Should Take PT-141?

Peptides are prescribed usually based on symptoms. One of the main symptoms that are noticed for people that take PT-141 is not being able to become sexually aroused either physically with a lack of erection or mentally with low libido. 

If you are having a difficult time orgasming PT-141 may also help. if you are experiencing pain with intercourse it may indicate that there is an issue that needs to be addressed, this is one of the symptoms that could be helped by the medication.

Sex isn’t purely physical and when your brain gets in the way with feelings such as embarrassment or performance anxiety it can make the cycle even worse and make it difficult to be sexually aroused. 

If this is the case your emotions may be getting in the way of you becoming physically aroused with an erection. PT-141 could help to eliminate these physical issues and hopefully allow you to get back to a healthy secure state in your sexuality. 

Can Women Take PT-141?

When thinking about sexual dysfunction many people’s first thought is men as they age. You may be surprised to know that 38 to 63 percent of women experience sexual dysfunction and issues with sexual satisfaction, especially premenopausal women and women with female sexual arousal disorder. 

Many of the medications that have been developed are for male sexual dysfunction, but PT-141 can be used by women to improve the sexual experience. In the same way that males get an erection females also get a type of erection as well. 

When women are sexually aroused, their clitoris, vagina, and other structures fill with blood and become engorged. This increases sensation and has a relationship with the brain to signal that the woman is aroused as well. PT-141 can help women to increase their sexual arousal physically as well as help to increase libido and interest in sex. 

What Are the Benefits of PT-141?

The main benefits of PT-141 are improving your sexual function and desire. However, it is more complicated than this as this area of your life plays a big impact on you. 

When you feel that you are functioning at your best you could feel relieved that your quality of life is improving. The benefits of PT-141 go beyond the symptoms that it treats but actually can improve your mindset and make you feel that you have control of your life back.

What is the Common Dose of PT-141?

The dosing instructions for PT-141 are different based on a variety of factors. Your size, age, symptoms, and sex are all factors that will weigh into the dose of PT-141. Your doctor will decide what the best dose is for you based on these factors. 

As you continue with the therapy they may adjust the dose to best suit your needs and avoid any unwanted side effects. The drug is only approved for adults and should not be used in children so there are no dosing guidelines for children. 

When being used for adults with hypoactive sexual desire disorder the common dose is 1.75 mg. This dose is injected under the skin and into the fatty tissue, also known as the subcutaneous tissue. This should be administered 45 minutes before initiating sex so that the medication has time to work. You should only use one dose of the medication per day and you should not use it more than eight times per month. 

Is PT-141 Safe?

The short answer is yes, PT-141 is safe. This drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and goes under the name Vyleesi. Just like any drug, there are side effects and it should be taken as prescribed. Vyleesi can also have interactions with other medications and may not be appropriate for some people. 

One drug specifically that interacts with Vyleesi is Naltrexone, and thus the two should not be taken together. to determine if this drug is safe for you you should work with your doctor to decide if this medication will be beneficial for you and your symptoms.

What Are the Side Effects of PT-141?

While there are many benefits to PT-141 there are also some side effects that you should be aware of. When looking at side effects you and your doctor should decide if the benefits outweigh the side effects.  

The most common side effect is nausea, however, actually vomiting is less common. Some other side effects that you should be aware of are changes in the skin at the injection site such as warmth, bleeding, swelling, and soreness. 

There are some rare side effects that you will want to look out for including blurry vision, dizziness, headache, nervousness, a pounding in the ears, and a change in your heartbeat. 

Some side effects should be reported to your health care provider, especially the rare ones, however less serious side effects may not need to be reported and may even go away over time. 

Where Can You Get PT-141?

Getting PT-141 may be easier than you would think. If you feel like you are experiencing low sexual desire and performance talking to your doctor is usually the first step. While this may seem embarrassing it is good to know that many people are experiencing the same thing and that there are ways to help. 

The person you tell could be a family medicine doctor, OB/GYN, endocrinologist, or a hormone specialist. Any of these professionals will be able to help you get the medication or lifestyle changes you need to improve your symptoms. 

Once you have been evaluated you may get a prescription for PT-141 that you can use to purchase the drug. You could purchase the hormone at a regular pharmacy or at an online pharmacy or retailer that is reputable and safe like Elite HRT. 

Conclusion

If you are struggling with being unable to achieve an erection or are feeling that your libido is so low that you are uninterested in sex then PT-141 may be a good choice for you. 

If you are experiencing these symptoms you should work with your doctor to determine if this drug is right for you and if it could help alleviate your symptoms. Feeling like you no longer have sex holding back is very freeing and can help make life a lot more enjoyable. 

Resources

PT-141: a melanocortin agonist for the treatment of sexual dysfunction

Female Sexual Dysfunction: Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Bremelanotide (Subcutaneous Route) Side Effects

Get Started