Internet is late with tributes to a liquid chemical called methylene blue which is sold as a health supplement.
In the past five or 10 years, methylene blue has become praised online as a so-called nootropic agent – A substance that improves cognitive function. The sellers claim that it amplifies brain energy, improves memory, stimulates concentration and dissipates brain fog, among other supposed advantages.
Health influencers, as Podcaster Joe Rogansang his praises. In February 2025, shortly before being confirmed as secretary to health and social services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared in a video Avoid a largely presumed blue liquid being methylene blue in a glass – although it has never verbally approved the substance.
As a researcher study inflammation and cancerI study how colors affect human health. The statements on methylene blue are attractive, and it is easy to buy your promise.
But so far, the evidence supporting its health services are rare, and there are serious risks to use the substance outside of medical practice.
What is methylene blue?
Methylene blue is a synthetic dye that exists in the form of dark green powder and takes a dark blue color when it is dissolved in water. My work and that of others suggest that many synthetic dyes widely used in food and drugs can trigger potentially harmful immune system reactions in the body.
But unlike commonly used food colors – one of which was Recently prohibited by the American Food and Drug Administration – Methylene blue is not derived from oil, also known as crude oil. Instead, it comes from another family of dyes, which is not considered to have these health problems.
Methylene blue was synthesized for the first time in 1876 as a coloring for textiles And was appreciated for its intense color and its ability to bind the fabrics. Soon after, German doctor Paul Ehrlich discovered its ability to color the biological tissues and kill the parasite that causes malaria – TO DO One of the first synthetic drugs used in medicine.
The chemical was not widely used as a treatment for malaria because it was no more effective than quinine, standard therapy at the time. But in the 1930s, the dye found new use in Test of raw milk safety or not pasteurized. If its blue color was quickly, the milk was contaminated by bacteria, but if it remained blue, the milk was considered relatively clean.
This security test is now largely obsolete. But it works thanks to the chemical superpower of Methylene Blue, namely that her molecules can exchange electrons with other molecules, such as a tiny battery charger.
How do doctors use it today?
This same chemical superpower allows some of the medical uses of methylene blue. More importantly, doctors use it to treat a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemiaIn which hemoglobin, a protein rich in iron in the red blood cells which transports oxygen, takes a different form which cannot do the work.
Methylene blue restores the function of hemoglobin by transferring an electron.
Doctors also sometimes use methylene blue to treat the effects of Carbon monoxide poisoning,, septic shock or drug toxicities such as chemotherapy. It is also used as a surgical coloring to highlight specific tissues such as lymph nodesor at Identify where tissues flee And can therefore be damaged.
How does methylene blue affect the brain?
Methylene blue can enter the brain Crossing the protective tissue barrier that surrounds it. Researchers also discovered that the chemical can Protect and support mitochondriaCellular structures which are often described as the powers of the cell.
Methylene blue can help mitochondria to generate energy For cells to be used. For these reasonsResearchers study the effect of methylene blue on the brain.
Until now, most of the effects of the substance on the brain come from studies in rats and in cells cultivated in a laboratory dish – not in people. For example, researchers discovered that blue methylene can improve learning,, Boost memory and protect brain cells in rats with a condition that imitates Alzheimer’s disease.
Rodent studies have also discovered that methylene blue can protect the brain from brain damage damage. Other studies have shown that methylene blue is useful in Treat ischemic strokes in rats. However, no research to date has examined if it protects people’s brains from traumatic brain lesions or cerebral vascular accidents.
A handful of Clinical trials studied the effects of methylene blue in the treatment of aspects of Alzheimer’s disease in people, but a review in 2023 of these trials notes that their results have been mixed and not conclusive.
A small study of 26 people revealed only one low dose of chemical increased memory by about seven percent and increased brain activity during reflection tasks. Another study of the same researchers revealed that methylene blue changed how different parts of the brain connected, although it has not improved reflection skills.
Although some studies in people have shown indices that methylene blue can be beneficial for certain brain problems, such as pain management And neuropsychiatric disordersSuch studies to date have been small. This suggests that although there may be circumstances of patients where methylene blue is beneficial, researchers have not yet pinned what they are.
Is methylene blue sure?
Methylene blue is generally safe when used under medical supervision. However, the chemical has serious risks.
On the one hand, it can interact with widely used drugs. Methylene blue Inhibit a molecule called monoamine oxidasewhose work consists in breaking up an important cerebral chemical, serotonin.
Much commonly used Drugs to treat anxiety and depression Target serotonin. Supplement with these drugs can cause a condition called serotonin syndromewhich can lead to agitation, to confusion, feverQuick heart rate, muscle stiffness and, in serious cases, convulsions or even death.
In people with a rare Genetic deficiency of an enzyme called G6PDmethylene blue can cause a dangerous condition in which the red blood cells decompose too quickly. In high doses, the chemical can also Increase blood pressure or cause heart problems. In addition, it is considered dangerous for pregnant or breastfed women because it can harm the fetus or the baby.
Overall, while scientists have found clues of certain fascinating properties of methylene blue, much more important tests are necessary to know if it really works, what is the right dose and how sure it is over time.
Lorne J. HofsethProfessor and Dean Partner for Research, College of Pharmacy, Southern Carolina University
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