Is Methylene Blue Really a Brain Booster? Here’s What Pharmacologists Say

Methylene blue was developed in the 1800s as a cobalt blue synthetic dye for textiles, but it also has some medicinal uses. It’s approved to treat a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemia.

However, some biohackers have reportedly been using methylene blue off-label, claiming it can slow aging, improve focus, enhance memory, and even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

How Methylene Blue Is Used in Medicine Today

Methylene blue was used in the early 20th century to treat malaria and gonorrhea.

Today, its only FDA-approved use is for treating methemoglobinemia, a rare condition that reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells. Methylene blue can convert abnormal hemoglobin back to its functional form.

Because methylene blue appears to protect and enhance mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in cells that deteriorate with age, some people say it may be able to slow down aging. Research suggests that boosting mitochondrial function could promote longevity.

Methylene Blue Is Not a Miracle Drug

Some biohacking enthusiasts praise methylene blue as a powerful nootropic, a trendy type of “brain-boosting” supplement.

Animal studies suggest that methylene blue may help boost longevity and protect the brain from age-related cognitive decline. Human studies have not proven that it helps prevent dementia or slow aging. Some research shows it has potential anti-aging skincare benefits.

“Although the claims have spiked curiosity, I don’t believe the evidence is strong enough to recommend widespread use,” Nicole Kashfian, PharmD, director of retail pharmacy operations at UCLA Health, told Verywell in an email.

Kashfian added that most of the studies on methylene blue are in animals, and they’ve been too short and small to confirm actual anti-aging benefits and memory enhancements.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Methylene Blue

Some people can develop a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if they take the medication with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other antidepressants.

“That is a really awful reaction where you’re shaky and sweaty, you have diarrhea and GI side effects. People can have some very serious consequences from that,” Jamie Alan, RPh, PharmD, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, told Verywell.

You may notice that your skin, urine, or stool turns slightly blue or blue-green after taking methylene blue. It is not recommended for people who are breastfeeding or pregnant. At high doses, methylene blue can also lead to anemia or methemoglobinemia.

“Methylene blue is likely not dangerous if taken at recommended dosages unless it interacts with something, and you don’t do your homework before you try it. That’s the big risk in my mind,” Alan said.

The second biggest risk? Wasting your money, Alan said. “It could work, but the chance is probably pretty low, based on the current data that we have,” she added.

Methylene Blue Supplements Are Unregulated

Methylene blue supplements, like other dietary supplements, are not federally regulated in the same way as medications because the FDA does not have the authority to approve them before being marketed. Some supplement sellers may claim that methylene blue products are FDA-approved, but only the methemoglobinemia treatment has been approved.

“If people are taking oral methylene blue, they’re not FDA-approved versions, and so you don’t exactly know what’s in it. You don’t know what dose you’re getting,” Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, a medical toxicologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, told Verywell. “Could it taste bad? Absolutely. Could it have unknown contaminants that could poison you? Absolutely, because it’s not FDA-approved.”

Why Med Spa Methylene Blue Treatments Are Risky

Some medical spas offer methylene blue IV therapy to boost mood, energy, and brain function. These infusions can cost between $150 and $450.

The FDA-approved methylene blue medication is administered via an IV. But getting an IV at a med spa comes with greater risks. Med spas don’t always have a physician on-site, and the FDA has warned that some med spas prepare IV fluids in unsanitary conditions.

“I would not recommend getting methylene blue at a med spa. I think the drug has to be given under very closely monitored conditions, which is not guaranteed in the med spa setting,” Johnson-Arbor said.