I hopped off a discovery call this afternoon, wrapping up a conversation with a newly menopausal female prospective client. At the tail end of her appointment, she asked me one of those, “Oh by the way…” questions, and it centered around the use of methylene blue. “What exactly is methylene blue and who can use it?” she wondered, and, “What health benefits are derived from its use? Is it safe?”. Her questions prompted a full discussion surrounding this trendy but certainly not new repurposed pharmaceutical product. If you can even call it that… let’s dive into the history of methylene blue and you’ll understand what I mean.
Methylene blue was originally used in the textile industry for a purpose that most of you might guess – yes, as a garment dye to produce an almost indigo-like, dark blue. Methylene blue later integrated into the scientific space when researchers started utilizing it as a staining material to identify bacteria, viruses and parasites under the microscope. Methylene blue then further evolved into the healthcare realm – where still, to this day, hospitalist practitioners use this chemically blue compound for the purpose of treating persons suffering from acute chemical poisoning and methemoglobinuria. Also, as a fun fact that may end up on your trivia card one day: soldiers during World War II ingested methylene blue for antimalarial prevention, per marching orders.
You might be familiar with the recently infamous photograph that circulated amongst the media outlets capturing Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., sitting on a private plane and dropping a blue liquid into his water glass. Yes, he was using methylene blue! In today’s modern era, practitioners and consumers alike have started to use methylene blue for a multitude of off-label purposes for versatile outpatient conditions and strategies of optimizing one’s lifespan and longevity. Some of these common day conditions are: depression, dementia, mental cognition improvement, anti-viral protection, chronic pain, and recurrent cystitis/urinary tract infection treatments. Honorable mentions of methylene blue use also include Alzheimer’s disease & autism too.
So how does methylene blue work? And why is it so versatile? Let’s discuss. Your cells all have what is called a ‘mitochondria’ inside them, or, what I like to refer to as “a cellular battery pack”. In simplest terms, a cell’s mitochondria generates energy to power all of its biochemical reactions – the most important of those being the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the chemical energy supporting the health and longevity of the cell. In order for a cell’s mitochondria to thrive properly, it depends upon its existing electron transport chain, “ETC”. Think of this ETC like a factory belt in a warehouse. Energy is created from within this ETC, housed by the mitochondria, through the transportation of electrons rolling through the ETC system.
The ETC of the mitochondria can become damaged or lose voltage under stress, trauma, inflammation, poor oxygenation, chronic illness etc. When that happens, it often occurs at the level of “cytochrome c oxidase”, an enzyme involved in the rolling function of electrons within the ETC. Methylene blue thus, operates advantageously at this site of dysfunction by donating electrical energy to the rehabilitation of the cytochrome c oxidase, which in turn “spark plugs” the enzyme, or cog wheel, back to life. So, a cell that was once suffocating, can now renew its ATP production and energy. Preferentially, methylene blue has been found to optimize damaged or underperforming mitochondria with its use and, because it can cross the blood brain barrier (which not many things can), it has a unique advantage to influencing the central nervous system (which relies heavily on mitochondrial function).
With this in mind, it makes sense that neurological conditions such as dementia, decreased cognitive function, Alzheimer’s et alt have all researched methylene blue as a significant strategy.
What forms of delivery can one use to access methylene blue? Orally is the answer. And yes, you can find it on Amazon but I strongly encourage you to not pull that trigger. Better to have it compounded (based on your weight in milligrams per kilogram) through a compounding pharmacy to ensure its potency and purity. Methylene blue comes in liquid, troche (a semi-solid, dissolvable, jolly rancher-like substance) and compounded capsules. As it technically is a dye – it may or may not come as a surprise that when you use the troche or liquid form, it interacts with your gums, teeth and saliva. So, the methylene blue will stain your oral cavity. To avoid this blue-smurf-like effect, I opt to prescribe methylene blue in capsules for swallowing, thereby bypassing the blue-smile altogether! (Note: Methylene blue also comes in intravenous form, but we won’t discuss that today).
Who is methylene blue NOT for? As with any rebranded pharmaceutical, there are caveats to its use. Persons who are on antidepressants in any of the following categories: SSRI, SNRI and MAOIs (some examples of such are: Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Cymbalta, Phenelzine) – should not concurrently ingest methylene blue. Why? Methylene blue can boost the production of serotonin (via inhibiting monoamine oxidase) so using a serotonin-promoting antidepressant and methylene blue agent together poses risk for serotonin syndrome (think hot flushing, nausea, headaches, muscle twitching, rapid heart rate, dilated pupils – not fun). Also, methylene blue use is not for persons who have a G6PD deficiency, which is a genetic condition predisposing you to hemolytic anemia (where your red blood cells burst open). Methylene blue can exacerbate this condition. Ask your practitioner to check for a G6PD deficiency with a simple blood panel — we always do this at Kalon West – prior to your start of methylene blue use. And finally, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid methylene blue.
One other caveat of interest and buyer beware! Side effect wise – it is most common, and guaranteed, that your urine will turn a blue-green color as a result of using methylene blue. It also may impact your sweat tint should you workout or spend time in a sauna. Don’t be alarmed when this occurs as the urine and sweat discoloration will resolve within 24 hours after your last use of methylene blue. However, perhaps, don’t wear white gym clothing when you workout, just in case!
Also, pro tip: using red light therapy in tandem with methylene blue may maximize the mitochondrial response and accelerate its restoration efficiency.
I hope this brief overview of methylene blue has been useful to you. When used off-label, methylene blue offers a unique approach to common conditions to optimize your health. For further questions about whether methylene blue may have a beneficial impact for you, please reach out to our Kalon West providers!