Methylene blue is recognized for a plethora of potential benefits, including anti-aging properties. This common synthetic dye is claimed to delay aging, though we still need more research to fully understand its effects and potential benefits. Nevertheless, let’s look into the science behind it based on what we know so far.

What’s Methylene Blue?

Methylene blue is a substance that was first used as a dye, hence its name. However, with time, scientists found other applications to this substance. In medicine, it is mainly used as an anti-oxidant, since it may treat methemoglobinemia.

Is methylene blue safe to use? According to current research, it’s completely safe for short-term use. However, we need more research to establish its long-term effects on your body, though what we currently know suggests that it might be best not to overextend methylene blue treatment.

Methylene Blue and Anti-Aging Properties

One of the main potential benefits of methylene blue is its assumed capability to slow down aging. Yet, once again, we have only a few scientific papers on this topic—further research is needed to confirm or deny this. Furthermore, even with hundreds of studies, we still won’t be able to determine the effects fully, since we don’t have complete knowledge of the brain aging process.

What we know so far is that, according to Xue, Thaivalappil and Cao, methylene blue might support your body against mitochondrial dysfunction—one of the assumed reasons behind cognitive decline. Therefore, currently we can assume that further research will confirm the anti-aging properties of methylene blue.

Does It Mean I Can Take Methylene Blue to Support My Cognitive Health?

While methylene blue might support your brain health, we need to underline that most studies evaluated its effects as an injection. Naturally, you won’t and shouldn’t inject methylene blue at home, so you’re unlikely to use it as a supplement.

The most probable situation in which you will take methylene blue is when your healthcare practitioner prescribes it. This is also important because of the potential side effects occurring after long-term use. Keep in mind that methylene blue isn’t used just for its anti-aging properties; you will find it as a part of treatments against:

• methemoglobinemia,
• oxidative stress and inflammation,
• neurotransmitter damage,
• insufficient ATP production.

Methylene Blue Against Skin Aging

Interestingly enough, recent studies by Xion, O’Donovan, Sun et al. indicate that methylene blue might have one additional anti-aging benefit: slowing down skin aging. What’s more, the same study compared it to other substances with similar properties, like NAC, MitoQ and mTEM (some of which you’ll commonly find in health support supplements) and proved that methylene blue is safer than them.

However, yet again we must underline the need for further research to confirm those findings and ensure that methylene blue is entirely safe.

The Takeaway

Methylene blue may have anti-aging properties, both for cognitive function and your skin. There are research studies confirming both effects and the general science behind this substance further strengthens these theses. However, we need more research to confirm its effects, as well as to ensure that the compound is safe in the long run. Currently, although deemed safe for short-term use, methylene blue is considered to have multiple side-effects in the long run, such as causing liver damage or increasing blood pressure. That’s why you should always trust your healthcare practitioner to make the right choice, whether they suggest taking methylene blue or are completely against it.

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References:

1. Xue, H., Thaivalappil, A., & Cao, K. (2021). The Potentials of Methylene Blue as an Anti-Aging Drug. Cells, 10(12), 3379. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10123379
2. Xiong, ZM., O’Donovan, M., Sun, L. et al. Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity. Sci Rep 7, 2475 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02419-3