Methylene Blue: Benefits, Side Effects, Best Time to Take It & More

Methylene Blue

(Methylthioninium Chloride)

Evidence: Low
Possible Benefits: High
Safety: Reasonable

What is methylene blue?

Methylthioninium chloride, also known as Methylene Blue, is a popular nootropic used for improving various cognitive functions. Because Methylene Blue is an MAOI, it can also have positive effects on mood and well-being. This article is about the main benefits of methylene blue, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.

Possible benefits

All of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. As with other nootropics, there is a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get most of the benefits without causing meaningful side effects or tolerance buildup in the body. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.

Minor benefits

Improved mood and well-being – Methylene blue is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). It inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B, which can lead to antidepressant effects.
Improved cognition – This nootropic can improve various aspects of cognition, such as memory recall, the formation of memories, and focus.
Increased alertness – This nootropic can act as a stimulant, making you more alert and energetic.
Slower cognitive decline – Methylene Blue can be helpful for older people experiencing cognitive decline. The supplement can help reverse or slow down some aspects of it.
Neuroprotective effects – The supplement may have mild neuroprotective effects, but more research is needed to determine whether or not this is the case.

Possible side effects

The side effects below are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.

Blue urine – This side effect is common at higher doses but generally nothing to worry about.
Serotonin syndrome – It is best to avoid Rhodiola if you are on SSRIs as this combination could lead to serotonin syndrome. Rhodiola alone should never cause this side effect.
Jitteriness – This potential side effect is similar to that of caffeine but much less notable.
Irritability – Some people report this effect.
Difficulty sleeping – The nootropic can increase energy levels and make you more alert. When taken later in the day, it can make it harder to fall asleep and worsen your sleep quality.
Allergic reaction – An allergy to this nootropic is rare but possible.
Nausea – This side effect is most common when people take the supplement on an empty stomach.
Diarrhea – You can usually prevent diarrhea or stomach discomfort by taking this supplement with a meal.
Toxicity – While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking high amounts of this nootropic could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. Regularly taking high doses can also cause the body to develop a tolerance to the supplement. To prevent chronic toxicity or the buildup of tolerance, staying below 80 mg in a day is best unless you have a great reason to take more.
Contamination – Contaminated supplements are uncommon in the USA and other well-regulated countries. However, if you wish to buy products from China, India, or other countries without strict regulations, beware that the supplements may be contaminated. Either way, you need to choose the brand you order from wisely. Always read through some reviews for the specific product before you buy it. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has the power to regulate dietary supplements but can only do so after they have been on the market for a while. That’s because supplement companies are not obligated to announce to the FDA when releasing a new product. The FDA has to discover the product and test it for potential impurities, which can take a lot of time. During that time, the supplement can be sold on the market even if it’s impure. Also, supplement companies can change their manufacturers without announcing it to the FDA.

Who should not take Methylene Blue?

You should probably avoid taking Methylene Blue if you:

experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the supplement
take MAOIs (Methylene Blue itself inhibits MAO-A and MAO-B so it may not go well with other monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
don’t notice any effect on brain function even after a long period of taking the supplement
are allergic to this nootropic
are pregnant or breastfeeding (while it can be safe to take this supplement during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it can put some unnecessary risk to the child)

Who will benefit the most?

You should consider taking the supplement if you:

experience fatigue on a regular basis
are older and experience cognitive decline
have a high budget for supplements and are willing to experiment with a variety of them (assuming you don’t fall into any of the categories that should avoid this supplement, Methylene Blue appears relatively safe and is unlikely to do more harm than good for most people)

How much Methylene Blue should you take?

The sweet spot typically ranges between 0.5-1 mg/kg of body weight daily for most people. This amount should provide most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.

The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to take this nootropic for a longer time (multiple months or years), the lower end is probably a better way to go since it is safer and you would develop tolerance faster if you were to take higher doses.

The upper safety limit for this nootropic is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than the recommended dose unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause problems if you take the supplement for a prolonged period.

Like most other nootropics, it is best to cycle Methylene Blue and take about two days off weekly to reset your tolerance. That will allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.

Best time to take Methylene Blue

The best time to take Methylene Blue is about 90 minutes after you wake up.

In the early morning, a natural increase in cortisol is responsible for waking you up and getting you ready for the day. By taking any stimulant that has the potential to increase cortisol levels right after you wake up, you would interrupt this natural increase in cortisol, and your body would not be producing as much of it in the following days. That would lead to increased production of cortisol at the wrong times of the day, such as in the evening.

After the morning cortisol increase that typically lasts 90 minutes, you want to take Methylene Blue as soon as possible so that most of it leaves your system before it’s time to go to bed.

Do not take this nootropic later in the day unless you have a great reason to. It could worsen your sleep quality.

The best way to determine whether or not Methylene Blue is damaging your sleep is to listen to your body and specifically look at how easily you fall asleep and how refreshed you wake up.

Methylene Blue is water-soluble, so you don’t have to take it with food to absorb it well. Taking the supplement with food is better if it causes stomach upset when you take it on an empty stomach.

If you take this nootropic on an empty stomach, the short-term effects will kick in faster and be more pronounced.

Interactions

MAOIs
Methylene blue itself acts as an MAOI and inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B so it may not go well with other monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
SSRIs
If you are on SSRIs, it is best to avoid Methylene blue as this combination could lead to serotonin syndrome.
St. John’s wort
This combination may not be safe at higher doses. Many people notice a synergistic effect of the two but combining them can lead to unwanted side effects.

Where to buy Methylene Blue?

In most countries, Amazon is the best option for ordering Methylene Blue and other nootropic supplements. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the Internet.

Some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.

FAQ

As with most other nootropic supplements, it is best to cycle Methylene Blue and take a break from it for about two days per week to reset your tolerance back to baseline. That will keep your body sensitive to the supplement and allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.

All of these options are fine. The two most important things to consider are the price and dosing. Powders are almost always the cheapest form. However, you may need a highly accurate scale to dose them correctly (preferably 0.001g). You can get one for as little as $20 from Amazon. Dosing the powders also takes time which can add up over months or years. The disadvantage of capsules is that they are often made of bovine gelatine, which rarely comes from ethical sources.

Taking the supplement before you go to bed is generally not recommended. The best time to take this nootropic is in the morning because it can increase your energy levels and make you more alert.

This nootropic should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date. However, it can lose potency over time. Keep this supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place so it remains as potent for many months or even years.

While acute toxicity is rare, taking very high amounts of this supplement could lead to various problems over time. High doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses.

While you could safely take higher doses, there is usually no point in taking more than 80 mg of this nootropic daily. This amount should give you most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.

The half-life of this nootropic in the body is about 5 hours. The supplement stays in your system for about a day after you consume it.

Many cognitive benefits will become notable right after you start taking the nootropic. As for the long-term benefits, you need to take the supplement for about 2-4 weeks to begin noticing most of them.

Most Methylene Blue supplements on the market are vegan-friendly, but always check the label to make sure. If you buy the supplement in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatin. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.

No, it does not. The supplement should not interfere with fasting in any significant way.

References

Most of the information in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything you read in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.

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