Medical Experts Assess Anti-Aging Elixir Endorsed by Joe Rogan and RFK Jr.
Doctors Sound Alarm Over Viral ‘Blue Brain Juice’ Trend
Celebrities like Joe Rogan and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have fueled a social media frenzy around methylene blue, a synthetic dye dubbed “blue brain juice,” touted for its supposed cognitive and anti-aging benefits. However, medical experts warn that unregulated use poses severe health risks.
Influencers like makeup artist Luba Cohen showcase the dye’s vivid side effects, but experts urge caution.
Originally developed in 1876 for textiles, methylene blue later found niche medical uses, such as treating malaria and cyanide poisoning. While FDA-approved for specific procedures, it’s now promoted online as a “limitless pill” to sharpen focus and boost energy.
Risks Outweigh Hype
Neuroscientist Anne-Sophie Fluri emphasizes that claims are based on animal or lab studies, not human trials. “People are gambling with their health,” she told the Daily Mail. High doses or interactions with antidepressants like Prozac can trigger serotonin syndrome—a life-threatening condition causing seizures, fever, or coma. The FDA links 18 serious incidents, including deaths, to such interactions.
RFK Jr.’s viral mid-flight use highlights reckless promotion, experts say.
A 2023 study in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism found the dye reduces brain blood flow by 8%, contradicting cognitive enhancement claims.
Hidden Dangers
Methylene blue is especially risky for those with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency—a condition affecting 400 million globally. Even small doses can destroy red blood cells, leading to organ damage. Industrial-grade versions sold online may contain heavy metals like arsenic or lead.
Fitness influencer Ben Greenfield touts unproven benefits, ignoring FDA warnings.
Pregnant women are also at risk: methylene blue is FDA Category X due to links to fetal abnormalities.
Misinformation Crisis
Fluri warns that influencers like Rogan and RFK Jr. exploit “uncertainty, turning it into false hope.” Social media algorithms amplify unproven claims, sidelining evidence-based medicine.
While some studies explore methylene blue’s potential for Alzheimer’s, experts stress only pharmaceutical-grade versions should be used in research—not as supplements.
The Bottom Line
Without robust human trials or regulation, methylene blue remains a gamble. As Fluri notes, “The brain isn’t a machine you can ‘optimize’ with a trendy dye.”
Recent research debunks cognitive claims, urging public caution.
For now, doctors advise avoiding methylene blue outside regulated medical settings—your brain might thank you.
