Methylene Blue and Your Gut Microbiome: What You Should Know

Methylene Blue (MB) is the parent molecule for hydroxychloroquine, the off-patent drug commonly used to treat not only malaria but also The Spanish Flu of 1918. Until antibiotics came along, it was commonly used to treat urinary tract infections (which still works, btw) at low doses mentioned below. It’s also used as an antiviral agent in blood transfusions.

Biohackers found numerous and “profound health benefits since Methylene Blue acts as an electron donor, improving the electron transport chain at the cellular level. This means more ATP production by your mitochondria, which is how your body creates energy at the most foundational level.”

It’s also understood that MB shares functional similarities with hemoglobin—the vital protein in blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Its ability to mimic hemoglobin’s oxygen-transporting role enables methylene blue to effectively treat a range of medical issues.

It has proven effective for conditions like sepsis, epilepsy, and stroke management, and ongoing research is uncovering even more benefits, including managing diabetes and difficult skin conditions. (source)

Many people began to use Methylene Blue (MB) for protection from COVID and the COVID Vaxx toxins that are shed. Others use it because it is scientifically proven to be neuroprotective and help restore/reset brain function in people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, bipolar, depression and more.

Methylene blue shows promise in treating Alzheimer’s by reducing toxic protein buildup in the brain, including amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which are key contributors to the disease. This may slow or halt its progression. (source)

Some people, however, expressed a concern that Methylene Blue (MB) might disrupt the gut microbiome.

Methylene Blue and the Gut Microbiome

In this video, Dr. Dane Newville, a pharmacist at MD Custom Rx, discusses the effects of MB on the gut microbiome and how you can use it to improve your health. 13 minutes.

This study exposed mice to 15mg of Methylene Blue per day and studied the effect on the gut microbiome. Note that 15 mg is much higher than what most people would take. The results showed a very small change in the gut microbiome– perhaps a 1% change.

The conclusion of this study is that MB, being an anti-microbial, will attack all forms of bacteria– including the good bacteria. However, even at a very high dose, it does not alter the gut microbiome to any serious degree.

If one wants to go deeper, David Tomen, author of Nootropics Expert, discusses mechanisms behind Methylene Blue and some of the medical uses for this powerful agent. He also shares research on the dosing and other nuanced precautions for patients considering using Methylene Blue. 23 minutes.

Very low dose Methylene Blue (1%) supplementation (0.5 mg to 1 mg/kg of body weight/day) provides many life-enhancing effects, while (as with many things), high doses are harmful.

With MB, less is more.

REMEMBER: Very low dose Methylene Blue (1%) supplementation (which is 0.5 mg/kg of body weight/day) provides many life-enhancing effects, while very high doses (2 mg/kg. and above) are harmful. To get good effects, you can take a fraction of the recommended low levels (below) and still get good effects. I always recommend talking with your functional doctor.

Make sure to get it from a trusted source. This 1% product is 0.5 mg per drop and is batch tested for purity.

Note: Methylene Blue 1% has been SOLD OUT on Amazon and other sites off and on for quite a while. I made a way to get my readers 10% off using this special link directly from Compass Laboratory: Methylene Blue (1%) USP grade. Use the coupon code: Deeprootsathome

This dosing chart below is only for reference of what is in the safe range. But truly, most can get the wonderful effects with only a tenth (1/10th) of what is listed below like we have, save money, and slowly titrate up as needed.

DOSING FOR METHYLENE BLUE 1% SOLUTION

Body Weight: 50 kg/110 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 25 mg/day or 50 drops/day

Body Weight: 55 kg/121 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 27.5 mg/day or 55 dr/day

Body Weight: 60 kg/132 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 30 mg/day or 60 drops/day

Body Weight: 65 kg/143 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 32.5 mg/day or 65 dr/day

Body Weight: 70 kg/154 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 35 mg/day or 70 drops/day

Body Weight: 75 kg/165 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 37.5 mg/day or 75 dr/day

Body Weight: 80 kg/176 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 40 mg/day or 80 drops

Body Weight: 85 kg/187 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 42.5 mg/day or 85 dr/day

Body Weight: 90 kg/198 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 45 mg/day or 90 drops/day

Body Weight: 95 kg/209 lbs:  0.5 mg/kg dose = 47.5 mg/day or 95 dr/day

Tips To Make It and NOT Stain Your Mouth Blue.

(Jacqueline’s note: My husband and I have taken MB for quite some time for the cognitive benefits and for its calming effect. We take 10 drops of this Methylene Blue (1%) both AM and PM. We add the drops into 1-2″ of lemon water (and add 1,000 -2,000 mgs. of buffered sodium ascorbate powder, to neutralize the color) and wait a few minutes till the blue color lessens dramatically. Our VERY LOW dose is a total of 20 drops/day which equals 10 mg/day. I use a straw, swish with pure water afterward and have not ever stained my teeth. Urine will be blue-green-tinged, and observing that is helpful to tell you when your levels are low again. The half-life is 12-13 hours.)

Contraindications:

Do not use Methylene Blue if you have a G6PD deficiency, an advanced liver or kidney disorder, if you regularly use 5-HTP or St. John’s Wort.

Side effects with MB are very rare when doses are under 2 mg/kg.

Monoamine Oxidase (MAOI) inhibition becomes a big problem over 2 mg/kg of MB. So if you are using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications that affect dopamine or serotonin, you should NOT use Methylene Blue over 2 mg./kg.

NO MB during pregnancy or while nursing.

Note: In the video above, at 1:33:30, Mayo Clinic said there is “NO contraindication for oral MB with SSRIs”. 

Follow directions closely or find and consult a functional doctor before use. 

Methylene Blue is also being increasingly used for cancer:

“Methylene Blue could be used to “eliminate microscopic malignant cells in the post-surgical tumor bed and prevent local as well as metastatic recurrence without affecting normal tissues.” (source) ~Alberta, Canada oncologist Dr. William Makis. He has 8 articles on MB for 8 different CANCERS: breast, ovarian, lung, glioblastoma, pancreatic, squamous cell, cervical, colon, and prostate.

“Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE WILL direct your path.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6

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