Everything you need to know about Methylene Blue...
So, what exactly is Methylene Blue & what does it do?
TL;DR
Methylene blue is a man-made compound. It's been used in biology & medical research.
The unexpected discovery during it's use as a dye to view cells under a microscope was it's interaction & impact on the cell's energy production.
What it can mean for you when you take it - more energy, healthier cells, better mental health.
Methylene blue is a synthetic compound first developed in 1876 by German chemist Heinrich Caro. Originally used as a textile dye, it quickly gained attention for its medicinal properties. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became one of the first synthetic drugs used to treat malaria. Scientists also discovered it worked well as a stain for viewing cells under a microscope, which made it really useful in early biology and medical research.
When methylene blue was first used to stain cells for microscopy, researchers quickly noticed that it wasn’t just a passive dye—it actually interacted with the cells themselves. Specifically, it binds to certain cellular structures like mitochondria and nucleic acids, which helped scientists visualise those parts more clearly. But over time, they also discovered that methylene blue could influence how cells function.
It turns out methylene blue can affect the cell’s energy production by interacting with the mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell. It can help improve the efficiency of the electron transport chain, a crucial step in making cellular energy (ATP). This unexpected biological activity is what eventually led to its broader medical use and the growing interest in its health benefits today.