New fad of several influencers on Instagram, methylene blue is presented as a miraculous drug for the body and the brain. A false and… dangerous promotion.
For the past few weeks, influencers specializing in well-being, fitness and dietary advice have been bombarding Instagram with strange selfies where they take a break and stick out their tongues. A fashion followed by their fans that is spreading on all social networks from Facebook to TikTok. Unfortunately, these photos are not intended to promote a new Smurfs album but a much more dangerous product for health: methylene blue, the latest fad of these self-proclaimed nutritionists.
Used in particular to clean aquariums, methylene blue finds itself adorned by their care with all the virtues: it is supposed to “boost the metabolism, fight aging, improve cognitive abilities” and even “protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and , current events oblige, of the covid”.
Last February, Instagrammer Ben Greenfield praised this supposed panacea to his 376,000 followers: “It’s one of my favorite nootropics because of its many benefits: it improves mitochondrial function, has neuroprotective effects against brain inflammation, it increases memory and cognitive functions, improves the effects of light and oxygen therapies, and much more.” This paramedical gibberish is, of course, accompanied by the photo of the inevitable colored tongue, a side effect of taking methylene blue.
These influencers and influencers would have found their inspiration in an obscure study from the University of Maryland dating from 2015. Led by Professor Kan Cao, she suggests that this chemical product could have beneficial effects in the very rare cases of children suffering from the Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, in other words, progeria, a terrible disease that causes accelerated aging and affects one in eight million children. But at no time does this study recommend its use in healthy individuals.
Because, as one might suspect, swallowing an aquarium disinfectant not only has no chance of boosting the body or the brain, but can also prove to be very dangerous beyond any medical supervision: “If it is true that methylene blue has been used in certain treatments, it is not a widely prescribed drug and it can only be prescribed by a qualified doctor,” warns Dr Hussain Abdeh in The Independent. And he specifies: “This disinfectant is toxic if taken in high doses, absorbing an amount not recommended can be very risky. Additionally, it may interact with other medications, which could make your treatment less effective or increase the risk of side effects.”
It is unfortunately not certain that these warnings are enough to discourage influencers delighted to have found the miracle cure to improve their audience.
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