Brain Boost? How a Century-Old Drug Is Sparking a Social Media Firestorm

Joe Kryszak began hearing the buzz about methylene blue a few months ago.

The century-old drug suddenly began surfacing in influential podcasts. Joe Rogan interviewed Mel Gibson about the actor’s claims that it helped cure his friends’ cancer. Then, Stanford University professor and podcaster Andrew Huberman  interviewed Dr. Chris Palmer, a Harvard Medical School professor, about small pilot studies on methylene blue’s potential anti-aging or cognitive benefits. These mentions kindled a viral surge in the medicine’s popularity.

“There was a lot of excitement about it,” Kryszak says. “After speaking to chiropractors nationwide who had heard of it and were very interested, we did some research. Some studies examine the potential benefits of methylene blue for cognitive functioning. Also, it does a good job of helping hemoglobin transport oxygen throughout the body.”

For patients who feel lethargic or lacking in energy, he says, “the answer is not more Red Bulls and sugary caffeine.” Instead, Kryszak sees chiropractors recommending methylene blue for a cognitive boost or increased energy.

But users should read the label carefully. If taken with certain antidepressant medications, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and MAOIs, methylene blue may contribute to a potentially serious condition called serotonin syndrome . Otherwise, it can often serve as “a great natural compound that helps the body run more efficiently.”

To gain approval to sell pharmaceutical-grade methylene blue, Stirling Professional had to pass a rigorous four-month approval process, including an audit and examination of its business model and target buyers. As a result, chiropractors now have access to pure, third-party-tested versions of the medicine, completely free of formaldehyde and alcohol. “We are excited to be selling pharmaceutical-grade methylene blue to chiropractors,” he shares.

“There are other products out there, on Amazon and other places, but I wouldn’t trust them,” Kryszak says. Some are shipped from overseas and lack the quality and potency of Stirling Professional’s formula.

Methylene blue was first synthesized in 1876 as a textile dye and was among the first compounds used to treat malaria. Today, methylene blue is FDA-approved to treat methemoglobinemia,  a rare condition that prevents the blood from carrying enough oxygen as it circulates through the body. It also serves as a dye to help physicians visualize tissues during surgery and detect malignancies in lymph nodes .

Some researchers have explored methylene blue’s potential use in treating mental health disorders. Pilot test-tube studies suggest that derivatives of methylene blue can affect the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by untangling proteins in the brain that underlie the disease, but more research on human subjects is needed.

Stirling Professional specializes in developing high-quality products that can become significant revenue drivers for chiropractic offices, including a powerful line-up of FDA-approved CBD lotions and gels. The company makes its products available through chiropractors at lower prices, with higher concentrations of CBD than patients might find elsewhere. Independent laboratories test Stirling’s products for safety and purity, which are FDA-approved for sale nationwide, providing an extra level of trust and verification.

If you want to learn more about these products and their potential benefits for your patients, click here!