How viral ‘limitless capsule’ impacts the mind after docs difficulty main warning over substance utilized by celebrities

Here’s what the viral ‘limitless capsule’ at the moment being promoted on the web is alleged to influence your mind.

Anybody who’s taken a scroll by the well being and wellness nook of the web prior to now few weeks may have doubtless observed individuals raving a couple of new complement which they declare is liable for advantages corresponding to boosting mind energy, eliminating mind fog and bettering our reminiscence.

No, we’re not referring to a brand new kind of superfood or multi-vitamin, we’re speaking a couple of substance often called methylene blue.

Which to be trustworthy, is one thing which doubtless sounds very interesting at 9am on a Monday morning if you’re furiously gulping down the final dregs of your espresso.

However how correct are these imprecise ‘mind boosting’ qualities which methylene blue customers declare it has – and the way secure is it truly?

What’s methylene blue?

Methylene blue was initially found again within the nineteenth century and used as a textile dye, in addition to disinfecting fish and diagnostic staining throughout biology analysis.

The substance was later revealed to have sure medical makes use of, corresponding to treating a blood dysfunction often called methemoglobinemia, which is when crimson blood cells can not carry sufficient oxygen. It has additionally been used within the remedy of malaria and at the same time as an antidote to cyanide poisoning.

Wellness circles at the moment are claiming the drug is a ‘nootropic’ – one thing which boosts cognitive perform – which might decelerate growing older, improve reminiscence, enhance temper and even forestall most cancers – none of which seem to have been confirmed scientifically.

Celebrities which have endorsed methylene blue

Alongside wellness influencers, methylene blue has additionally gained a number of movie star endorsements.

Amongst them is biohacker Bryan Johnson, the man who spends $2 million a 12 months to reverse growing older and compares erections together with his son, revealed on X that he had begun to take methylene blue again in March.

Beginning methylene blue; protocol and proof rationale coming quickly pic.twitter.com/facvQTqM8P

— Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) March 3, 2025

Mel Gibson additionally revealed on an episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast a pal of his had used the methylene blue to allegedly remedy stage 4 most cancers.

“Methylene blue… It was a textile dye. Now they discover it has profound results in your mitochondria,” Rogan mentioned after the anecdote, to which Gibson replied: “These things works, man.”

US Well being and Human Companies secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr was even seen placing what gave the impression to be methylene blue in his drink mid-flight (via The Unbiased).

Nonetheless, he was by no means publicly spoken about utilizing the substance.

What we find out about how methylene blue impacts the mind

Based on one well being knowledgeable who discussed the subject with Science Direct, methylene blue is ready to cross the protecting tissue which surrounds the mind and penetrate the organ.

Researchers additionally imagine the dye might also have a optimistic influence on our mitochondria, one thing which is known as the ‘powerhouse’ of our cells.

Nonetheless, it is necessary to notice that the majority research relating to the influence of methylene blue on the mind have been performed on rodents, which means there’s little proof of advantages for people.

There are additionally quite a few dangers to taking methylene blue, with neuroscientist Anne-Sophie Fluri telling MailOnline: “With out strong proof in people, these claims are at finest speculative and at worst probably harmful.

“The mind is just not a machine you possibly can casually ‘optimise’ like a smartphone.”

Taking too excessive a dose of methylene blue and you end up prone to growing circumstances corresponding to serotonin syndrome – one thing which Johnson instantly acknowledged when revealing he was utilizing the substance.