[240] - Methylene Blue - Brain Booster or Biohacking Hype Artwork

A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast

It doesn't have to be this way.

Welcome to A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast, the podcast helping shift workers thrive while changing how organisations think about people working in 24/7 environments.

Hosted by Roger Sutherland, Australia's Night Shift & Sleep Specialist, this is where evidence meets lived experience.

After more than 40 years of working rotating shifts with Victoria Police, followed by years studying nutrition, circadian biology, chrononutrition, sleep, human performance and women's health, Roger is on a mission to challenge the belief that fatigue, poor sleep, burnout and declining health are simply part of working shifts.

Because they don't have to be.

Whether you're a nurse, paramedic, police officer, firefighter, doctor, aged care worker, manufacturing employee, FIFO worker, miner, pilot, flight attendant, truck driver, dispatcher, or anyone working outside the traditional 9-to-5, this podcast will give you practical, evidence-based strategies to help you sleep better, improve your energy, optimise your health and perform at your best.

If you're a leader, manager, People & Culture professional, WHS specialist, or responsible for leading a 24/7 workforce, you'll discover a different way of thinking about shift work—one that focuses on building shift work capability from within through education, leadership and practical systems that create healthier people, stronger teams and higher-performing organisations.

Each episode explores topics including:

• Shift work
• Night shift
• Sleep after night shift
• Circadian rhythm
• Fatigue management
• Shift worker health
• Nutrition for shift workers
• Chrononutrition
• Recovery and resilience
• Women's health and shift work
• Leadership in 24/7 organisations
• Human performance
• Workplace wellbeing
• Fatigue risk management
• Building healthier, safer and higher-performing workplaces

This isn't another podcast offering generic health tips.

It's a podcast about changing the future of shift work.

Because healthier people create stronger teams.

Stronger teams build better organisations.

And it all starts by understanding how to work with biology, not against it.

It doesn't have to be this way.

All Episodes

A Healthy Shift | The Shift Work Podcast

[240] - Methylene Blue - Brain Booster or Biohacking Hype

April 18, 2025 • Roger Sutherland | Shift Work Nutrition, Health & Wellbeing Coach • Season 2 • Episode 186

0:00 | 11:23

Text me what you thought of the show 😊

You’ve probably seen it on social media—people swishing around bright blue tongues, swearing by methylene blue as the next big thing in brain health. But is it all hype, or is there actually something to it?

As a long-time shift worker and nutritionist, I’m breaking down what methylene blue really is, how it works in the body, and whether it’s worth your attention—especially if you’re juggling night shifts, fatigue, or brain fog.

Methylene blue has a fascinating backstory. It started out as a textile dye in the 1800s, became a malaria treatment in the 1890s, and now it’s showing up in biohacking circles as a potential cognitive enhancer. What makes it interesting is its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and support energy production in the mitochondria—your cells’ powerhouses.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

What methylene blue actually does in the brain
The research around memory, mental clarity, and mitochondrial health
Why getting the dose right is crucial—and how too much can be harmful, especially if you're on antidepressants or SSRIs
Why aquarium-grade methylene blue is not the same as the stuff used in research
And most importantly—why your basics like sleep, food, movement, and stress management still come first

This isn’t about fearmongering or hype—it’s about understanding the science and being smart with your health. If you’re curious about methylene blue or looking for practical, evidence-backed ways to support your brain while working odd hours, this episode is for you.

Support the show

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Roger Sutherland is Australia's Night Shift & Sleep Specialist and the founder of A Healthy Shift.

After more than 40 years working rotating shifts with Victoria Police, Roger now helps organisations reduce fatigue risk, improve staff wellbeing and build healthier, safer and higher-performing 24/7 workplaces through evidence-based education, circadian biology and the Shift Work Champions™ Framework.

Shift Work Champions™: https://join.ahealthyshift.com/shift-work-capability

Website: https://ahealthyshift.com.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-sutherland

Instagram: @a_healthy_shift

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Disclaimer: Roger Sutherland is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before implementing any strategies mentioned in this podcast. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Roger Sutherland will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of the information contained in this podcast, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness, or death.

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Methylene Blue: Hype or Hope?

Speaker 1 0:01

Well , you've all seen it out there on TikTok and everywhere else , and everyone's wandering around with blue tongues Methylene blue . What is it ? Is it a brain booster or is it a biohacking hype ? In today's episode , I'm going to talk about what the science actually tells us . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to

Welcome to A Healthy Shift

Speaker 1 0:26

be . Welcome to a healthy shift .

Speaker 1 0:29

My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement Officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigours of shift work , but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show , g'day , and welcome back to A Healthy Shift . I'm Roger Sutherland , your host , and I'm someone who's spent over 40 years navigating shift work firsthand , and now I help others do the same , with less burnout , better health and much more energy . Now I want to talk about this one because we see it everywhere , but I just want to remind you it's a healthy shift . So what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to help people from a poor place to a good place . It's not actually all about shift work , even though it seems to be all about shift work .

Speaker 1 1:36

Today's podcast is well , it's important

What Is Methylene Blue?

Speaker 1 1:40

. We're unpacking one of the most talked about and also misunderstood compounds which is floating around in the brain optimization space right now . Now I'm not going to go into where you've seen it , where you've learned about it , who's told you about it , but it's blue , it's bold , and if you've spent even five minutes on TikTok or some biohacking forum lately , you've probably heard the name , and that is methylene blue . Now , before you chuckle and picture some bloke pouring blue liquid into his smoothie and calling it science , let me tell you there's actually evidence behind this stuff , but , like a lot of things , it all comes down to how it's used , why it's used and also who's using it . So today , what I'm going to do is I'm going to answer some of the big questions what the hell is methylene blue ? How does it actually work in your brain ? What does the science actually say and , most importantly , is it safe ? So let's actually get into this .

Speaker 1 2:48

So , what is methylene blue ? Well , methylene blue is nothing new . It was first created back in the 1800s as a textile dye Yep , the kind you'd use to colour fabric . In fact , it was the blue that was used to dye denim into

The Science Behind Brain Performance

Speaker 1 3:06

the jeans that you wear today . That's right , but in 1891 , it was being used as a treatment for malaria . Now , over time , it's been used for urinary tract infections , blood disorders and even as a treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning . But in recent years , oh my God , it's going to tension for something very different , and this is brain performance .

Speaker 1 3:30

Now it turns out that methylene blue has this unique ability to cross the blood brain barrier , basically the brain's own version of border security . Now , most substances don't get through this blood-brain barrier , but methylene blue does , and when it gets there , it does something pretty fascinating . So let's talk about that Mitochondrial shortcut . Here's where we get a tiny bit sciencey , but I want you to just bear with me and hang with me here . Inside our cells , especially in our brain cells , we've got these little power stations , which are called mitochondria . Now their job is to produce energy , but sometimes they don't actually work properly , and that's when fatigue , brain fog and all kinds of stress-related issues start to creep in A major issue for our chronically fatigued shift working community . Now methylene blue works as an electron cycler inside this mitochondria , and that means it can pick up the electrons and move them along , which bypasses the usual pathways that create oxidative stress basically the bad products of energy production . So by skipping over those trouble spots , methylene blue helps your brain make energy without creating a lot of internal mess . It's like giving your brain a fast-charging cable without frying the circuits .

Speaker 1 5:03

But what does the science actually say ? So is this all just a theory ? Well , actually it's not

Dosage Dangers and Safety Concerns

Speaker 1 5:10

. A 2016 brain imaging study found that low-dose methylene blue enhanced memory , recall and activated key areas of the brain like the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus , which are areas which are responsible for memory , decision making as well as focus . Now , animal studies have shown improved memory in older rats remember , we're not rats which is better mitochondrial function and less oxidative stress , and in Alzheimer's research , methylene blue shows potential in stopping a harmful protein buildup .

Speaker 1 5:49

Now , let's be real . Most of these studies are early and we're not saying that this is a magic pill . But there's definitely something going on here and it's worth us paying attention to and keeping an eye on . But there's an absolute danger zone here and the dose matters , and this is what you've got to listen to . Don't listen to the podcast up to there and then run out and go and buy blue toilet cleaner , because it's not going to help you . The danger zone is that the dose really matters , and this is where people really screw things up in a big way . Methylene blue is biphasic and that means that low doses help and high doses actually hurt you . Too much can actually interfere with serotonin levels , which is especially dangerous and note this if you are someone who is taking antidepressants or SSRIs . It can also act as a pro-oxidant instead of an antioxidant and , worst of all , it stains everything your mouth , your wee , your hands . It's not a good look .

Speaker 1 6:58

There are people out there that are literally drinking you ready Aquarium grade methylene blue , yep Fish tank cleaner . Please don't do that Now . If you are going to use it , if you are considering adding this to your brain optimization stack , how would you do this safely ? Well , here's a rough idea and this is for education , not medical advice , all right . So I want to make this very , very clear . It's so that you understand this very , very clear . It's so that you understand what we do is we use a USP-grade pharmaceutical methylene blue and in simple terms , that just means it's quality , it's certified .

Speaker 1 7:45

We don't go out on eBay , iherb or the pet shop to go and buy something like methylene blue . Go and buy something like methylene blue . That is risking your life . Keep your doses very low . How low ? We are talking 0.5 to 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight . So you weigh 60 kilograms . 30 milligrams . That's what you need to start off with . Start even lower than that , just to test your tolerance and cycle it . It's not something that you take daily for months on end . And , importantly , don't combine it with antidepressants or SSRIs or any psychedelics or anything else that alters serotonin . And always , always , always , always , always . Do not just go out and buy this because you've seen it on TikTok and you feel like you can take it .

Speaker 1 8:41

You must talk to a healthcare professional before you mess with stuff like this . It is very important . It's a chemical ,

Final Thoughts and Smart Protocols

Speaker 1 8:50

all right . So I just wanted to just cover off on that like that . So my final thoughts around this is in the world of shift work , we're always looking for ways to feel more alert , think more clearly and bounce back faster from the grind .

Speaker 1 9:06

But remember this you've got to get everything else right first . You've got to get your light diet right . You've got to get your nutrition right . You've got to get your exercise right . You've got to get your light diet right . You've got to get your nutrition right . You've got to get your exercise right . You've got to get your stress levels right . You've got to get your sleep right . You've got to get everything right first . Don't start here and think it's going to solve your problems when you're not sleeping or you're having all sorts of other problems . You've got to get everything right . And this is just a finisher . Remember , it's a supplement , that's what it is .

Speaker 1 9:39

Methylene blue might have a place in that conversation , especially when your brain is under constant oxidative stress from lack of sleep , long hours or irregular patterns . But here's the deal . Smart protocols are never driven by viral videos . Keep that in mind . Just because you've seen it on TikTok and it's doing the rounds doesn't make it right . It's driven by understanding the mechanism and using the right dose at the right time for the right reasons .

Speaker 1 10:12

So if you hear someone online that is calling this stuff snake oil or someone who's calling this stuff magic , ignore them both , because the truth lies somewhere in the middle . It's very , very early days around these things and it's not something that you just rush out and do and expect a magic result . Make sure you talk to your healthcare professional about this , because he will have a handle or she will have a handle on what else you're taking . Do me a favor , share this episode and get evidence based science out there and prevent this TikTok madness . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .