Comparison
Epitalon vs Methylene Blue
Side-by-side of Epitalon and Methylene Blue. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
Methylene Blue
Methylene blue as a nootropic: low-dose cognitive enhancement, mitochondrial electron cycling, brain oxygen uptake, SSRI interaction risk, typical 0.5 to 4 mg.
Effects at a glance
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
Methylene Blue
- •FDA approved for methemoglobinemia and ifosfamide-induced encephalopathy
- •Mitochondrial electron-transport support at low doses (0.5 to 4 mg/kg) via cytochrome c shuttle
- •Potent MAO-A inhibitor; serotonin syndrome risk with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, fentanyl, tramadol, St John's wort
- •Causes harmless blue-green urine and sweat coloration; useful adherence marker
- •G6PD deficiency is an absolute contraindication; can trigger massive hemolysis
- •Cognitive-enhancement evidence is preliminary, mostly preclinical and small fMRI trials
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Epitalon | Methylene Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) | Methylthioninium chloride, Provayblue, tetramethylthionine chloride |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 5.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 5 | 70 |
| Dosing frequency | daily during cycle | 1 to 3 times daily for cognitive use; single IV dose for methemoglobinemia |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal | oral, intravenous |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 1.5 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 | 319.85 |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | C16H18ClN3S |
| Mechanism | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. | Mitochondrial electron carrier at low doses (cytochrome c shuttle to complex IV) and methemoglobin reductase substrate at higher doses; potent MAO-A inhibitor across the dose range. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU | Prescription (injectable, FDA approved); supplement form (oral) widely available; not scheduled |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Not scheduled in the US |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Contraindicated |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 | 61-73-4 |
| PubChem CID | 219042 | 6099 |
| Wikidata | Q5384126 | Q409021 |
Safety profile
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
Methylene Blue
Common side effects
- blue-green urine and sweat
- skin and oral mucosa staining
- GI upset
- headache
- dizziness
Contraindications
- G6PD deficiency
- pregnancy
- concurrent serotonergic medication
- severe renal impairment
- infants under 6 months
Interactions
- SSRIs and SNRIs: serotonin syndrome, potentially fatal(major)
- MAOIs: additive MAO inhibition, serotonin syndrome risk(major)
- fentanyl, tramadol, meperidine: serotonin syndrome risk(major)
- dextromethorphan: serotonin syndrome risk(major)
- St John's wort: serotonin syndrome risk(major)
- lithium: additive serotonergic risk(major)
Which Should You Take?
Methylene Blue comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, controlled substance, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Methylene Blue.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick Methylene Blue.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Methylene Blue is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Methylene Blue. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Epitalon only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Epitalon and Methylene Blue?
Epitalon and Methylene Blue differ in category (peptide vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Epitalon or Methylene Blue?
Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours; Methylene Blue half-life is 5.5 hours.
Can you stack Epitalon with Methylene Blue?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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