Comparison
Glutathione vs Methylene Blue
Side-by-side of Glutathione 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.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
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
Glutathione
- •Body's primary intracellular antioxidant; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, glycine
- •Oral bioavailability poor; sublingual, liposomal, IV more reliable
- •Richie 2014 trial showed body GSH store increases at 250-1000 mg/day for 6 months
- •NAC supplementation often more cost-effective indirect strategy
- •Modest signals in NAFLD, skin aging, immune support; weak in cardiovascular
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 | Glutathione | Methylene Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Methylthioninium chloride, Provayblue, tetramethylthionine chloride |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 5.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 70 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | 1 to 3 times daily for cognitive use; single IV dose for methemoglobinemia |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral, intravenous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1.5 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 319.85 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C16H18ClN3S |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | 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 | OTC dietary supplement | Prescription (injectable, FDA approved); supplement form (oral) widely available; not scheduled |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Not scheduled in the US |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Contraindicated |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 61-73-4 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 6099 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q409021 |
Safety profile
Glutathione
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
Contraindications
- asthma (IV / inhaled forms specifically)
- active chemotherapy without oncologist guidance
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interference with GSH-depletion-dependent agents(moderate)
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?
Glutathione comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Methylene Blue is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Methylene Blue.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick Methylene Blue.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Glutathione is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Methylene Blue 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 Glutathione and Methylene Blue?
Glutathione and Methylene Blue differ in category (supplement vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Glutathione or Methylene Blue?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Methylene Blue half-life is 5.5 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione 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.
Go deeper