Methylene blue and mood and anxiety
What 4 graded rows on methylene blue agree on for mood and anxiety, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Methylene blue page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Methylene blue page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Methylene blue and mood and anxiety
4 rows · 138 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement and 2 had mixed results.
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 3
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 4
- People
- 138
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a crossover trial of 37 people (2017) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 17 to 42 people, published from 1986 to 2017: 4 single studies.
The rows
2 improved · 2 mixed- CGrade CDepression and anxiety symptoms in bipolar disorder (add-on) · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 37 · 2017 · Adults with bipolar disorder and residual symptoms, all taking lamotrigine (37 enrolled)
195 mg (active dose) vs 15 mg (low-dose control; the abstract gives no schedule) · 6-month crossover
The 195 mg dose improved depression on the MADRS (P = 0.02) and HAM-D (P = 0.05) and anxiety on the HAM-A (P = 0.02) compared with 15 mg. Mania stayed low; effects on cognition were not significant. Side effects were transient and mild.
Row on the Methylene blue page · PubMed 27284082 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DDepression in bipolar disorder over two years (add-on to lithium) · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 17 · 1986 · Adults with bipolar disorder maintained on lithium (31 enrolled, 17 completed)
300 mg/day vs 15 mg/day · Two years (one year on each dose)
Patients were significantly less depressed during the year on 300 mg/day than on 15 mg/day; manic symptoms did not differ.
Row on the Methylene blue page · PubMed 3091097 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DPTSD symptoms after brief exposure therapy · Mixed
RCT · n 42 · 2017 · Adults with chronic PTSD (three arms: exposure plus methylene blue, exposure plus placebo, waitlist then standard prolonged exposure)
260 mg after each session · 3-month follow-up
Both exposure arms improved strongly and did not differ from standard prolonged exposure at 3 months on the primary measure. Methylene blue improved evaluator-rated treatment response (number needed to treat 7.5) and quality of life (d = 0.58) compared with placebo.
Row on the Methylene blue page · PubMed 28686823 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DFear one month after exposure training (claustrophobia) · Mixed
RCT · n 42 · 2014 · Adults with marked claustrophobic fear
260 mg once, right after the session · 1 month
People who ended the session with low fear had significantly less fear a month later with methylene blue than with placebo; people who ended with moderate to high fear tended to do worse with it. Contextual memory improved regardless of fear.
Row on the Methylene blue page · PubMed 25018057 (opens PubMed)