The Latest and Greatest Cure-All? Don’t Be Fooled by the Blue

Image by Colin Livingstone

If you've been around the health game as long as I have — and that’s over 50 years — you start to notice a familiar pattern. Every few years, a new miracle product bursts onto the scene with bold claims, slick branding, a charismatic spokesperson, and a glowing army of social media fans.

This time, it might be a Harvard professor with a lab coat and a bestselling book, a biohacker with blue-tinted lips and a billion followers, or a self-proclaimed anti-ageing expert promising to reverse your biological clock. The names and faces change, but the formula stays the same.

The latest miracle in a bottle? Methylene Blue (MB).

I’ve been meaning to write about this for some time — but the recent explosion of interest, and now the fact I’m getting at least one inquiry a day about how to take it or where to buy it from, means the time is now. Clearly, MB has gone viral — and with it, the usual wave of hype, hope, and overstatement.

Don’t get me wrong

Let me be clear: I’m not saying there are no health benefits to Methylene Blue — or to many of the other compounds that attract attention during times of health crisis. There may well be.

Take nicotine, nattokinase, Ivermectin, and hydroxychloroquine — all substances that have been discussed in the context of COVID-19. Each may have legitimate therapeutic applications in specific circumstances. But none of them — I repeat, none — are miracle remedies.

The danger lies in turning potential tools into cult icons. That’s when reason goes out the window, and critical thinking is replaced by ideology.

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet — including what comes from the Professor. Instead, follow the money. And apply the Truth Test.

The Truth Test

If something is to be called truthful, it must meet certain basic standards. Truth must be:

• Testable

• Consistent

• Reproducible

• Rooted in reality, not just theory

• Free from distortion by profit or ideology

• Able to endure scrutiny and challenge

• Resistant to fads and manipulation

But above all — truth must stand the test of time.

And here’s where most “cure-alls” fail. They arrive with a bang, burn brightly, then fade as reality catches up with the hype. What remains are the tried-and-true principles — like “Let food be thy medicine” and “Body, heal thyself” — ideas that have guided human health for thousands of years and still hold true today.

Fads come and go. Truth remains.

Hacking life? God forbid

Let’s get one thing straight: the human body — life itself — is not something to be “hacked.”It is to be honoured, protected, and nourished.

When you hear people talk about hacking biology, hacking longevity, or “upgrading your genome,” stop and think:What kind of arrogance does it take to believe you can outsmart life’s intricate design with a supplement stack and a spreadsheet?

This is Godscript we’re talking about — the sacred code written into every living cell, shaped by millennia of evolution and adaptation. To hack it is not innovation; it’s hubris.

And the very idea of anti-ageing? Rubbish.

There is no such thing. To deny ageing is to deny life.

What I support and champion is healthy ageing — strong, resilient, and full of vitality. That’s the Freeranger way. It’s not about running from time, it’s about walking with it in strength and grace.

Exploiting real anxiety for clicks and cash

One tactic the new health gurus use — and they’re very good at it — is to latch onto something timely and emotionally charged. COVID-19, for example, left people feeling scared, confused, and often betrayed by the very systems they thought were protecting them. There’s no doubt there are real and lingering consequences from the way that crisis was handled — I’ve seen it in my clients and I’ve lived through it myself.

But instead of focusing on real healing, many of these influencers use fear and confusion to build a massive online following. They make themselves out to be the digital Jesus Christ of the movement — saviours of the downtrodden and vaxxed. They offer free advice, champion the truth (as they see it), and rally people to their banner.

But then, the monetisation begins.

• Paid subscriptions“

• Exclusive” communities

• Miracle remedies

• Affiliations with supplement brands

The same model plays out again and again. It’s not inherently wrong to sell something — I do it too. We all need to earn a living. But when the sales tactics rely on hyped-up fear and miracle claims that don’t stand up to real-world results, that’s where I take issue.

Snake oil has just had a rebrand

What we used to call snake oil, we now call biohacks or wellness stacks. The wrapping has changed, but the playbook is the same.

And when celebrities and social media influencers jump on board — often with million-dollar commissions at stake — the circus really kicks into gear. Think of:

• Joe Rogan pushing AG1 (a glorified green drink)

• David Beckham backing similar "super powders"Countless influencers waving blue tongues after a few drops of Methylene Blue

• These are often cheap powders, dressed up with scientific lingo and sold at eye-watering markups, backed by vague promises of “boosting immunity,” “detoxing your cells,” or “activating longevity genes.”

• And do the millions in commissions affect what they say to their loyal, starry-eyed followers?

  
  

Just asking. I would welcome the opportunity to debate their health claims with them - not that I am expecting that to ever happen, since I am but a mere minion in their world.

Reinvention is the real industry standard

The health and fitness industry must reinvent itself every 5–8 years or it risks looking outdated and it becomes unprofitable. That’s marketing. That’s capitalism. But this model creates a dangerous illusion — that there is always something newer, better, more advanced than what actually works.

But what works hasn’t changed much in millennia:

• Eat nutrient-dense, whole foods (meat, eggs, fresh veg, raw dairy)

• Move your body daily, with purposeRest deeply and live in alignment with natural rhythms

• Detox gently and gradually through natural means

• Think critically, breathe deeply, act purposefully

No miracle bottle replaces this. Never has, never will.

Methylene Blue: A turbo-charger for a clapped-out engine?

Let’s get back to Methylene Blue. If you're living off sugar and takeaways, sleeping poorly, over-medicated, stressed out, and sedentary — MB might feel like a jolt of life. But it’s the same as bolting a turbo onto a clapped-out Morris Minor: sure, you’ll fly for a bit… until it all blows to bits with a whole lot of smoke, oil, nuts and bolts coming out of the rear, and you’re worse off than when you started.

In 50+ years, I’ve seen every so-called miracle come and go. What remains are the fundamentals. That’s what I base the Freerangers philosophy on: real food, real movement, real health — not artificial promises.

And who am I to say all this?

Now that I’ve entered my 70s and I’m still winning World Championship titles in Masters mountain biking — against the best in the world — I think I’ve earned the right to speak with a little authority.

My body is strong, my mind is clear, and I don’t rely on any trendy biohacks to keep me going. I live the philosophy I promote. And I’m still improving, not declining — because I trust in what time has proven to be true.

My message may not align with the polished presentations of a Harvard professor, a high-flying biohacker, or a global sporting icon. But here’s the difference:I have nothing miraculous to sell but honesty, and nothing to prove but the truth of a life well lived. That, in itself - life - is the miracle we all share!

Focus on the basics of health and on what is true

If you’re struggling with weight, fatigue, or poor health, you don’t need the next trend. You need a plan grounded in truth — one that addresses the root causes, builds resilience, and restores your vitality for life.

No shortcuts. No gimmicks. Just the time-tested path of strength, simplicity, and self-responsibility.

That’s the Freerangers way.