Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has greatly reshaped the country’s public health infrastructure since taking over as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary during the renewed Trump administration—and not for the better.
Still, from RFK Jr.’s pledge to take on fictional chemtrails to his recent fearmongering about circumcisions and autism, it might be hard for the average person to keep track of Kennedy’s many inane beliefs related to health and wellness. So here’s a handy guide to the supplements and alternative treatments that RFK Jr. has either advocated for or may personally be taking right this moment, and why they’re probably not worth the hype.
1. Methylene blue
Earlier this February, a viral video showed RFK Jr. dropping doses of a blue liquid into a glass of water during a flight. Though the exact nature of this concoction remains unconfirmed, internet sleuths concluded that he was likely taking methylene blue, a synthetic dye that’s become a popular remedy among the alternative medicine community.
Methylene blue is commonly used as a diagnostic dye for some medical tests. It’s also the primary treatment for methemoglobinemia, a rare blood disorder caused by the overproduction of methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin. Online, however, the dye has taken on a second life as an advertised cure-all for everything under the Sun, from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.
Methylene blue has a long history in medicine, and it’s certainly possible that scientists will find new uses for the versatile substance. But the most boisterous claims made by its adherents are often based on preliminary studies that still need more follow-up. The cancer studies on methylene blue, for instance, have largely involved animal or lab experiments. Some research has also suggested that methylene blue’s anti-cancer effects would likely work best in combination with light therapy, not taken alone. And some studies have failed to support the supposed brain-boosting abilities of the dye.
All of which is to say: it’s probably not time yet for all of us to start dosing our morning coffee with methylene blue.
2. Testosterone
The well-built Kennedy has admitted numerous times to taking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as a part of an anti-aging regimen prescribed by his doctors. He’s also taken pains to deny that he uses steroids—a distinction without much difference (testosterone is a steroid, and many people use synthetic versions of it to build up muscle).
Men typically experience a gradual decline of testosterone as they age. And doctors commonly do prescribe TRT to men with lower than usual levels of testosterone, a condition that can be caused by various factors but is more common in men over 60. For these patients, TRT is generally safe and can provide numerous health benefits, including restored sex drive and improved mental health and energy. But many men continue to have normal testosterone levels long into their later years, and it’s not at all clear whether TRT should be used to prolong healthy aging for the average man.
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