What Is Adrenochrome? Uses, Effect, Conspiracy Theory About Blood Harvesting Explained

Adrenochrome is a chemical compound that previous studies believed to be a candidate for inducing symptoms of schizophrenia. However, there's more to know about this, so read on.

What Is Adrenochrome? Effects and Uses

Adrenochrome is an unstable chemical compound with the chemical formula C9H9NO3. The oxidation of epinephrine forms it. Its name is derived from the terms adrenaline, which alludes to its source, and chrome, which indicates its color (violet).

In its unstable state, adrenochrome is not very useful. But when it binds to monosemicarbazone, it stabilizes and forms carbazochrome (adrenochrome monosemicarbazone), which aids in blood coagulation. Though studies on carbazochrome's efficacy in treating hemorrhage are still lacking, it is occasionally utilized in this capacity.

Abram Hoffer and Humphry Osmond, two Canadian psychiatrists, hypothesized that schizophrenia might be brought on by a substance related to adrenaline based on structural similarities between adrenaline and mescaline in the 1950s after observing similarities between schizophrenia symptoms and the effects of the hallucinogen mescaline. A contender for their quest for a naturally occurring substance that causes schizophrenia symptoms was adrenochrome, according to Hoffer and Osmond.

They asserted that adrenochrome might indeed cause hallucinations after conducting their tests on themselves. The observation served as the basis for Hoffer and Osmond's so-called "adrenochrome hypothesis," which proposed that schizophrenia is brought on by an overabundance of the antioxidant adrenochrome in the body and could thus be treated with massive antioxidant doses.

One study examined the effects of adrenochrome on the human arterial endothelial cells in vitro. They exposed the cells to either adrenochrome or epinephrine at levels of 50 and 200 microM, respectively, up to 24 hrs.

Measurements were made of [3H]thymidine incorporation, protein content, [3H]cholesterol absorption, prostacyclin synthesis, and lipid peroxidation at 3, 5, 7, and 24 hours after the planned harvesting time. After 3, 5, 24, and 5 hours of exposure, they discovered that adrenochrome at a level of 200 microM inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation, decreased protein content, accelerated [3H]cholesterol uptake, and reduced prostacyclin synthesis compared with control. However, it took 24 hours for 200 microM epinephrine to stop [3H]thymidine incorporation and prostacyclin synthesis. After 24 hours of treatment, only adrenochrome prevented [3H]thymidine incorporation when the concentration was lowered to 50 microM.

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Adrenochrome Blood Harvesting Conspiracy Theory

So-called "adrenochrome harvesting" has been a popular subject of the related QAnon and Pizzagate conspiracy communities for a very long time. The conspiracy theory is an effective illustration of "hidden virality" and how marginalized cultures fuel social media platforms in ways that are not visible to the general public.

Conspiracy theories that work best are based on truthful premises. Beyond a few studies on its potential significance in schizophrenia in the middle of the 20th century, little scientific research has been done on adrenochrome. Aldous Huxley and Hunter S. Thompson, two writers addicted to hallucinogens, were captivated by the query. They perceived Adrenochrome as a mescaline-like psychoactive substance. In his renowned "Doors of Perception," which was published shortly after an initial adrenochrome experiment, Huxley identified adrenochrome as a clue that was "being systematically followed."

"The sleuths-biochemists, psychiatrists, psychologists-are on the trail," he wrote.

In what appears to be the earliest known posts about adrenochrome harvesting on 4Chan's /x/ and /pol/ boards, in 2013 and 2014, respectively, Thompson is specifically mentioned. An anonymous poster posted a link to a restricted, unsearchable video titled "Jew Ritual BLOOD LIBEL Sacrifice is #ADRENOCHROME Harvesting" in an anti-Semitic 4chan /pol/ forum.

Additionally, QAnon followers claim that elites in Hollywood and Washington operate a covert child sex trafficking ring and gather child blood. The anti-aging chemical adrenochrome is then extracted, according to the conspiracy idea, by elites to preserve their youth. That assertion is unfounded. The conspiracy notion, however, was fueled by a new TikTok video that has comedians Whitney Cummings and Joe Rogan goofing about it. During the conversation, Rogan asked Cummings if she did the "baby blood," and the latter replied, "Yeah, the adrenochrome. I have a sprinkler." She added that she just sprayed it all over her face.

Cummings rep later confirmed that she was joking during the conversation and her statement was not a confession giving validity to the outrageous conspiracy theory.