The Health Benefits of Germanium

Over 95% of my hair analysis patients are depleted in germanium. So, what IS this natural element, and why is it important to your health?
Nutritionally, the natural element germanium has been known to aid in the prevention of cancer and AIDS. Certain compounds of germanium have toxic effects against certain bacteria. In its organic form, germanium is being hailed as one of the greatest new developments in the nutritional treatment of cancer.

The estimated daily intake for germanium is 1 mg. Germanium has been reported to improve the immune system, boost the body's oxygen supply, make a person feel more energetic, and destroy damaging free radicals. Germanium also protects against radiation.

Organic germanium is a biological-response modifier. This means it enables the body to change its response to tumors, which has therapeutic benefits. Germanium does not directly attack cancer cells, but stimulates the body's immune system, making it effective in the treatment of cancer as well as other degenerative diseases.

A number of human cancer trials have been conducted with organic germanium. A summary of Phase I and Phase II human clinical trials reveals that orally administered organic germanium induces interferon production, restores previously impaired immune response, and has shown extremely low toxicity.

In 1945, Dr. Kazuhiko Asai formed the Coal Research Institute in Japan. Learning of reports from Russia about germanium's near-miraculous powers of rejuvenation and its use in the treatment of cancer, Dr. Asai decided at this time to investigate its biological properties.

Dr. Asai's original research with organic germanium extracted from natural plant sources convinced him that it could result in remarkable health benefits. However, it soon became apparent that extracting the amounts necessary to treat cancer and other diseases was too costly.

Nonetheless, Dr. Asai succeeded in developing a process for producing an organic germanium, Ge-132, that was chemically identical to the form he had extracted from plants. The chemical name for this organic germanium compound is bis-carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide. Since this time, several other Japanese companies have patented other processes for the production of organic germanium.

Many herbs and medicinal plants traditionally used in healing--such as ginseng, garlic, comfrey, and aloe-- contain substantial amounts of germanium. The amount of germanium in a plant varies according to the quality of the soil in which it grows. Adding germanium to the soil enhances plant growth.

Germanium facilitates the movement of oxygen across cellular membranes to deliver oxygen into the cells. Dr. Otto Warburg, Nobel prize-winning cancer researcher, discovered that cancer cells do not metabolize oxygen properly. Flooding cells with oxygen may retard the growth of cancer cells or even help return them to normal.

A study published in the Journal of Interferon Research, concluded "...organic germanium restores the normal function of T-cells, B-lymphocytes, natural killer cell activity, and the numbers of antibody-forming cells.... Organic germanium has unique physiological activities without any significant side effects."

Germanium has been used to treat depression, arthritis, vision problems, elevated blood pressure, heavy metal poisoning, and cancer.

Germanium ores are rare. Germanium is a hard, grayish-white element that has a metallic luster and the same crystal structure as diamond. In addition, germanium is a semiconductor, with electrical properties between those of a metal and an insulator. In its pure state, this metalloid is crystalline, brittle and retains its luster in air at room temperature.

Germanium is an important semiconductor, mainly used in transistors and integrated circuits. Germanium forms many compounds. Germanium oxide is added to glass to increase the index of refraction; such glass is used in wide-angle lenses and in infrared devices.

You can buy natural germanium supplements at your local health food store or online - Germanium Supplement. I recommend having a hair analysis done before supplementation with germanium to confirm that your body is depleted in this nutrient.

Ross, R.Ph. Pelton, Lee Overholser. ALTERNATIVES IN CANCER THERAPY.