Organic Germanium
[sesquioxide]
by Nancy Metro

Germanium is a trace element found in very small quantities (5-10 parts per million) in the earth's crust. But it is concentrated in plants, especially in plants known for treating and building the body's resistance to disease. For example, ginseng contains 250-320 parts per million (ppm) of germanium, garlic contains 754 ppm, comfrey contains 152 ppm, and aloe vera 77 ppm.

A Japanese doctor, Dr. Kazuhiko Asai, has been studying germanium for over 20 years. Dr. Asai and his research team discovered an organic form of germanium known as Ge-132 (biscarboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide). This substance is commonly called organic germanium, even though it is synthetically produced. (In chemistry, the term organic means that a substance contains carbon). This form of germanium is biochemically active, water soluble, and safe to take as a nutritional supplement.

Note from Four Winds Nutrition
Ionic Minerals contains germanium and is beneficial for most people

Germanium sesquioxide, or organic germanium. is being used orally, topically, and even intravenously in Japan. Research and studies done in Japan make organic germanium one of the most exciting new supplements on the market today. It has been found effective for lung cancer, respiratory failure, leukemia and lymphatic cancers, brain cancers, arthritis, eye diseases, mercury poisoning, liver disease (including hepatitis), osteoporosis, candida albicans, cataracts, heart disease, and in reducing autism. It has pain-relieving, antiviral, and anticancer properties. During pregnancy it helps to prevent conditions of toxemia and helps to insure the health of the baby. In addition, germanium is known to be a rejuvenator and increases stamina, endurance, energy, and heart-muscle tone. When people have taken germanium supplements for major problems, they have also found that minor complaints such as headaches, backaches, corns, and warts have disappeared.

Does this all sound too good to be true?

Let's look at germanium sesquioxide to learn why it can be so effective in seemingly diverse situations. Elemental germanium is just a single atom. But in the organic form, germanium sesquioxide, which was synthesized by Dr. Asai, each germanium atom holds onto three oxygen atoms. This means that organic germanium provides an effective form of oxygenation therapy. When cells are deprived of oxygen, there will be damage to the tissues. A mild oxygen shortage might inhibit the cell's ability to fight off free radicals, viruses, toxins, and so forth. A more severe shortage could kill the cells or cause them to become cancerous.

Some researchers feel that the growth of cancer cells is directly related to an oxygen deficiency in the cells. With oxygen, cells are aerobic. When deprived of oxygen, some cells will mutate and become anaerobic. This means they begin to grow and thrive in the absence of oxygen. This change in their metabolism makes these cells cancerous. The research done by Dr. Asai suggests that organic germanium plays a vital role in stopping the spread of cancer cells. In addition to providing oxygen, organic germanium also removes excess hydrogen from the blood. This was explained by Dr. Asai as follows: Now, hydrogen of positive ions [H+] may be regarded as the dust in the blood. This is generated with carbon dioxide after the combustion of food taken into the body system for energy. Carbon dioxide is exhaled. The hydrogen ions combine with oxygen to become water excreted in the form of urine and sweat. And acid blood means an excess of hydrogen ions in the blood, which deprives the blood of large quantities of oxygen, causing oxygen deficiency in the body systems. For this reason, acidosis or acid blood is considered the very cause of various diseases.

The two important causes of acidosis are food and mental stress.

No genuine recovery can be obtained unless these important factors are kept in mind. "To insure that the body functions normally, hydrogen must be removed, but for complete removal, a large quantity of oxygen is needed. The germanium compound, with its strong dehydrogenating effects, takes the place of oxygen in combining with hydrogen to eliminate the latter from the body."

Germanium's use in brain diseases and mental functions can also be explained as follows. The brain uses 20-30% of the total oxygen in the body. Oxygen reaching the brain is related to blood flow. Germanium helps to decrease the viscosity (stickiness) of the blood so that it flows better and is thus able to carry more oxygen to the brain.

Additionally, properties of germanium are related to its ability to stimulate interferon production and activate natural killer-cell activity. It also helps to produce superoxides, absorb calcium from foods, and to regulate cholesterol levels in the blood. Germanium is removed from the body 20 hours after ingestion. On its way, it takes heavy metals that may have accumulated in the system. In extensive research with Ge-132, it has no known toxicity and no side effects.

The following excerpt helps to explain some possible misunderstandings regarding side effects:
"When viewed from the patient's viewpoint, however, symptoms that may be suspected as being side effects do appear. Such symptoms are especially liable to appear in patients with liver and kidney disorders, in allergic people, in those who are susceptible to bronchial asthma and hives, and in patients suffering from stomach and intestinal disorders, constipation, chronic articular rheumatism, and gout. "
This is one of the characteristic actions of organic germanium.

Toxic elements, products of decomposition, waste matter and foreign matter generated in the body, which are injurious to health or which obstruct disease-curing processes, are discharged with the urine, feces, and also through the pores of the skin. In such cases, the volume of urine may increase, the feces may become softer and even water, and the frequency of discharge may increase to several times the usual amount. Unlike the effects generally known as diarrhea, however, no abdominal pains accompany this process. Furthermore, when such matters are discharged through the skin by insensible perspiration, rash accompanied by itching appears.

This symptom differs according to constitution, age, diet, duration of disorder, existing condition of disorder, and the dosage of organic germanium. Such phenomena are observed more frequently in patients with larger amounts of internal toxic elements. However, since these are the effects of organic germanium, the symptoms disappear within three days to two weeks when administration is in progress or when the dosage is controlled.

Having overcome these effects, the patient will feel fine. For example, when a patient suffering from gout or chronic arthritis takes organic germanium, the pain may intensify when the pain-causing substance (uric acid in the case of gout) is removed from the joint, but when administration is continued, the pain will be reduced within a few days to a few weeks. If treatment is suspended because of the pain the administration up to this point will become meaningless."

For those of you familiar with natural healing processes, Dr. Asai is describing a healing crisis, which takes place when a sick body is strengthened and begins to throw off the toxins that have been damaging it. Dr. Asai emphasized that dietary and lifestyle changes must accompany the use of germanium for maximum and lasting effectiveness. Daily doses of germanium range from 80 mg to 200 mg to 3 to 4 grams. The higher the dosage, the more therapeutic. Lower doses are used for the prevention of diseases and minor ailments.
Germanium is safe for use with children.

Sources
Germanium: A New Approach to Immunity by Betty Kamen.
The Miracle Cure: Organic Germanium by Dr. Kazuhiko Asai.
The Report on Germanium by Karl Loren.