Germanium is trace element number 32 in the periodic
table. It is twice as heavy as oxygen (16) and seems in
some way related to it, as it supports cellular and
tissue oxygenation. Research in Japan also verified a
number of effects of Ge-132 on the immune systems of
animals and humans.
Elemental (inorganic) germanium, or germanium dioxide can
accumulate in the body and cause adverse effects such as
renal failure and even death. When elemental (inorganic)
germanium is drawn from the soil by plant life, such as
ginseng, it is transformed by the plant into organic
germanium, a complex molecule containing a core of pure
elemental germanium atomically bound to a large number of
oxygen atoms. To distinguish organic germanium from the
trace mineral, it is somtimes referred to as Organic
Germanium and expresssed as Ge-Oxy 132.
Tests by the Japanese government have shown the germanium
sesquioxide compound to be non-toxic even at extremely
high doses.
The United States Pharmacopeia ( U.S.P. ) states that if a
product looks similar under a microscope, or in analysis,
that it is the same regardless of what it is made out of.
For instance salicylic acid u.s.p. is considered identical
whether it comes from wintergreen leaves or by boiling
coal in carbolic and sulfuric acids. It also considers
glycerin u.s.p. identical whether it is made from fresh
vegetables, toxic minerals or boiled down animal
carcasses, cartilage and feet.
Commercial grade vitamin and mineral concentrates are
synthesized by chemical industries from the same starting
material that drugs are made from, and includes such things
as petroleum products, animal by-products, shells, metal and
various other non-organic sources). That is, the iron used
in many supplements is derived from elemental (non organic)
iron and processed as a mineral rich nutrient base, sold to
supplement manufacturers for the manufacture of vitamin
mineral supplements.
This is the reason that we hear of metal toxicity poisoning,
as in the germanium references you posted, because elemental
minerals are not digestable (they tell us that they make
these digestable by adding pig enzymes to the mix) and in
fact are toxic to our bodies. The same applies to all
minerals, including iron. If we consider an ORGANIC source
of iron, we all recognize spinach as a great natural source
of iron. Why is the iron in spinach NOT toxic? Well, the
great Designer gave plants the ability to draw the minerals,
such as iron, from the soil as an elemental (non-organic)
mineral, grow on it and transform it into an organic
(chelated) form of the mineral that can be digested by us
and nourish us.
The very same is true of germanium. The elemental (non-
organic) form of germanium is toxic. So, if you derive your
germanium from manufactured supplements you may suffer a
problem. If you derive your germanium from a food source
source, you will benefit. The list of natural sources I
posted is of the highest content of Organic Germanium. The
best source is Korean INSAM, Japanese ginseng has 250 - 350
ppm. That is not very much. American ginseng and apriot pits
have less than the lowest, which is aloe vera at 80 ppm.
So, it matters where you get your nutrition.
"Say not the Struggle nought Availeth" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:Dave Wickware said:Plants with the reputation of having a beneficial effect
in the
treatment of
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:malignant tumors showed the following germanium content:
1) Korean INSAM up to 4000ppm
2) Shelf fungus (trametes cinnabarina): 800-2000ppm
3) Garlic (Allium sativum): 750ppm
4) Ginseng (Panax schinseng): Japanese 250-350ppm
5) Bandai moss (Bandai-san volcano on the northern
part of Honshu):
260ppm
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:6) Sushi (angelica pubescens): 260ppm
7) Japanese Waternut (Trapa japonica): 240ppm
8) Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): 150ppm
9) Boxthorn seed (Lycium chinense): 125ppm
10) Wisteria knob or gall (Wisteria floribunda): 110ppm
11) Gromwell root (Lithospermum officinale): 90ppm
12) Aloe (Aloe vera): 80ppm
chelationtherapyonline.compOpen ↗
43.htm
stopcancer.comgermaniumstor.htmOpen ↗
Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 1997 Jun;25(3):211-9
Hazard assessment of germanium supplements.
Tao SH, Bolger PM
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and
Drug Administration, Washington, DC 20204, USA.
Germanium-containing dietary supplements became popular in
the 1970s in Japan and later in other countries, as
elixirs for certain diseases
(e.g., cancer and AIDS). Germanium is not an essential
element. Its acute toxicity is low. However, at least
31 reported human cases linked prolonged intake of
germanium products with renal failure and even death.
Signs of kidney dysfunction, kidney tubular
degeneration, and germanium accumulation were
observed. Other adverse effects were anemia, muscle
weakness, and peripheral neuropathy. Recovery of
renal function is slow and incomplete even long after
germanium intake was stopped. The total dose of
ingested germanium (as dioxide, carboxyethyl
germanium sesquioxide, germanium-lactate-citrate, or
unspecified forms) varied from 15 to over 300 g; the
exposure duration varied from 2 to 36 months. In
laboratory animals, elevated germanium in tissues and
impaired kidney and liver function were observed in a
life-time drinking water (5 ppm germanium) study.
Other toxicities associated with ingested germanium
products in human cases were also demonstrated in
animal studies with germanium dioxide and sometimes
other germanium compounds. Based on the evidence of
persistent renal toxicity associated with germanium
dioxide, the lack of conclusive findings of
differential nephrotoxicity of organic germanium
compounds, and the possibility of contamination of
the organic germanium products with inorganic
germanium, it is clear that germanium products
present a potential human health hazard.
Title
Nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity in humans from
organogermanium compounds and germanium dioxide.
Author Schauss AG Address Life Sciences Division,
American Institute for Biosocial Research, Inc.,
Tacoma, WA 98401. Source Biol Trace Elem Res, 29(3):267-
80 1991 Jun Abstract There is no known biological
requirement for germanium (Ge), germanates, or any
organogermanium compound. Ge deficiency has not been
demonstrated in any animal. The estimated average
dietary intake of Ge in humans is 1.5 mg/d. Ge is
widely distributed in edible foods, all of which,
with few exceptions, contain less than 5 ppm Ge,
since higher levels are toxic to most plants.
Ingestion of Ge compounds has been shown to produce
toxic effects in experimental animals. In recent
years inorganic germanium salts and novel
organogermanium compounds, such as carboxyethyl
germanium sesquioxide (Ge-132) and lactate-citrate-
germanate (Ge lactate citrate) have been sold as
"nutritional supplements in some countries for their
purported immunomodulatory effects or as health-
producing elixirs, resulting in intakes of Ge
significantly exceeding the estimated average dietary
intake. Since 1982, there have been 18 reported cases
of acute renal dysfunction or failure, including two
deaths, linked to oral intake of Ge elixirs
containing germanium dioxide (GeO2) or Ge-132. In
these cases, biopsies show vacuolar degeneration in
renal tubular epithelial cells, without proteinuria
or hematuria, in the absence of glomerular changes.
Serum creatinine levels have been well above 400
mumol/L in such patients. In 17 of 18 cases,
accumulated elemental Ge intakes reportedly ranged
between 16 to 328 g over a 4-36 mo period, or between
100 to 2000 times the average estimated dietary
intake for human. In surviving patients, renal
function improved after discontinuation of Ge
supplementation. However, in no case was recovery
complete. One organogermanium compound, an azaspiran
organogermanium compound, 2-aza-8-germanspiro[4,5]
decane-2-propamine-8,8-diethyl-N,N-dimethyl
dichloride (spirogermanium), has been found to cause
both neurotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity in phase I
and II studies examining its chemotherapeutic
potential as an antitumor drug in the treatment of
various malignancies. In cancer patients given the
drug spirogermanium, 40% experienced marked, yet
transient neurotoxicity. Two patients suffered from
pulmonary toxicity. Results of phases I and II human
cancer trials for spirogermanium have not been
favorable, with the exception of moderate benefits
for three types of malignancies. It is recommended
that patients exposed to long-term (greater than 3
mo) Ge supplementation at levels well above the
estimated daily intake be medically supervised and
monitored for potential renal-, pulmonary- or
neurotoxicity. Further study regarding the mechanism
of Ge-induced nephrotoxicity in human is warranted.
