Although not formally class as a "trace mineral", Germanium is one of the most significant reasons why nutritional practitioners suggest natural foods, such as garlic.
Germanium seems to be mainly effective in attractive the body's natural resistance to viruses. This led to it being used as a cure for AIDS in the late 1980s, prior to a number of toxicity problems with one of the synthetic forms. If the similar critical approach was useful to aids drugs, they would surely be taken off the market tomorrow.
A lot of disease states, such as heart disease, immune system dysfunction, osteoporosis and cancer have all been shown to respond to germanium treatment. It would appear that the reason for germanium's success is its capability to control the uptake of oxygen in the cells
In plants, this procedure helps defend them from infections by viruses, bacteria and fungi as well as increasing development and defensive them from the cold. In humans, it seems the effects are both connected to oxygen regulation and strong antioxidant activity.
Sources of germanium
A number of of the important sources if germaniums are
* Comfrey
* Ginseng
* Garlic
* Mushrooms (especially shitake)
It is no shock that the dietary sources very rich in germanium are those that are used regularly by traditional medicine, such as garlic, ginseng, comfrey and mushrooms. It is also a powerful analgesic, which enhances the effects of the body's own endorphins.
Benefits of germanium
It plays many significant functions in the body though it is a trace element. A number of of the important functions it plays in the human body are given below:
* Antiviral activity
* Powerful antioxidant
* Analgesic
* Anticancer properties
* Enhances oxygen supply to tissues
* May protect against osteoporosis
* Germanium seems to be particularly effective in enhancing the body's natural resistance to viruses.
A lot of disease states, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, immune system dysfunction and cancer have all been shown to respond to germanium treatment.
Deficiency symptoms of germanium
Although germanium deficiency per se is not recognized, a short of germanium is linked with infection and immune disorders, heart disease and high cholesterol, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer and a lot of other situations.
Daily requirement
Germanium is present in a lot of natural foods, comprising around 1mg per day in an average western diet. High consumption of synthetic germanium (50-250mg per day) has been shown to be detrimental to health, although this seems to depend on the form taken.
Some other points
Whilst organic germanium (germanium sesquioxide) and germanium lactate citrate seem to be fairy safe, germanium dioxide has been associated with permanent kidney damage.
It was this information that encouraged regulatory bodies to ban all forms of germanium on a tar them all with the similar brush approach that led to its withdrawal for the cure of AIDS patients, despite the reality that the alternatives not only kill AIDS patients but they might even be accountable for it in the primary place.
Germanium supplements are now not effortlessly accessible and it should be required through dietary sources.