Is it safe to ingest hydrogen peroxide?!


Question:

Is it safe to ingest hydrogen peroxide?

I read somewhere that there are health benefits to be gained from taking food grade hydrogen peroxide. Does anyone know:

a) what the alleged/potential benefits are?
b) what the theory is behind it?
c) how is it taken?


Answers:

Hydrogen peroxide will break down to water and oxygen, neither of which sound particularly exciting. however, it will not do so unless there is a catalyst or enzyme. In the mouth and stomach and intestine, there is very little superoxide dismutase (the biologic enzyme that breaks down H2O2), so there is only a small amount of oxygen production there. However, once absorbed into the bloodstream, there is a large amount of enzyme there and even more in the liver. This produces a large amount of oxygen rapidly.

You don't have to worry about blowing up or anything. However, oxygen gas is VERY toxic in high concentrations. If you doubt this, realize that bleach has its effects because it breaks down into oxygen (not chlorine). In addition, the process by which oxygen is produced also produces a lot of free radicals, which damage genetic material. This may trigger cancer, but most often simply causes cell death.

The upshot is, possible liver failure and other bad things. Don't drink it!




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