Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with several uses, from cleaning wounds and scrapes to whitening teeth. Some studies claim it can even cure cancer. However, this claim is based on a theory: that low levels of oxygen can lead to cancer. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxygenating compound, which means it is a chemical comprising oxygen. According to the advocates of hydrogen peroxide, it eliminates cancer cells by overwhelming them with oxygen.
What is the connection between cancer and oxygen?
Otto Heinrich Warburg found that cancer cells use a process called glycolysis to create energy. The German physiologist and doctor won a Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1931. By contrast, noncancerous cells typically use a process known as oxidative phosphorylation to generate energy. In some cases, noncancerous cells utilize glycolysis similarly to cancer cells, but only when there is insufficient oxygen. This phenomenon is known as the Warburg effect, describing cancer cells’ ability to survive without oxygen.
Warburg’s discovery led to the conclusion that oxygenating compounds, such as hydrogen peroxide, may terminate cancer cells and tumors by flooding them with oxygen. Read Tumor Oxygen Factor in Fighting Cancer to learn more.
How did scientific research respond?
Early studies about hydrogen peroxide and cancer seem promising, but more recent research shows significant problems. For instance, cancer cells do not survive better in an oxygen-free environment.
Cancer cells can grow without oxygen because they spread so fast that the body’s blood vessels cannot keep up. The truth is, cancer cells can survive with or without oxygen. The mass majority of doctors believe that flooding cancer cells with oxygen will not stop their growth.
In addition, a 2011 study suggests that cancer cells create their own hydrogen peroxide, which may play a role in helping them grow. If the latter is true, using hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for cancer may, ironically, help cancer cells survive.
What are the risks of using hydrogen peroxide to treat cancer?
Hydrogen peroxide is harmful when injected or swallowed. If you have hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, it is likely a 3 percent concentration. When swallowed, even a small amount of hydrogen peroxide can lead to stomach irritation and chemical burns.
Hydrogen peroxide cancer treatments tend to involve 35 percent concentration, which is more than ten times stronger than the 3 percent standard.
Injecting 35 percent hydrogen peroxide in the body may cause:
Swallowing 35 percent hydrogen peroxide may cause:
Moreover, breathing in the vapors of 35 percent hydrogen peroxide may cause lung problems and a sudden loss of consciousness.
Should you consider hydrogen peroxide cancer treatment?
While hydrogen peroxide might be a safer alternative to conventional cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, taking precautions is necessary. If you are interested in this method, please speak with an expert in hydrogen peroxide cancer treatment and ask about its risks. Remember, high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide can be hazardous, especially when taken internally.