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Debunking the dangerous detox myth of hydrogen peroxide
It’s no surprise that in the hustle and bustle of life in big cities people tend to covet the quick-fix. It’s also no surprise that if someone calls him or herself an expert or a doctor and has what looks like an established blog, that expert can package up a healthy dose of pseudoscience and make it sound absolutely 100% legit — such as the claims of the supposed multiple miraculous benefits of hydrogen peroxide.
The Myth
All the brouhaha over hydrogen peroxide being a miracle cure-all began with a Dr. Koch, who was censured by the Food and Drug Administration in 1942 for his quacking quackery. Here we are 71 years later, and people touting hydrogen peroxide as a magic fix are still making the rounds, this time with the help of the Internet and social media.
Rub your skin with 3% hydrogen peroxide, claims one blogger, because doing so will “deliver oxygen through the pores of your skin and into your system.” The same blogger suggests that in lieu of rubbing your skin with it, you can add 1 to 2 cups of 35% hydrogen peroxide to a half bathtub of water.
According to the myth, H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) is water with an extra oxygen atom, which can be absorbed through the skin in one of those 20- to 40-minute baths, and used by your cells as normal oxygen. And it sounds science-y. After all, phrases that sound authoritative, such as “in-depth research” and “eliminates toxins,” get thrown around so much so that it’s easy for people to forget that hydrogen peroxide is used to clean bathtub grout — it eats away that brown gunky stuff. So does bleach. You wouldn’t bathe in bleach, would you? (Please don’t.)
Soaking in a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide may cause irritation or even damage to your mucosal membranes in your delicate areas. But alas, you will get no extra oxygen from soaking in this mild acid used to clean wounds. You don’t have gills, and you are not an amphibian.
Some sites recommend you purchase their hydrogen peroxide kits and drink the stuff. Drinking will surely mean your absorbing that extra oxygen atom, right? Wrong. Please don’t drink hydrogen peroxide. Ever. Regardless of how much you dilute it or whatever amount of money you “invest” in what sounds like a safe “kit.” Drinking hydrogen peroxide can cause chemical burns in the esophagus, which can lead to scarring and even narrow it, making it more likely you’ll choke. According to the American Cancer Society, drinking the 35% solution can cause severe burns to the throat and stomach, vomiting and even death. The ACS goes on to state that direct skin contact with hydrogen peroxide and inhaling its vapors can also be harmful.
It gets worse. Apparently some people even get hydrogen peroxide injections. The ACS also points out injecting hydrogen peroxide can have serious and fatal side effects. High blood levels of hydrogen peroxide in the bloodstream can cause oxygen bubbles that then block the flow of blood, which can lead to gangrene and death.
The reality of hydrogen peroxide is that many of us know what we’ve used it for historically: cleaning wounds and bleaching our hair. We know it can be used to clean corrosive pots and bathroom tile grout. But it’s easy to chuck common sense into the backseat when we want that magic fix, when we think we are doing the right thing and when we trust people who claim they have done thorough research and don a white coat. What motivates people — besides selling “kits” for your hard-earned cash and getting blog hits — to recommend something that has been debunked as, well, bunk, since the first quack got in trouble for peddling it like snake oil in 1942? Who knows.
But be aware of legitimate scientists and don’t limit your research to that one blogger who was supported by that one doctor and that other expert. Be safe, and let common sense take the wheel.
Tags: body detox, hydrogen peroxide, myths
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I have never, ever seen or heard anyone saying that consuming, or bathing in 35% food grade h202 is safe. In fact, quite the opposite. If people want to use h202 35% home grade, they MUST dilute it down to 3%. I use h2o2 3% diluted with water. It has made a huge difference in some documented health issues I have. Although I’m glad you posted about the 35% grade h202 and the dangers of it – I can produce article after article and study after study about the medicine benefits of h202 at the correct percentage. It seems you have read one warning and drawn a bunch of unfounded, undocumented conclusions.
Hello, Cathy — I quote and link one of the few blogs I found that suggested people use the 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide: “you can add 1 to 2 cups of 35% hydrogen peroxide to a half bathtub of water.” So, yes, diluted. But bathing in 3% can still cause serious issues. I also linked to the website that sells the kit, encouraging people to drink it. It’s hydrogen peroxide. It’s a mild acid. People should be careful. Thanks for your comment!
Finally! I’ve seen this stupid myth posted so many times on Pinterest it’s scary. The people who tout an “extra oxygen atom” have no clue how molecular bonding works. The human body is adapted to 21% O2 and lungs, unless you have some weird issue, are 97% effective in delivering all the oxygen a person needs to their blood cells. There is no confirmed, peer-reviewed, long term study showing that drinking H2O2 on ANY level is helpful.
Since 3% h202 has been used for gargaling/mouth-cleansing by people safely for a long time, and is sold that way, how is it to acidic to bathe in? Do you have scientific/medical support for what your saying?
The use of H202 is old, it has been in use for centuries, just not in America where pharmaceutical companies make billions if not trillions off the sick, and where doctors work for profit before patients. Firstly if you wish to debunk H202 then do so ethically and not by misleading your audience. Dr William Koch used a product he created called Glyoxylide, which was oxygen enriched distiller water subsequently he was sued by the FDA twice, this was not H202. Drinking H202 Food Grade 35% diluted in pure water/juice or alo juice. 3 drops delivered through an eye dropper in 250 ml of fluid and slowly increased daily to a maximum of 25 drops. I use H202 and blocked cancer. I use H202 3% diluted in water to 50/50 for a mouth wash throat gargle and tooth whitner. I used H202 to kill gum disease originally after my Grand mother suggested it. I also use it to kill colds by puting H202 3% in my ears for 20 mins each side. The use of H202 requires care, you cannot drink 3% or 6% as it contains stabilisers nor can you drink FG35% with out follow instructions and a slow increase in dose. Care must be taken with handling and storage, you must use gloves and store in freezer. The use of H202 as an injectable medication requires extream care and support from homeopathy practitioners and following a similar dose increase. The fact is H202 is a natural product which also occurs naturally in the body already. It cost $3.00 and FG35% cost $30.00. Cancer treatment fills the body with toxic doses of radiation and it is not a cure! It is a therapy, there are numerous side effects from This mandated costly poisionous therapy such as nausea, vomiting, weight loss hair loss nail loss and death. The Cancer syndrome is a multi billion industry only just beaten by Oil. Why would this industry won’t you to know or use a product the cost next to nothing compared to theirs. They’d all be broke and begging on the street that’s why.