MadSci Network: Biochemistry
Query:

Re: Is deuterium Sulphate good as an agent for human body cell metabolization?

Date: Fri Feb 1 19:18:12 2008
Posted By: Peter Bosani, Independent
Area of science: Biochemistry
ID: 1201709117.Bc
Message:

Hello, Mike.

Boy, I thought I've seen everything up until now. Deuterium is a naturally occurring isotope of hydrogen, posessing one proton and one neutron. Aside from "heavy water" used to contain radiation in nuclear plants, known as deuterium oxide (D20), (which by the way would be harmful to drink), deuterium is also used to study the movement of isotopes called "kinetic isotope effect". This however is again done by experimenters in nuclear plants under controlled conditions using accelerators, controlling and adjusting the mass of particles, as their speeds increase.

None of this has any practical application, and certainly NOT where diet is concerned. A quick check on the web showed me dozens of claims made by questionable, (at best), or even unscrupulous supplement pushers, trying out the "newest and/or latest" fads. Yes, they make it all sound very scientific, but there is no factual, corroborating evidence to back the claims up.

You must be able to provide peer-reviewed, scientific proof of claims or anecdotes, published in respected journals. You have to be suspicious or wary if the purpose behind the claims is to sell you products. The products are usually expensive, so people think they've got to really be worth something.

In terms of cellular growth and the release of ions, I would not want to spend thousands of dollars a year on an unproven supplement when our bodies do all this naturally anyway.

If you look at some of the claims for the product, such as "restore oxygen", - just breathing will do that.

"Super energizer", - just eat well and get enough sleep;

"balances pH" - rubbish, the body does this all the time naturally;

"nourishes micronutrients" - again, just eat a good, well-balanced diet; "improves oxygenation" - even if it could do this, in theory, it would be more harmful. The whole idea of biochemical health, is to prevent too much oxygen formation, since oxygen is actually harmful for our cells.

So, remember, if someting sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Hope that helps,

Peter Bosani.

References:
The Facts on File Dictionary of Chemistry - J. Daintith, Ph.D., 2005.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Physics - J. T. Dennis, 2003.


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