Germanium and Chronic EBV.

[Ema]

This isn't new by any means but I just ran across it and haven't seen it posted to the forum.

There are also mentions of germanium being used to boost endorphin levels in a post by @Hip and also helpful for clearing out sinuses.

http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1988/pdf/1988-v03n01-p029.pdf

Initial reports on the clinical success of organic germanium in patients with CEBVS were presented by Jeffrey Anderson, M.D., at the Orthomolecular Medical Society meetings in February 1987.1 500 mg/day sublingually in divided doses provided relief from fatigue and depression and the amelioration of other chronic symptoms.

He later found that response to Ge-132 varied. Nearly half of the patients derived little relief from their chronic fatigue and malaise, even when the daily dose was increased to up to one gram. Nevertheless, half of his patients were responding favourably, although the amount of Ge-132 required to initiate or maintain distinct improvement also varied. Some patients needed to take 1000 mg before they felt a distinct improvement. He found that at least 20% of those CEBV patients who tried Ge-132 continued to show dramatic improvement.

 

[Hip]

There are also mentions of germanium being used to boost endorphin levels in a post by @Hip and also helpful for clearing out sinuses.

Yes, I read in this document that bis beta-carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide (also known as Ge-132) — which is the form of germanium that you get in germanium supplements — inhibits the endorphin inhibitor.

Though I have not been able to find any studies that confirm that statement. There nearest thing I found is this study, which found that Ge-132 inhibits enkephalin-degrading enzymes (enkephalins like endorphins are opioid peptides produced by the body).

So presumably this means that the Ge-132 supplement will inhibit the breakdown of met-enkephalin, which is the enkephalin that low-dose naltrexone modulates. So Ge-132 may complement and augment LDN.

 

[minkeygirl]

@Ema. You gonna try this?

 

[Ema]

@Ema. You gonna try this?

Yes. It seems relatively benign and unlikely to cause any harm. Maybe I'll get lucky!

 

[minkeygirl]

Maybe it'll help your LDN issues? Keep me posted.

 

[minkeygirl]

@Ema. Amazon has the Jarrow on subscribe and save for about $23.

 

[Rand56]

bump

I was reading up on germanium on the net, then found this thread.

Anyone try it? Positives or negatives? I got interested more when I read it can help to improve oxygen levels.

 

[aaron_c]

Germanium gives me insomnia, the sort of tired-but-wired feeling...the tired part coming on once I have had a poor night of sleep. And the "energy" it gives me doesn't help with much of anything, ie it doesn't give me more physical energy or mental acuity. However, partly because this doesn't seem to be a normal side-effect I do wonder if it is reacting with another supplement I am taking, possibly something else that helps feed things into the krebs cycle (I take 300 mg benfotiamine, three big pills of carnitine fumarate and 5000 mcg biotin each day, for starters). I'll try to remember to post if I come up with any answers.

@Ema: Did you end up trying it? If so, what was your experience?

 

[helen1]

I tried it, 2 small containers worth, and didn't notice anything. But as it's supposed to help your immune system, maybe it did something that i wouldn't have noticed.

 

[Ema]

@Ema: Did you end up trying it? If so, what was your experience?

I did try it. I took one bottle and thought it was helpful.

But then I had to do a supplement washout due to some other symptoms and for some reason never added it back in. I guess I don't really notice much of a difference without it so...I still have some left though so might give it another shot and see if I can tell a difference this time around or not.

 

[aaron_c]

Quick update: I ended up finding that the germanium was interacting with my high (1800 mg per day) dose of benfotiamine, and possibly a somewhat high (5000 mcg) dose of biotin. When I reduced the benfotiamine to 200 mg per day and the biotin to about 1000 mcg, the germanium gives me just a slight pick-me-up.

Edit: I see that I seem to already have reduced my benfotiamine at the time of my last post. So the decrease in benfotiamine was from 300 mg to 200 mg. The decrease in biotin was as reported. Perhaps the most noteworth is that I stopped taking carnitine fumarate altogether.

 

[Ninan]

I just got my results from a hair mineral analysis and it says I'm low on germanium. I've been taking LDN for restless legs (and arms!) for a few years. (LDN was what started the problem in the first place and now I need it to get rid of the RLS). Wonder if there's a connection? And if germanium it's worth a try?

 

[Charles555nc]

I noticed nothing with germanium, but Ill try again at a much higher dosage. Generally noticed respectable improvement from high dosages of naicinamide, molybdenum, thiamin, vitamin C, selenium, vitamin D, phosphatidyl choline, and zinc.

 

[Ninan]

I took 10-20 mgs of Ge-132 yesterday and the day before. Since yesterday evening I'm experiencing very slow heart rate (for me). 65 to my normal 85. And huge pressure over my chest, very tired. I feel tension in my calves so I've been thinking low magnesium or potassium but I've taken a lot (500 mgs of potassium, 1000 mgs of magnesium) and it doesn't help. Magnesium (I think) just slows it down more.

Any experiences? Could it be the germanium? Does it increase or decrease levels of magnesium or potassium? Awful feeling anyway, I feel like sh-t. I have low magnesium and potassium from before but have always been able to relieve these kinds of symptomps quite quickly.

@Hip ? @Ema ?

 

[Little Bluestem]

500 mg is not a lot of potassium for most people. It probably wouldn't hurt to take more, but I have no idea if it would help.

 

[sflorence]

Just started trying Germanium (ge132) today. I took 200mg yesterday, and I plan on taking around 400mg today.

I notice a subtle energy improvement. I'll post back if I find anything significant.