It's all About the Extra O

Good news!  This weekend I found out that my parents no longer purchase 
and consume food-grade hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)!  However, based on some research I've done, there are still those who believe that ingesting hydrogen peroxide has many health benefits. Although it is easy to scoff at and immediately disregard the use of hydrogen peroxide as a dietary supplement, I think that the fact that there are people doing this is reason enough to learn more about why they believe it is a good idea to consume a product that is also commonly used as a sterilizing cleaning product or bleach.  We all plan on future professions dedicated to helping people maintain their heath and, therefore, should be open to new and alternative treatments.  So here's what I learned:

Background:    Hydrogen peroxide is a ubiquitous molecule found throughout the human body and in the environment including exhaled air, human urine, as well as a number of food products such as green and black tea, and especially instant coffee.  It is considered a highly reactive oxidative species (ROS) due to its tremendous oxidative capacity.  H₂O₂ is a natural by-product of aerobic metabolism and, as such, mitochondria are responsible for a substantial portion of H₂O₂ production.  To prevent the accumulation of H₂O₂, organisms have enzymes such as superoxide dismutatse (SOD), catalase and  peroxidase which collaboratively catalyze the degradation of 2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂.  Concentrations of H₂O₂ are physiologically regulated and maintained through excretion and catabolic processes.  Interestingly, I also found information on WebMD about getting shots of SOD for pain relief, to increase tolerance for radiation therapy, to decrease damage to cardiac tissues following heart attacks, and for decreasing wrinkles.    

Danger of H₂O₂:  Exposure to UV-radiation or interaction with metals such as iron (commonly found in molecular components of red blood cells such as hemoglobin) can cause H₂O₂ to be easily converted to a hydroxy-free-radical (OH-).  Free-radicals are highly unstable molecules that can disrupt the chemical composition of other cellular components, thus compromising the cell's molecular integrity and potentially leading to cell death.

Why Believers Want to Drink H₂O₂:

• H₂O₂  is produced naturally in the body.
• H₂O₂  is "safe" (has been in use since 1920), readily available, and inexpensive ("dirt-cheap" in fact)
• "Good" bacteria use aerobic metabolism and greatly benefit from the increased oxygen environment created from H₂O₂  consumption.
• "Harmful" bacteria and cancer cells use anaerobic metabolism and cannot survive in the increased oxygen environment created from H₂O₂  consumption.

Potential Benefits:  Although, the mechanisms are not entirely understood, there is some evidence that beverages containing hydrogen peroxide can contribute to producing salivary secretions that contain molecules that are toxic to certain bacterial strains of the mouth and upper G.I. tract.  The hydrogen peroxide is able to diffuse directly into cells lining the oral cavity.  Metabolic hydrogen peroxide production in the urinary bladder is also believed to have beneficial antimicrobial qualities.  Hydrogen peroxide is also known to be involved in important physiological second messenger pathways.  

Conclusion:  From what I've read, it seems that the belief that consuming hydrogen peroxide could be beneficial to your health isn't completely random.  It has some ideas based on actual physiological processes however, they are taken out of context.  I am surely not going to pick up the habit, but I think that reading about alternative medicines from both sides is an important habit to development as a future healthcare provider.    

References: 

Halliwell, B. 1991.  Reactive oxidative species in living systems: source, biochemistry and role in human diseasse. Am J of Med. 91(3): S14-S22. 

Halliwell B, Clement MA, Long LH. 2000.  Hydrogen peroxide in the human body. FEBS Letters. 486(1): 10-13.

Williams DG, 2003.  The many benefits of hydrogen peroxide. Retrieved from: http://educate-yourself.org/cancer/benefitsofhydrogenperozide17jul03.shtml