with Dr. Andreas M. Demuth
Duration 13:34 min
Dr. Andreas M. Demuth gently explains and simplifies how we support the immune system through explaining the technical terms like Detoxification, Oxygen Therapy, Vitamin C, Hormone Therapy. The body has a simple schedule to fight with cancer and inflammation, introducing these supportive treatments can support the body on both a cellular level and tissue level.
Its a case of balancing orthodox treatments that treat tumor growth but perhaps don’t support the bodies healing process and knowing which is most viable and supportive of the patient. Sometimes the outcome cannot be known until the treatment is given.
When going through the cancer experience its easy to get caught up in the detail and a lot of testing and this can distract us from the healing process itself , as really our biochemistry and physiology is simply an expression of who we are.
Excerpt from www.hufeland.com
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are aggressive and unstable molecules that can result from the body’s own metabolic processes, from chemicals taken into the body, or radiation. As a rule, the human body has a number of protective measures at its disposal to catch and destroy free radicals. These can be compounds that occur naturally in the body, or are ingested with food, such as vitamins A, C and E, along with the trace element selenium.
Under certain conditions (such as exposure to environmental factors or radiation, smoking, stress and infection) the number of free radicals formed in the body increases so dramatically, that the normal concentration of the body’s own defences is not enough. These free radicals can then cause a lot of damage. They destroy cell membranes, genetic material and important protein molecules in the cells. If this excessively high concentration of free radicals remains constant, this is known as oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress plays a role in many illnesses and diseases. Among these are:
- fat and sugar metabolism dysfunctions
- chronic inflammation
- allergies
- weakening of the immune system
- cancer
An optimal supply of antioxidants can prevent oxidative stress. Patients at the Hufeland Klinik receive antioxidants as part of their basic care package. These can be taken regularly or given intravenously. It is important to keep in mind that supplementation with vitamins and trace elements cannot take the place of a healthy, balanced whole-food diet. The vitamins and trace elements we use are not given randomly or as dietary supplements. We prescribe therapeutic doses suited to each patient. In high stress situations in particular (including disease), the body’s own store of these elements is often depleted and the need for them increased. Below are some important facts about vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin found in high quantities in plant and animal fats, such as sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sunflower oil, nuts, seeds, milk, butter and margarine. Vitamin E is concentrated in all the adipose tissues of the body. As a natural antioxidant, it stabilizes cell membranes and protects unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation by reacting with free radicals before these can destroy cell structures. Vitamin E also prevents the oxidation of other substances, such as vitamin A. This is why germ oils with a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids are also rich in vitamin E. In animals studies, vitamin E deficiencies have been shown to cause damage to the muscles, heart and nervous system, liver and reproductive organs in addition to the destruction of blood cells, though this phenomenon has not yet been observed in healthy humans. Smokers, people with chronic infectious illness and those subjected to strong oxidative stress, which can happen if you are sick or under severe psychological stress, need more vitamin E.
Selenium
Selenium is an essential trace element. Dietary sources of selenium include protein from both animal and plant sources. The actual selenium content of foods depends on the selenium intake of the plants and animals themselves. Most feed is enriched with selenium, but the amount of selenium contained in the soil is relatively low, in Central Europe in particular, where the amount of selenium ingested in therefore also fairly low. Selenium is an integral part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase that is involved in important metabolic processes and helps detoxify the body by destroying free radicals (peroxide). Selenium is also important for an intact immune system. Here at the Hufeland Klinik, we use selenium in both tablet and intravenous form as part of our prevention programme for existing chronic illnesses and to accompany tumour therapy. Replenishing the store of selenium in the body and strengthening the immune system does more than simply prevent the recurrence of tumours. Selenium can also effectively reduce the side effects of radiation or chemotherapy, and improve the effectiveness of cytostatic drugs.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid, or “anti-scurvy” acid. The vitamin prevents scurvy, a disease that was widespread and feared among sailors in particular from the 15th – 18th centuries.
Plants and animals produce their own vitamin C in large amounts. Humans, however, have lost this ability over the course of evolution and have to ingest vitamin C through their diet. If we apply the amount of vitamin C produced in other mammals to human beings, we can postulate the production of between 2-4 grams of vitamin C at rest. Under stress (including disease), our production of vitamin C would increase to as much as 15 g a day.
Vitamin C is found in different concentrations in the individual organs. Higher concentrations reflect a higher level of need. The highest concentrations are found in the liver, adrenal glands, lenses of the eyes, brain and immune cells. Vitamin C is involved in a number of metabolic processes in our bodies. It is essential to strengthen and activate the immune system, for the hormonal and nervous systems, the regulation of fat metabolism, detoxification, and for the formation and continued functioning of the bones and connective tissues. It also helps wounds to heal faster. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant in the human body where it plays a decisive role in inflammatory diseases and helps counteract the negative effects of exposure to radiation.
Intravenous high-dose vitamin C therapy
A great deal of research has been done on the effects of vitamin C therapy since the 90s. Medline alone, one of the key medical databanks, shows around 8,000 publications that have focused on vitamin C since 1990. These studies lead to the development of high-dose vitamin C therapy, and increasing numbers of physicians and alternative practitioners have been using it with excellent results. The treatment is based on the fact that the required amount of vitamin C caused by many diseases can be much higher than the body can absorb over the gastrointestinal tract. Added to this is the realisation that many illnesses may reduce the intestinal lining’s ability to absorb vitamin C. Sometimes a therapeutically effective level of vitamin C can only be achieved by directly supplementing the blood by injection or infusion.
Since vitamin C is water-soluble, the body cannot store it in large amounts. Excess vitamin C is immediately eliminated. This means the danger of an overdose is much less that with fat-soluble vitamins. High-dose vitamin C therapy has often been shown to be effective in the recovery phase following serious illnesses and operations, where it speeds up the healing process. Vitamin C infusion therapy is also a tried and tested natural tonic to combat general weakness and drops in performance, and can strengthen persons prone to infection.
Ozone therapy
At room temperature, ozone is a colourless gas with a characteristic biting and unpleasant odour (think of a sunlamp). The oxygen contained in the air we breathe consists of 2 oxygen atoms (O2). Ozone is made up of three such atoms (O3), making it very reactive. When it is added to the blood in “extensive “, it reacts in just seconds with components of the blood, turning them into energy-rich catalysers, and the ozone is converted into pure oxygen that enriches the blood. Ozone is also used the world over to sterilize and treat drinking water since it is highly oxidative and disinfects.
Ozone is also one of the most important protective gasses in our stratosphere (a layer of air 10-50 km over the surface of the Earth). The ozone layer filters UV rays out of the sunlight, thus protecting the biological balance on the Earth from destruction by those rays. This is why the ozone layer is essential for the planet, and damage to the ozone layer (ozone hole) reduces its ability to filter. Ozone has two faces: it can cause damage, and it can protect. Ozone is dangerous for the lungs when close to the earth’s surface, where it forms from oxygen and exhaust fumes, especially in the presence of nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides, hit by UV rays. It should not be breathed in and can cause coughing.
Isn’t ozone therapy dangerous?
In medicine, ozone is only used in applications where it is beneficial and does not cause damage. Medical ozone is always a mixture of pure oxygen and pure ozone, where the percentage of oxygen is higher. The mixing ratio is generally around 99.5% oxygen to only 0.5% ozone, depending on intended use. Since ozone molecules are not stable, they react immediately with components in the blood to which they are added. The enriched blood reinjected into the patient contains no ozone at all. It has been changed into pure oxygen, oxygenating and activating the blood. This effect easy to see as the blood changes from dark to light red (this is why ozone therapy is often referred to a “blood washing”.)
Ozone combines with components in the blood to create reactive compounds. These act as catalysts and have the following positive and scientifically proven effects. They
- activate metabolism in red blood cells and tissue
- improve oxygen release of blood to the tissue
- activate immune cells
- free the cell’s cytokines (interferons, interlukins etc.)
- detoxify by activating the body’s own antioxidants and scavengers
Why is ozone therapy important?
Our patients benefit from a range of ozone effects. Ozone increases blood circulation, revitalising and improving metabolism. It also has a beneficial effect on our immune system, strengthening powers of resistance. The small amounts of ozone we generally use in our ozone therapy activate the body’s own antioxidants and scavengers, which helps detoxify the body. The positive effects of ozone therapy for patients with cancer and chronic inflammations in particular are obvious, since toxins in the tissue and other harmful substances (inflammatory mediators) need to be eliminated. Medical ozone is ideal for reactivating a weakened immune system in general and in cancer patients, can optimise metabolism, help reverse processes of aging, and be used to treat inflammatory diseases.
Indications for ozone therapy
Ozone therapy has also shown a positive effect on a lack of concentration, forgetfulness, general low performance, problems walking and dizziness and can improve the quality of life. Ozone therapy can positively influence a diverse variety of illnesses and is used in our clinic
- as additional treatment for cancer patients
- for arterial circulatory disorders (extremities and brain)
- to revitalize processes of aging
- to treat general weakness of the immune system
- and for inflammatory processes (e.g. arthritis, arthrosis, angiopathy, hepatitis)
A number of scientific studies published have proven the effectiveness of this form of therapy. But as with all other therapies, there is no guarantee of success.
