Hydrogen peroxide is a common compound found in many households and industrial settings. It is a clear, colorless liquid composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Known for its oxidizing properties, it is used as a mild antiseptic for minor cuts, a hair bleaching agent, and a surface disinfectant. Different concentrations also serve roles in industries like paper and textile bleaching or water treatment. Its versatility stems from its ability to break down into water and oxygen, releasing oxygen in the process.
The Basis for Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy
Proponents of hydrogen peroxide as a cancer treatment call their approach “oxidative therapy,” “bio-oxidative therapy,” or “hyperoxygenation therapy.” This theory suggests cancer cells thrive in low-oxygen environments. The hypothesis is that introducing oxygen-releasing compounds like hydrogen peroxide could overwhelm and destroy cancer cells.
This theory gained traction from Otto Heinrich Warburg’s 1931 discovery that cancer cells primarily use glycolysis for energy, even with oxygen, known as the Warburg effect. While normal cells rely on oxidative phosphorylation, some hypothesized low oxygen levels might cause cancer, leading to the idea that oxygenating compounds could selectively target cancer cells. This led to claims that drinking or injecting solutions, sometimes 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, could cure cancer by flooding these cells with more oxygen than they could manage.
Medical Community Stance and Scientific Evidence
Despite proponents’ claims, the medical and scientific communities do not support hydrogen peroxide as a cancer treatment. There is a significant lack of rigorous clinical trials, peer-reviewed studies, or other scientific evidence to demonstrate its efficacy or safety for human cancer treatment. Major medical organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, have stated since at least 1993 that there is little to no evidence that hyperoxygenation therapies are effective for any serious diseases and that they carry a potential for harm.
Current research indicates cancer cells can survive with or without oxygen, meaning increased oxygen levels may not stop their growth. Some research even suggests cancer cells produce their own hydrogen peroxide, potentially aiding their growth, which contradicts the therapy’s basis.
Regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have not approved hydrogen peroxide for cancer treatment. The FDA issued warnings against using 35 percent hydrogen peroxide for medical purposes as early as 2006, citing its potential to cause serious health problems, including death. This lack of approval means it is not sanctioned for alternative medicine practitioners to promote hydrogen peroxide as a cancer treatment.
While research explores hydrogen peroxide’s role in cancer biology, it focuses on controlled, targeted mechanisms, like using specific drugs to generate it within cancer cells for radiotherapy in mouse models. This differs from the broad internal application advocated in alternative therapies, which lacks scientific validation.
Safety Concerns and Potential Harm
The internal use of hydrogen peroxide, whether ingested orally or administered intravenously, carries severe health risks. Even household concentrations (around 3%) can cause stomach irritation and chemical burns if swallowed. Higher concentrations, like 35% “food grade” hydrogen peroxide promoted for cancer treatment, pose greater dangers.
Ingesting concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause ulcers, severe burns to the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, intense stomach bloating, difficulty breathing, and loss of consciousness. Intravenous administration is also highly dangerous, potentially causing inflammation of blood vessels, gas embolisms (oxygen bubbles blocking blood flow), and fatal outcomes. Other reported dangers include kidney failure and the deterioration of red blood cells. Medical professionals advise against self-treating cancer with hydrogen peroxide due to these serious risks.