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Colon Lining Releases Hydrogen Peroxide to Protect the Body from Gut Microbes

AHA Publisher — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:00:47 +0000

University of California – Davis Health via News-Medical Net – Scientists at UC Davis Health have discovered that an enzyme in the colon lining releases hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) – a known disinfecting compound- to protect the body from gut microbes. Their study, published Dec. 9 in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, sheds light on the way microorganisms are spatially organized in the colon. It also calls for a new approach to treating gut inflammation. Most microbes reside in the large intestine, a naturally low-oxygen environment. They form a community called the gut microbiota. More than half of the human body consists of microbes that do not tolerate oxygen very well.” Andreas Bäumler, professor of medical microbiology and immunology and lead author on the study The gut microbiota is kept away from the colon’s surface. This separation is essential to avoid inflammation caused by unnecessary immune responses to gut microbes. Scientists believed the spatial separation is maintained by oxygen released by cells to prevent microbes from coming too close to the intestinal lining. This study upends that theory. “We looked at the spatial relationships between the bacteria in the gut and its host, the colon,” Bäumler said. “We found that cells in the colon’s lining release hydrogen peroxide- not oxygen- to limit microbial growth.” NOX1, an enzyme found in the intestinal lining, provides a significant source of H2O2 in the colon. The naturally generated H2O2 serves as a filter regulating the location of the microbiota in the colon. Pathogens that utilize hydrogen peroxide can only do so when they are directly attached to the intestinal lining. This finding suggests that the body uses the disinfectant to protect the mucosal surface. Meanwhile, the microbial communities at a distance from the colon surface remain unharmed. Treating Gut Inflammation with Natural Filter Restoration, Not Antibiotics When the body experiences an imbalance in the gut microbial community, it suffers from dysbiosis, a gastrointestinal condition. Dysbiosis may cause inflammation and symptoms such as nausea, upset stomach and bloating. Traditional treatments of dysbiosis rely mainly on the use of antibiotics or probiotics to target the bacteria. Findings from the new study indicate the need for a different approach to treating gut inflammation and dysbiosis. They pointed to the opportunity of restoring host functions instead of eliminating microbes. “We need to shift the focus of gut inflammation treatments from targeting bacteria to fixing habitat filters of the host and restoring their functionality,” Bäumler said. To read the original article click here.

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Study Shows Oxidant Hydrogen Peroxide Can Actually Slow Down Cell Ageing

AHA Publisher — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 08:00:24 +0000

Chalmers University of Technology via News-Medical Net – At high concentrations, reactive oxygen species – known as oxidants – are harmful to cells in all organisms and have been linked to ageing. But a study from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has now shown that low levels of the oxidant hydrogen peroxide can stimulate an enzyme that helps slow down the ageing of yeast cells. One benefit of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, is that they neutralise reactive oxygen species – known as oxidants – which may otherwise react with important molecules in the body and destroy their biological functions. Larger amounts of oxidants can cause serious damage to DNA, cell membranes and proteins for example. Our cells have therefore developed powerful defence mechanisms to get rid of these oxidants, which are formed in our normal metabolism. It was previously believed that oxidants were only harmful, but recently we have begun to understand that they also have positive functions. Now, the new research from the Chalmers University of Technology shows that the well-known oxidant hydrogen peroxide can actually slow down the ageing of yeast cells. Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical used for hair and tooth whitening, among other things. It is also one of the oxidants formed in our metabolism that is harmful at higher concentrations. The Chalmers researchers studied the enzyme Tsa1, which is part of a group of antioxidants called peroxiredoxins. Previous studies of these enzymes have shown that they participate in yeast cells’ defences against harmful oxidants. But the peroxiredoxins also help extend the life span of cells when they are subjected to calorie restriction. The mechanisms behind these functions have not yet been fully understood.” Mikael Molin, Study Lead, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology It is already known that reduced calorie intake can significantly extend the life span of a variety of organisms, from yeast to monkeys. Several research groups, including Mikael Molin’s, have also shown that stimulation of peroxiredoxin activity, in particular, is what slows down the ageing of cells, in organisms such as yeast, flies and worms, when they receive fewer calories than normal through their food. “Now we have found a new function of Tsa1,” says Cecilia Picazo, a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology at Chalmers. “Previously, we thought that this enzyme simply neutralises reactive oxygen species. But now we have shown that Tsa1 actually requires a certain amount of hydrogen peroxide to be triggered in order to participate in the process of slowing down the ageing of yeast cells.” Surprisingly, the study shows that Tsa1 does not affect the levels of hydrogen peroxide in aged yeast cells. On the contrary, Tsa1 uses small amounts of hydrogen peroxide to reduce the activity of a central signalling pathway when cells are getting fewer calories. The effects of this ultimately lead to a slowdown in cell division and processes linked to the formation of the cells’ building blocks. The cells’ defences against stress are also stimulated – which causes them to age more slowly. “Signal pathways which are affected by calorie intake may play a central role in ageing by sensing the status of many cellular processes and controlling them,” says Mikael Molin. “By studying this, we hope to understand the molecular causes behind why the occurrence of many common diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes shows a sharp increase with age.” The fact that researchers have now come to a step closer to understanding the mechanisms behind how oxidants can actually slow down the ageing process could lead to new studies, for example looking for peroxiredoxin-stimulating drugs, or testing whether age-related diseases can be slowed by other drugs that enhance the positive effects of oxidants in the body. More about: The mechanism of slowed ageing by the enzyme Tsa1: The Chalmers researchers have shown a mechanism for how the peroxiredoxin enzyme Tsa1 directly controls a central signalling pathway. It slows down ageing by oxidising an amino acid in another enzyme, protein kinase A, which is important for metabolic regulation. The oxidation reduces the activity of protein kinase A by destabilising a portion of the enzyme that binds to other molecules. Thus, nutrient signalling via protein kinase A is reduced, which in turn downregulates the division of cells and stimulates their defence against stress. More about: Related results from other research groups: Other studies have also shown that low levels of reactive oxygen species can be linked to several positive health effects. These oxidants are formed in the mitochondria, the ‘powerhouse’ of a cell, and the process, called mitohormesis, can be observed in many organisms, from yeast to mice. In mice, tumour growth is slowed by mitohormesis, while in roundworms it has been possible to link both peroxiredoxins and mitohormesis to the ability of the type 2 diabetes drug metformin to slow cellular ageing. Metformin is also relevant in the hunt for drugs that can reduce the risk of older people being severely affected by Covid-19. Studies in China and the United States have yielded some promising results, and one theory is that metformin may counteract the deterioration of the immune system caused by ageing. To read the original articles click here.

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This “At Home” Remedy Knocks Out Viruses Safely and Effectively

AHA Publisher — Mon, 11 May 2020 07:00:03 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – Would you like to learn how to neutralize the threat of viruses? Well, let me ask you a question: how many of you have hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet right now? This substance has been a staple at home remedy for decades for everything from whitening teeth to cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. But, wait, I’ve got some really exciting news for you. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recognizes hydrogen peroxide as an effective killer of yeast, fungi, bacteria, mold, and yes – viruses, including the rhinovirus (responsible for the common cold). And, now, there’s anecdotal evidence to suggest that hydrogen peroxide can be an effective remedy for COVID-19. Given that the media “shies away from” (censors) alternative health news, we won’t be surprised if most people don’t hear about this. But, reports of hundreds of successful cases simply seems too promising for us to ignore. Hydrogen Peroxide Is Already Well-Known as a Natural Antiviral Agent – Here’s How it Works It may help to understand how hydrogen peroxide fights viral infections by first remembering a key point about this type of infection in the first place: Viral illnesses are caused not by living organisms, but instead by pieces of genetic material that invade healthy cells – meaning the host organism’s own cells end up doing the hard work for the virus and replicate the invasive genetic material as part of the cells’ own DNA. Technically speaking: viruses can’t be “killed” simply because viruses aren’t alive in the first place. So, what needs to be destroyed in the fight against a viral illness are the cells which become infected. Household disinfectants, by the way, do not “kill” viruses either, but rather deactivates and destroys them by disrupting their protein encasing and/or its genetic sequence. Of course, it’s also worthwhile in the fight against COVID-19, or any other viral infection for that matter, to strengthen the body’s immune system so that a person is less likely to get sick in the first place! The thing is, hydrogen peroxide – which contains two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms (H2O2), one more oxygen atom than a normal molecule of water (H2O) – normally isn’t harmful to healthy cells. Why? Healthy cells have enough antioxidizing power to quash this extra oxygen atom, which by way of normal chemical reactions can become “oxidizing” (associated with cellular aging and damage) if and when an electron attaches to it. But cells infected by viruses lose this basic defensive power and therefore are liable to being destroyed by hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is super cheap and naturally occurring. In fact, your body actually makes hydrogen peroxide as part of its natural defense mechanism! In the body, dangerous oxidized oxygen atoms are converted into hydrogen peroxide by an enzyme called superoxide dismutase, and then further broken down into oxygen and water by another enzyme called catalase… Anecdotal Evidence Shows Hydrogen Peroxide Administered Via a Nebulizer Destroys COVID-19 Hydrogen peroxide therapy administered intravenously has been around for a few decades now, and used for the same means (largely, to fight viral infections). More recently, some doctors have been prescribing hydroxgen peroxide to their COVID-19 patients using an even easier delivery system: a nebulizer. A nebulizer is a medical device that converts liquid medicine into fine vapor or mist. This allows patients to inhale the substance into their lungs. It’s often used for respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here’s what’s hopeful about COVID-19: By prescribing a solution of nebulized hydrogen peroxide (typically titrated with water or normal saline), doctors are finding that the beneficial effects of the antiviral compound are not limited to their patients’ lungs, but to their whole bodies. And this potential systemic impact has huge implications for patients fighting COVID-19, since evidence now shows that the viral disease affects multiple organs and cells in the body, including those within the heart, liver, and kidneys. Check out this video interview with David Brownstein, MD and a patient of his who was recently diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and tested positive for COVID-19. By the way, here’s Dr. Brownstein suggestions on how to nebulize. It’s never our recommendation to start a new supplement or remedy without a doctor’s supervision. And if you already have a nebulizer at home, it is not recommended to self-administer this treatment. But, if you are interested in hydrogen peroxide as a potential antiviral treatment, we encourage you to find a licensed doctor near you who can help you get started. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

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