The influence of oxygenated water on the immune status, liver enzymes, and the generation of oxygen radicals: a prospective, randomised, blinded clinical study
Background & Aims: Oxygenated water with an oxygen concentration of 30–120 mg/l water is believed to improve the immune status, without any toxicological effects. The purpose of this clinical study was to assess the effects of long-term drinking of oxygenated water on the immune status. Methods:...
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Published in | Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 407 - 414 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Kidlington
Elsevier Ltd
01.06.2005
Elsevier |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background & Aims: Oxygenated water with an oxygen concentration of 30–120
mg/l water is believed to improve the immune status, without any toxicological effects. The purpose of this clinical study was to assess the effects of long-term drinking of oxygenated water on the immune status.
Methods: In this prospective, double-blinded, randomised study 24 volunteers of either sex (age 18–63 years) drank daily 3 times 500
ml either oxygenated (Verum-group:
n
=
12
) or normal mineral water (Placebo-group:
n
=
12
) for 28 days. On day 1 and day 28 standard laboratory tests, IgG, IgA and IgM, lymphocyte subpopulations and functional analysis of T-cells by flow cytometry, were done. Furthermore, the oxygen radicals were determined by the detection of the ascorbyl radicals.
Results: Drinking of normal or oxygenated water had no effect on whole blood count or the liver enzymes. Interestingly the volunteers in the Verum-group showed a significant increase in ascorbyl radicals after drinking oxygenated water for 14 and 21 days. CD4+ and CD4+CD45RA+ lymphocytes as well as lymphocyte activation marker (CD69) and soluble IL-2 receptor increased in both groups, in contrast T-helper2 cells and IgG decreased during the study. The only differences between the two groups were a significant decrease of NK-cells form 13.42%±5.04 to 10.83%±4.82
(
P
<
.
002
)
and an increase of the Th1/Th2-ratio from 2.77%±1.07 to 6.68%±5.33
(
P
<
.
03
)
in the Verum-group.
Conclusion: Long-term consumption of oxygenated water has no apparent harmful effect on the liver, blood and the immune system. Moreover it leads to a transient moderate increase of oxygen radicals in the blood. An interesting observation is the increase of the Th1/Th2-ratio in the Verum group, whereas in both groups T-cell activation after mitogen stimulation, the soluble IL-2 receptor, the CD4+ and the naïve CD4+CD45RA+ cells increased. |
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ISSN: | 0261-5614 1532-1983 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.clnu.2004.12.007 |