Germanium 150 mg 30 Capsules

What is organic germanium?

Organic germanium is the common name given to biscarboxyethyl

germanium sesquioxide – a biologically active

compound of the element germanium containing carbon,

hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is

(GeCH2CH2COOH)2O3. This is the only form of germanium

that has been extensively studied for its health benefits.

What is Ge-132?

Ge-132 is the name given to organic germanium by the

Japanese chemist, Dr. K. Asai, who originally identified this

form of germanium in 1967. Today, the term Ge-132 is used

interchangeably with the name organic germanium to indicate

the compound bis-carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide.

How safe is germanium?

Inorganic forms of germanium, such as germanium dioxide,

have been found to be quite toxic at high levels. However,

pure, organic germanium has no demonstrated toxicity, even

in very high amounts. The real safety issue concerning organic

germanium centers around its degree of purity. Improper

manufacturing procedures can result in impure organic

germanium. High quality organic germanium products have

a purity of 99.7% or greater.

How is the price of organic germanium related

to its quality?

Because organic germanium is expensive relative to most

other nutritional supplements, concerned customers fear that

low price may also mean low quality. Unfortunately, price is

no indication of germanium quality. While some high

quality products are fairly priced, others may be priced

excessively. Still others may be priced below the average

price of other germanium products even though they are of

equal high quality. Prices of lower quality germanium

products can vary just as much. The quality of available

germanium products should be evaluated based on objective

criteria which authenticate their purity. Once the quality is

established, a selection can easily be made on the basis of

preferred dosage form and competitive pricing.

What are the objective criteria that identify

pure, organic germanium?

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to verify the

quality and purity of the organic germanium they provide.

This is accomplished only by performing appropriate quality control and analytical assay procedures. The following

testing protocol is used to establish the authenticity and

purity of organic germanium:

1) Appearance: Organic germanium is a white crystalline

powder that appears dense and free-flowing.

2) Solubility in Water: Pure organic germanium dissolves

in water leaving a clear, colorless solution with no evidence

of turbidity. This is tested by suspending a specified amount

of germanium sesquioxide (.20 gram) in 10 ml of deionized

water, agitating the suspension, and heating to 60° C at a rate

of approximately 5° per minute. Total solubility should occur

in less that 10 minutes. If either immediate solubility or prolonged

resistance to solubility occurs, foreign substances may be present.

3) Taste Evaluation: Pure organic germanium has a

characteristic slight acidic or astringent taste and dissolves

readily on the tongue. This test is valid only for the evaluation

of pure germanium powder. It is not appropriate for tablets,

capsules, or liquid formulations because of other ingredients

used during their manufacture.

4) Infrared Spectroscopy: An infrared spectrum is so

characteristic for a chemical compound that it is considered

to be its “fingerprint”. Organic germanium sesquioxide

shows well-defined infrared absorption bands at wave

numbers (cm-1) of 1690, 1410, 1240, 910 and 810. If any

defined absorption occurs at approximately 875 cm-1, the

undesirable germanium dioxide form may be present.

5) Loss on Drying: The moisture content of organic

germanium is a variable that must be considered as it helps

to determine the sesquioxide composition. Upon drying, the

weight loss of the material should be less than 0.5 percent,

otherwise, you may not be getting full value for your money

because of high water content.

6) Titration: This procedure measures the organic

germanium content of a material. A specified volume of

germanium sesquioxide solution is compared against

another solution of known concentration to determine the

purity of the germanium solution. A titration value of 99.7%

or greater indicates organic germanium with a high

degree of purity.

7) Elemental Germanium Content: The amount of elemental

germanium provided by the organic germanium compound is

another indicator of the purity of the material. Pure organic

germanium should contain 42.78% elemental germanium.

Given the inherent limitations of analytical instruments (Atomic

Absorption, ICP Emission Spectroscopy, etc.) used to measure

elemental germanium, the actual observed and acceptable range

is between 42.4 to 43.0 percent.

8) Elemental Nitrogen Content: Because some methods

for manufacturing germanium sesquioxide involve the use of

nitrogen-containing compounds, the nitrogen content can be

used as another indication of purity. If the material is of high

quality and purity, a negligible amount of nitrogen will be

present.

9) Other Impurities: Because toxic heavy metals such as

lead and arsenic can occur as contaminants in a variety of

materials, the content of these should be determined to

ensure that safe and acceptable standards are not exceeded.

None of the above tests can be relied upon by itself to

establish germanium purity. Used together, they will

accurately confirm the quality of germanium sesquioxide.

Amni® uses all of the above indicators to ensure that only the

highest quality organic germanium material is provided in

our products.

How does Germanium from Japan and other

countries compare with Germanium produced

within the United States?

Germanium sesquioxide was first identified and produced in

Japan. As demand for this material grew, chemists in this

country began manufacturing it as well. In fact, an increased

supply of germanium sesquioxide is one of the reasons the

price has recently come down. Although companies who

market germanium from Japanese sources claim it to be

superior, laboratory tests show that the organic germanium

produced in this country is chemically identical to that

produced in Japan. Interestingly, no Japanese source germanium

is currently being allowed into the United States. The Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert in

June 1988 on all germanium imported from Japan. Currently,

there are only two manufacturers of organic germanium

sesquioxide in the United States. Thus, all companies now

marketing germanium sesquioxide are obtaining it from the

same sources. Any claims by a company indicating that they

are the sole suppliers with the only authentic or the purest

germanium sesquioxide are simply untrue.

Which dosage form of germanium is best?

Amni® Organic germanium, provided by Douglas

Laboratories®, is available as a dietary supplement in

sublingual tablet, capsule, liquid and pure powder form. The

decision to use one form over another is largely a matter of

personal preference, as no scientific evidence exists comparing

the absorption characteristics of the various forms. However,

to ensure they receive maximum benefit from the products

they buy, consumers should be aware of differences in the

way commercially available germanium products are formulated.

Sublingual Tablets: Some companies produce high dose

tablets for sublingual use in a very small tablet size in an

attempt to maximize convenience and hypoallergenicity.

However, because of the astringent, acidic nature of organic

germanium, such concentrated amounts can irritate the sensitive

tissues under the tongue causing an uncomfortable burning

sensation which may produce an abrasion. To avoid this

effect, it is necessary to adequately buffer the germanium

with an appropriate material. Amni uses mannitol, a natural

plant compound, that is well-tolerated by allergy prone

individuals.

Capsules: Two-piece gelatin capsules also offer a convenient

way to take germanium in a premeasured dose. Allergic

individuals need to be aware which filler has been used in

the capsules as this will vary between manufacturers. Amni®

germanium capsules contain only pure organic germanium

and cellulose.

Pure Powder: Finely powdered germanium is ideal for

mixing with water. Dilution instructions should be carefully

followed to ensure that stock solution provides dosages of

known concentration. For best results, the use of distilled

water in making the stock solution is recommended.

Liquids: Concentrated solutions of organic germanium are

provided by some companies. Additives are necessary to

adjust the pH so as to solubilize the germanium. Other

nutrients are sometimes added to the formulations as well.

Amni® does not currently provide a liquid germanium product

because no data exists as to the stability of germanium in this

form or any potential adverse interactions which may occur

between ingredients when in solution.

Supplement Facts