The biochemical effects of oxygen deficiency
When fuel is burned inside of the
mitochondria, energy, water and carbon dioxide are produced. When there
is insufficient oxygen for the combustion of fuel, lactic acid is produces,
and carbon dioxide and water are not produced. This article will discuss
the consequence of insufficient oxygen on the metabolism.
Lactic acid
The first step in energy production
in the cell is the breaking down of fuel into smaller pieces. This step
requires no oxygen, and is responsible for 5% of our energy
production. If there is sufficient oxygen available to the system,
the next step is the oxidation of these smaller fuel pieces yielding the
remaining 95% of our oxygen requirements. If however there is
insufficient oxygen for this process to take place, then the body is limited
to 5% of it's energy potential and lactic acid is generated for the unburned
fuel. Lactic acid has three main negative effects in the body.
First, lactic acid causes the acidification of the tissues of the body.
Secondly, lactic acid requires oxygen for it's metabolism, so the lactic acid
in the body represents an oxygen debt that must be paid for, usually in a body
already low in oxygen. This debt is usually paid for by the liver, so
lactic acid causes liver hypoxia. Oxygen is an extremely important
cofactor in many detoxification pathways in the liver, so lactic acid also
impairs the liver's detoxification ability. Thirdly, lactic acid is know
to increase anxiety levels (injected lactic acid can precipitate a panic
attack). Thus, insufficient oxygen, and it's corollary
increase in lactic acid has several negative biochemical outcomes.
Insufficient energy production
Insufficient oxygen limits the body
to 5% of it's potential energy production. The global consequences of
this are obvious, such as fatigue, and diminished atp, but indirectly,
it also means weight gain and/or increased blood sugar should fat production
by inefficient since the unburned fuel must be sequestered if it cannot be
combusted
Insufficient cellular water
As we age, our bodes go from 80% hydration to 50%
hydration. Why can't we simply drink more water to make up for this
loss? The reason is that it is our cellular water that is being lost as
we age. Cellular water is produced by the burning of carbohydrates
(sugars) with oxygen yielding carbon dioxide and water. Thus, insufficient
oxygen means insufficient cellular water. The effects of dehydration on
the body will not be discussed here. For a thorough study o the effects
of dehydration, please read "Your body's many cries for water" by F.
Batmanghelidj M.D.
Insufficient carbon dioxide
The final consequence of low oxygen is insufficient carbon
dioxide production. While considered by many to be a waste gas, carbon
dioxide is actually a hormone on par with NO (nitrous oxide) another gaseous
hormone. Carbon dioxide is required for the relaxation of smooth muscle
cells and maintaining the correct sensitivity for nerve cells. An
insufficiency of carbon dioxide will cause smooth muscle cells to contract and
nerve cells to fire excessively. Carbon dioxide is also required
for the efficient delivery of oxygen to the tissues.
Smooth muscle cells
Smooth muscle cells are found in all parts of the body.
Here are some examples of their locations as well as the symptoms they would
create
Smooth muscle cells in the circulator system--Headaches,
strokes, angina heart attacks, cold hands and feet and high blood pressure
In the throat- choking
In the vocal cords - speech difficulties
In the stomach- gastric reflux
In the intestines - irritable bowel syndrome and constipation
In the gall bladder- gall stones
In the lungs- asthma
In the male reproductive organ- impotence
The bladder- incontinence
In the face- wrinkles (hence the use of Botox to relax facial
muscles and reduce wrinkle appearance)
One quick test to determine the level
smooth muscle contraction is to put a blood pressure cuff around the calf
muscle. Inflate slowly and find the pressure at which the muscle is
uncomfortable. This value should be over 250. The lower the value,
the more tense the muscles. If this number is below 120, the client may
be at risk for a sudden heart attack. This is because cramps in the
heart (angina) play a major role in heart attacks. The majority of
fatal heart attacks do not on postmortem examination reveal blockages of the
coronary arteries sufficient to explain the heart attack. It is the
"cramping" of the heart muscle that triggers the fatal attack.
Excessive nerve firing
Insufficient carbon dioxide will also cause nerves to fire
excessively which can result in:
epilepsy, stuttering, anxiety, obsessive compulsion, ADD-ADHD,
muscle tension, tremors and tics, chronic pain and premature ejaculation.
Oxy-hemoglobin disassociation curve
Insufficient carbon dioxide also
shifts the oxy-hemoglobin disassociation curve making the transport and
delivery of oxygen less efficient, further decreasing carbon dioxide in turn
Conclusion
Most clients present with acceptable
levels of oxygen in their blood, yet still have the clinical symptoms of
hypoxia. This is because it is the delivery of the oxygen that is to
blame. In this way, chelation helps to increase the deliverable oxygen
to the body thereby relieving the host of secondary manifestations that it
products. Magnesium di-potassium EDTA-potassium EDTA suppositories have shown to
increase blood carbon dioxide levels on average 3 points in 10 days.
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