False Claim Of US Origin For Some Germanium Sold In The US

August 24, 2002
Hello to Karl:

I wrote to you some time ago about germanium and how Nature's Sunshine had a high quality germanium and you responded back that I should ask them where they get it from and if they were honest, they'd tell me. Well, it took me awhile, but this is the response I got. I didn't want to leave this open-ended with you and I thank you for being concerned enough to write back. If you hvae any other comments, I'd be glad to hear them.

A

Subj: RE: Answer Long Overdue
Date: 8/24/02 4:19:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Questions@natr.com
File: ATT44614.gif (43 bytes) DL Time (TCP/IP): < 1 minute
Sent from the Internet (Details)

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your question. Karl Loren's claim that "there is no germanium
being manufactured in the United States" is not true.

Our germanium is manufactured in the United States and our vendor has made germanium for 16
years.

In that time they have produced 15 metric tons of bis carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide. This germanium compound as developed by Dr. Asai is not a patented compound. The process that he used to produce sesquioxide may be patented. Our vendor uses a proprietary process to produce bis carboxyethyl germanium sesquioxide.

It is true that there is currently a FDA import ban for this compound.

According to our vendor, the reason that the FDA has imposed this ban is due to germanium dioxide contamination. Germanium dioxide is responsible for kidney damage associated with germanium. The FDA found that imported germanium was prone to contamination and many foreign vendors were passing
off germanium dioxide as sesquioxide.

It is sometimes difficult to determine contamination. With the proper testing equipment germanium
dioxide can be detected. Our vendor can detect down to .001% dioxide.

I hope that this information will be helpful to you. You can be assured that NSP uses the safest, highest quality raw materials available and we do not obtain any of our raw materials illegally. If you have further
questions contact Customer Service at (800) 223-8225 or email questions@natr.com <mailto:questions@natr.com > .

Best wishes,

Sarah Eliason
NSP Scientist
Health Sciences department

I will publish this, and whatever else they care to provide in the way of response.

Now that you have roused my interest, I will also make a point of finding other examples, if they exist, for Nature's Sunshine products to need some light of honest day.

HERE for instance is a reference to Nature's Sunshine selling a worthless oral chelation formula.

For instance, HERE I have a honest explanation of how the bark of the Taheebo tree should be processed to make a concentrate or extract product.

Here is a current section of a page by a Nature's Sunshine distributor, offering Taheebo.

Pau d Arco/Taheebo Tea (7oz)

Immune:Nature's Sunshine's pau d'arco comes from Brazil. It is available in a variety of forms, including capsules, bulk for tea, liquid extract and soothing, softening lotion. Each capsule contains 500 mg pau d'arco. Five capsules equal two cups of Taheebo tea. Take two capsules with a meal three times daily. Liquid, take 1/2 teaspoon with water three times daily. Lotion is for external use only.

$21.15

$14.25

Like many fraudulent companies, this description is vague. If, as the text above suggests, they are selling a capsule of the bark of the Taheebo Tea, then swallowing that capsule is a worthless activity -- a fraud. The bark is wood, cellulose, and cannot be digested in the human stomach. So, this capsule may well be filled with sawdust from the Taheebo Bark.

This text was from: http://www.wholesaleherbs.com/bulk.html

Here is another web page:

1. Natures Sunshine Colon Cleansing Products •••
We accept the following credit cards: Natures Sunshine Bulk Herbs Welcome to betterherbs.com Customer Service Toll-Free: 1-888-300-6242 Simply the...
  ...Pau D'Arco/Taheebo Tea ( Immune System ) Traditional Use: Immune system, yeast, fungus, virus. Pau D'Arco Bark comes from a tree that makes its habitat...
  ...areas. The trees grow as tall as 30 meters, and are also known by the name taheebo. Unlike other trees in the area, pau d'arco does not develop fungus...
  ...smooth and silky. Relieves itching and pain. Five capsules equal two cups of Taheebo tea ,take as desired. Liquid, take 1/2 tsp with water three times...
61% Sun, 23 Jun 2002 15:54:12 GMT http://www.betterherbs.com/nspbulkherbs.html

Again, it appears that they are selling a capsule containing 500 mg of ground up bark. That would be NOT illegal, but it would be worthless.

Here is another Nature's Sunshine distributor -- selling worthless Taheebo Bark.

Pau D’Arco [Immune] bark comes from a tree that makes its habitat predominantly in Argentina and Brazil, but which also grows in other tropical areas. The tree grows as tall as 30 meters and is known by the name taheebo. Unlike other trees in the area, pau d’arco does not develop fungus growth. The tree bark was one of the major plants used to promote health and immunity among the Incas, and its use has continued among the Callawaya tribe in South America.

Pau d’arco contains a chemical called lapachol, which may provide nutritional support to the immune system. The bark is stripped by hand vertically from the ground up about 6 or 7 feet, leaving enough bark intact to ensure the life of the tree. Nature’s Sunshine’s pau d’arco comes from Brazil. It is available in a variety of forms, including capsules, bulk for tea, liquid extract and soothing, softening lotion.

Each capsule contains 500 mg pau d’arco. Five capsules equal two cups of Taheebo tea. Take 2 capsules with a meal three times daily. Liquid, take 1/2 teaspoon with water three times daily. Lotion is for external use only.

Source

MLM companies are the dogs of the vitamin industry. Invariably their prices are far, far higher than the same product purchased through some other channel.

Since their prices have to be so high, to provide the profits for dozens of distributors, they have two alternatives to stay in business.

They mix up some combination of ingredients that you cannot compare elsewhere -- so you can't detect their extremely high prices.

Or,

They cheapen the product enough so that they can take advantage of the prices of honest products, compare with them, deliver something worthless, and still make a profit.

Generally these are not illegal activities -- just deceptive. The consumer pays, the distributors profit.

I do sell a couple MLM products, but very reluctantly. I only get involved in some MLM when it appears that theyhave a truly proprietary product -- a patent-protected profit, for instance.

I would not buy anything from a company that refuses to tell where their germanium is manufactured or that sells ground up tree bark, which cannot be digested, as a useful product.

I also have an expose of MLM vitamins from one company HERE.

Karl Loren

August 25, 2002
Dear Karl

I understand that you have your response published on the same webpage, but until I get permission from that lady to use her letter (since it was sent to me privately), I'd appreciate it if you'd take it off for now. Once I get an answer or lack thereof, I'll let you know and you can put it back on then.

A

Dear A.

As before, I have published your entire message, and this response, on my web site. I assume you understand the legalities here. Once you send me any message, I have every legal right to publish it, unless I may have agreed to not publish.

I am surprised that you would want to stand in the way of the public knowing the truth of this matter!

Have you considered the harm to the many customers of Nature's Sunshine who purchase germanium and think that it is genuine and legitimate?

You see, it may be. I don't know. I only know that Dr. Asai did the original research on this form of germanium, and that he got a patent on it in Japan. He then formed the Asai Research Institute to carry on his research and to hold the patent. The Asai Research Institute then obtained a patent for this form of germanium in the United States.

I went to Japan for many days of research on germanium, and also visited the factory of Tokai Sangyo -- the only company legally authorized by the Japanese Government to export germanium. Any other source is probably fake.

On my web site describing germanium I have literally hundreds of pages and make references to more than 100 patents involving the word "germanium."

I am not an expert on germanium, but I have spent hundreds of hours researching it. I traveled to Japan and visited with people from the Asai Research Institute. I visited an actual factory which was making germanium under the Asai patent. I didn't know it at the time, but I also visited a second Japanese factory where the owner, through an interpreter, assured me that HE was also making germanium. He may or may not have been making it, but I soon learned that he had no license to make it from Asai.

I later traveled to Belgium and spent some days in a pharmaceutical plant that was importing germanium from the only licensed manufacturer in Japan (Tokai Sangyo) and taking the bulk germanium and making it into vials for injection -- a regular medical product.

There is much more. I wrote the book in the US. I have Dr. Asai's book on my web -- it was out of print more than 10 years ago.

So, I am no slouch when it comes to germanium.

It angers me when I see "my" industry (vitamins) sullied by unethical people. Perhaps Nature's Sunshine sells honest and real organic germanium. If they do, they should be willing to identify their source of supply. The letter from them doesn't even claim that they buy from the actual manufacturer, but only that they buy from a "vendor" who assures them that he gets his germanium from a US manufacturer.

How flimsy can you get?

Society needs honesty in its sources of help for health issues. So far I see no evidence of honesty, but I see subterfuge.

Cordially,

Karl Loren

Notice that this source of germanium does NOT claim that they buy germanium from the Asai Research Institute, but only that they buy from a source that uses the same manufacturing process as used by Asai. Since the original Asai patent on the process of manufacturer has expired, it would certainly be true that anyone could use that process, but is also true that anyone can claim to use it and that the actual factory from which the below germanium might be obtained is NOT identified. Chinese germanium is being offered. It might be OK, but I would not recommend it. Karl Loren

Source

Available in 2 oz. and 4 oz. liquid & 150mg.
Capsules in 30 count.

Call Toll Free 800.893.7467
custserv@inponline.com

Oxygen-Enriching

Germanium is a remarkable substance that has become known as a valuable nutrient. Japanese scientist Dr. Kazuhiko Asai discovered the oxygen enriching biologic value of "Organic Germanium Complex", also called Ge-132, and founded the Asai Research Institute and Clinic in Tokyo, Japan to conduct clinical trials. Dr Asai studied Germanium's effect on a wide range of conditions, including liver disfunction, chronic hepatitis, diseases of the eye, heart disease and conditions of the immune system, all with excellent results. When asked to characterize the compound, Dr. Asai states that he does not regard Germanium or its synthesized version, Germanium Sesquioxide, as a drug. "I would rather call it a health-giving substance." Innovative Natural Products® is proud to offer both a Liquid Germanium Ge-132 supplement and Germanium Sesquioxide Ge-132 capsules.

Honesty and full disclosure -- there are too many vitamin companies, particularly MLMs that cheat the public.

Let me know if you wish, whatever it is that they wish to say.

Karl

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Kusick [mailto:mkusick@inponline.com ]
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 7:15 AM
To: karl@karlloren.com
Subject: Re: germanium

Dear Karl:

Thank-you for your inquiry and interest in our products. Germanium Sesquioxide is a naturally occurring mineral. My understanding is that ours comes from a domestic source.

Sincerely,

Mark Kusick

--

Mark Kusick
Customer Service Representative
Innovative Natural Products
2140 Enterprise St
Escondido Ca 92029
760-738-7890
760-740-9264 Fax
www.inponline.com

Organic germanium compound is indeed the "new nutrition kid on the block," a landmark development in nutritional medicine. If you want to include it in food sources, here area few nutrition notes: Garlic. This pungent herb enhances the flavor of many cooked dishes as well as cold salads. Cloves of garlic may be cut into slivers or crushed before being added to hearty stews or grain dishes. (To minimize the smell of garlic after eating it, chew a sprig or two of parsley, or sprinkle chlorella granules into some water, and use as a rinse before swallowing the mixture.) Ginseng. Ginseng is used occasionally as seasoning; it is more commonly made into a tea. Soviet cosmonauts have been issued pieces of ginseng to take on missions into space as a preventive against ailments. Comfrey. Similar to spinach in preparation and taste, comfrey offers excellent nutrient value served raw and is delicious when lightly steamed and buttered. Chlorella. Chlorella granules may be added to a variety of recipes such as salads and soups. My favorite company hors d'ouvre is something I call "Green-Marine Taco Spread": 2 tablespoons chlorella granules; 2 tablespoons plain yogurt; 1 clove minced garlic; 1 cube bouillon; 2 tablespoons tamari; 1/2 cup tofu; ground pepper; 4 tablespoons sesame seeds. Combine all ingredients and blend well. A Chlorella Smoothie can be mixed by adding 1/2 tablespoon of chlorella granules to 8 ounces of apple juice, 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and a few dashes of cinnamon. Watercress. This is a popular salad garnish with a mild but peppery flavor. In addition to adding watercress leaves to your salads, try chopping them finely to use as seasoning. Or simply place a bunch of watercress in a bowl of water, leave it on your kitchen counter, and nibble the leaves through the day. Purists who eat meat seek only organic meat products. The health-oriented may soon be able to purchase germanium-raised organic meat in the near future. One organic rancher in Nebraska has started using germanium in animal feed. He claims that organic germanium has the same effect as the antibiotics (the animals grow fatter faster, and so on), but with the use of germanium, his animals remain healthy, if not healthier. Since organic germanium helps detoxification, these animals have fewer toxins. Organic-germanium beef may be one solution to the degredation of our foodways. The Nebraska rancher believes he can stop the cancer in the meat chain. One company bottles and sells water from Utah's inland sea, the Great Salt Lake, because it contains a significant quantity of germanium. Another company grows vegetable products hydroponically (in water) in a germanium medium to build up the germanium concentration to 800 parts per million. A patent for barley sprouts grown with germanium has been obtained in Japan. Although germanium is believed to be absorbed more efficiently in food form, the quantities found in food may be too limited for therapy. Small amounts can, however, serve for prevention. Germanium as a Supplement Because germanium occurs in such small quantities in plants, and because its synthesis involves a difficult process, the cost of supplemental organic germanium may appear to be high when compared with some other supplements. Needless to say, you could never get large quantities in food. And like so many other nutrients, germanium is lost when foods are grown in tired soils, or when they are processed or overcooked. Germanium is present, for example in a whole grain, but not in refined flours. The stability of organic germanium, described in Chapter 6, offers many advantages. Like vitamin C, the effective dose spans a wide spectrum. It can be helpful in microgram amounts, yet an optimal quantity for cancer or serious infections is 5 or 6 grams, administered by a physician. And, like vitamin C, it is not stored in your body, but is cleared rapidly. As a preventive measure, 25 or 30 milligrams a day is usually recommended. For minor problems, 50 to 100 milligrams daily is more effective. For relief of severe pain or for achieving an overall "good" feeling, a gram or gram and a half a day may be prescribed. And for those who are seriously ill, a few grams a day may be recommended by the physician. (Larger amounts should never be taken without consulting a physician.) As stated, Dr. Asai never used more than 2 or 2 1/2 grams, and even reported success with 500 milligrams a day. If he could not cure malignancy with these amounts, at least the pain of advanced cancer was dramatically reduced. Serafina Corsello, M.D., of the Corsello Centers in Huntington, New York, says, "Because germanium is a powerful stimulator of the immune system, I allow a 'cooling off period for very ill patients. This prevents a 'die-off effect. An alternating protocol gives the system an opportunity to unwind before the next stimulation phase. The recommendation is five days on and two days off. (Take organic germanium from Monday to Friday, and none on the weekend.) The sicker the person, the greater the response. A sick patient may even get a rash, but the cooling down period usually prevents both the die-off effect and other symptoms. "Work up to prescribed dosages gradually. Very ill people those who experience severe fatigue and petrochemical sensitivity - require from 150 to 500 milligrams daily. "It is also advisable to check the adrenals. If the adrenals are not functioning properly, you are beating a dead horse." Although sometimes administered intramuscularly and intravenously, organic germanium is very successful when taken orally. The absorption rate is even higher when taken sublingually (under the tongue), quickly affecting your lymph and circulatory systems. This method increases absorption by 15 to 20 percent. Nasal application (sniffing) is also an efficient method, but some may find that this manner of absorption irritates nasal passages. Smaller amounts of organic germanium are used for lung cancer because of the rapid circulation and metabolism of that organ. Only 15 milligrams daily have been demonstrated to help those with candida. It has an energizing effect at equally small dosages. For more serious illness, frequent and smaller quantities appear to be better than larger amounts taken less often. In Conclusion These are the first facts about life-sustaining organic germanium, common denominator in renowned remedies. Nutritional supplementation has been accepted as a therapeutic measure in treating vitamin-dependency syndromes. Supplementary oxidant/antioxidant administration may be just as therapeutic in providing protection against free radicals and oxygen deficiencies. Unfortunately, we cannot always control many factors in our environment. We can, however, control the quality and quantity of our nutrition. As the organic germanium story continues to unfold, we look ahead to more knowledge and uses for "the new nutrition kid on the block" -organic germanium. APPENDIX A Food Substances Containing Significant Quantities of Germanium
Herbs Shelf fungus Ginseng Sanzukon Angelica Waternut Boxthorn seed Wisteria knob Pearl barley Age-old Remedies Garlic Aloe Comfrey Chlorella	Parts per million 800 - 2000 ppm 250 - 320 ppm 257 ppm 262 ppm 239 ppm 124 ppm 108 ppm 50 PPM 754 ppm 77 ppm 152 ppm 76 ppm
* Shelf fungus has a history of being an effective treatment for cancer. This was cited by Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn in Cancer Ward.

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