A Highly Effective Yet Neglected Remedy
I’ve found myself recommending this remedy more than any other this time of year. Persistent coughs, basic colds leading to bronchitis and pneumonia, it’s also effective for tonsillitis, dental infections and even stomach bugs. Nebulizing with hydrogen peroxide turbo-charges your body’s natural defenses.
Your Body’s Perfect Immune Booster
Hydrogen Peroxide (HP), known chemically as H2O2, is basically a water molecule (H2O) with an extra oxygen atom. It is this feature that enables it to completely inactivate viruses and other pathogens on contact1. You may have used it to clean wounds or disinfect a surface. But interestingly it is naturally produced by your body especially in the presence of an infection or inflammation.
HP can be found throughout the body and detectable in the exhaled breath of healthy people and in urine. It is a naturally-generated antimicrobial breaking down into water and oxygen once it has completed its pathogen-killing task: an added bonus particularly when dealing with a URI (upper respiratory infection) when added oxygen and hydration is just what your cells need.
An Overlooked Modality
Inhalation therapy has been used for thousands of years but has been almost forgotten in recent times other than for the treatment of asthma through the delivery of various drugs via nebulization. A nebulizer simply converts a liquid into a fine mist so that it can be inhaled either through a mouthpiece or a mask held over the nose and mouth.
There are many other useful options considered inhalation therapy such as humidifiers or basic steam inhalation with or without a few drops of essential oils for basic sinus infections. Essential oils are actually a whole modality to themselves (that deserve a separate post – soon!) – using a diffuser machine that disperses tiny doses of the essential oils into the air can benefit your health in a myriad of ways and is a far better alternative to commercial air fresheners.
Nebulizing with HP was found to be particularly effective against Covid-19 and so has made something of a comeback. Two clinicians who have been particularly outspoken about its effectiveness are Dr David Brownstein and Dr Thomas Levy who have published their results. Dr Joseph Mercola is also a big fan.
Getting Started
I’d recommend you purchase a desktop nebulizer as the hand-held varieties tend to break more easily and are not as effective.
There are many varieties now available. Just make sure that it includes a mask or you’ll need to purchase one separately. If you’ve got young children you may need to purchase different sized masks.
It’s important to purchase food grade HP that includes no preservatives or stabilizers. So once you open the bottle you may want to keep it in the fridge. Here’s one example that I use. Notice it says 3% solution. This is an indication of the dilution level of the HP. Other dilutions are available but I am basing my recommendations on starting with 3% HP.
You then need to further dilute the HP with saline. Normal saline is basically a salt solution: distilled water and sodium chloride. The three doctors mentioned each have a different protocol and explanations for preparing your own saline and then the ultimate solution to be nebulized. My recommendations are aligned with Dr Levy who has decades of experience and I’d recommend his useful book – Rapid Virus Recovery.
Pharmaceutical grade saline is easily purchased from any medical supplies store or online very cheaply. Again one example that I have used. It might say sodium chloride solution or for irrigation.
I’d recommend purchasing these items in advance to have at home as part of your family health toolkit. I’ve had more than one friend running around late at night trying to find the items for a sick family member and turning up on my doorstep.
The good news is that HP nebulization can aid recovery in a matter of hours.
Treatment Guidelines
As a basic guide I recommend starting with a 50/50 solution of 3% HP and saline. Using a real measuring spoon put 5ml (a teaspoon) of 3% HP into the nebulizer and add 5ml of saline. Swirl it around a bit to mix, and you’re ready to go.
Hold the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe deeply. You might alternate between breathing through your nose and mouth to make sure the solution gets throughout your sinuses as well as deep into your lungs.
Ten minutes is a good treatment time (set a timer). Sit and relax while you’re doing it to make sure you are breathing deeply. One to three times a day depending on your condition.
If you find that the 50/50 (1:1) solution is too irritating, you could add another 5ml of saline (1:2) but don’t worry too much about coughing a bit during the treatment session. A bit of mild irritation will pass as soon as you finish treatment. You might have a cup of hot tea with lemon and honey at the ready. A box of tissues may also be useful as you may get a big cleanout right after.
If you are dealing with small children you could dilute even further. 5ml of 3% HP with 15ml of saline (1:3) will still be effective. You may want to use a ½ teaspoon measure instead (2.5ml HP to 7.5ml saline).
An Invaluable Solution for Your Toolbox
Once you’ve had some experience seeing HP nebulization in action against a virus or URI you can start to investigate its other qualities and usefulness.
Not recommended as a general prophylaxis, it is a useful practice if you’ve been exposed to a virus, such as close proximity on a plane with a coughing seat-mate.
It’s also extremely useful if you have any kind of dental problems, low grade infections in the mouth or gums for example. After dental procedures your dentist may prefer you to take an antibiotic which indiscriminately wipes out the good bacteria of your microbiome at the same time. Throw away the prescription and pull out your nebulizer – two to three times a day for a week will aid in your healing and keep the pathogens at bay.
Speaking of your microbiome, a neat side effect of HP resolving your cold or flu, is that it can fully restore your good bacteria and overall gut function at the same time. Many chronic diseases and niggling symptoms are due to a leaky gut and underlying infections. Most autoimmune diseases for example, inflammatory bowel disease, and food sensitivities in many cases can be resolved or greatly improved with HP nebulization therapy for an extended period.
To further enhance the effects of HP nebulization, I usually take a large dose of vitamin C (in the form of sodium ascorbate) at the same time. It has been found that vitamin C activates the iron found in pathogens causing it to interact with the HP to create the pathogen-killing molecule known as the hydroxl radical, in a process called the Fenton Reaction2. Healthy cells are not damaged as they do not accumulate iron – only pathogens (and cancer cells).
Vitamin C has powerful virus-killing properties of its own but working in tandem with HP boosts the overall effects.
While no single modality or remedy is a silver bullet for what may ail you, nebulizing with hydrogen peroxide is an invaluable tool that is easy to administer at home and has only beneficial side-effects. Give it a go and share your experience.
About the author: Emma Tekstra is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, an independent health researcher, and author of “How to Be a Healthy Human; What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Health and Longevity.” With a 30-year background in employee benefits and corporate health and wellbeing, she consults with employers looking for real solutions to runaway health care costs, and to startup companies bringing health solutions to market. Read more at About page.
Related articles:
A Better Way To Treat a Sinus Infection
A Depleted Microbiome May Be the Source of Your Ailments – 10 tips to improve it
Why Ear Infections Are a Red Flag and 10 Tips to Treat Them
Footnotes:
See the other resources linked within the article for more information.
Read Dr Thomas Levy's books including Rapid Virus Recovery complete with scientific references for more details of the Fenton Reaction.
It absolutely works! I use it in my nebulizer when I get any type of congestion as in my case sinus and chest due to asthma. I no longer need steroids for an asthma flare. Patience and every hour on the hour when I get really sick. Within 24 hours I’ve turned the corner. For added nasal remedy simultaneously I’ll use SNOOT. This the first year I’ve not been sick and I contribute it to nebulizing peroxide with saline.
I used this method a couple of days ago as I felt a viral infection starting up and my grandson spiked a 102 fever… I used a greater dilution but the effect was great… body aches were gone and the sensitivities I was feeling in my throat and tonsils… gone. I used it during COVID in 2021 too. Thanks for sharing your “recipe”.