Researchers at the Kochi Medical School in Japan studied patients suffering from stomach ulcers, which are mostly caused by the bacterium helicobacter pylori. The patients were given seawater to drink because it was believed that it would help to purge them of these harmful bacteria that cause 4 in 10 cases of this illness.
How does helicobacter cause harm? The bacteria damage the mucoid lining of the stomach, allowing it to be irritated by gastric acid. Damage to the stomach lining can also cause digestive problems, ulcers or a higher risk of stomach cancer. This is also a phenomenon that is on the rise.
Of course, patients with these problems can be given painkillers, but these have various side effects, such as headaches, diarrhoea, dizziness or nausea. As an alternative to pharmaceuticals, scientists recommend seawater, because it helps reduce the presence of the bacteria in the stomach.
The experiment, conducted with 23 persons infected with the given bacterium, demonstrated that consuming seawater reduced its presence in the digestive tract by 60%. In a control group that drank fresh water, the bacteria declined by only 25%.
Consuming seawater reduced the helicobacter population in the digestive tract by 60%.
The study demonstrated that seawater from a depth of around 200 m is rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium, which attack the cell walls of the unwanted bacteria.
The research will continue at the University of Taiwan Hospital with 60 patients given 200 ml of seawater four times a day for two weeks, one hour before meals and one hour before bed. Another group of 60 patients will receive normal fresh water, and the results for the two groups will be compared at the end of the research period.
Dr John Mason, gastroenterologist from Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust warned that “we don't know yet if the bacteria numbers increase when people stop drinking the water.”
Other experiments have shown that seawater taken further from the shore can stop breast cancer cells from proliferating. During the research, whose results were published in the International Journal of Oncology, Korean scientists added seawater to a test tube with cancer cells, which stopped their further division.
The scientists believe that seawater affects levels of a compound called transforming growth factor beta, which is involved in cell proliferation.
The researchers hope to repeat the experiment on a larger scale. Their findings could lead to new cancer treatments that prevent tumours growing or spreading around the body.
Hopes are high that seawater can become an important part of future treatments. It is easily accessible, completely natural and its benefits are indisputable. We are witnessing great progress here, with two more reasons why seawater should form part of your daily fluid intake and you should always have it at hand.
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