Miracle Mineral Supplement

MMS on eBay
Inventor Jim Humble alias "Bishop James V. Humble"

Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS or acitvated Oxygen or Vitamin O2 respectively, MMS1, E 926) is the trade name of a dietary supplement containing so-called activated oxygen. In fact MMS products contain sodium chlorite which under certain circumstances can release the disinfectant Chlorine dioxide. MMS was invented by the American engineer Jim Humble. Humble is not known for having any formal qualification in the field of health care. The self-proclaimed 'Bishop' Humble also founded his own religion and his own church called "Genesis II Church of Health and Healing" which markets PhDs and Reverend-titles of no value.

There is no known scientific study or literature dealing with Miracle Mineral Supplement which proves it a suitable cure for any kind of illness. Proponents of MMS refer to allegedly successful experiments with humans. Such experiments were purportedly conducted in a prison in the African country of Malawi where prisoners were allegedly forced to ingest the disinfectant.[1][2] There are further claims of successful experiments with humans suffering from AIDS having been conducted in Uganda, though no quotable technical literature proving these miracle healings is mentioned. MMS, irresponsibly and without any critical checking, gets advertised in a number of German language esoteric periodicals like NEXUS Magazin, Zeitenschrift[3] and the Mobiwell Verlag (Thomas Kirschner) as well as Bewusst.TV (by Jo Conrad) and Lnc-2010.

Since there is no evidence proving this product indeed works as some kind of "illness killer", the usual conspiracy theories dealing with suppression by authorities have been made up. In the case of MMS, the internationally operating Bilderberger are accused of conspiring to suppress this saving remedy as their contribution to a world-wide population reduction program. This meets another criterion of the Ten criteria for quackery.

Dioxychlor is a product competing with MMS.

MMS

 
MMS advertisement found in "vitalundfit100 SL" by Lothar Paulus including the hazard symbol Xn
 
typical advertisement

MMS is supposed to contain Chlorine dioxide as an active component which is toxic and harmful to the environment. Sodium chlorite, which dissociates to Chlorine dioxide, is also named. Also, lemon juice is supposed to be included, which is said to have antibiotic properties and, according to Humble, is supposedly the most effective illness killer around. Chlorine dioxide is a yellow-reddish explosive with a pungent odour. Chlorine dioxide, being a disinfectant, undisputedly does kill germs. It is therefore used in water treatment in the so-called chlorination and is responsible for the characteristic smell of swimming pools and sometimes causes reddened eyes. Chlorine dioxide is also used in the paper industry for bleaching purposes and also acts as a preservative in foods (E 926) (American chicken contaminated with chlorine dioxide were an issue with the EU-Commission[4] and were accepted with some constraints after being viewed as "unappetizing" in 1997. In future it is planned to label such chickens as "chlorine-treated from the USA").

Nobody would ever imagine drinking Domestos to treat a bacterial or viral infection. As with colloidal silver, small concentrations have no negative health effects, but are absolutely ineffective as a therapy. Higher concentrations can, in principle, kill germs in the body but will at the same time negatively effect one's health.

Chlorine dioxide is an oxidizing biocide and belongs to the higher-oxidized chlorine compounds. Of all oxidizing biocides, Chlorine dioxide is the most selective one. It only reacts with reduced sulfur-compounds, secondary and tertiary Amines, and other highly reduced and reactive organical substances.

 
Article from GSP

Sodium chlorite is a very reactive, oxidizing solid matter. It reacts strongly with combustible materials, under certain conditions even being able to start a fire without a source of ignition, and it can facilitate existing fires. It bears the risk of acute as well as chronic health hazards. Chlorites have stronger methemoglobinic capabilities than Chlorates and have explicitly hemotoxic effects. Since Chlorine dioxide has no role in the human metabolism and consequently no deficiency diseases are known, the so-called Vitamin O2 has to be regarded a pseudovitamin.

Whereas dietary supplements are usually advertised for being antioxidants which counter free radicals, now it's the turn of strong oxidizing agents, countering hazards and harmful bacteria in a most miraculous way, while leaving harmless bacteria as well as body cells unharmed.

The periodical GPSP (Gute Pillen - Schlechte Pillen, Good Pills - Bad Pills) evaluates MMS as a product meeting quackery criteria[5]

MMS-Gasbag

 
Inventor Jim Humble wearing "gasbag"

In 2010, the MMS inventor presented a special form of application, the MMS gas bag. Two plastic garbage bags are put into one another, forming a closed room and are sealed with tape. An opening is then cut into the upper end. Then a small bowl containing activated MMS is put into the gas bag, allowing the formation of Chlorine dioxide. The user then enters the gas bag naked, exposing their skin to the gas.

Marketing

 
Lothar Paulus and Jim Humble enjoying Fast-Food
 
Sponsored report on Bewusst.TV by Jo Conrad

In Germany, MMS products are marketed by Luxusline LTD. (director: Dennis Hamann) of Hildesheim and "Julis Foundation Inc." by Norbert Miller from Neuburg a.d. Donau. MMS is also sold via Multi-Level-Marketing and can be found on eBay where it is advertised using health-related promises, violating the German regulations on dietary supplements (NEM-Verordnung). The product sold consists of Sodium chlorite (NaClO2) and comes with an instruction manual dealing with the risks of DIY production of Chloride dioxide.

In November 2008, Humble participated in a conference on "Neuartige Heilmethoden" (new methods of healing) which was organized by Jupiter-Verlag and Adolf Schneider. By their own account, Jupiter-Verlag sold MMS bottles at the premises. Humble had been invited to Europe by the alternative practitioner Sabine Linek.

In German-speaking countries, MMS is also sold by Lothar Paulus via several web sites. Paulus obviously operates his business from Ibiza and owns the Ibiza-registered company "vitalundfitmit100 S.L.".[6] It is interesting to note that Paulus sells MMS-products bearing the "Xn" (harmful) hazard symbol. This symbol is used to label harmful substances which will cause permanent damage to one's health when being swallowed, inhaled or, by penetrating the skin, can cause acute or chronic damages. Typical products labeled like this are toilet cleaners.

Bewusst.TV, a project of Jo Conrad, sells MMS in its web shop. Advertisements for MMS can be found on the web sites of AllEinKlang.tv, an esoteric project run by Hans Hubert Küppers of Northrhine-Westfalia.

Users

 
Peter Rohsmann
 
Sabine Linek / Klaus Schustereder
 
MMS advertisement found in the web shop "Arcadia Eden" of Peter Rohsmann, a medical practitioner.
 
Advertisement for the non-approved drug MMS by the medical dirrector of the hospital "Klinik St. Georg" in Bad Aibling, Friedrich R. Douwes

Another German MMS proponent is the general practitioner Peter Rohsmann from Habach (near Munich) who also sells MMS products.
Currently, Rohsmann is running a web shop called "Arcadia Eden - Peter Rohsmann e.K.".[7] which is registered at his home address. In this shop he also offers a variety of dietary supplements and household cleaners ("ionized water") as well as MMS as a "Mach mich sauber"(make me clean) system for the treatment of drinking water. Rohsmann warns against the dangers of his product: [...] Harmful in contact with skin - Contact with acids liberates very toxic gas - Risk of serious damage to eyes - Keep away from acids, reducing agents and combustible material - In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice - Wear suitable protective clothing, gloves and eye/face protection - Keep out of the reach of children - Dispose of this material and its container at hazardous or special waste collection point [...][8]


A further user of the non-approved drug MMS is the medical practitioner Friedrich R. Douwes. He is the medical director of the hospital "Klinik St. Georg" in Bad Aibling. Quotation Douwes: MMS is not for treatment of illness and only approved for disinfection of drinking water and food. If one decides though to ingest MMS, generally one should start with one or two drops of MMS, ideally at night before going to bed. It's best to take MMS 5-10 minutes before meals or 2 hours after meals... Using a clean drinking glass, for every drop of MMS one adds the same amount of "activator" (e.g. 10% Citric acid or 9% hydrochloric acid). Then the glass is swirled shortly and one allows the substances to react with each other for three minutes. The reaction time should be 3 minutes, possibly using a egg timer. After this the glass is filled up with water and the diluted solution is drunk without interruption [...][9] This hospital also offers further pseudo-medical therapies (especially for treatment of cancer): Artemisinin, mistletoe therapy, Insulin Potentation (IPT), coffee-enema, Colon hydrotherapy, whole-body hyperthermia, Electro Cancer Therapy, "organo-therapy " with thymus gland extracts ([2] cellular therapy), enzyme therapy and detoxification.

Another promoter of MMS in Switzerland is the Wile-based medical practitioner, TCM-therapist and media business man Ralph Manser.

According to an uncritical article on MMS published in the NEXUS Magazine[10], an Austrian "Dr.med. Klaus Schustereder" (born in 1973) conducted experiments on humans in the Central African Republic. Scenar-user Schustereder is said to be head of the hospital of Baboua where he actually worked from 2005-2007. He supposedly tested MMS and a homeopathic remedy called "PC1" (which was created by Peter Chappell) on AIDS patients. A camera-man by the name of Christian Köhlert was supposedly present at these experiments in Baboua. According to the NEXUS report, he also acted as a miracle healer: (Quotation)

Christian Köhlert also treated people against Malaria using MMS. All of them were cured by the following day.

An alternative practitioner who, according to her own testimony, contributed largely to MMS research is the Berlin based Sabine Linek.

Side Effects

According to advertisements of MMS resellers, the substance is free of side effects. But one can also find blood-curling and utterly unfounded information about MMS side effects on various web sites promoting it:

It is always a good sign if the intake of MMS leads to indisposition. Each change is a sure sign that MMS works and is killing harmful bacteria, virus, mould and yeast fungi and parasites. These dead organisms lead to the generation of toxic substances which trigger the so-called Herxheimer reaction.[11]

The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is indeed a phenomenon known in clinical microbiology. Such a reaction can only be proven by experts and is typically found when treating certain germs like Spirochaetaceae.

In August 2010, the professional journal "Pediatrics" published an article on children intoxicated by household cleansers in the period of 1990-2006, as they were reported by emergency rooms of hospitals. It was shown that the introduction of childproof closures lead to a reduction of such intoxications. The largest number of cases had been reported with Chlorine bleaching as it is used in MMS.[12]

Scientific literature on Chlorine dioxide (see references) shows possible unwanted consequences of a Chlorine dioxide intake found in laboratory animals and human beings. Most observations relate to laboratory animals though. It can cause the formation of methemoglobine. Also hemolytic anemia (caused by a breakdown of red blood cells) and reduced Glutathion-levels can be found. High Chlorine dioxide levels in the blood are also viewed as being toxic for the kidneys and reduce the average life span of rats and lead to a reduced body mass. Impacts on thyroid glands and the hemogram in apes/monkeys have been reported.

In 1982 a blinded study was conducted where healthy test persons drank a small amount of Chlorine dioxide in water. The small amount of 0,1 milligram ClO2 was tolerated by all test persons without any symptoms.[13]

Administrations advise against MMS

 
Warning of Health Canada
 
Warning of US-FDA
 
Warning of the French INVS
 
Warning of the Swiss Swissmedic
 
Warning of the Swiss BAG

Since 2010 several administrations caution against buying and administering MMS.

  • On July 30, 2010, the FDA (USA) issued a warning against applying MMS since it contained industrial bleaching agents and could lead to severe health damages. According to this statement, several reports on health damages found with MMS customers had reached the FDA. Nausea, vomiting, and life-threatening cases of dehydration had been reported. Customers still in possession of MMS were advised to destroy their supplies. Furthermore, the FDA had no research results indicating any benefit from applying MMS to HIV infections, hepatitis, flu, acne, cancer or common cold. Currently, the FDA also considers pressing charges against suppliers.[14][15] Humble reacted to this FDA ban with a warning to international MMS distributors:
Sorry, but my name and my picture must be removed from all sites selling mms in any form. All of the jim humble approval stamps must be removed from every site selling mms. This must happen immediately. Any time the attack comes if my approval is on any sales site that can be used to put me in jail. This is true in most countries as well as the united states, especially in Europe. Please comply with this. It is important. This must be done immediately. Taking my name off of your site will also keep you out of jail. Now is the time to change mms to nothing but water purification drops....When the time comes the authorities must see nothing but mms water purification drops. We will have to depend upon my book, radio, TV, you tube, and other internet articles to tell what mms really is. One other point, anywhere on your site where the word supplement is used it should be changed to the word "solution", the reason for that is the FDA objects to the word supplement, that begins to neutralize our sites. Is for your protection.
  • On October, 13. 2010, the Swiss Swissmedic issued a warning against MMS titled "Warning against the so-called miracle drug 'Miracle Mineral Supplements (MMS)'". According to Swissmedic, several reports on side-effects in connection with the use of "Miracle Mineral Supplements (MMS)" had been published in different countries. Oral ingestion, according to Swissmedic, caused gastrointestinal disorders of varying severity, including hospitalization due to life-threatening conditions.[16] Swissmedic refers to a warning against MMS issued by the Swiss "Bundesamt für Gesundheit" (BAG, Federal Office of Public Health) dating October 8., 2010. According to BAG, the "Schweizerische Toxikologische Informationszentrum" (STIZ, Swiss Toxicological Information Centre) had received several reports on health disorders after ingestion of MMS[17]
  • On October 5, 2010, French authorities "Institut de veille sanitaire" (InVS) and "Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé" (Afssaps) published a warning against MMS as the product "Solution minérale miracle" could cause health damages and had been the cause of several cases of intoxication in France (Ce produit est à l’origine de cas d’intoxication). Persons who had purchased MMS were warned against using it and persons already having ingested MMS were urged to see a doctor.[18]
  • In Canada MMS was already banned in May 2010 by "Health Canada"[19]
  • In the meantime, Australia banned the selling of MMS and ordered suppliers to take back MMS bottles already sold, without further costs for customers.

User Testimonials

  • [...] all of this is tolerable (I hope my sexual dysfunction is only temporary) but the nausea and especially the pain in the stomach together with constant belching that also hampers sleeping are really bad. I don't know whether I can handle this [...].[20]
  • [...] I have registered just now to warn everybody against this tincture. Yesterday I made a tincture consisting of 50 drops of MMS and 250 drops of wine vinegar and I applied it, after waiting for 10 minutes, without encountering any skin problems. It was said that such a tincture could be stored for three days without any problems. This morning I opened the flask containing the tincture and I almost fell off my chair. The fumes were so strong that I almost dropped it and I spilled some of it. It was deep yellow! My eyes watered, my nose started running...Luckily after 15 minutes everything was OK again. I poured all of it away immediately [...].[21]
  • [...] So, I'm using MMS for 5 days now and I have very strong reactions of my body (15 drops in the morning on empty stomach, 15 drops in the evening after dinner), including diarrhea - headache - and, to my big surprise, a heavy head cold, the nose is running all the time [...].[22]
  • ..the side effects are really severe. Dizziness, deafness on both ears, I can't focus my eyes, blurred thoughts that prevent me from articulating myself clearly, listlessness, weariness and (a special nuisance to my wife) erectional dysfunction...The nausea and especially the pain in the stomach and belly, together with constant belching that also hamper my sleep are really bad. So I don't know how I gonna handle this.[23]


MMS-Quackery and cancer patients

 
Jillian Margaret Newlands

In 2009, an Australian quack named Jillian Margaret Newlands from Mackay (Queensland) who had no license for conducting medical treatments was sentenced to a fine of 12,000 AUD and her equipment was seized[24][25] for treating patients suffering from breast cancer under non-sterile conditions with MMS infusions in her so-called treatment centre. To avoid any attention she conducted these treatments in her own garage and urged patients to keep silent about it. Furthermore she advised against chemotherapy. This case could be fully reconstructed because undercover-agent Loretta Marron, who was successfully cured of breast cancer with accepted therapies, managed to videotape such a treatment, using a hidden camera.[26] The patient treated, named Maria Worth, suffered a life-threatening blood clut after application of the MMS-infusion and had to be treated in the Toowoomba Hospital. She had paid 2,000 AUD for this useless and dangerous treatment - whereas the source material had a value of approx. 25 AUD.[27][28][29]

MMS2

In the meantime, MMS-inventor Humble launched another product: MMS2. This is the corrosive Calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2). This compound was used more than a hundred years ago as a skin disinfectant. Since it is only badly tolerated, it had been replaced by more tolerable and effective substances. There are no reports on oral administration of this substance.

Calcium hypochlorite is also used as bleaching agent in the paper industry, but is more and more replaced, for reasons of environmental protection, by other substances. It is widely used as swimming pool disinfectant. Building supply stores provide cheap bulk packs for owners of private swimming pools.

In order to prevent negative side effects to the MMS sales, MMS2 is labeled as being as good and complimentary to MMS. It is also claimed that the combined application of the two substances lead to some kind of synergistic effects.

Versions of this article in other languages

Literature

  • Gute Pillen - schlechte Pillen. Nr. 5 (Sept./Okt. 2008): Aufgespießt - Miracle Mineral Supplement. Publisher: Verbraucherzeitschrift für Medikamente in Deutschland, arznei-telegramm, DER ARZNEIMITTELBRIEF, Pharma-Brief und Arzneiverordnung in der Praxis (AVP).

  • Lin JL, Lim PS. Acute sodium chlorite poisoning associated with renal failure. Ren Fail. 1993;15(5):645-8.
  • Judith R. Lubbers, Sudha Chauan, Joseph R. Bianchine: Controlled Clinical Evaluations of Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorite and Chlorate in Man, (1982) Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 46, S. 57-62, 1982. [3]
  • Lubbers, J. R., Chauhan, S., Miller, J. K., and Bianchine, J. R. The effects of chronic administration of chlorine dioxide, chlorite and chlorate to normal healthy adult male volunteers. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 5 (2, 3): 879-888 (1982)
  • Heffernan, W. P., Guion, C., and Bull, R. J. Oxidative damage to the erythrocyte induced by sodium chlorite in vitro. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 2(6): 1487-1499 (1979).
  • Musil, J., Kontek, Z., Chalupa, J., and Schmidt, P. Toxicological aspects of chlorine dioxide application for the treatment of water containing phenol. Chem. Technol. Praze. 8: 327-345 (1964)
  • Moore, G. S., and Calabrese, E. J. The effects of chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorite on erythrocytes of A-J and C-57L-J mice. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 4(2, 3): 513-524 (1980)
  • Moore, G. S. and Calabrese, E. J. G-6-PD-deficiency - a potential high-risk group to copper and chlorite ingestion. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 4(2, 3): 271-279 (1980)
  • Moore, G. S., Calabrese, E. J. and Ho, S. C. Groups at potentially high-risk from chlorine dioxide treated water. J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. 4(2, 3): 465-470 (1980)
  • Couri, D., Miller, C. H., Bull, R. J., Delphia, J. M., Ammar, E. M. Assessment of maternal toxicity, embryotoxicity and teratogenic potential of sodium chlorite in Sprague-Dawley rats., Environ. Health Perspect. 46: 25-29 (1982)

English Weblinks

German Weblinks

Links to Material Safety Data Sheets and Fact Sheets

References

  1. http://www.miraclems.com
  2. http://www.alleinklang.tv/themen/naturheilkunde/mms-tropfen-miracle-mineral-supplement.html
  3. Benjamin Seiler, Zeitenschrift, Heft 59
  4. http://lifestyle.t-online.de/c/15/15/71/42/15157142.html
  5. Gute Pillen - schlechte Pillen. Nr. 5 (Sept./Okt. 2008): Aufgespießt - Miracle Mineral Supplement. Herausgeber: Verbraucherzeitschrift für Medikamente in Deutschland, arznei-telegramm, DER ARZNEIMITTELBRIEF, Pharma-Brief und Arzneiverordnung in der Praxis (AVP)
  6. vitalundfitmit100 S.L., Geschäftsführer Lothar Paulus, Ctr. Ibiza-Sant Josep, km 11,5 Apdo. 282, E-07830 Sant Josep Spanien. Telefon: +34 971343623 / +49 1637726543 Fax +34971343623. Lothar Paulus, C/des Calo, Cala de Bou, edificio PalmBeach 2-2d 07839 Sant Josep, Ibiza Spanien
  7. Arcadia Eden - Peter Rohsmann e.K., Sindelsdorferstraße 12, 82392 Habach-Dürnhausen
  8. https://www.arcadia-eden.com/wasserbehandlung/mms-neu/
  9. http://www.klinik-st-georg.de/pdf/dr_douwes_informiert/2010-04_MMS_Wirkung.pdf
  10. http://www.nexus-magazin.de/artikel/lesen/jim-humble-erstmalig-in-deutschland-beim-kongress-fuer-neuartige-heilmethoden/2?context=category&category=2
  11. Quelle: jimhumblemms.de
  12. Lara B. McKenzie, Nisha Ahir, Uwe Stolz, Nicolas G. Nelson: Household Cleaning Product-Related Injuries Treated in US Emergency, Pediatrics, 2.8.2010, DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-3392 Volltext
  13. *Judith R. Lubbers, Sudha Chauan, Joseph R. Bianchine: Controlled Clinical Evaluations of Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorite and Chlorate in Man, (1982) Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 46, S. 57-62, 1982. [1]
  14. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm220747.htm
  15. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=6430
  16. http://www.swissmedic.ch/aktuell/00003/01409/index.html?lang=de
  17. http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/lebensmittel/04861/11249/index.html?lang=de
  18. http://www.invs.sante.fr/recherche/index2.asp?txtQuery=mms&Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0
  19. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_74-eng.php
  20. http://www.mms-selbsthilfe.de/showthread.php?t=2&page=5
  21. http://www.mms-selbsthilfe.de/showthread.php?t=167
  22. http://www.mms-selbsthilfe.de/showthread.php?t=2&page=3
  23. Quotation of a user "Uwe" in the "MMS Selbsthilfeforum" (MMS self-help forum)
  24. http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=63436
  25. http://scepticsbook.com/2009/04/23/quack-fined-12000-ordered-to-stop-selling-fake-cancer-treatment/
  26. http://videosift.com/video/Loretta-Marron-busting-a-terrible-horrible-Quack
  27. http://atheistage.org/?p=829
  28. http://archive.i2p.com.au/?page=site/article&id=1270
  29. http://atheistage.org/?p=901