Vitamin O is a nutritional supplement made primarily of stabilized oxygen. The oxygen molecules are mixed with distilled water and sodium chloride to form a liquid solution. The manufacturers of the supplement promote the product as being potentially beneficial in the treatment of a variety of serious health conditions, but critics claim the supplement has no proven benefits.
Supporters of vitamin O tend to believe that many chronic health conditions are the result of the body not having enough oxygen inside of it. The central premise of the supplement’s touted benefits is that increasing the amount of oxygen within the body can prevent and help treat these chronic conditions. The decreased amount of oxygen in the body is claimed to be the result of chemicals in processed food, exposure to pollution, and stress. The makers of the supplement believe use of the product may help restore the body to its optimal oxygen levels.
One serious health condition that vitamin O is sometimes thought to help is cancer. Supporters of the supplement tend to believe that cancer cells are more likely to grow and multiply in a low oxygen environment. They also believe that cancer cells may be inclined to stop reproducing if the amount of oxygen in the body is increased as a result of taking the supplement. Other chronic conditions that supporters believe the supplement may help treat include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders, and heart disease.
Vitamin O has also been promoted for use in helping to treat less serious conditions. In addition to being utilized for general well-being, supporters claim the supplement works to treat headache, cold, flu, and insomnia. The supplement is also reported by some to help with mental and emotional health by reducing stress, depression, and by improving cognitive ability.
The product typically comes in a liquid form. It is usually packaged in a small bottle with a dropper tube. Its usage instructions will generally recommend taking 40 to 60 drops of the liquid orally per day. The liquid can be administered directly into the mouth underneath the tongue or it may be mixed with water.
Although no adverse side effects were found with the product, critics of vitamin O say there is no scientific basis to the assertions of its supporters that it can be used to treat health conditions. In 1999, the Federal Trade Commission, an American agency established to protect consumers and prevent false advertising, alleged that the makers of vitamin O were making unsubstantiated claims in its advertisements about the benefits of the product. The manufacturers were told to add disclaimers to the product stating it has no proven health benefits.
