Ozone, the medical gas?
Eric,
Every day you hear mention of ozone in the news, either as a decline in the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, or as a pollutant generated by a combination of auto exhaust and UV radiation from the sun. That second one isn’t actually ozone, just a name that news types tacked on as an easy word to bandy about.
Now, just a little education here. Ozone is a gas composed of 3 oxygen atoms. It can be highly reactive and is often used in industrial applications to break down oder causing molecules and sterilize surfaces. It is also used in hospital settings to sterilize bedding materials, and other hospital clothing as well as instruments. It can even be used in the home, given certain precautions.
Now, for the more interesting uses of Ozone in a medical setting. Believe it, or not, Ozone can be used to treat blod to remove certain bacteria (such as Lyme disease). In fact, it is used at specialty medical clinics in many countries (including Europe, Asia and even some operations in the US. One that I am familiar with only because a friend is actually getting treated there is the Cyprus Institute for Health and Rehabilitation (see http://www.ycmedinstitute.com/ ). So, even in the medical arena, Ozone is useful and new methods are being developed that take advantage of this very versatile gas.
If you wish a little more info or to see research on medical uses of Ozone, please check the following articles:
1. Ozone therapy, a clinical review: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312702/
2. Ozone Therapy, what it is, uses and side effects – Cleaveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ozone-therapy/
3. The role of ozone treatment as an intergrative medicine, an evidence based study: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1112296/full
There are many more, but these were at the top of the first page in the search results. As always, your health is in your hands.