Germanium

General information

Germanium is a metallic element (symbol Ge; atomic no. 32) that is found as the sulfide in the mineral argyrodite.

In several countries, organic or inorganic germanium has acquired a remarkable reputation in self-medication as a widely useful prophylactic and therapeutic agent, but with little scientific evidence to support it. Some germanium compounds, particularly spirogermanium, do have certain immunoregulatory activities, but germanium itself does not seem to play a role in this. There has been some attempt to use germanium in cancer chemotherapy. The unsupervised use of germanium-containing “health products” is of particular concern. Finally, there may be non-medicinal exposure, for example from some semiconductors.

Renal failure and failure of other organs has been caused by germanium intoxication.

Organs and systems