The potential benefits of ozone therapy are varied and are due, in part, to ozone gas having anti-microbial and oxygen-stimulating properties. It has been shown in studies to inactivate viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, presumably by destroying the outer membrane of the micro-organism. By compromising the outer shell, the ozone gas is said to penetrate the inner cell and alter the DNA to a point where the unwanted parasite cell is rendered ineffective. Endogenous cells, like those present in a healthy human body system, have a sophisticated enzymatic system that is said to be able to stabilize DNA that may have been disrupted by ozone therapy, a fact which helps ozone gas target unwanted microbes.
The stimulation of oxygen metabolism is one way in which ozone is said to treat pathogenesis. Ozone gas reportedly causes an increase of metabolism inside the endogenous red blood cells, which, in turn, releases more oxygen to tissues inside the body. As the body becomes more oxygenated, it is more proficient at fighting disease. Ozone is said to also up the production of enzymes in the body, which act as free radical scavengers and healthy cell protectors. There are thought to be other biochemical reactions that contribute to ozone’s effectiveness that are not well-understood.
As ozone gas enters the body, it is broken down in peroxides. Peroxides are said to be attracted to diseased or weakened cells. If a cell is healthy, it presumably has enzymes that will resist penetration by the peroxides, but a weak cell that has been infected with viruses, bacteria, or cancerous growth is essentially defenseless against the treatment. For this reason, ozone is a potential treatment for a multitude of debilitating diseases, including cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, and AIDS. Some of these diseases are thought to require multiple treatments with ozone therapy because the associated disease pathogen is more susceptible at different stages of its development.
Ozone therapy has applications specific to immune system activation as well. It is said that ozone treatment encourages the production of immune system components, like interferon and interleukin, which are the basis of an effective immune system response. In regards to supplementing a traditional medication regimen for diseases such as cancer and AIDS, ozone therapy shows promise in helping to quell the side effects of harsh chemotherapy agents. It is also thought that the potency of such medication may be increased while ozone therapy is being administered.