FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, December 5, 2025

Curing Peptic Ulcer Disease with a One-Month Course of Very Dilute Food-Grade Hydrogen Peroxide: Fourteen Case Reports

An OMNS Summary and Commentary

Andrews Seth Ayettey^1*; Albert George Amoah²; Mary Ayettey-Adamafio³; Hannah Ayettey⁴; Emmanuel Ayitey Tagoe⁵; Ruth Ayettey Brew⁶; Antoinette Bediako-Bowan⁷; Charles Hayfron-Benjamin⁸; Isabella Quakyi⁹

Introduction: A Global Disease in Search of a Better Therapy

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) remains a major global health burden, affecting an estimated 8.1 million people annually, with nearly 6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost each year. Although typically treated as a benign, chronic condition, PUD can lead to severe complications including hemorrhage, perforation, obstruction, and ultimately gastric cancer.

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori drastically changed our understanding of ulcer disease and ushered in the era of antibiotic-based therapy. However, this success story has steadily eroded. Around the world-and especially in Africa-H. pylori antibiotic resistance has climbed to alarming levels, reducing the effectiveness of current triple and quadruple regimens and leaving clinicians with diminishing options.

In this context, a group of researchers at the University of Ghana Medical School have reported a small but remarkable clinical series: 14 patients with chronic, symptomatic peptic ulcer disease were fully relieved of symptoms after a 4-week monotherapy course of extremely dilute (0.5%) food-grade hydrogen peroxide (FGHP), taken orally three times daily.

Ten of the fourteen had confirmed H. pylori infection prior to therapy. Five were re-tested after treatment-all negative. No participant reported significant adverse side effects, and none have relapsed, with some now ulcer-free for more than three years.

This set of case reports may represent one of the most promising low-cost, low-risk therapeutic alternatives for PUD in decades-particularly for regions struggling with antibiotic resistance and limited medical resources.

Why Hydrogen Peroxide? A Forgotten but Physiologic Molecule

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is often thought of as a household disinfectant, but it is also a central component of human innate immunity. Neutrophils and other immune cells produce hydrogen peroxide to kill invading pathogens using the Fenton reaction, in which H₂O₂ interacts with metal ions (including iron-rich bacteria) to generate hydroxyl radicals, destroying pathogens through oxidative damage.

Many microbes, including fungi and bacteria-H. pylori among them-accumulate metal ions and are thus especially vulnerable to this mechanism.

The Ghana research team previously reported striking results using low-dose oral FGHP (0.5-1%) to eliminate long-standing nail fungal infections (onychomycosis), even in cases resistant to decades of antifungal therapy. Those case reports-also published in OMNS-suggested that carefully titrated oral hydrogen peroxide could enhance tissue penetration and support endogenous oxidative antimicrobial processes.

The question naturally followed:

Could very low doses of FGHP reach mucosal surfaces affected by PUD and help eliminate H. pylori and accelerate ulcer healing?

Fourteen Patients, Fourteen Positive Outcomes

The research team presented detailed case reports of 14 adult patients, ranging from age 37 to 94, with peptic ulcer disease lasting from 2 to over 30 years. Several had undergone multiple rounds of conventional therapy including proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, antacids, and various antibiotic combinations-without lasting improvement.

Treatment Protocol

Each patient received:

• 40 ml of 0.5% food-grade hydrogen peroxide
• Three times daily
• On an empty stomach
• For four consecutive weeks

Patients were instructed that epigastric burning or pain could occur during the first few doses, likely due to superficial contact between the oxidative solution and exposed ulcerated tissue. Drinking water immediately relieved symptoms.

Clinical Results

• All 14 patients experienced complete resolution of ulcer symptoms within 2-4 weeks.
• Relief typically followed a clear sequence:
  Week 1 - pain after dosing;
  Week 2 - diminishing symptoms;
  Week 4 - complete resolution.
• 10 of 14 had confirmed positive H. pylori tests before treatment.
• 5 repeated testing after therapy-all negative.
• No significant side effects were reported, except brief nausea in one patient.
• None have experienced relapse, with follow-up ranging from several months to 3 years.

Illustrative Cases

• Case #1: A 94-year-old woman with over 20 years of ulcer pain-resolved completely within 3 weeks; H. pylori negative afterward; symptom-free for over two years.
• Case #3: A 66-year-old patient with nearly 40 years of ulcer disease-cured in one month; no recurrence after two years.
• Case #6: An 80-year-old patient with mild but persistent H. pylori-positive ulcer symptoms-pain eliminated after one week; H. pylori negative after four weeks.
• Cases #8-14: Seven additional patients, aged 40-86, all clinically cured after one month of therapy.

These results-while preliminary-are difficult to dismiss. The uniformity of clinical response, lack of adverse effects, and durability of cure far exceed what would be expected from placebo effect or natural remission, particularly in chronic persistent PUD.

Possible Mechanisms: How Might Low-Dose FGHP Cure PUD?

The authors propose several plausible mechanisms, all of which align with known physiology and microbial biochemistry:

1. Direct oxidative inactivation of H. pylori

H. pylori contains abundant iron-dependent enzymes and is thus highly susceptible to hydroxyl radicals generated via the Fenton reaction.

Low-dose oral FGHP may provide sufficient H₂O₂ at the mucosal surface to selectively weaken or kill H. pylori colonies.

2. Host-assisted immunity

FGHP may augment endogenous leukocyte production of hydrogen peroxide, improving mucosal immune response against entrenched pathogens.

3. Enhanced tissue oxygenation and redox signaling

Low physiological amounts of H₂O₂ act as signaling molecules that promote:

• angiogenesis
• fibroblast activation
• epithelial regeneration
  -all key processes in ulcer healing.

4. Effectiveness independent of antibiotic resistance

Because the oxidative mechanism targets fundamental iron chemistry, resistance is far less likely compared to conventional antibiotics.

This could explain the observed success in patients previously unresponsive to multiple drug regimens.

The Context: Antibiotic Resistance Is Undermining Ulcer Therapy

One of the most striking findings from Ghana's prior work (Archampong et al.) is that H. pylori strains isolated at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital showed:

• 0% sensitivity to metronidazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid
• 40% resistance to levofloxacin
• 20% resistance to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin

These levels of antibiotic resistance make standard triple and quadruple therapy nearly ineffective.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where H. pylori prevalence may exceed 70-80%, and where healthcare resources are limited, an inexpensive agent like FGHP-if validated-could be transformative.

Safety Profile: Ultra-Low Dose and Food-Grade Quality

The concentration used in this study-0.5% food-grade hydrogen peroxide-is far below the levels used for disinfection (3%) and orders of magnitude below industrial concentrations. Food-grade hydrogen peroxide must meet strict purity standards and contain no stabilizers or toxic contaminants.

For perspective:

• The human body naturally produces millimolar quantities of hydrogen peroxide every day.
• 0.5% FGHP delivers a small supplemental amount that appears well tolerated by mucosal tissues, especially when diluted by gastric fluids.

Across all 14 patients:

• No ulcer bleeding
• No perforation
• No vomiting
• No long-term discomfort
• Only one brief episode of nausea

From an orthomolecular standpoint, this profile suggests high therapeutic index and minimal toxicity.

Limitations and Needed Research

The authors appropriately acknowledge several limitations:

1. Not all subjects underwent endoscopy before and after therapy, limiting objective confirmation of mucosal healing.
2. Only half of the H. pylori-positive patients were retested after treatment.
3. Case series format cannot establish efficacy definitively.
4. Mechanistic measurements (e.g., gastric redox chemistry) were not performed.

However, the consistency and durability of clinical results across 14 diverse cases make this series compelling enough to justify:

• A prospective controlled clinical trial
• Direct comparison of FGHP vs. standard therapy
• Studies in antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains
• Assessment of mucosal healing via standardized endoscopy

If confirmed, FGHP could represent a paradigm-shifting advance.

Orthomolecular Perspective: Restoring the Body's Natural Defenses

Hydrogen peroxide is not a foreign drug-it is a fundamental metabolic molecule used by the body to:

• Maintain immune defense
• Regulate oxidative signaling
• Support tissue repair

Modern medicine has largely overlooked these physiological roles. The Ghana team's findings highlight the potential of reintroducing natural, low-risk molecules into clinical practice, particularly in conditions where conventional therapies are failing.

As antibiotic resistance grows worldwide, such orthomolecular strategies may increasingly become essential.

Conclusion: A Safe, Inexpensive, and Potentially Transformative Therapy

The fourteen case reports provide strong preliminary evidence that:

• Low-dose (0.5%) food-grade hydrogen peroxide, taken orally for four weeks, can relieve chronic peptic ulcer disease.
• H. pylori - even antibiotic-resistant strains - may be eliminated through physiologic oxidative mechanisms.
• Treatment is inexpensive, widely accessible, and almost entirely free of adverse effects.
• Durability of remission-beyond three years in some patients-suggests true healing, not temporary symptom suppression.

For regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where H. pylori prevalence and antibiotic resistance are exceptionally high, this approach could offer a lifeline to millions.

These results warrant urgent follow-up with larger controlled studies. But for now, they open a hopeful-perhaps revolutionary-new chapter in the management of peptic ulcer disease.

Conflict of Interest: None declared
Funding: None
Acknowledgments: The authors express gratitude to those who assisted with logistics and patient follow-up.

Author Affiliations:

1. Department of Anatomy, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana

2. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana

3. Dental/Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

4. National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

5. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana

6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Holy Family Hospital, Techiman, Ghana

7. Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

8. Department of Physiology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana

9. Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana

*Corresponding Author: Prof. Andrews Seth Ayettey (seth.ayettey@gmail.com)

Note from the Editor

The original full report by Ayettey et al., including all case details, references, and documentation, is available below for download.

https://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/PUD_20251028_1835.pdf

This summary and commentary were prepared by Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, to highlight the public-health significance of this important clinical observation and to facilitate wider scientific discussion.

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