{"id":25415,"date":"2026-07-03T19:30:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T22:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/?p=25415"},"modified":"2026-07-03T19:32:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T22:32:55","slug":"g6pd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/g6pd\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask for a G6PD test"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DaVnrkkxAok\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DaVnrkkxAok\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">See this photo on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DaVnrkkxAok\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Dr. \u00cdcaro Alves (@dricaroalves)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udea8 If your orthomolecular, integrative, or functional medicine practitioner is truly thorough and technically sound\u2014as they should be\u2014there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ve already ordered\u2014or at least seriously considered\u2014a G6PD test before starting certain treatment protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If that was never even mentioned, it's worth asking some questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency is one of the most common inherited enzyme disorders in the world, and many people don\u2019t even know they have it. This enzyme is essential for the production of NADPH and for maintaining the proper functioning of glutathione\u2014one of the main systems that protects red blood cells against oxidative stress, which can lead to their rupture and hemolysis, a potential medical emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why is this so important?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because several interventions used in the aforementioned areas intentionally increase oxidative stress as part of the therapeutic mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Most common examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High-dose intravenous vitamin C;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systemic ozone therapy;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Methylene blue;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Artemisinin or artesunate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protocols for combination infusions of intravenous vitamin C, minerals, amino acids, and various related compounds;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protocols involving intravenous hydrogen peroxide (H\u2082O\u2082), used by some healthcare professionals;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intravenous colloidal silver;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chelation therapies combined with oxidative infusions or other pro-oxidant strategies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not arguing here whether these tools are \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad.\u201d The point is something else: sound medical practice begins with an assessment of the patient\u2019s biochemistry\u2014not simply by adding substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, \u26a0\ufe0f health isn\u2019t just a matter of medical tests, IVs, \u201cserums,\u201d and injections. None of these things can replace adequate water intake, quality sleep, physical activity, a healthy diet, reducing exposure to toxins, stress management, and adopting healthy habits\u2014pillars that I explain on the website DomineSuaSaude.com.br.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Summary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you want to receive truly expert guidance in the fields of orthomolecular, functional, or integrative medicine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also request a G6PD test and ensure that the results are interpreted correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, you might end up in the emergency room because of something that was supposed to help, such as vitamin C, ozone, methylene blue, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AN IN-DEPTH EDUCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL OVERVIEW OF G6PD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In orthomolecular, functional, and integrative approaches, G6PD testing goes beyond basic screening and serves as a safety check for oxidative and hormetic therapies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In these practices, many treatments are based on inducing an acute, controlled spike in oxidative stress\u2014known as pro-oxidation\u2014with the aim of stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis, the apoptosis of abnormal cells, or the elimination of pathogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without G6PD to regenerate NADPH and maintain glutathione in its reduced state, red blood cells lose some of their defensive capacity and become more vulnerable to hemolysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on consensus in orthomolecular practice and on references frequently cited by sources grounded in research and clinical practice, these are some of the scenarios in which G6PD testing should be considered a safety prerequisite:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. HIGH-DOSE INTRAVENOUS VITAMIN C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the most common scenario in integrative oncology\u2014as seen in the Riordan Clinic protocol\u2014and in immune support for patients with serious conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanism: At physiological doses, ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant. However, at high intravenous doses\u2014generally above 15 g to 25 g\u2014it can act as a pro-oxidant, reacting with extracellular iron and copper and generating hydrogen peroxide (H\u2082O\u2082).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk: Healthy cells neutralize H\u2082O\u2082 using enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Red blood cells rely on the pentose phosphate pathway\u2014which is linked to G6PD activity\u2014to maintain reduced glutathione. In people with a deficiency of this enzyme, high doses of vitamin C may increase the risk of intravascular hemolysis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. SYSTEMIC OZONE THERAPY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is used in Brazilian integrative medicine for purposes such as immune modulation and the management of chronic pain and infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanism: Ozone (O\u2083) is a potent oxidizing agent. In major autohemotherapy or rectal insufflation, it interacts with membrane lipids, creating reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxides\u2014also known as ozonides\u2014which play a role in therapeutic signaling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk: G6PD deficiency is described in ozone therapy guidelines, such as the Madrid Declaration, as a contraindication for certain procedures. The difficulty in neutralizing the initial oxidative stress may increase the risk of red blood cell damage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. USE OF METHYLENE BLUE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This compound has gained prominence in integrative medicine for purposes such as mitochondrial optimization, neuroprotection, and its use in certain treatment protocols for chronic infections or post-viral conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanism: At low doses, it may act as an electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, promoting ATP production. At higher doses, it may have a pro-oxidant effect.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk: Methylene blue may cause direct oxidative stress. In people without G6PD deficiency, it is also used to treat methemoglobinemia. However, in patients with this enzyme deficiency, it may be ineffective at reducing methemoglobin, cause hemolysis, and, paradoxically, worsen oxygenation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. INTRAVENOUS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is an old and aggressive therapy advocated by some practitioners of complementary medicine for conditions such as chronic infections and severe fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Risk: Introducing H\u2082O\u2082 into the bloodstream requires that the red blood cells\u2019 antioxidant systems be fully functional. G6PD deficiency can significantly increase the risks associated with this practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. ARTEMISININ AND ITS DERIVATIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artemisinin and its derivatives, such as artesunate, are conventionally used to treat malaria and are also included in some integrative treatment protocols related to oncology and certain infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanism: Artemisinin contains an endoperoxide bridge. When it comes into contact with iron, this bridge can break and release free radicals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk: Due to the mechanism involved in the generation of reactive oxygen species, the antioxidant capacity of red blood cells must be taken into account. G6PD deficiency may increase the risk of damage to red blood cells.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6. HIGH DOSES OF INTRAVENOUS COLLOIDAL SILVER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some integrative protocols for systemic infections use intravenous colloidal silver. Metals can contribute to the development of oxidative stress. For this reason, certain sources in the integrative literature recommend testing for G6PD deficiency before initiating protocols that could cause oxidative overload in red blood cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>7. CHELATION THERAPY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"7\" class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although agents such as EDTA are not primarily pro-oxidants, some chelation programs alternate or combine them with high-dose vitamin infusions, such as protocols that include vitamin C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The risk may not lie in the chelating agent alone, but in the combination of infusions and strategies used simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, the shift from the paradigm that \u201ceverything needs antioxidants\u201d to an understanding of the hormetic effect\u2014in which programmed, temporary oxidative stress can contribute to the signaling of adaptive and repair mechanisms\u2014is one of the proposed foundations for these therapies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The G6PD test helps determine whether the body has adequate metabolic capacity\u2014related to NADPH production\u2014to cope with certain oxidative stresses without causing damage to the blood cells themselves.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ver essa foto no Instagram Um post compartilhado por Dr. \u00cdcaro Alves (@dricaroalves) \ud83d\udea8 Se o seu profissional de Medicina Ortomolecular, Integrativa ou Funcional \u00e9 realmente cuidadoso e tecnicamente criterioso, como deveria ser, existe uma grande chance de ele j\u00e1 ter solicitado \u2014 ou, pelo menos, considerado seriamente \u2014 a dosagem de G6PD antes de [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25415"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25419,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25415\/revisions\/25419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icaro.med.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}