Germanium is found in all organic material, of both plant and animal origin. Tiny amounts of Germanium are found in many foods: broccoli, celery, garlic, shitake mushrooms, milk, chlorella, onions, pearl barley, rhubarb sauerkraut, tomato juice and the herbs aloe vera, comfrey, ginseng and suma.
Canned tuna may contain 3 ppm, and tomato juice and baked beans may contain 5 ppm.
Typically daily intake is 0.4 to 1.5 mg (5.5 to 20.7 μmol). In the United Kingdom daily intake is about 367 ug.
A Japanese scientist, Kazuhiko Asai, found that an intake of 100 to 300 milligrams of germanium per day improved much illness, including rheumatoid arthritis, food allergies, elevated cholesterol, candidiasis, chronic viral infections, cancer and AIDS.
Although it is rare, some individuals may develop kidney problems or have a toxic reaction to this mineral if they take it in excessive amounts.
Food sources of germanium
