Victor Sagalovsky

Infertility, characterized by the inability to conceive after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, affects exceedingly greater numbers of couples worldwide year after year. We have a fertility crisis looming. 

In the United States, among married women aged 15 to 49 years with no prior births, about 1 in 5 (19%) are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying. Many will agree with Elon Musk’s warning that “population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming.”

Slow motility sperm, less life force procreativity from the male, and less life force for sustaining a zygote should fertilization take place, especially in the environment of our inner ocean, which must be healthy in order to sustain life, all affect fertility. Procreation that creates the spark of new life requires an enormous amount of kinetic and chemical energy. Many couples unable to but wishing to conceive are looking for the right solution that will get them pregnant.

While there are various established allopathic treatment options available, drug-free alternatives exist as well for fertility issues.  One such viable alternative and non-invasive intervention that has been overlooked for 60+ years needs some attention. This is deuterium depletion, primarily achieved through the consumption of deuterium-depleted water and assisted by a low-carb, high-fat diet and intermittent fasting.

This article explores the potential benefits of deuterium depletion as a drug-free alternative strategy for troubles related to infertility and the inability to conceive.

Understanding Deuterium Depletion

Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen that differs in the number of neutrons in its nucleus. Like its lighter version, Protium, (which we simply refer to as H), deuterium or D also bonds with water.

This makes it into our bodies mostly as HOD, vs. H2O, and this semi-heavy water in all we drink and eat gives us a burden of a couple grams of deuterium in our bodies. In the author’s and other researchers’ opinions, it contributes heavily to the aging process.

We have about 2 grams of it in our bodies; but by molecular weight in the blood plasma, there is 5-15 times more than glucose, magnesium, potassium, calcium and the other minerals and molecules we need for life.¹

In this author’s investigations over thirty years in areas with increased longevity, evidence points to a theory that women who live in areas with lower deuterium have been able to conceive naturally well into their 50s and 60s.

It has been shown that lower deuterium means more metabolic energy. Naturally, if you live in an area with less deuterium your entire life and, by virtue, your body is well reduced in this isotope, you will have more metabolic energy; it’s simple math–conservation of energy by reducing need for repair from wear and tear and more metabolic efficiency in ATP energy production and oxygen carrying capacity and CO2 exchange. All thanks to being 15-25% lower in deuterium than the average human.

The easiest way to influence the deuterium content of our body is to decrease the deuterium concentration of drinking water. By consuming drinking water with lower than natural deuterium concentration, deuterium content in the body will be decreased because the organism’s normal water content will mix with the deuterium-depleted water (DDW).

Because deuterium binds more strongly (think of it as being “stickier” or “heavier” than light hydrogen), it evaporates less easily and precipitates as rain more easily. This means that as water moves further and further from the equator, it tends to lose deuterium and gain in light hydrogen.

A few companies around the world have figured out a process for recreating this in a lab or production facility and are able to produce super deuterium-depleted water, which means water not found anywhere in nature, having 25 PPM or below of deuterium.

It should be noted that the author has an interest in promoting deuterium depletion because the author’s company produces the world’s most deuterium-depleted water (drinklitewater.com); consuming super deuterium-depleted water daily makes it the easiest and fastest way we can reduce deuterium in our bodies. The author had to start a company to produce it to ensure his own continual ready supply.  

What Is Deuterium-Depleted Water?

Deuterium-depleted water (DDW) is water that has a reduced concentration of deuterium compared to regular water. Deuterium depletion is based on the premise that higher levels of deuterium in the body can have negative effects on cellular processes and overall health. Normal levels are just getting higher over time, and lowering deuterium levels gives us various health advantages.

The average deuterium level in a normal human being is about 150 ppm. This can be easily tested for using saliva and/or breath vapor, (deuteriumtest.com). However, due to the “modern” diet which is overloaded with excessive carbohydrate consumption and a pattern of overeating, many people have a deuterium level above 150 ppm. This severely weakens mitochondrial energy production and when it comes to fertility, leaves little energy for conception, much less the growing of a fetus. 

In the almost 70 years that have passed since the discovery of deuterium in natural water,² many studies were conducted for establishing its biological actions in animals and plants. It has been observed that while the small, normal amounts (around 145-150 ppm) are not toxic, increased amounts of deuterium, in excess of 15-20%, determine structural, metabolic and functional alterations in various degrees.³

Having a lower diffusion coefficient than normal water, deuterated water enters the cells with more difficultly, inducing the reduction of the substrate diffusibility through membranes and reduces the speed of cellular enzymatic reactions.⁴ That is the source of its myriad inhibitory effects, including vasodilation.⁵ In short, because deuterium is twice the mass of regular hydrogen, it slows down biological processes making them more susceptible to errors in function, maintenance, and replication.

Unlike the biological changes determined by the excess of deuterium water, the effects of reducing its concentration below the normal values did not begin to be seriously studied until the late 1950s. The complete mechanisms of deuterium’s actions were published about the mid-2000s.¹

The emerging branch of biochemistry known as Deutenomics explains how the body manages deuterium and essentially explains how water moves in the body. Deutenomics has determined that the ideal amount of deuterium that human physiology is ideally suited for is 20% less than the average.

A 20% or more drop in the body’s deuterium levels over time corresponds with increased lifespan, superior health, and fertility of people living in remote areas that naturally have 15-20+% less deuterium in their drinking water. This was first discovered by Siberian researchers in the late 1950’s.  For generations remote indigenous populations benefited from being slightly deuterium depleted and have built up some very interesting adaptations to their harsh environment over time, which give them superior health and longevity while living in tundra conditions.

When it comes to deuterium depletion, its effect–it was proposed–is square to the concentration. In layman’s terms what that means is that a delta of 10-20 PPM can have a radical impact on our health over time. Even a difference of 5 PPM over time can have a significant and positive effect on health due in part to less mitochondrial damage and need for repair and increased energy for oxygen transport and chemical reactions.

By reducing deuterium levels through the consumption of DDW, it is believed that cellular function is optimized, thus potentially improving reproductive health–from ability to conceive to successful pregnancy.

Virility is a measure of vital energy, and by reducing systemic deuterium in the body more energy is conserved and thus more energy is available and the potential for more energy production is increased.  Did you know that if we run a few miles a day for month, your total blood volume increases by a pint?  More blood means more oxygen carrying capacity. More oxygen means more cellular energy and all the benefits that come with it.   

Scientific Studies on Deuterium and Fertility

While research on deuterium depletion and fertility in humans is still emerging, studies conducted on animal models provide valuable insights into its potential benefits. One example is a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which explored the effects of deuterium-depleted water on the reproduction of rainbow trout (PNAS, 1960). The study demonstrated that trout exposed to DDW exhibited improved reproductive outcomes, including increased fertility rates and enhanced egg quality. These findings suggest a potential positive correlation between deuterium depletion and fertility in animals.

Next, a study published in Nature investigated the impact of deuterium depletion on the lifespan and reproductive capabilities of mice (Nature, 1963). The researchers found that mice given DDW as drinking water displayed increased sexual activity in males and improved fertility in females, leading to higher birth rates and greater weight gain in offspring. While these studies focused on animal models, they offer promising insights into the potential benefits of deuterium depletion for human fertility.

Another early study on deuterium depletion from the former Soviet Union provides crucial insights into the effects of deuterium depleted water on living organisms (Toroptsev et al., 1966).  This study involved experiments on tissue cultures and mice, demonstrating the impact of deuterium depletion on cell aging and reproduction. The results showed that cells cultured in heavy water exhibited accelerated aging and death, while those cultured in light water (16-20% lower than the average of 150 PPM) showed delayed aging and faster growth to maturity. In mice, the consumption of deuterium-depleted water led to increased sexual activity, improved fertility, and greater weight gain.

In a more recent study, preliminary experimental results on motility of human sperm (Lobyshev & Kirkina, 2012) indicated that in deuterium-depleted water (4 ppm) motility is 40% higher during 5 hours of registration. However, it was noted that the effect also depended on the initial properties of the sperm sample. Nevertheless, the data indicated that deuterium content variation in water including deep deuterium depletion produce various nonlinear isotopic effects on key processes inside a cell such as the enzyme action of Na, K-ATPase, regeneration, motility, fertilizing effectiveness, and embryo development.

These findings suggest a potential positive correlation between deuterium depletion and various reproductive processes. In the future more studies may show evidence of deuterium depletion to improve oocyte development, sperm motility, and embryo implantation. As of this date since no major human studies on deuterium depletion, fertility, and humans have ever been published, clinical proof is a long way off. Nevertheless, nothing prevents those willing to try; there is nothing to lose and so much to gain.

Mechanisms of Action

To review, deuterium depletion promotes fertility by unburdening and optimizing mitochondrial function; deuterium, due to its heavy mass, affects mitochondrial activity. By reducing deuterium levels in the body, mitochondria can operate more efficiently, producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) at higher rates. ATP is the primary source of cellular energy and is vital for various reproductive processes. A higher than normal deuterium level in the body, (as measured by saliva) means lower motility sperm and weaker bioenergetics in the egg.

What is a normal deuterium level? 150 PPM is the average for most people because that’s 95% or more of the water we drink. The ocean is 155 PPM and the further we are away from it, the less deuterium there is in the water, potentially. If your deuterium level is below 150, it is either you live in an area where the water has less deuterium, or your body is doing a good job filtering it a couple of PPM below what you consume. If your deuterium level is above 150 PPM, however, then the potential for causing damage radically increases.

Safe and Cost-Effective Alternative

Deuterium depletion through DDW consumption offers a drug-free adjuvant intervention for many conditions; and metabolically induced fertility issues are among the conditions that respond best deuterium depletion. Consuming any amount of deuterium-depleted water is considered safe, so a simple deupletion (deuterium + depletion) protocol for maximum efficacy would mean consuming DDW for at least six months, with three months to drink enough water daily to reduce deuterium levels, in this case of both partners by 15-20%, meaning going down to the 120 PPM range or below. And then three months of drinking DDW to maintain the reduced level achieved. If it works and pregnancy follows, then you would have avoided all the potential side effects associated with pharmacological treatments and invasive procedures.

DDW can be integrated into daily hydration practices without complex medical procedures or expensive medications. Furthermore, deuterium-depleted water is more accessible and cost-effective compared to traditional fertility treatments. It can be obtained from reliable sources, (drinklitewater.com) and incorporated into regular water consumption habits, providing a more affordable and accessible path to virility and fertility enhancement.

Dr. Berdyshev, who discovered the naturally deuterium-depleted Siberians and was the first to publish on the subject of deuterium depleted water in 1959, hypothesized later in life that the migration of birds and other animals could be seen as a deuterium-depletion strategy. Birds migrate to the north, flying thousands of miles, to lay their eggs where there is less food than in the south and sometimes the conditions even in summer are very difficult, for example on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. They do this because just a difference of a few PPM of deuterium can increase the chances of life or death. Humpback and other whales have a similar strategy; they primarily live, find their sustenance, and conceive in an area that will have more deuterium-depleted food, such as krill and plankton and naturally slightly deuterium-depleted glacial melt water. They travel and give birth in warm waters where they completely fast for 2-4 months before returning to their arctic homes. Fasting to burn fat to create metabolic depleted water is a  deuterium depletion strategy. If you look you can observe it throughout nature, and it shows us that nature discriminates in favor of the easier way, the path of less resistance, which is the path of deuterium depletion; light hydrogen supports life and heavy hydrogen destroys it.

Safety of Deuterium Depletion in Comparison to Infertility Drugs and Procedures

Deuterium depletion operates on a fundamental principle of optimizing cellular respiratory function, thereby promoting overall health and thus increasing fertility, but are there any potentially negative side-effects?

One crucial consideration when evaluating any fertility intervention is safety. In comparison to conventional infertility drugs and costly procedures, deuterium depletion is hands down the safer alternative. Infertility drugs often come with side effects such as hormonal imbalances, mood swings, and ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS). Additionally, procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) carry risks such as multiple pregnancies, ovarian torsion, and ovarian hyper-stimulation. In contrast, deuterium depletion through the consumption of DDW has no known adverse effects, so this author would like to make the argument that, for couples dealing with infertility, reducing deuterium levels in the body by 20% or more is a great alternative and/or even adjuvant treatment to riskier and costlier protocols. Again, it is important to note that further research is needed to fully elucidate deuterium depletion in the context of fertility treatment, but you can still try it out; change your water, change your life! 

Cost-Effectiveness and Accessibility

Another advantage of deuterium depletion as a fertility intervention is its potential cost-effectiveness and accessibility. Traditional infertility treatments often entail significant financial burdens, including the cost of medications, monitoring, and procedures. In contrast, deuterium depletion primarily involves the consumption of DDW. Although more expensive than regular bottled drinking water, its ability to lower deuterium levels in the body quickly and effectively is unparalleled. And it is not a medicine, nor a drug. It’s just water that more closely resembles the metabolic water our mitochondria makes in situ.

What is clear is the research that shows that mitochondrial health as measured in proton motive force, being a necessity for fertility, can be greatly enhanced by reducing and maintaining a deuterium level in the body in the 120 PPM range (Boros et, al, 2020).

To achieve significant deuterium depletion and optimize fertility outcomes, it is recommended to follow a protocol of consuming deuterium-depleted water for a minimum of 180 days. This duration allows for the gradual reduction of deuterium levels in the body.

Roughly a reduction of .25-1 ppm of deuterium per day is to be expected when consuming adequate amounts of DDW. So, after about 3 months, the deuterium burden is easily reduced by 20%, thereby enhancing mitochondrial health and potentially improving fertility.

Give yourself another three months of being deuterium depleted for the cellular optimization benefits to kick in. A simple six-month protocol aims to optimize mitochondrial function and improve the chances of successful conception. Daily consumption of DDW allows for a gradual reduction and maintenance of a reduced deuterium environment in the body thereby enhancing the potential benefits of being deuterium depleted.

Considerations and Precautions

While deuterium depletion is generally considered safe, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional familiar with deuterium depletion before initiating any protocol to ensure maximum success, particularly if there are underlying medical conditions or concerns.

Remember, in a self-healing and self-replicating organism, everything is about energy; the more you have, the more you can conceive the outcome of your desires. 

References

1. Olgun A, et al. Deuteronation and Aging. Ann N Y Acad Sci.  2007 Apr;1100:400-3.
2. https://122.physics.ucdavis.edu/course/cosmology/sites/default/files/files/Balmer%20Series/Harold%20Urey-%20discovery%20of%20deuterium.pdf
3. https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:32035875
4. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/4110622
5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00182281

Published October 7, 2023

About the Author

Victor Sagalovsky is cofounder and CEO of Litewater Scientific, (drinklitewater.com), producers of the most deuterium depleted water in the world. He is the creator of Deuterium Test (deuteriumtest.com) and the host of the semi-annual Deuterium Depletion Summit, (deuteriumdepletionsummit.com). His aim is continually increased production and awareness of Litewater, the new standard in water purity.