PLAUSIBLE MECHANISMS FOR DEUTERIUM ADVERSELY EFFECTING DNA
Deuterated Enzymes: As early as 1974, deuterium was advanced as a possible cause of aging. One notable theory is that deuterium adversely affects the shape of enzyme molecules, which are involved in DNA processes.
This is the central concept advanced by Griffiths in: The Possible Roles of Deuterium in the Initiation and Propagation of Aging and Other Biological Mechanisms and Processes;
"When deuterium is involved in a chemical reaction, consideration must be given to a slight change in the inductive effect, as deuterium is more electronegative than hydrogen. Hyper-conjugative effects are also involved since CD3, for example, is less delocalizated than CH3, and, more important, the effective size of a C-D bond is smaller than the effective size of a C-H bond. Thus steric effects have a part to play, reinforcing our contention that any highly stereo-specific enzyme molecule containing a deuteron in an important position has a potential for participating in an error reaction."
BODY AT THE ADMINISTRATION OF DEUTERIUM DEPLETED MEDIUMS
In over 70 years which have passed since deuterium was discovered in natural water many experiments were made for the statement of its effects on living matter. The replacement of the hydrogen with deuterium represents an environmental alteration at which the organism (in vivo), respectively the cells (in vitro) if they can't accumulate will disappear.
In this way deuterium's isotopical abundence variations can be compared with the environmental stress factors (temperature's variations, nourishment quantity, radiations, etc.)
It was demonstrated that while the normal quantities didn't had harmful effects, the increase of ambienttal deuterium concentration (in culture medium, development medium, etc), respectively the increase of deuterium's intrinsic concentration through several methods determines structural, methabolic and functional alterations in different grades .
General aspect of the inducted general reactivity modifications at prolonged administration of deuterium depleted water was of stimulation of the general reactivity, reducal of harmful effects of different noxious agents, especially of those which act through the intensification of the oxidative metabolism or through the induction of oxygen's free radicals.