Last Updated on October 26, 2021 by Team THIP
Quick Take
A Facebook post claims that cleaning your nose using Xylitol or Hydrogen Peroxide will kill Coronavirus. We fact-checked and found that the claim is mostly false.
The Claim
“A saline nasal irrigation with xylitol or food-grade hydrogen peroxide can kill pathogens and decrease spread,” reads the social media post. One such post can be seen here. A screenshot is given below.
Fact Check
Can Xylitol kill viruses?
Xylitol is a natural substance found in fruits and vegetables, and it also naturally occurs in our bodies. It is used as a food additive and sugar substitute.
A research published in the Journal of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found that found dietary xylitol was effective in mice infected with the human respiratory syncytial virus, a virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
Another study done on mice in 2014 showed that dietary Xylitol is effective against Influenza A virus. However, the study was done on mice and not on humans.
Can Hydrogen Peroxide kill viruses?
Yes. Hydrogen peroxide is a known anti-bacterial, anti-viral liquid and used as a common antiseptic in hospitals. It has been found effective to kill viruses responsible for swine flu, rabies and others.
Preliminary studies have shown that Hydrogen Peroxide can be used as a surface disinfectant against Coronavirus.
Can Xylitol and Hydrogen Peroxide be used as nasal rinse to kill viruses?
There are some research using Xylitol as a nasal rinse as an adjuvant to their ongoing treatment of during COVID 19 that showed rapid clinical improvement and shorten time for recovery. Similarly, few experts have suggested using hydrogen peroxide inhalation for killing viruses in nasal passage.
However, there is still no conclusive evidence against using either Xylitol or Hydrogen Peroxide as a nasal rinse and more research is required to establish their efficacy. Moreover, Hydrogen Peroxide is highly concentrated liquid and can end up damaging soft skin and tissues in nasal passage, if diluted in wrong proportion.
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