Mumbai (PTI): Lying in a bathtub for an hour with the right minerals can repair faulty genes in your body and cure almost any illness ranging from cancer to the HIV virus and other genetic disorders like diabetes, a city based scientist has claimed.

"In gene repair therapy a person has to soak oneself in mineral enriched water for over an hour. The minerals are absorbed through the skin and repair the genes affected by age and disease," Dr V K Tripathi, head of pharmaceutical firm Khandelwal Laboratories told PTI.

The company has sought a patent for the technology and it's application is presently with the Food and Drug Administration in the US. Only after the FDA's approval it can be used for mass treatment, he said.

He termed the development a "breakthrough" but it would be five to ten years before it becomes commercially available.

After the age of about 25 years the genes in the human body begin to get damaged as a result of which the body becomes weaker with age and is more prone to various ailments including those like cancer, Tripathi said.

"The absorption of the minerals helps repair the damaged genes. This makes the body stronger and able to resist the effects of ailments like cancer and ageing," he said.

The scientist claimed that the advantage of gene repair therapy was unlike other forms of treatment for cancer, like chemotherapy, and this method had no side effects.

Even if one does not get fully cured by the treatment there is a guarantee of no side effects and improved energy levels unlike other forms of treatment, Tripathi said.

Tripathi said orally ingesting minerals in the form of tablets was not effective enough since it did not reach the genes properly after being processed by the human digestive system.

"The acid content in our body is on a constant rise from the time of birth and is maximum at the time of death," he said.

The alkalinity of the human body could be improved by introducing alkaline ions in it through water which has been ionised, Tripathi said.

"In countries like Japan there are ionising machines which are very popular and help maintain the alkalinity which contributes to longer life," he said, adding that ionised water was also often provided to cancer patients.

He also said there were foods like milk products, wheat, refined oil and crystalline sugar which could act as carcinogens.

However, the importance of regular exercise and a proper diet could not be understated and were among the best ways of ensuring one's good health, Tripathi said.