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Inflammation

The ketogenic diet for mental health, weight loss, inflammation and disease prevention

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I wasn’t aware until recently that “KETO”, “Ketones” “Keto diet”, “Ketogenic lifestyle”, “Ketosis” and “Ketogenic diet” are some of the MOST SEARCHED terms on the internet today.

But there is a good reason for this and host of  The Keto Edge Summit (which runs from May 7-13, 2018), Dr. David Jockers shares this:

The goal of the ketogenic lifestyle is to adapt the body to utilize FAT as its primary fuel source instead of SUGAR.

For our ancestors, eating three meals a day just wasn’t a thing. Instead, they’d hunt and forage for the foods they could find. When there wasn’t food, they wouldn’t eat.

Sometimes they’d go for days without food. To sustain life during times of scarcity, the body is thought to have developed the ability to utilize fat as an alternative fuel source.

Today, there’s an abundance of food available to most of us at all times. We regularly eat three meals per day with intermittent snacking between them.

This kind of frequent eating, along with an overemphasis on carb-rich and sugary foods, causes a REDUCED ability to burn fat. Because we don’t have to hunt or forage for food; we’ve become “sugar burners.”

As these sugar-laden foods damage our bodies, we rely MORE on sugar and lose the ability to produce ketones – as a result, massive blood sugar spikes, inflammation, hormone imbalance and ultimately many of the chronic diseases that plague us today.

In a traditional nutrition course, you’d learn that sugar is the body’s PRIMARY fuel source, while fat is secondary. What we’ve learned now (and so much research is supporting this) fat can be a healthier and more sustainable source of energy.

Ketones help you burn fat for energy, powerfully reduce inflammation and show promise in preventing and eradicating diabetes, cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and they can even play a role in alleviating symptoms in mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and schizoaffective disorder.

One of the amazing speakers on the summit is Dominic D’Agostino, researcher and Associate Professor at the University of South Florida. I attended the Bioceuticals conference in Melbourne this past weekend and had the pleasure of hearing him present on this topic live and all I can say is wow! I don’t want you to miss out and now you don’t have to when you tune in via the Keto Edge Summit.

Here is one of the slides where he shares the many proven and emerging applications of nutritional ketosis:

The applications of nutritional ketosis are extensive – including epilepsy, type 2 diabetes, weight loss, NAFLD, mitochondrial disease and inflammation, with emerging evidence for acne, PCOS, wound healing, cancer, autism, ALS, MS, Alzheimer’s, the brain and anxiety.

(anxiety and depression fall under brain on the right and also under inflammatory disorders on the left)

I shared these case studies a few weeks ago in a blog post – Ketogenic diet: reductions in auditory hallucinations and delusions, better mood and energy, and weight loss. Two schizoaffective patients working with Dr. Chris Palmer, a psychiatrist from Harvard’s McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, tried a ketogenic diet for weight loss:

  • After four weeks on the ketogenic diet, the female patient had resolution of her delusions and lost ten pounds.
  • The male patient experienced similar results with “dramatic” reductions in auditory hallucinations and delusions, as well as better mood and energy. He also lost weight, losing 104 pounds over the course of a year.

There is also research reporting the following results:

the patient’s behavior and intellect improved in regard to hyperactivity, attention span, abnormal reactions to visual and auditory stimuli, usage of objects, adaptability to changes, communication skills, fear, anxiety, and emotional reactions

ketone supplementation may represent a promising anxiolytic strategy through a novel means of inducing nutritional ketosis.

As Dr. Jockers states:

The GREATEST health discovery of this century may ALREADY be inside your body!

During this health summit, you’ll discover:

  • What is ketosis (and how does it work)?
  • Myths, and how to separate fact from fiction!
  • How to overcome the challenges of being “keto adapted.”
  • Whether you should start a keto diet (or not!).
  • How to shop, live and eat on a ketogenic lifestyle.

The Keto Edge Summit is online and available at no-cost from May 7-13, 2018! Register here

I will be in learning mode with you for the Keto Edge Summit. I’ve been following Dr. David Jockers for awhile and I’m very excited about the applications of a ketogenic diet for anxiety and depression, given what we’ve learned so far. It’s going to be a great educational opportunity for all of us.

Have you experienced benefits from a ketogenic diet? If yes please do share what benefits?

If you’ve had challenges being on a ketogenic diet please share those challenges too, so we can all learn.

Wi-Fi is an important threat to human health and may contribute to unresolved anxiety, SIBO, oxalate issues and high cortisol

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A new paper by Martin Pall, Wi-Fi is an important threat to human health, states the following:

Repeated Wi-Fi studies show that Wi-Fi causes oxidative stress, sperm/testicular damage, neuropsychiatric effects including EEG changes, apoptosis, cellular DNA damage, endocrine changes, and calcium overload.

He states that EMF effects are often cumulative, EMFs may impact young people more than adults and that voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation plays a role in all seven effects:

Each of these seven is also produced by downstream effects of the main action of such EMFs, voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation.

Peroxynitrite is a very powerful oxidant leading to major oxidative stress in the body and his landmark VGCC paper covers how peroxynitrite is created:

EMF activation of VGCCs leads to rapid elevation of intracellular Ca2+ [calcium ions], nitric oxide and in some cases at least, peroxynitrite

I’m studying the human threats of Wi-Fi and EMFs in the practitioner ElectrosmogRx course being taught by Nick Pineault, so the timing of this new paper is excellent.  Nick’s course is highly recommended too.

I’ll have much more to share once the course is over but this is just some of what I’ve learned so far about the biological impacts of EMFs (other than what is mentioned in the above new paper by Martin Pall):

  • A contribution to mitochrondrial dysfunction
  • Increased inflammation
  • Glutathione depletion
  • Glutamate excitotoxicty
  • Break down of the blood brain barrier and other barriers like the gut
  • Melatonin depletion

And much more – all of which have major implications for mental health (and other health conditions too of course).

My speculations about chronic anxiety, insomnia, benzodiazepine issues, SIBO and oxalate issues

Based on the above and making some extrapolations from the research I am speculating that EMF overload may play a role in the following situations in some susceptible individuals:

  • Why some individuals have chronic high cortisol and yet nutritional support for the adrenals offers minimal help? And why some individuals continue to experience anxiety and insomnia (due in part to high cortisol and/or low melatonin) despite making all the root cause changes to diet, addressing gut health and addressing nutritional deficiencies? Or why ongoing nutrient support is needed despite following a healthy lifestyle?
  • Why some individuals on benzodiazepines have such a difficult time with tolerance, physical dependence and tapering, and even continue to experience adverse effects long after their last dose. This is based on extrapolations from research showing “Chronic benzodiazepine administration potentiates high voltage-activated calcium currents in hippocampal CA1 neurons”
  • Why so many have issues with dietary oxalates (found in nuts, wheat, leafy greens like spinach, strawberries, eggplant, kiwi fruit and other healthy vegetables and fruits) leading to increased anxiety and pain. I’m just starting to look at all the research – here is one paper that discusses the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the rat kidney: “kidney tissue is extremely sensitive to oxidative damage since it is one of the organs involving intense oxidation processes”
  • Why we are seeing such an increase in SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and why are there so many individuals who cannot resolve their chronic SIBO.  I’m still looking for some research linking EMFs and SIBO and/or IBS but Nick writes about this in his book. Is the high use of the cell phone for texting and communicating on social media playing a role since you hold your phone on your lap right by your belly? I did find this interesting research: could oxalate issues be contributing to chronic SIBO?

If you can relate to any of the above and you are now wondering if your Wi-Fi exposure could be playing a role, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Please share your situation and symptoms and your current Wi-Fi and EMF exposure i.e. what are you being exposed to and for how long each day are you using various devices.

How to start mitigating your EMF exposure

I’ll be sharing more in the next few weeks, connecting some of the dots, digging into the research and sharing all the steps you can take to mitigate your EMF exposure. Here are some tips to get you started right now:

  • No electric blanket or clock radio next to your bed
  • Never have your cell phone on in a moving car (you can use Google maps with your cell phone on airplane mode – just do the search first and then put your phone on airplane mode)
  • Always have your cell phone on airplane mode at night (it’s even better to switch it off completely) and when carrying it in your bag or on your person
  • Never hold your cell phone to your ear – only ever speak on your cell phone using the speaker or use a hollow-tube headset
  • Stop texting/reading social media with your phone on your lap (it’s right by your belly and may be affecting your microbiome)
  • Do not allow children to use your cell phone or iPad or similar smart device unless they are on airplane mode.
  • Remove Wi-Fi from your home or at least (for starters) switch it off at night
  • Get rid of your wireless “toys” like wireless keyboard and mouse (I really didn’t want to get rid of mine)
  • Work on your laptop via an external wired keyboard and work on battery mode (charging it when you’re not working)
  • Get rid of cordless phones and get a corded phone

Nicolas Pineault is an investigative journalist and is the author of “The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs” (my Amazon link). He is an expert on EMFs and his book is a wealth of knowledge.

I’d love to hear your level of awareness and concerns about the risks of EMFs? And what you currently do to reduce the risk for you and your family? And have you noticed any improvements in health or strange symptoms?

Or are you not concerned?

If you’re a practitioner is this something you discuss with your clients or patients? Have you observed they respond better to your recommendations and heal more quickly?

Berries: cognition, PTSD, inflammation, microbiome, anxiety and depression

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Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, raspberries and strawberries have so many health benefits, including but not limited to improving cognitive function, offering benefits for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), reducing inflammation and even increasing good bacteria in our gut. There are even initial promising results of a compound in blackberries having antibiotic like properties against drug-resistant bacteria MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus).

Blueberries improve cognition

In a 2017 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, dietary blueberries were found to improve cognition among older adults

In this study, 13 men and 24 women, between the ages of 60 and 75 years, were recruited into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which they consumed either freeze-dried blueberry (24 g/day, equivalent to 1 cup of fresh blueberries) or a blueberry placebo for 90 days.

The findings show that the addition of 1 daily cup of blueberries to the diets of older adults can improve some aspects of cognition, such as

…significantly fewer repetition errors … in the California Verbal Learning Test (CLVT), a neuropsychological test which can be used to assess verbal memory abilities.

… fewer errors on trials when they switched to a new task as part of a task-switching test. Task switching is an important component of executive function, a collection of brain processes that are responsible for guiding thought and behavior.

This research was funded by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Blueberries boost serotonin and ease PTSD

A study presented in 2016 reports that blueberries boost serotonin and may help with PTSD and anxiety. This was an animal study where the traumatized rats were fed a blueberry-enriched diet. The study authors report an increase in serotonin levels and suggest that these findings

indicate non-pharmacological approaches might modulate neurotransmitters in PTSD.

Presumably this could help if you have anxiety and depression too, since low serotonin is often one of the underlying factors.  

Anti-inflammatory activity of berry fruits

A 2016 study compared the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of extracts of Lycium barbarum (found in goji berries), Vaccinium macrocarpon (found in cranberries) and Vaccinium myrtillus (found in blueberries).

High amounts of phenolic compounds, including rutin, were identified in all berries extracts. Quercetin was identified in blueberries and cranberries. Hepatic/liver concentrations of glutathione were higher in animals treated with goji berry extracts. Overall the study reports that:

These results suggest that quercetin, rutin, or other phenolic compounds found in these berry fruits extracts could produce an anti-inflammatory response based on modulation of oxidative stress.

We know that inflammation plays a role in mood issues so this is yet another mechanism for supporting your body nutritionally.

Wild blueberry powder drink increases bifidobacteria in the human gut

Wild blueberries are a rich source of polyphenols, fiber and other compounds that are metabolized by the intestinal microbiota. A 2011 human study reports that six weeks of consumption of a wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) drink can positively impact the composition of the intestinal microbiome, by increasing levels of Bifidobacterium.

There are numerous studies showing the benefits of bifidobacteria probiotics on mood and anxiety. Here are a few of them:

Blackberry compound as an antibiotic against MRSA?

This section doesn’t involve eating blackberries but I’m including it because I just love this story, it’s inspiring and it has not received any coverage in the mainstream media. An article in a local publication reports that Irish teen wins top science prize for blackberry antibiotic that fights resistant bacteria

A 15-year-old science student Simon Meehan of Coláiste Choilm won first place in the 54th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. His discovery is that chemicals found within blackberries could form antibiotics that kills Staphylococcus aureus – often known as MRSA and well known for being resistant to antibiotics.

And he says his grandfather – a herbalist – was the inspiration that kept him going, keeping a frame picture of him at his side whilst he worked.

Professor John O’Halloran, who helped judge the competition, was fulsome in his praise for Simon’s work: “This is a really exciting project which explores the possibility of the blackberry leaf extracts’ ability to control harmful bacteria. The unexpected findings deliver a unique approach to killing bacteria using natural plant active ingredients.

You can watch a video of Simon Meehan sharing more about this investigation and the result here:

Simon Meehan of Coláiste Choilm, Cork investigates the antimicrobial effects of aerial & root parts of selected plants against Staphylococcus aureus.

Here are some ways to enjoy berries in your diet:

  • Fresh berries as a healthy snack
  • Berries like blueberries are quite delicious when eaten frozen too – kids often love them like this
  • In a smoothie for breakfast, together with coconut milk, a banana and some whey, pea or other quality protein powder (great for good blood sugar control/hypoglycemia and reducing anxiety and irritability too)
  • As a dessert with grass-fed organic ice-cream or cream, or coconut milk if dairy is an issue for you
  • Dunked in melted dark organic free-trade chocolate as an occasional treat
  • Freeze-dried or dehydrated berries as a camping or travel snack

Make sure to buy organic berries as non-organic are on the Dirty Dozen list and are highly sprayed with pesticides.

How do you enjoy eating your berries and how often do you eat them?

Acupuncture boosts GABA to reduce back pain and oral GABA further reduces the pain

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I fell and injured my back last week but I am doing much better already. I’m going to be sharing a series of articles on post what I’m doing to ease the pain and heal – acupuncture and cupping being two of the approaches. As well as heat (with a hot water bottle), I’m also using a long list of nutrients such as:

  • high-dose fish oil and curcumin (as anti-inflammatories)
  • relaxing magnesium
  • arnica for bruising
  • GABA for relaxing my muscles and helping with the acute pain, and for easing the fear and anxiety (initially I was very fearful I had a serious back injury) and
  • DPA (d-phenylalanine) for the endorphin-boosting pain-relief

Today I’m going to share some research on GABA and how it helps with pain reduction and muscle tension, and how the acupuncture actually boosts GABA (as well as endorphins) to reduce pain.

Based on the examination I have soft tissue bruising around the lumbar area (L3 to L5). Sitting had been impossible until 2 days ago and even now I have to alternate between sitting and standing. I also twisted my ankle in the fall so initially standing was even challenging!  

I had one acupuncture and cupping session last Saturday and will be having another one this coming Saturday. I felt some immediate relief after this session and my back has been getting better and better each day.

Oral sublingual GABA for the acute pain and muscle relaxation

In the interim, between acupuncture/cupping sessions I felt I needed relaxing support for my stiff and spasming back muscles so I immediately started using high doses of GABA for the acute pain. And it’s been working amazingly well.

Right after the fall I was taking 1g of GABA powder every few hours (held in my mouth for 1-2 minutes) and now I only need to take it 2 or 3 times a day as needed. This is the dose I started with only because I know this dose works for me for the rectal spasms I sometimes experience. I always have clients do a trial and start low and increase slowly based on need and response. The starting dose is typically 125mg as found in GABA Calm but I suspect this is likely too low if you are someone needing pain relief.

With the oral sublingual GABA I feel relief from the pain within 5 minutes and it lasts a few hours.

My pain level was 10/10 and is now down to 2/10 most of the time with a few times during the day when it is 4/10. I’m walking, standing, able to turn over in bed and sleep through the night, and able to get off the bed without assistance. I can now also put on my yoga pants, socks and shoes myself – these were impossible tasks in the first 5 days after my fall!

Acupuncture boosts GABA and downregulates substance P and CGRP

I have not been able to find research on oral GABA for easing pain but do have some research to share. In this first paper, Effect of electroacupuncture on thermal pain threshold and expression of calcitonin-gene related peptide, substance P and γ-aminobutyric acid in the cervical dorsal root ganglion of rats with incisional neck pain the authors state that it is known that acupuncture therapy effectively reduces post-surgical pain, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate:

whether expression of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the neuropeptides substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the primary sensory neurons of cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are involved in electroacupuncture (EA)-induced analgesia [pain reduction]in a rat model of incisional neck pain.

The conclusion is as follows: acupuncture increases the pain threshold i.e. it reduces pain and the mechanism is likely related to

downregulation of pronociceptive mediators SP/CGRP and upregulation of the inhibitory transmitter GABA in the primary sensory neurons of cervical DRGs

In case you’re not familiar with the terms substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) I’m going to explain what they are, how they are connected to pain and why downregulation helps with pain reduction.

What is substance P (SP)?

Founders and Directors of Neuroplastix, Marla Golden, DO and Michael Moskowitz, MD share this about substance-P (SP), the main pain neurotransmitter:

It has five basic functions in the body. They are pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression and nausea. Even though these seem like negative experiences, they are important for survival. Problems arise with excessive production and release of Substance-P.

They share a very descriptive video that:

depicts a nerve injury causing a massive release of Substance-P, up to 5 times greater than in acute pain. This diffuses out to three to five times more local area. This is a major way that the pain map expands in persistent pain and keeps the pain going.

Be sure to watch the video on this page.

What is calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)?

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is relatively new marker for pain as this recent review paper discusses – Calcitonin gene-related peptide and pain: a systematic review

The present review revealed the association between measured CGRP levels and somatic, visceral, neuropathic and inflammatory pain. These data suggest that CGRP may act as a neuromodulator in non-headache pain conditions. However, more studies are needed to fully understand the role of CGRP in nociceptive processing and therapy of chronic pain.

Oral GABA lowers substance P and CGRP in asthmatic children

As I mentioned there is no research on the effects of oral GABA on pain reduction so I’m going to extrapolate from this study on asthma – Effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid treatment on plasma substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide levels in children with asthma.

In this study of 75 children with asthma, 36 children were in the GABA treatment group and received oral GABA (25-30 mg/kg per day) in addition to standard asthma medications. For a 100 lb /45 kg child this would equate to 1125-1350mg of GABA per day.

The conclusion of the study is that oral GABA

can significantly decrease plasma levels of SP and CGRP in children suffering from acute asthma.

The authors propose that airway inflammation may be a factor in asthma and since GABA reduces SP and CGRP, eases neurogenic inflammation and tracheal spasms, it may offer a new approach for the prevention and treatment of asthma (this is my best translation from the Chinese paper).

In summary, oral GABA, used sublingually has helped me tremendously with the acute pain of my muscle injury, and it helped ease the anxiety and fear I felt right after the incident.

As you read above, I am using more than just the GABA, but because it works so quickly I saw benefits right away and had hope while all the other approaches are starting to slowly help too. I just love that I get to experience this first-hand and share it with you – although I would have preferred not falling and that initial severe pain!

I also have a good history of GABA helping me so this was a clue for me to try it now. It was my life-saver when I first experienced my terrible anxiety and panic attacks and helped me tremendously within a few days.  I also did very well with GABA when I used it for throat spasms during  my vagus nerve issue after that scary plane ride, and another incidence when I was getting terrible ice-pick type headaches that turned out to be a jammed neck issue.   I really am a GABA girl aren’t I!?

I have used high doses of GABA like this with one client who had a back and neck injury after a construction accident. It also helped him tremendously.

Have you used high doses of GABA for muscle injuries and seen improvements like this? Or do you use this approach with your clients/patients?

Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, stress and candida: Dr. Rudy Tanzi at IHS 2016

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ihs-1

I spent last week in New York city at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference listening to some truly brilliant speakers and would like to share some highlights from the wonderful presentation by Rudolph Tanzi, PhD : What Can Alzheimer’s Disease Teach Us About the Brain, Mind, and Self?

Dr. Rudolph Tanzi is the Vice-Chair of Neurology and Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and serves as the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. 

Dr. Tanzi co-discovered three of the first Alzheimer’s disease genes and has identified several others in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, which he directs. He also discovered the Wilson’s disease gene and participated in the discovery of several other neurological disease genes.

The focus of his research is in identifying and characterizing the genetic and environmental factors involved in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease and autism.

Dr. Tanzi shared this fundamental information:

  • the Alzheimer’s disease pathology begins in all of us after the age of 40
  • two thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease are female
  • and women are especially susceptible after menopause  
  • head injuries increase the risk
  • these genes predispose us to the disease: APP, PSEN1, PSEN2 and APOE

Most of the above apply to me (I know I have the APOE gene) but I’m less concerned about Alzheimer’s disease that I have ever been and this is based on what was shared later in his presentation.

ihs-2

Dr. Tanzi’s whole presentation was fascinating and the section on fungi/candida, although concerning, was promising because we can do something about candida. This is the paper he shared: Different Brain Regions are Infected with Fungi in Alzheimer’s Disease with this question: Are clinical microbial pathogens triggering Alzheimer’s disease?

ihs-3

It was really interesting to hear that

  • the amyloid is an antimicrobial agent in the brain and provides protection against the candida/fungi
  • and that that the amyloid plaques also provide protection against Borellia, periodontal bugs, Herpes Simplex 1 and other infectious agents

What was most encouraging was this:

  • your brain can handle tons of amyloid plaques and tangles and yet not develop Alzheimer’s disease.
  • the big deciding factor seems to be inflammation
  • “resilient brains” had plaques, no inflammation and no Alzheimer’s disease!

So these are some of my thoughts:

  • Tanzi did share that many people with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from depression and agitation. Here is a paper I retrieved; it does state that depression is worse when benzodiazepines have been used and we know benzodiazepines have been found to contribute to dementia so we need to consider this too.
  • We also know anxiety is a factor in Alzheimer’s disease and this study “showed that anxiolytic behavior…is predominantly due to cox-2 mediated neuroinflammation induced neurodegeneration in the brain.”
  • Some of the same underlying causes of anxiety and depression seem to be underlying factors when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease – like candida and inflammation – and there is something we can do about this. We can get rid of the candida and can use natural methods to reduce inflammation starting with eating an anti-inflammatory diet with wild oily fish, no gluten, no sugar and reduced carbs.    

Dr. Tanzi also shared these for preventing Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Social engagement (this is why addressing pyroluria/social anxiety is important – interestingly zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil are anti-inflammatory)
  • Learning new things
  • Reducing emotional stress and deep sleep (this is where my work with the amino acids comes in – interestingly I found this study that discusses how enhancing GABA signaling can prevent cognitive decline in mice with the apoE4 gene)
  • Exercise (also so beneficial in anxiety and depression)
  • And nutrients like ashwaganda and cat’s claw (to address stress and kill infections/candida)

Clearly I have more reading and researching to do! As you can tell I love putting all the puzzle pieces together.

I’ve also got more to share from Dr. Tanzi’s talk and will do so next week. Stay tuned for more information on his “three- dimensional human stem cell-derived neural culture system that recapitulates Alzheimer’s disease plaque and tangle pathology.”

Feel free to ask questions and share your thoughts in the comments section.

 

Pyroluria and chronic fatigue syndrome: is there a link?

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pyroluria and chronic fatigue

Last week I blogged about the social anxiety condition called pyroluria (Pyroluria, high mauve, pyrrole disorder, malvaria, elevated kryptopyrroles and social anxiety) and received some great comments on this and the other pyroluria blogs.

One question on this blog: The Anxiety Summit: How zinc and vitamin B6 prevent pyroluria and social anxiety was related to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/CFS so I’ve decided to share this and some additional information I was able to find.

Hi Trudy, I’m calling from Melbourne Australia, I was wondering if you have had any of your clients present with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well as pyroluria. I have just recently been diagnosed with CFS, I also have ADHD. Someone on a CFS forum that I belong to told me about pyroluria and said it is common in ADHD and CFS sufferers. While the link between ADHD and pyroluria is well documented, I haven’t been able to find any information regarding a connection between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and pyroluria. I notice that there is an overlap of symptoms in the two conditions. I have all of the symptoms of CFS and many of the symptoms of pyroluria. I’m very interested in hearing your views about CFS and how it relates to pyroluria if at all. — Tom

I was not aware of a CFS/pyroluria connection until now but see there is some research showing how CFS and mood disorders/anxiety can have related causes and one of them is inflammation:

An intriguing and hitherto unexplained co-occurrence: Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are manifestations of shared inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative (IO&NS) pathways

Low zinc is a factor in pyroluria and depression and of course we may also see low zinc in CFS:

Lower serum zinc in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): relationships to immune dysfunctions and relevance for the oxidative stress status in CFS

I find this paper very interesting since many of these same nutrients are commonly low in folks with anxiety and depression: Nutritional strategies for treating chronic fatigue syndrome

A detailed review of the literature suggests a number of marginal nutritional deficiencies may have etiologic relevance. These include deficiencies of various B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, sodium, zinc, L-tryptophan, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and essential fatty acids.

I’m surprised the above paper didn’t mention iron anemia.  This is very common with pyroluria.  This paper: Iron insufficiency and hypovitaminosis D in adolescents with chronic fatigue and orthostatic intolerance found this

In patients presenting with chronic fatigue and/or orthostatic intolerance, low ferritin levels and hypovitaminosis D are common

These are just a few of the links I found by doing a very quick pubmed search. There are likely many more.

Everything is so connected and inter-related! And it’s interesting how certain deficiencies can manifest in certain ways – one person may find themselves with a CFS diagnosis, someone else with arthritis and yet someone else with heart disease. I think we need to be thinking about addressing nutrient deficiencies, balancing biochemistry and getting healthy, perhaps more just than addressing a diagnosis.

If you score high on the Pyroluria Questionnaire I would suggest simply addressing the pyroluria which may have some ripple down effects and actually improve the symptoms of CFS.

Now the next post will have to dig into the link between ADHD and pyroluria. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I’d love to see your comments/questions if you can relate to any of this. Also, please do share in the comments if you know you have pyroluria and find the nutrients have eliminated your social anxiety and inner tension symptoms, and have also helped your CFS.