Monday, August 24, 2015

Negative response to B-12?

The only advantage to being so sensitive to supplements is that usually within 2 or 3 doses, I know whether or not a treatment will work for me.  Sometimes, 1 pill is all it takes.  With the B-12, that did not happen.  I started on it back in April after a mediocre half marathon in Kentucky (1:50 on a hilly course).  The next day, I got my 23and me test results, which showed that I was compound hetero for COMT and thus should benefit from hydroxy B-12 (not methyl or cyano).  Also, it was supposed to help reduce sulfur and increase tolerance to methyl donors.  It certainly seemed like a good choice on the surface.  Unfortunately, as is often the case, a pill or treatment that is SUPPOSED to work on paper does not necessarily work in reality. 

Most of the time when I take something that doesn’t work, I get a swift negative reaction often within minutes of taking the pill.  That didn’t happen here.  Though I have had a few days in which I appeared to be doing a little better, the overall trend has been a gradual but steady decline over the last 4 months. 

Why the intolerance?  That’s difficult to say.  Yasko has suggested that I may be low in Lithium and that deficiency can prevent B-12 from reaching the cells.  That seems unlikely because I have taken Lithium in the past and my ADHS (adrenal modulator) contains a small amount of it.  More likely, I have developed a cobalt toxicity from taking too much of it.  I may have missed a dose here and there but the vast majority of the time, I was taking 500-1000 mcg/day.  My All in One contains 50 mcg but that should be okay.  A small dose will likely be a benefit as it should continue to keep my copper in line.  It is possible that a large dose caused too much of a sulfur detox reaction but if cobalt is the culprit, it would cause weakness in the cardiovascular system, which would make sense.  B-12 does lower homocysteine, which is a dangerous amino acid.  There may be a downside to having it too low however as it may be needed to produce Methionine.

It is possible that all of the stuff that I tried for the CBS/sulfur detox failed because of the B-12.  I have traced the intolerance to Thym-Adren to B-12 so it may be possible that I could give the Sparga another try.  Then again, what is the cause of my sulfur toxicity and intolerance to methyls?

CBS or SUOX revisited?
I know that I am compound hetero on CBS because the test showed it.  That said, based on my symptoms, I expected that my UAA test would show taurine and ammonia through the roof but that didn’t happen.  Ammonia was a little on the high side but well within the range.  Taurine was just a hair above the range but that may have been due more to my history of supplementation than the mutation.  My sulfur test strips showed extreme high levels and though I desperately need Methionine, I still could not tolerate it despite taking the B-12.  I am unsure where I stand with the SUOX because 23and me does not test for the key SNP but signs certainly point in that direction and I seemed to improve at least initially after being judicious with the drops. 

Mercury and additional tests and products:
Again, I am beginning to consider amalgam removal but if I am to go down that route, it will be in Atlanta or Dotahan with a denty that is certified under the safety protocol.  Yasko gave me a free urine test for toxic metals and the result should answer the question of mercury burden and cobalt toxicity.  

 I am going to try a couple new things: 
ACE drops to lower tissue sodium
Methionine drops- 1 pill is too much but I may be able to take a drop or 2 and yes, that could make a difference.
I expect that if I go off the B-12 for a few days, I will again be able to tolerate Thym-Adren again.
I will stay on the SUOX drops and may try Sparga again.  Sparga is reasonably priced so I don’t mind wasting $20.

Bottom line:
Even if I am doing everything else right, I could still be screwed by 1 wrong treatment.  I realize that this is an extreme analogy but here it is:  Suppose that you have an enemy that slips a trace of arsenic in your bowl of grits every morning.  If the dose is small enough, you won’t notice it at first but you will continue to get sicker.  It would take a few days off it to notice that you are getting better.  Of course, it would not matter how healthy the rest of your lifestyle is if you regularly take something that toxic.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Justin, Post your latest Hair test in Andy Cutler's think tank fb page. They will help you determine mercury toxicity. Urine test is not reliable at all, and the folks there, including Cutler will explain why.