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BH4

Messages
22
Where is everyone getting their BH4 these days?

The supplement from norival has tyrosine in it too, and I'm looking for a pure biopterin supplement.
 

triffid113

Day of the Square Peg
Messages
831
Location
Michigan
I'll have to check when I am at home. I do not know the brand name. But I get it from www.heartfixer.com and it is 25mg only, which is hardly enough for anything. I just keep it for emergencies because BH4 is required to make your kidneys work (get rid of ammonia by producing urea).

I rely on raising BH4:
  • methylfolate (I take Solgar, also whatever is in 2 Thorne Basic B)
  • Vitamin C (mineral ascorbates, I take 2g)
  • I am COMT +/+. Someone else may need a COMT inhibitor, like Rhodiola

Careful with C...some people have had serious kidney stones from taking >500mg. I believe taking calcium citrate may prevent that. Certainly I have takn 2g C for 30 years with no ill effect, but remember, I take a LOT of supplements, and thus am not likely to have any other synergistic deficiency which must be in effect to cause the stones. (The deficiency I suspect is citrate and there are studies that calcium citrate helps protect the kidneys).
 
Messages
22
I'll have to check when I am at home. I do not know the brand name. But I get it from www.heartfixer.com and it is 25mg only, which is hardly enough for anything. I just keep it for emergencies because BH4 is required to make your kidneys work (get rid of ammonia by producing urea).

I rely on raising BH4:
  • methylfolate (I take Solgar, also whatever is in 2 Thorne Basic B)
  • Vitamin C (mineral ascorbates, I take 2g)
  • I am COMT +/+. Someone else may need a COMT inhibitor, like Rhodiola

Careful with C...some people have had serious kidney stones from taking >500mg. I believe taking calcium citrate may prevent that. Certainly I have takn 2g C for 30 years with no ill effect, but remember, I take a LOT of supplements, and thus am not likely to have any other synergistic deficiency which must be in effect to cause the stones. (The deficiency I suspect is citrate and there are studies that calcium citrate helps protect the kidneys).



Thanks! Can you order on their website or do you have to be a patient? I couldn't find it on their webpage.
 

triffid113

Day of the Square Peg
Messages
831
Location
Michigan
Thanks! Can you order on their website or do you have to be a patient? I couldn't find it on their webpage.
I don't think you have to be a patient - it s not prescription. I just phone them to order. But I go down in person every 4 months and can pick it up then. I have ordered it for my father so I know they can do it by mail.

If you want it by perscription, it is called kuvan. Kuvan is very expensive. But if you can be shown to have high phenylalanine (due to lack of BH4) then your insurance might prolly cover it. I make sure not to take any supplements with phenylalanine in them. I do supplement tyrosine for my thyroid (takes 1 BH4 to make either dopamine or thyroxine out of it). Phenylalanine takes 2 BH4s to make anything out of it.
 

dbkita

Senior Member
Messages
655
Careful with C...some people have had serious kidney stones from taking >500mg. I believe taking calcium citrate may prevent that. Certainly I have takn 2g C for 30 years with no ill effect, but remember, I take a LOT of supplements, and thus am not likely to have any other synergistic deficiency which must be in effect to cause the stones. (The deficiency I suspect is citrate and there are studies that calcium citrate helps protect the kidneys).

I think the late Robert Cathcart would beg to differ with you :)
 

ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
I don't think you have to be a patient - it s not prescription. I just phone them to order. But I go down in person every 4 months and can pick it up then. I have ordered it for my father so I know they can do it by mail.

If you want it by perscription, it is called kuvan. Kuvan is very expensive. But if you can be shown to have high phenylalanine (due to lack of BH4) then your insurance might prolly cover it. I make sure not to take any supplements with phenylalanine in them. I do supplement tyrosine for my thyroid (takes 1 BH4 to make either dopamine or thyroxine out of it). Phenylalanine takes 2 BH4s to make anything out of it.

Have you tried Kuvan? Did it help?

If I want to go the Methylfolate route for raising BH4, how much do you recommend taking? Do you take b12 with the methylfolate?

Any other recommendations for raising BH4

My brain fog is killing me.. :-(