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Advice for mercury chelation protocol?

Messages
7
Hello all, I'm a new user with my own methylation issues I'm trying to sort out (haha), but I'm writing this on behalf of my father who just had all his dental fillings removed and need to start some kind of chelation protocol. Is there any recommendations out there or resources we can start with?

He has a naturopathic doctor he's seen before, but she doesn't take the time to explain things to him well enough and he's worried about being confused (like he was when she gave him his methylation report). I just want to give him enough info so that he feels comfortable asking her questions. Right now I think he's hesitant to see her at all after his last confusing visit.

I don't have a clue where to begin :)

I have all his SNPs:

Homozygous: MAO-A, BHMT-2. BHMT-4, BHMT-8

Heterozygous: COMT V158M, COMT H62H, VDR Taq, VDR Fok, ACAT, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G, MTRR A66G, MTRR H595Y, MTRR K350A, CBS C699T, NOS D298E
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I have a partnership with my NP. I ask and she answers. If I'm confused I email her.

I'll never understand my methylation panel so I don't worry about it. That's why I pay her to deal with it.

Do you have any specifics about what kind if chelation?
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
Yes there are several methods. I had DMPS which is either an IV it IM. I also think. EDTA is one

There are some threads here that talk about it. Not only what to use for chelation but what to take while chelating.

You should take something like chlorella to bind to the Mercury. You need to replace minerals. There's things you need to do.

Be proactive and google it and you'll learn a lot. search here. Use the google site search.
 
Messages
8
There are a lot of dangerous chelation practices out on the internet which can do a lot of harm to those of us who are already suffering (a lot of people have made themselves a lot sicker through the wrong approaches). Chelating safely is a complicated business and needs to consider the chemical halflife of the chelator (eg ALA, DMSA, DMPS) and requires a lot of discipline. Andy Cutlers protocol is widely regarded as the safest and supported by research:
  • http://www.livingnetwork.co.za/
  • There is also a frequent yahoo chelation group which I highly recommend - the best place to start is getting a Dr's Data hair test and posting it on the above -as with this site there are a lot of generous soles who are only happy to help
I would recommend doing your research and buying Andy Cutler's books which are summarised on the links above. Finding an experienced practitioner is also very important:

Hope that helps
 
Messages
7
Thanks giantme. That is the kind of start I am looking for.

(Telling me to be proactive and Google is kind of condescending. I'm sorry, but part of my research is getting feedback from real people who have been through this stuff. Maybe this forum is not where I should be if I'm just going to be told to "Google it.")
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
(Telling me to be proactive and Google is kind of condescending. I'm sorry, but part of my research is getting feedback from real people who have been through this stuff. Maybe this forum is not where I should be if I'm just going to be told to "Google it.")

I would not interpret someone's suggestion to "google it" as condescending. Given what I know about the dangers of chelation and the absolute necessity of doing it safely, I would interpret it as a helpful cautionary note. Minkeygirl's suggestion you check out other threads on this board is also a very good one [why not thank her?]. There's lots of information that's already been shared--no reason to not avail yourself of it.

Improperly done chelation therapy can have catastrophic consequences, so extensive research is warranted. I would suggest you approach it the same way you might approach an operation. A quick answer or two on any given forum thread is not going to tell you everything you need to know to get the results you hope for. -- I myself would never attempt a chelation protocol without knowing how to do detox clay footbaths and other well known detox assist methods. Here's a link to just one of the threads Minkeygirl was likely alluding to:

I have NEVER been this ill- Please Please tell me it is heavy metal-detox reaction.


HERE's a link to a post that I made on that thread. It has some strong words of caution, so you may not want to check it out if that's not the kind of feedback you're looking for.

Best, Wayne
 
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caledonia

Senior Member
I recently had a fail (made worse) using a protocol prescribed by a naturopath. I'm looking into doing the Cutler protocol and have just read his book, so it's fresh in my mind.

Your father has both CBS, and BHMT SNPs, as well as mercury. That would be like a triple whammy for the CBS (transsulfuration) pathway. There is a high probability he's going to have issues with sulfur. I would suggest doing the CBS protocol and instead of what Cutler suggests for sulfur issues.

In general though, I would suggest working on the gut first with the 4R Gut Rebuilding Program, then do the CBS protocol (using Cutler's Free Thiol List for diet instead of a low sulfur diet), then add methylation supports, then do the Cutler protocol.

Also, if he tries to add methylation supports prior to doing the CBS protocol, he will likely have a stress/anxiety response, as the CBS pathway is not working correctly. In addition, he will likely have low glutathione for the same reason.

All the ground work prior to the Cutler protocol will also start to remove metals, as gut bugs hold onto metals. When you kill off the bad gut bugs, metals will start to release. In addition, adding methylation supports will increase glutathione which will also detox metals. Then you will be in a better position to handle the detox of the Cutler protocol.

Cutler mentions similar things in his book, but it was written in 1999, so a lot has happened with methylation that he wasn't aware of back in the day.

See Caledonia's methylation links in my signature below.
 
Messages
15,786
Your father has both CBS, and BHMT SNPs, as well as mercury. That would be like a triple whammy for the CBS (transsulfuration) pathway. There is a high probability he's going to have issues with sulfur. I would suggest doing the CBS protocol and instead of what Cutler suggests for sulfur issues.
The CBS SNPs have little or no impact, and have never been implicated in causing problems with sulfur. If you are aware of research to the contrary, I'd love to see it. I've read all of it which I can find thus far and the Yasko beliefs about CBS are completely irrational and unsupported.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
The CBS SNPs have little or no impact, and have never been implicated in causing problems with sulfur. If you are aware of research to the contrary, I'd love to see it. I've read all of it which I can find thus far and the Yasko beliefs about CBS are completely irrational and unsupported.

It could be that issues with CBS are entirely due to mercury, i.e. functional. Cutler says that mercury interferes with this pathway. I'm not sure if that's an upregulation or a downregulation. Anyway, he gives more or less the same advice as Yasko does if you have issues with sulfur - a low sulfur diet and molybdenum. Same with Ben Lynch.

In general, it's amazing how many enzymes and body systems mercury does interfere with (documented in Cutler's book).
 
Messages
15,786
In general, it's amazing how many enzymes and body systems mercury does interfere with (documented in Cutler's book).
And completely unsupported by any research relating mercury (or anything else) with those SNPs in supposedly causing those symptoms.

I think I prefer "incredible" to "amazing".
 

caledonia

Senior Member
And completely unsupported by any research relating mercury (or anything else) with those SNPs in supposedly causing those symptoms.

I think I prefer "incredible" to "amazing".

I don't quite understand - are you saying that Cutler's book is unsupported by research?
Or that his book doesn't show how mercury is related to the function of various SNPs?

Can you clarify your statement?
 
Messages
15,786
I don't quite understand - are you saying that Cutler's book is unsupported by research?
Or that his book doesn't show how mercury is related to the function of various SNPs?
I'm saying that there's no research showing that the CBS SNPs result in substantial difference in gene function under any circumstances. So if he's claiming otherwise in his book, there is either some research when I am not aware of (and would like to read), or those claims are unsupported.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I'm saying that there's no research showing that the CBS SNPs result in substantial difference in gene function under any circumstances. So if he's claiming otherwise in his book, there is either some research when I am not aware of (and would like to read), or those claims are unsupported.

He doesn't talk about CBS SNPs - he talks about mercury's affect on that pathway. So that's an acquired functional issue, not a genetic issue.
 
Messages
15,786
He doesn't talk about CBS SNPs - he talks about mercury's affect on that pathway. So that's an acquired functional issue, not a genetic issue.
Then why mention the poster's father's CBS SNPs? If it's not a genetic issue, then they don't matter, and would not be contributing to a supposed "triple whammy" that you warned of above.
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
Just to add, Cutler doesn't agree with any of this SNP stuff, he is always railing against it.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
Then why mention the poster's father's CBS SNPs? If it's not a genetic issue, then they don't matter, and would not be contributing to a supposed "triple whammy" that you warned of above.

Right now my hypothesis is that it could be genetic or functional or both. However, I'm not hopelessly welded to any particular hypothesis. If the evidence proved otherwise, I would be willing to change my hypothesis.

What I was saying was that IF your hypothesis that CBS/BHMT SNPs don't contribute to CBS issues, then there must be another explanation - mercury could be that explanation.

Therefore anyone presenting with CBS issues, would actually have mercury.