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Bill Walsh Finally Explains Over-Methylation In A Way I Can Understand

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Freddd lists "reappearance of old symptoms" at the top of his list of paradoxical folate deficiency symptoms - i.e. the symptoms you get if you don't keep increasing doses.

@Freddd, would you be a gem and clarify this for me? From reading a jillion of your posts, I got the impression that paradoxical folate deficiency is what you call it when there is not enough B12 to use the amount of folate being supplemented. In other words, it might be time to raise MeB12 and/or AdB12 or to lower folate?

So when I have symptoms on your folate deficiency list (which I often do), how do I know whether to raise B12 or mefolate? This issue has been plaguing me for a year now, along with B1-B2-B3 imbalances.
 

Johnmac

Senior Member
Messages
756
Location
Cambodia
I wouldn't mind that clarified also, as I thought PFD was when folate drove up demand for folate, paradoxically creating a deficiency (when you don't ramp up). And that it didn't have much to do with MeB12 or AdB12.
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
@Freddd, would you be a gem and clarify this for me? From reading a jillion of your posts, I got the impression that paradoxical folate deficiency is what you call it when there is not enough B12 to use the amount of folate being supplemented. In other words, it might be time to raise MeB12 and/or AdB12 or to lower folate?

So when I have symptoms on your folate deficiency list (which I often do), how do I know whether to raise B12 or mefolate? This issue has been plaguing me for a year now, along with B1-B2-B3 imbalances.


I wouldn't mind that clarified also, as I thought PFD was when folate drove up demand for folate, paradoxically creating a deficiency (when you don't ramp up). And that it didn't have much to do with MeB12 or AdB12.


Both MeCbl and l-methylfolate are distributed in the body according to what has been called "internal triage levels". So for instance, the epithelial symptoms like angular cheilitis, skin rashes and lesions, IBS and so on often all come on together and all leave together, allowing for the 5+ days difference in appearance and disappearance time of IBS for instance, or 2-3 days for cheilitis. So when the skin is healing, the muscles might be getting worse and inflamed, or CNS getting worse, or kidneys, etc. So when a there is enough to turn on half a level, the whole level is started and other levels are deprived of folate. Some of the levels required carnitine to turn on. When suddenly my muscles started healing suddenly I would have angular cheilitis again as the epithelial tissues are deprived to give enough to the muscles. Then If I titrate until both the skin and muscles are healing perhaps asthma and allergies start up. With folate increases that is taken care of but maybe joints get inflamed.

Sublingually 1 mg MeCbl is sufficient for most body healing. 5 mg heals a little more broadly. There is no specific ratio of methylfolate to MeCbl. 1mg of MeCbl can require 15mg or more of methylfolate. AdoCbl and Carnitine can turn on several layers of healing and then require more folate.

The B1, B2, B3 and inositol imbalances I found by titration it up until potassium and folate needs could not satisfy the need and folate deficiency symptoms came back. When they got low enough the folate and potassium deficiency symptoms decreased. Howev er, you don't want to go intpo deficiency since they calso cause the same folate deficiency symptoms when they are deficient.

I find 15mg of B1 satisfactory but not more, 10.2mg of b2 but not more and 50mg of B3 but not more, and this I spit in half and take twice a day. I don't know what the dose for inositol might be that works without excess effects.

The "paradoxical folate deficiency" is also "partial methylation block" , it works on some levels and deficiency symptoms on others. The effectiveness of Methylfolate curve for me approaches zero folate deficiency symptoms as dose approaches 30 mg. At 15mg I had just intermittent folate deficiencies. At 8 mg I had more symptoms more often and worse, and so on as dose goes down. Methylolate has the nice smooth response curve many things don't have. B1, B2 and B3 have an inverted U shaped curve where it reaches a useful peak and then goes down.
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
The B1, B2, B3 and inositol imbalances I found by [titration it] up until potassium and folate [needs] could not satisfy the need and folate deficiency symptoms came back. When [they] got low enough the folate and potassium deficiency symptoms decreased. Howev er, you don't want to go intpo deficiency since [they] calso cause the same folate deficiency symptoms when they are deficient.

This is the critical paragraph for me right now, so I want to be sure I know what you're saying, @Freddd. Please pardon my editing mania: I've put 4 sets of brackets in where I'm stumbling over ambiguity.

To paraphrase those parts: You titrated up with B1, B2, B3 and inositol (each one separately, I'm guessing?). You got to a point where potassium and/or folate became deficient. And you couldn't meet the need for potassium and/or folate (?). Backing down the dose of B vitamin (B1, B2, B3 or inositol) took care of the problem, but titrating down too far sent you into B1/B2/B3/inositol deficiency, which could also bring on the same dang symptoms (folate deficiency; did it also bring on potassium deficiency?).

This is critical because I'm tolerating 2 drops of liquid B12 (transdermally). That's tiny, maybe 120 mcg (??). But adding one more drop sends me into a potassium deficiency I can't keep up with. If I've understood you, that might indicate I need to back down on one of the Bs.

It wouldn't be B2, because I'm only taking 10-15 mg (in 2-3 doses). And B2 seems to lower my need (or tolerance) for mefolate.
It wouldn't be B3, because I'm only taking 20-25 mg, and it's necessary to counteract the ill effects of taking mefolate/MeB12 (depression, brain fog).
I just started inositol, and this problem began almost a year ago.
So that leaves B1, which I've been taking in high doses since I had an intestinal bug last spring. I take 150-450 mg/day. I often have high acetaldehyde, which depletes thiamine. My gut problems produce a variety of neurotoxins (ammonia, histamine, acetaldehyde, sulfite).

I've been at an impasse for a while: Raising niacinamide produces histamine reactions (meteorism & hot flushing), while raising MeB12/Mefolate produces depression & brain fog, which are banished with more niacinamide, which produces more meteorism, to the point where I can't eat much of anything. (No, I can't afford to lose weight.)
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
This is the critical paragraph for me right now, so I want to be sure I know what you're saying, @Freddd. Please pardon my editing mania: I've put 4 sets of brackets in where I'm stumbling over ambiguity.

To paraphrase those parts: You titrated up with B1, B2, B3 and inositol (each one separately, I'm guessing?). You got to a point where potassium and/or folate became deficient. And you couldn't meet the need for potassium and/or folate (?). Backing down the dose of B vitamin (B1, B2, B3 or inositol) took care of the problem, but titrating down too far sent you into B1/B2/B3/inositol deficiency, which could also bring on the same dang symptoms (folate deficiency; did it also bring on potassium deficiency?).

This is critical because I'm tolerating 2 drops of liquid B12 (transdermally). That's tiny, maybe 120 mcg (??). But adding one more drop sends me into a potassium deficiency I can't keep up with. If I've understood you, that might indicate I need to back down on one of the Bs.

It wouldn't be B2, because I'm only taking 10-15 mg (in 2-3 doses). And B2 seems to lower my need (or tolerance) for mefolate.
It wouldn't be B3, because I'm only taking 20-25 mg, and it's necessary to counteract the ill effects of taking mefolate/MeB12 (depression, brain fog).
I just started inositol, and this problem began almost a year ago.
So that leaves B1, which I've been taking in high doses since I had an intestinal bug last spring. I take 150-450 mg/day. I often have high acetaldehyde, which depletes thiamine. My gut problems produce a variety of neurotoxins (ammonia, histamine, acetaldehyde, sulfite).

I've been at an impasse for a while: Raising niacinamide produces histamine reactions (meteorism & hot flushing), while raising MeB12/Mefolate produces depression & brain fog, which are banished with more niacinamide, which produces more meteorism, to the point where I can't eat much of anything. (No, I can't afford to lose weight.)

Hi Picante,

B1 in doses large doses increases methylfolate deficiency symptoms, severely. which basically includes all the symptoms you are experiencing. B1 drives some parts of the cycle.

The big problem in all this is that many hypotheses that conflict. The healing pathway is clearly anti-intuitive. I got put through all sorts of things that didn't work by more than 100 doctors. To me that appears to be caused by the endless research on CyCbl, HyCbl and folic acid that comes to the wrong conclusions when applied to the active B12s and methylfolate and carnitine. B12 makes all the other B12 vitamins work better, more effective so doses that were needed to force a response with CyCbl and folic acid or did nothing, suddenly work so much more tasking too much is easy. This causes cognitive dissonance. It has really helped to look at this a problem of refeeding.

I have found that I needed a whole group of the trace minerals; copper, manganese, boron and molybdenum. I have to say I can tell by some of the only symptoms I have left; neuropathic areas have gone from relatively numb to hypersensitive with burning pain. That is an earlier stage of the neuropathic progress. I've been through this with other nutrients several times now. Reactivating nerves is unpleasant and painful, whether sensory or emotional or other effects. And yet it makes me very hopeful. It is a flag along the way of healing this things. I'm going to order additional trace minerals as mentioned in refeeding studies to try after this current response settles down and limits are reached and those can suggest what next. Some of your symptoms sound like you are lacking some of the trace mineral based enzymes. However, that will clarify as you get the foundational layer of nutrients working and in balance. I do want to say that I was taking a multi-mineral tablet with many trace minerals but not as much as I started needing after the glutathione damage about 6 years ago and then some serious damage was done and wasn't healing well of fast.

Version 2.1 01/06/2016 A work in process,incomplete, use at your own risk.


INDUCED DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS FROM REFEEDING SYNDROME. This can follow 5 days of food deprivation, anorexia, or sort of a pinpoint starvation via vitamin or mineral or amino acid deficiencies. Whatever the “most needed” item is will often cause a strong response. Not everybody has every symptoms, and different orders of appearance and grouping distinguishes different causes of folate deficiency symptoms.

Group 1 – Hypokalemia onset. Symptoms may appear with serum potassium as high as 4.3. May become dangerous if ignored. Considered “rare” with CyCbl (Cyanocobalamin) it is very common with MeCbl (methylcobalamin) and AdoCbl (adenosylcobalamin) and less so with HyCbl (Hydroxycobalamin).

There does not appear to be a clear order of onset. The order of onset varies widely from person to person but many appear consistent for each episode for any given person. There tend to be more and more intense symptoms as it gets worse. Some people have ended up in the ER because of not recognizing the symptoms.

IBS – Steady constipation, Nausea, Vomiting, Paralyzed Ileum,

Hard knots of muscle, Sudden muscle spasms when relaxed, Sudden muscle spasms when stretching , Sudden muscle spasms when kneeling, Sudden muscle spasms when reaching , Sudden muscle spasms when turning upper body to side, Tightening of muscles, spasms and excruciating pain in neck muscles, waking up screaming in pain from muscle spasms in legs. Muscle weakness

Abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), increased pulse rate, increased blood pressure

Emotional changes and/or instability, dermal or sub-dermal Itching, and if not treated potentially paralysis and death.


Group 2a - Both

IBS – Diarrhea alternating with constipation, IBS – Normal alternating with constipation


Group 2b – Either or both

Headache, Increased malaise, Fatigue



Group 3 - Group 3 - Induced and/or Paradoxical Folate deficiency or insufficiency, from partial methylation block to methyltrap on 1 or more internal triage levels


These symptoms appear in 2 forms generally, the milder symptoms that start with partial methylation block and the more severe symptoms that come on as partial methylation block gets worse or very quickly with methyltrap onset.

Edema - An additional thing I would like to mention. I would never have found it without 5 years of watching the onset of paradoxical folate insufficiency and trying to catch it earlier and earlier and to figure out what was causing it and to reverse it. For me the onset order goes back to the day of onset now with edema and a sudden increase of weight. I noticed that within 2 hours of taking sufficient Metafolin I would have an increase in urine output.


Old symptoms returning

Edema

Angular Cheilitis, Canker sores,

Skin rashes, increased acne, Increased itchy acne on scalp and face, Skin peeling around fingernails, Skin cracking and peeling at fingertips,


IBS – Diarrhea alternating with constipation, IBS – Normal alternating with constipation
Headache, Increased malaise, Fatigue


Increased hypersensitive responses, Runny nose, Increased allergies, Increased Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Increased asthma, rapidly increasing Generalized inflammation in body, Increased Inflammation pain in muscles, Increased Inflammation pain in joints, Achy muscles, Flu like symptoms

IBS – Steady diarrhea, IBS – Diarrhea alternating with normal, Stomach ache, Uneasy digestive tract,

Coated tongue, Depression, Less sociable, Impaired planning and logic, Brain fog, Low energy, Light headedness, Sluggishness, Increase irritability, Heart palpitations,


Longer term, very serious

Loss of reflexes, Fevers, Forgetfulness, Confusion, Difficulty walking, Behavioral disorders, Dementia, Reduced sense of taste, bleeding easily




Group 4 - HyCbl onset, degraded MeCbl onset, MeCbl after photolytic breakdown onset.

Itchy bumps generally on scalp or face that develops to acne like lesions in a few days from start.


Group 5 – Copper deficiency after methylation startup has been achieved which often starts refeeding syndrome. 50mg or more of zinc has been indicated as a possible cause. 200-400 mg of zinc has been linked to copper deficiency. Excess supplemental or environmental manganese is linked to copper deficiency. Any or all symptoms can occur at “low normal range” copper tests.


Demyelination of nerves similar to Sub Acute Combined Degeneration except that methylation and ATP startup has occurred, and copper deficiency favors damage to the upper motor neurons with perceived muscle weakness. Brittle nails. Sleep disorders. Mood (especially depression perhaps) and personality changes. Connective tissue breakdown. Spider veins. Varicose veins. Shrinking gums. Gum disease not responsive to usual measures. Unstoppable tooth decay on exposed areas without enamel. Low testosterone


Group 6 – Excess P-5-P, an active form of B6 that appears to drive hematocrit.

High hematocrit. The blood thickens and doesn’t pump as easily. Deep vein thrombosis can result. Other suspected circulatory hazards. Sometimes linked to high testosterone when lowering P-5-P might reduce it.


Group 7 – Excess B-vitamins affecting methylation

When taking the active B12/folate deadlock quartet (AdoCbl, MeCbl, Metafolin, L-methylfolate) Excess B1 - Thiamin, Excess B2 – Riboflavin, Excess B3 – Niacin and/or Excess Inositol can all produce an excess need for potassium to deal with Groups 1, 2a and 2b symptoms and/or produce an excess need for l-methylfolate to reduce groups 2a, 2b and 3 symptoms. A person might not be able to correct by taking potassium or folate and may need to reduce B1 <= 15mg/day, B2<= 10.2mg/day, B3 <=50mg, and inositol below an unknown quantity.

Group 8 – Boron.

Arthritis swelling and pain, can be reduced by Boron

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/boron.html

"Although all of the deficiency symptoms of boron are not fully understood, it is known that boron deficiency might result in the abnormal metabolism of calcium and magnesium. Some of the other symptoms include hyperthyroidism, sex hormone imbalance, osteoporosis, arthritis and neural malfunction."



Going by my experiences would indicate in cutting way back on B1 and adding AdoCbl and a microtitration on the Jarrow liquid freebase L-carnitine, starting at approximately 100 mcg orally divided into 2 or 3 doses. This will start up, at some point, the other half of the deadlocked methylation/ATP cycle, the brain reacting very early on and can cause all sorts off emotional reactions as it starts generating ATP in the neurons. In some people it appears to affect dopamine. These people often have an unusual degree of anxiety that is worsened temporarily if one titrates to high to fast. For it got rid of the remnants of depression very quickly. However, all sorts of things contribute to causing depression. Actually correcting these things can be very unpleasant They both need each other and there is a reasonable chance that this can start changing the metabolic results you are presently having. Getting into a better balance with this might be difficult. The AdoCbl usually is of the least direct effect of the 4. L-carnitine on the other hand can have extreme effects however, it is almost a direct dose relationship. It is the only one of these 4 that has that characteristic so it allows a practical titration that is relatively easy once you get practiced. It is the missing item to turn on healing in a whole lot of the triage layers. The ATP is required to take advantage of the products of methylation completing the results instead of leaving a cell stranded in midstream and misbehaving.

I know I'm not explaining this well. I can only infer what is happening. I have tests done by my doctor but so often I am "in range" despite "clear as the nose on your face" symptoms that respond to each of these trace mineral nutrients within 24 hours. I don't have to take it on faith because response is so prompt. The current "most limiting factor" response is rapid however onset can be very gradual and insidious.

Each person has to be able to track their symptoms and responses to do it by "refeeding syndrome" hypothesis. However, this is something that while the definition isn't agreed upon, is really a series of induced deficiencies (what was adequate while your body is breaking down isn't sufficient to heal). There is much genetic variations in all this but that doesn't really appear to help solving this problem yet and with theory based on CyCbl, HyCbl and folic acid research, they often get things backwards or inside out or otherwise non-functioning.

Doing it by the symptoms as they change and appear seems to get the order right generally. It's learning to listen to your body and interpret it in a way that works to correct it.

The thing to remember is that anything is wrong in the wrong order. Something that doesn't work at point A might very well be the answer at point X. Don't get married to one thing. As long as you get enough potassium you can try changing things as fast as you get a read on what is happening.

Most improvement of symptoms will start changing on day 1 and by day three or four refeeding syndrome symptoms start being apparent and by 30 days the improvements can all disappear again in worsening refeeding symptoms. I remember back in 1978 I said "I need to know how to make all those responses to B12 that the AMA is dismissing as placebo effect happen reliably and repeatedly and last.". Following their logic makes it impossible to recognize the real healing at the beginning so it is always bypassed. The "logic" of B12 and folate based on CyCbl, HyCbl and folic acid is a logic trap. It's tragic. It explains away and ignores most of the B12/folate deficiency symptoms responses. The logic that was developed on contagious diseases and drugs fails on this task.
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Thank you, @Freddd. Yes, I do understand the pointlessness of a model based on CyCbl. It's idiotic that medical science is so inept at correcting its own mistakes.

I've noticed they have the same confusion about the thyroid hormones T3 & T4. You may have seen the oft-repeated conventional wisdom that the FMN-to-FAD conversion requires T4. It doesn't. To quote myself:

I have been thinking for many months now (from discussions with ahmo and Gondwanaland) that T3 is the thyroid hormone involved in these riboflavin conversions. After all, T4 is a storage hormone.

In the US at least, the science still seems stuck on measuring and treating with inactive forms of hormones and vitamins. The studies they reference all used thyroxine, LOL. It's a lot like assuming that cyanocobalamin is the form of B12 our body uses.

But this study [a French one] actually looked at the T3/T4 ratios, along with organic acids and all three forms of B2 (riboflavin, FMN and FAD).
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Going by my experiences would indicate in cutting way back on B1 and adding AdoCbl and a microtitration on the Jarrow liquid freebase L-carnitine, starting at approximately 100 mcg orally divided into 2 or 3 doses.
Thanks, I'm cutting back on B1 starting today. Just so you know, I use the whole Deadlock Quartet. Some days I take 2 caps of ALCar, some days I use LCF for my second dose. My AdenoB12 dose is 1/2 tab (= 1500 mcg). I'm not nearly as sensitive to carnitine and AdB12 as I've been to Mefolate & MeB12 for the last 10 months or so. Doubling my AdB12 dose does result in an insatiable need for potassium, but it doesn't result in depression & brain fog.

What I'm appreciating most is your insight into the counter-intuitiveness of the symptoms as they relate to the big picture. Will post some questions on trace minerals later after I rest. I'm not taking any boron. Just haven't tried it yet. But I do take daily Mg, Zn, chromium, moly, iodine & Se, and sometimes Mn. The high doses of potassium must be balanced with adequate B1: http://charles_w.tripod.com/kandthiamin.html

Thyroid dosing figures into all these symptoms, too. When my dosing gets high enough that it's actually resolving my hypo symptoms, then I get the low-back arthritis inflammation that I associate with low methylation status.
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
Thank you, @Freddd. Yes, I do understand the pointlessness of a model based on CyCbl. It's idiotic that medical science is so inept at correcting its own mistakes.

I've noticed they have the same confusion about the thyroid hormones T3 & T4. You may have seen the oft-repeated conventional wisdom that the FMN-to-FAD conversion requires T4. It doesn't. To quote myself:

Hi Picante,

I've been in the software development business since 1978, almost entirely for the group health business. In that we know all about life cycles of software. The original design can only be modified so much and in certain ways. After a while accumulated work arounds and so on require that the software be reconceived and redesigned. The same is true in any logic structures. Now what I see in folic acid studies is commentary about how disappointing the folic acid results are because they don't make sense or don't do what they are "supposed" to do. Since using folic acid and CyCbl/HyCbl based logic leave hundreds of deficiency symptoms as orphan symptoms without a cause including most of those included in FMS and CFS. And when a person then finds successful vitamins their struggle immediately becomes one of managing refeeding syndrome instead of looking for what relieves the deficiency symptoms. Without that understanding I don't see a lot of people finding their way through the maze. It was a solvable problem for me and many others if the correct logic is used. Good luck.
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
Thanks, I'm cutting back on B1 starting today. Just so you know, I use the whole Deadlock Quartet. Some days I take 2 caps of ALCar, some days I use LCF for my second dose. My AdenoB12 dose is 1/2 tab (= 1500 mcg). I'm not nearly as sensitive to carnitine and AdB12 as I've been to Mefolate & MeB12 for the last 10 months or so. Doubling my AdB12 dose does result in an insatiable need for potassium, but it doesn't result in depression & brain fog.

What I'm appreciating most is your insight into the counter-intuitiveness of the symptoms as they relate to the big picture. Will post some questions on trace minerals later after I rest. I'm not taking any boron. Just haven't tried it yet. But I do take daily Mg, Zn, chromium, moly, iodine & Se, and sometimes Mn. The high doses of potassium must be balanced with adequate B1: http://charles_w.tripod.com/kandthiamin.html

Thyroid dosing figures into all these symptoms, too. When my dosing gets high enough that it's actually resolving my hypo symptoms, then I get the low-back arthritis inflammation that I associate with low methylation status.


"Thyroid dosing figures into all these symptoms, too. When my dosing gets high enough that it's actually resolving my hypo symptoms, then I get the low-back arthritis inflammation that I associate with low methylation status."

This is exactly the type of thing that fits the pattern caused by low Boron in some situations. For some reason, lack of these things hits a small number of methylation sensitive items. Many of the mineral lacks have a very narrow pattern.
 
Messages
19
Thanks, I'm cutting back on B1 starting today. Just so you know, I use the whole Deadlock Quartet. Some days I take 2 caps of ALCar, some days I use LCF for my second dose. My AdenoB12 dose is 1/2 tab (= 1500 mcg). I'm not nearly as sensitive to carnitine and AdB12 as I've been to Mefolate & MeB12 for the last 10 months or so. Doubling my AdB12 dose does result in an insatiable need for potassium, but it doesn't result in depression & brain fog.
Please keep us updated, and if there's a positive effect, would you mind updating us over the long-term? It's useful to know how it's going over weeks and months, to see when the effect changes.This forum is better than most for follow-up, which I'm very grateful for.

This is exactly the type of thing that fits the pattern caused by low Boron in some situations. For some reason, lack of these things hits a small number of methylation sensitive items. Many of the mineral lacks have a very narrow pattern.
Freddd, do you have these patterns for minerals documented somewhere which you could share? That would be awesome to be able to refer to!
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
"Freddd, do you have these patterns for minerals documented somewhere which you could share? That would be awesome to be able to refer to!"

Hi Beagle,

I'm working on updating the symptoms list by nutrient. However, I don't have a lot of symptoms left to see effects on. Most of it is connective tissue and neurological. I can see the spider veins healing and fading away. Each of these items affect a few neurological things, often overlapping with each other. It is very much in progress. I'm betting that people with more symptoms remaining have more potential things to be affected. I was done with most of the symptoms before these trace mineral deficiencies popped up after 5-6 years of healing and the glutathione disaster.

Yesterday and today, the areas on my arms and legs, hands and feet, affected by various neuropathies, has hypersensitive skin, burning sensation, increased pain, all this up from numb and has been a step towards healing in the past. The spider veins are healing and fading noticeably. MY gums have gone from inflamed and cyanotic to normal coloration and not inflamed. Whether I get to keep my lower teeth is up in the air. I have partially updated the "groups" but still have some to do, and am working on the symptoms by nutrient lists. I would like to hear from people what is affected in them by what trace minerals they responded to.
 

sregan

Senior Member
Messages
703
Location
Southeast
Some people need to avoid folate or it will increase reuptake of serotonin (opposite of what an SSRI does), even though you're producing more serotonin. This will make less serotonin available in the long run, and make you feel worse. The same applies to dopamine and other neurotransmitters.

That's interesting... I've been working of the belief that the DQ supps eat up Tryptophan and thus negatively affect Serotonin. Perhaps folate is instead (or in addition to) affecting Serotonin by increasing uptake. I think there was enough evidence to believe that some DQ supps can reduce tryptophan (some links at the bottom of this post)
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
That's interesting... I've been working of the belief that the DQ supps eat up Tryptophan and thus negatively affect Serotonin. Perhaps folate is instead (or in addition to) affecting Serotonin by increasing uptake. I think there was enough evidence to believe that some DQ supps can reduce tryptophan (some links at the bottom of this post)

The DEADLOCK QUARTET supplements deficiencies or induced deficiencies can block or alter any of more than 600 biochemical reactions.

Timing of observation s appears to be very significant. I find it much more informative to look for the symptoms of "reduced tryptophan" or affect "serotonin uptake".

In my own recent example. I started taking copper because of specific symptoms. The first effects I could feel were about 4-8 hours in. Then more effect by 12 hours. Then more and different effects at 24 hours. Then at 3 days I suddenly needed what turned out to be corrected by 400mg additional potassium. At one month my hematocrit started and was already over the top of range which really can cause problems and going up. Shortly after that I had another set of tests and my testosterone had gone up by 300ng/L. I ceased taking P5P which can drive the hematocrit, and it dropped down to safe levels. I also was getting other tissue being made clearly triggered by copper and testosterone. Then it became apparent I needed boron, manganese and molybdenum to go along with the copper. These things all affect depression for instance, which is one of those things attributed to serotonin sometimes. So there can be several links in a chain of refeeding syndrome. First there is a positive response that quickly runs out of steam or turns to deficiency symptoms or a worsening or a differing set of deficiency symptoms. These are refeeding effects, and some of them are secondary as in my testosterone example. The copper increased testosterone. That increased tissue formation and than caused the potassium deficiency. Now I have added 3 additional ones and the potassium need increased on the 3rd day after adding the third item, molybdenum though each one added made a small noticeable effect..

One can't watch serum levels of all sorts of things on a daily basis. Getting measurements every 3 months or even monthly miss most of the story and most all the chances to recognize healing responses. However, nutritional items and probably some medications may come to a halt in days doe to induced deficiencies. The observation time is critical.

A nutritional "most limiting factor" goes to work immediately upon entering the body, become progressively overwhelmed by induced deficiency symptoms of refeeding syndrome and so misinterpreted with severity causing inability to continue the refeeding symptoms get so severe. Needless to say people who chase the refeeding symptoms by thinking they are caused by the primary item then leads people to incorrect conclusions that don't work.

This is all about thinking about the problem, not about all the various names we catalog the types of refeeding symptoms as various forms of "DETOX" and such. The dozens of diagnoses I got , while they described the clusters of symptoms, there was no inherent treatment in the naming. So when one takes B12 and folate one gets refeeding syndrome in many variations. It's a different way to think about it. It takes it to something a person without a quick private lab available to find their way through the maze that take in the sum total of all the genetic polymorphic, the epigenetic changes and doesn't depend on dozens of hypotheses that don't appear to work well on most people.This way it isn't about what "should" be happening because one is dealing with ones actually body responses. And you can trial things promptly and observe response going whatever directions in a few days. This builds the logical nutritional structure from the base up, with the things that are the base of all the reactions rather dealing with 1 biochemical response that is a secondary or tertiary response, a response to a response to a response and without differentiation as to whether it is a direct result of the item or is a induced deficiency of refeeding syndrome.

Good luck.
 

picante

Senior Member
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Please keep us updated, and if there's a positive effect, would you mind updating us over the long-term? It's useful to know how it's going over weeks and months, to see when the effect changes.This forum is better than most for follow-up, which I'm very grateful for.

I was taking 150-450 mg of Benfotiamine a day. I kept it pretty low (40 mg, 60mg, or 80mg) for a while to see if it would reduce my need for potassium. But whenever I noticed undue anger, I took more -- because it resolves the anger. (That is clearly one of my B1 deficiency symptoms.) I switched over to mostly thiamine mononitrate, since I have that in powdered form.

Results: My need for potassium did not change. It remained between 1200 mg and 2100 mg daily. (Mainly I take it to deal with heart palps and right-side neck spasms.) And there was no correlation between ultra-low B1 days and lower potassium days. I record all supplements and amounts in a chart, with totals for the day.

I'm back on Benfotiamine, but only 1 or 2 half-caps per day. That's 150 mg if I take both doses, which I seem to need.

The potassium issue has me very frustrated, because taking it does resolve heart palps and some fatigue and neck spasms, but it also causes polyuria. And I am dehydrated most of the time. I think this is why I've had so much trouble with histamine-type reactions: dehydration!

So in desperation I QUIT all methylfolate, methylB12, and TMG 3 days ago to see if my need for potassium would abate. NO! It didn't! Two days ago I took 7 doses (= 2100 mg). Yesterday 1200 mg. Today I'm already at 1200 mg at 2:30 pm. I've had heart palps all day and R-side neck spasms and headache, so I keep shoveling it in. It helps every time.

Methyl donors I'm still taking:
inositol, but it gave me horrid brain fog yesterday (@Freddd suggested that 150 mg was too much).
Citicoline -- is that a methyl donor? @ahmo said choline is, but I'm not sure it is. Can't find anything on it.
And thiamine, of course.

And yes, I know brain fog is a symptom of methylfolate deficiency. But methylfolate does the same thing! It gives me brain fog! And depression. AAAuuuuuuggggghhh. :bang-head::bang-head::bang-head::bang-head::bang-head::sleep:
 

picante

Senior Member
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Helena, MT USA
@Gondwanaland, do you think your hypothesis about methylation & insulin resistance offers any insights into my situation?

I suspect the thyroid meds are also adding to the heart palps, @ahmo.

I'm taking Citicoline to boost my aldosterone, which is low. That is most likely the reason for my dehydration.
 
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Gondwanaland

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5,092
@Gondwanaland, do you think your hypothesis about methylation & insulin resistance offers any insights into my situation?

I suspect the thyroid meds are also adding to the heart palps, @ahmo.

I'm taking Citicoline to boost my aldosterone, which is low. That is most likely the reason for my dehydration.
Metabolic acidosis (constant hypoglicemia) made me dehydrated. Perhaps I was also hyperthyroid to some degree back then. Methylfolate worsened acidosis by making me too sensitive to insulin, so I had hypoglycemia all the time.

Do you realize that Benfothiamine is intended for improving insulin sensitivity in diabetics?
That Inositol is for relieving insulin resistance in PCOS?
That mood swings reflect glucose swings?
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Do you realize that Benfothiamine is intended for improving insulin sensitivity in diabetics?
That Inositol is for relieving insulin resistance in PCOS?
No, I didn't. So perhaps inositol gave me brain fog by increasing insulin sensitivity? And methylfolate does the same thing? My brain is starving for glucose?

Are you taking any methyl donors, Izzy?