Nearly 2 months into Freddd's Protocol - Ammonia & Other Problems

[Gondwanaland]

What about choline?

I do have choline and am preferring bitartrate as well since reading that P-choline can increase estrogen.
I am not taking mB12 right now. Nothing really works when thyroid isn't working well.

Hey @picante I forgot to add biotin to my ammonia lowering list. It works like lysine in the same cycle with catabolic effects.
Just now I see I haven't forgotten. I need to fix my thyroid ASAP

 

[Gondwanaland]

The only enzymes I've found that I could tolerate were American Biologics Inf-zyme Forte.

Doesn't it contain protease? Is it porcine?
I found this one here w/o protease, but could not order it (Amazon doesn't ship vitamins to my country):
http://www.bioticsresearch.com/node/1628

 

[picante]

Doesn't it contain protease? Is it porcine?

https://www.pureformulas.com/ultra-inflazyme-forte-180-tablets-by-american-biologics.html
It seems to contain "pancreatin". I haven't found out how it's derived. It must have protease, since it has
20‚000 Units of Amylase Activity
1‚600 Units of Lipase Activity
20‚000 Units of Protease Activity
But I tolerate it with no problem.

 

[Gondwanaland]

The only enzymes I've found that I could tolerate were American Biologics Inf-zyme Forte. It's got an interesting list of ingredients. I was taking 1 in the middle of the night,

It contains Rutin from Eucalyptus, I don't think I can handle that due to salicylates...

Last night I took my enzymes (protease+pepsin+bromelain) at bedtime. Wouldn't it increase ammonia? Don't you have nightmares? I was hoping I could get away from the mood swings by taking protease at bedtime, but I don't think I can live with the nightmares (actually it's the last thing I need right now ).

Will try taking the enzymes between meals... But they have been helping with meals (w/o protease ). I have been taking them before lunch and dinner, not sure at what time I could add another capsule...

I have been reading about biotin again and I still don't understand for sure how it impacts ammonia - shouldn't catabolism raise it? I found an interesting document here:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1750-1172-7-32.pdf

 

[picante]

I was hoping I could get away from the mood swings by taking protease at bedtime, but I don't think I can live with the nightmares (actually it's the last thing I need right now ).

That sounds horrible. I just avoid protease like the plague, and it looks like you have even more reason to, with your MAO A being +/+ and your MTHFR A1298C +/+. My husband has that combination, and he's got both of those COMT snps +/+ as well! At times his mental energy fizzles completely and now we know why. It's a miracle he got through engineering school.

I think that "pancreatin" in the Inf-zyme Forte must have protease in some form that's bound. That's the only way I can explain it not being a problem. It's a common enough supplement, but it seems to be derived from pig pancreases. That would make it a lot like taking a glandular extract.

I'm going to take a look at that document later. Take care, dear izzy. Don't take anything that's bad for you.

 

[silverseas2014]

Hello. I take Yucca Root (Swanson Vitamins) to help with ammonia. My dose is just two capsules a day--but you can take more.

Cheers,
Silverseas2014

 

[Gondwanaland]

That sounds horrible. I just avoid protease like the plague, and it looks like you have even more reason to, with your MAO A being +/+ and your MTHFR A1298C +/+. My husband has that combination, and he's got both of those COMT snps +/+ as well! At times his mental energy fizzles completely and now we know why. It's a miracle he got through engineering school.

So there is my lost twin brother

OK, now I am convinced to stay away from protease for good. Sorry for driving you off topic, but just another word of personal concern about the enzymes. Porcine glandulars migh stimulate my immune system and that is something I do NOT want I think that is why it is beneficial for so many people though

@silverseas2014 well remembered. I never suggested it b/c I never tried it.

 

[picante]

So there is my lost twin brother

Your twin brother is of German descent, Izzy, and he's in his 50s.

 

[Gondwanaland]

I have an additional tip:
I have learned from @ahmo to use bicarb as a shower scrub. Be sure to get a German back scrub especially in the trapezius area and lower back (ureters). Additionally, scrub the liver, the belly and the sole of your feet. I also scrub the chest and the throat. It helps immensely!

 

[nandixon]

To clarify, transcription (rewriting) occurs when DNA is converted into RNA. Then RNA is translated into proteins (an entirely different language). I skipped over the RNA stuff in the above posts, to keep things simpler.

MTHFR production is part of methylation, but it sounds like methylation has an impact after translation, not before or during it. So basically after the amino acids are formed into a chain, a methyl group can get added to certain amino acids. And that alteration can result in the protein being expressed or repressed.

So methylation isn't really involved with transcription or translation, but is involved with gene expression (protein/enzyme function) following translation.

(I happened to come across this while searching on vitamin D issues discussed in nearby posts.)

I just wanted to quickly mention that there are many types of methylation reactions - I used to do lots of them every year as a medicinal chemist. Several different versions of these happen biochemically in hundreds of different reactions in the human body (using various enzymes and often S-adenosyl methionine, for example).

One type of methylation reaction involves directly methylating cytosine bases in the DNA using DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) enzymes (there are several genes for these, e.g., DNMT1, etc).

Thus, this type of methylation reaction occurs pre-transcriptionally. This is what epigenetic methylation is, which is largely the process of silencing certain gene activity.

It's possible relevance to ME/CFS is noted on this thread:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...tion-modifications-associated-with-cfs.31960/

Of some importance is that epigenetic methylation is heritable.

And since it does not change the gene nucleotide sequence, it's not seen with the particular testing setup 23andMe uses, for example. Hopefully someday inexpensive commercial testing will be available, as obviously it might be very important.

 

[Gondwanaland]

Watch out for gelatin if you're susceptible to glutamates. I have a very strong glutamate response to gelatin. Any gelatin supplements I take, I bite and suck back the innards in my mouth then discard the gel shell.

Could you please describe your glutamate/gelatin reaction?

 

[helen1]

Restless, twitchy legs, quite horrid, and awake all night insomnia.

 

[Gondwanaland]

Restless, twitchy legs, quite horrid, and awake all night insomnia.

I am having EMF sensitivity today and am trying to find out if it was caused by something I ate

 

[heyitisjustin]

@picante 1 Tb malic in each. This AM woke feeling fine.

Is this thread saying malic acid lowers ammonia? That was my interpretation.
Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains malic acid, seems to help me. Perhaps this is one reason why

 

[ahmo]

Is this thread saying malic acid lowers ammonia? That was my interpretation.

Correct. I was able to replace about 4 amino acids I was using for ammonia w/ malic acid.

 

[heyitisjustin]

Correct. I was able to replace about 4 amino acids I was using for ammonia w/ malic acid.

Have you ever tried ACV or apples? It looks like 2 apples contain 3 grams of malic acid... Not sure how many apples end up in a shot of ACV. Have you tried yacon syrup? That also seems to be quite popular for lowering ammonia

 

[ahmo]

I'm eating about 1/4 green apple these days. I avoid ACV due to histamine. The only thing I've tried is malic acid powder.

 

[heyitisjustin]

I'm eating about 1/4 green apple these days. I avoid ACV due to histamine. The only thing I've tried is malic acid powder.

That's a quarter of an apple? Is there any reason you don't eat more apples? I also have histamine issues. I haven't noticed the problem being associated with ACV, but I have a hard time detecting the problem unless it is really obvious. I might have to switch to Yacon/powder/plain apples one day myself.

 

[ahmo]

I eat pretty functionally. I've been eating very limited for 4 years, but much more range this past year. I just don't want to push anything, and I've become a calorie-counter, as my weight started creeping up. So, just a slice of apple is a treat. Only other fruit is acai and some dried berries for antioxidants. Will be trying a bit of watermelon.