Excitotoxicity & SNS Symptoms
Janis, you are probaby aware of this, but posting anyway. Its just not black and white is it?
http://www.heartfixer.com/AMRI-Nutrigenomics.htm#CBS:* Cystathionine Beta Synthase
"Sulfite is neurotoxic. Sulfite will be over produced by the CBS up regulation, and then requires conversion in to the less toxic sulfate molecule by the enzyme Sulfite Oxidase (SUOX). SUOX can easily be overwhelmed. Molybdenum is required for SUOX function, and is typically depleted in CBS (+/+) or (+/-) individuals. Molybdenum supplementation (3 drops or 75 mcg of e-lyte Molybdenum twice a day), Boron 3 mg/day, Vitamin E succinate 400 IU/day, and hydroxy-B12 2000 mcg/day are also utilized to speed up SUOX activity.
While sulfate is less toxic than is sulfite, it will stimulate the adrenergic (fight or flight) limb of the autonomic nervous system and stimulate a cortisol stress response, revving you up into an unrelenting biochemical overdrive. If you have a CBS defect, we need to restrict your sulfur intake, at least until your urine sulfate (and your body sulfate burden) has decreased. The amino acids methionine, taurine, and cysteine all contain sulfur; they are concentrated in animal protein (thus the restriction on animal protein intake). Many nutritional supplements (MSM, N-acetyl cysteine, glutathione) that are good for most people are a problem for you. While certain aspects of your health will benefit from these agents, they will add to your sulfate/sulfite overload problem, adversely affecting the Methyl Cycle
Defect that is the common denominator to all of your health problems. Many drugs are loaded with sulfur (sulfates, sulfites, metabolically active sulfur), so if you are CBS positive and I treat your hypertension with the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, your diabetes with the sulfonylurea drug glipizide, and your urinary tract infection with a sulfa containing antibiotic, I will be lowering your blood pressure, lowering your blood sugar, and clearing bacteria from your bladder, but I will also be adding to your sulfate burden, compromising your biochemistry, and contributing to an ongoing decline in your health. I will be treating the manifestations of an underlying problem and at the same time adding to the underlying problem. If I treat your Mercury overload with DMSA or DMPS, I will remove a toxin from your body, but if you are CBS (+), I will be adding to your sulfate/sulfite pool, and sulfate/sulfite overload due to the CBS up regulation is likely playing a key role in your sensitivity to heavy metals and/or your inability to clear them. We can avoid this. We can hold sulfur containing agents until your sulfate burden has come under control. Learn all you can about the sulfur content of foodstuffs, supplements, and prescription drugs. Sulfites and Chronic Disease by Rick Williams (available at the office or at
www.readingtarget.com/nosulfites) is an invaluable resource. Do not expect us to know the sulfur content of foodstuffs. Some tips on low sulfur eating are included at the end of this document, but do not expect us to tell you what to eat. We can’t do this. We do not have this knowledge. Please attend our monthly Methyl Cycle support groups meetings, and you may sign up for individual (or group) dietary change counseling. It is your responsibility to become expert in this area. I will work with you to phase out high-sulfur drugs and nutritionals from your program, but don’t expect me to get in right every time – please study your food, drug, and supplement labels.
Excitotoxicity – The CBS up regulation leads to excess production of alpha-ketoglutarate, which is converted in to glutamate, a stimulatory neurotransmitter. Under normal circumstances, glutamate will be converted in to GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, but the enzyme systems that convert glutamate in to GABA are compromised by lead and mercury, the clearance of which seems to be compromised in individuals with methyl cycle defects (here is a situation where dysfunction of a genetically abnormal enzyme leads to acquired dysfunction of a genetically normal enzyme system). The result is “excitotoxicity”, stimulatory behavior in autistic kids (“stims”) and anxiety and sleeplessness in adults. We approach this problem by limiting alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate rich foods from your diet (more on Excitotoxicity to follow; diet tips in appendix) and by supplementing you with GABA, aiming to restore GABA:Glutamate balance. GABA is initiated at 500 mg once or twice a day, advancing the dose as you see fit by your response."