• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

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

ahmo

Senior Member
Messages
4,805
Location
Northcoast NSW, Australia
@picante yes, powder. I searched ebay, my Aus. supplier is someone whose main business is aminos for sports folk.

Initially I got it in caps from iherb, I believe Source Naturals. I cap = 1/2 tsp. I'm tending to need 1/2 tsp on an 'ordinary' day, but 1.5 tsp on a detox or stressful day. I felt wretched yesterday after a very long day of activity. Needed 2 subsequential footbaths (per asking my body), w/ lot's of bicarb and about 1 Tb malic in each. This AM woke feeling fine.:)
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Links to a list of other VDR SNPs tested by 23andMe which have an impact are at http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/interesting-vdr-variations.24480/ . Generally speaking, it's going to be the missense mutations which have a big impact, not the synonymous mutations like VDR Bsm where the protein created by the gene isn't altered at all.
So in other words, we're looking at the wrong mutations (Taq and Bsm) to try to determine our vit. D requirements?

That thread was interesting, reassuring, and partly over my head. And it looks like genetics is borrowing terms from my field (linguistics): "missense mutation", I love it! I want it for my username.

Anyway, between you & @Gondwanaland, I've gotten some really valuable info -- that I probably don't need more vit. D. And since it's in my B12 oils, maybe I don't need any more gelatin caps at all!

BTW on 5,000 IU, my TPO antibodies have been 85-95 the last 3 times I've been tested. They were 500-something when I was diagnosed.

My doc at the state employees' clinic ordered a vit. D test for me along with my EBV antibodies, but by the time I went to the phlebotomist, they had lost part of the list! This is the fourth time it's happened, which must drive the docs crazy.
 
Messages
15,786
So in other words, we're looking at the wrong mutations (Taq and Bsm) to try to determine our vit. D requirements?
Yes, which is part of the reason why Yasko annoys me so much. There are plenty of SNPs which have the sort of impact she claims, but it's usually not the SNPs which she claims are having it :confused: I've updated the VDR thread to have a bit more explanation of the effect of the SNPs.
That thread was interesting, reassuring, and partly over my head. And it looks like genetics is borrowing terms from my field (linguistics): "missense mutation", I love it! I want it for my username.
Genetics is a lot like reading and translating. On the coding part of genes, each three-letter combination of nucleotides (ACGT) spells out a specific amino acid to be added to the protein which is coded. So if a single nucleotide (letter) changes, it can result in a completely different amino acid (word) being created, and modify or even prematurely end the protein (sentence).

However sometimes the changed letter doesn't have an impact at all, especially if it's the third letter in the three-letter combination of nucleotides. As an example, if the first two letters are "CC", it doesn't matter what the third is, because CCA, CCC, CCG, and CCT (CCU) all create proline.

And of course, inserting or deleting a letter in an exon of a gene can create a HUGE mess, due to every three-letter word then being shifted, and creating a very garbled sentence instead of a nice functional protein. So ...CCC,GCG,AGT,TTG,TGT,ATA,C... would create Proline-Alanine-Serine-Leucine-Cysteine-Isoleucine. But if the first C is not present in the gene, it comes out as CCG,CGA,GTT,TGT,TGA which creates Proline-Arginine-Valine-Cysteine-STOP, which is going to cause very serious problems unless it's happening late in the entire gene/protein/sentence.
 
Last edited:

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
WOW. I only had to look up one word:
Exon - Coding sequence of DNA present in mature messenger RNA; DNA initially transcribed to messenger RNA consists of coding sequences (exons) and non-coding sequences (introns). Introns are spliced out of the messenger RNA prior to translation, leaving only the exons to ultimately encode the amino acid product.

And isn't MTHFR involved in this transcription process?

Yasko is a hero because she's been so determined to help autistic people. The problem with heroes is that everyone repeats whatever they say until it becomes the way to look at it. It's like those missense mutations - they just propagate throughout the system.
 
Messages
15,786
And isn't MTHFR involved in this transcription process?
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.
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
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.
Finally I understand what gene expression is. It's the third step. Thank you!
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
I feel better since I lowered my Vit. D supplementation. I also found this:

"Normally, production of 1,25-D is tightly controlled by the kidneys in response to a complex system of hormonal regulation. But if nucleated cells are infected with bacterial pathogens, 1,25-D is generated by the inflammatory response. This causes the level of 1,25-D to exceed the upper limit normally controlled by the kidneys.
It is essential to measure both 25-D and 1,25-D to rule out a vitamin D deficiency. The level of 25-D doesn’t directly reflect the level of 1,25-D."
https://chronicillnessrecovery.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176

I've had some intense low-back inflammation for 2 years -- from the x-rays, the orthopedic doc thought I had RA or ankylosing sp., which I didn't. I lowered my T3 dose 2 years ago, and the pain was reduced by more than 50% just from that.
Then when I started Freddd's protocol in Oct., that was my first, very obvious improvement -- much less pain.
Is it possible that excess D3 supplementation has been part of my problem? I don't think I've ever had 1,25-D tested.
 

Avalon

Senior Member
Messages
112
Location
Oxford, England
Its interesting, I'm low in vitamin D @20ng/ml yet I find it difficult to supplement more than 200iu per day as any more it starts to affect my sleep and I seem to have aching legs on rising in the morning after a nights sleep (not 100% sure its vit d3). I wonder if my 1,25-D levels are high and in fact I'm overdosing on amounts higher than 200iu?
 
Last edited:

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I've had horrid reactions to several enzyme formulas in the past. I think it's been the ones with protease. I had SOIM (Sudden-Onset Intolerable Mood, i.e., tearing my hair out) in a couple cases and sharp abdominal pains in another case.
Has anyone ever heard of either side-effect?
Just now I remembered, when I was taking 1mg of vit B12 daily back in February I've had such bouts of rage for a few times. I wonder if it comes from properly absorbing the B12 that the protease causes it too.
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Its interesting, I'm low in vitamin D @20ng/ml yet I find it difficult to supplement more than 200iu per day as any more it starts to affect my sleep and I seem to have aching legs on rising in the morning after a nights sleep (not 100% sure its vit d3). I wonder if my 1,25-D levels are high and in fact I'm overdosing on amounts higher than 200iu?
I went to your thread on Vit. D and insomnia, @Avalon. What an eye-opener! (Pun intended.) That thread turned on the lights for me.

I've tried taking my B12 oil in the evening 3 times now, including last night. Many people have said it helps with sleep, but my result is always insomnia/hypoglycemia in the wee hours, tight neck & back & legs, and waking up groggy/foggy and tight, no matter how much potassium I've taken during the night. It's probably because there is vitamin D3 in my oils. I feel much better taking them in the morning/early afternoon.

And like @Gondwanaland, I probably have magnesium deficiency from taking too much D3. I developed intolerance to dairy last spring. The only dairy I was even eating at that point was organic cheese, European cheese, and ice cream, because the rBGH in conventional American dairy products was giving me migraines, complete with nausea.

Thanks again, everyone!
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
Just now I remembered, when I was taking 1mg of vit B12 daily back in February I've had such bouts of rage for a few times. I wonder if it comes from properly absorbing the B12 that the protease causes it too.
I can almost guarantee that I was not absorbing dietary B12 back when I had the reaction to protease, and I wasn't taking any. I had already had CFS for over 10 years.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I can almost guarantee that I was not absorbing dietary B12 back when I had the reaction to protease, and I wasn't taking any. I had already had CFS for over 10 years.
But taking protease is supposed to help digesting meat :confused:
I imagine one will better absorb B12 (at least better than nothing) when taking it with meals :cautious:
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
One additional note on emzymes: I stopped the protease to avoid the mood swings. So now I am taking pepsin and bromelain only - with increasing grumpiness :grumpy:
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
One additional note on emzymes: I stopped the protease to avoid the mood swings. So now I am taking pepsin and bromelain only - with increasing grumpiness :grumpy:
That's interesting. Did you actually notice SOIM (Sudden Onset Intolerable Mood) before? I know you called it "bitchy", but for me it was intense frustration (banging my head against a brick wall). "Bitchy" is merely irritable, in my mind.
And did "bitchy" go away? To be replaced by "grumpy"? Or are those the same thing for you?
Those enzymes were such an obvious mood trap. 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, not the 3-6 they recommend (too bloody expensive!).
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
In the middle of the night??? :confused: I take mine w/ lunch.

mB12 = mood swings (bipolar?)- from extremely happy to impossible to please and turned into an itolerable bitch
whack.gif
energy switching from great to fatigued
protease = better energy, stopped just before full blown bitchiness after 2nd dose thanks to you :hug:
Pepsin + bromelain = digging past frustrations, general bad mood
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
In the middle of the night??? :confused: I take mine w/ lunch.
http://jonbarron.org/article/proteolytic-enzyme-formula#.VI3MKnswCi0
"Beyond Digestion
An important concept to understand is that digestive enzyme formulas and systemic/metabolic, proteolytic enzyme formulas, although they may share many of the same enzymes (protease, papain, bromelain, etc.), are not the same thing.
  • When you take a digestive enzyme formula with your meal, the enzymes work on speeding up the breakdown of the food in your stomach.
  • When you take a proteolytic enzyme formula between meals, the enzymes do not get stuck working in your stomach or wrapped up with your food and passed out through the colon. Instead, they quickly enter your bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, they help optimize your blood, plus they make their way to all of the tissues throughout your body, where they assist with intelligent, adaptive healing."
 

picante

Senior Member
Messages
829
Location
Helena, MT USA
mB12 = mood swings (bipolar?)- from extremely happy to impossible to please and turned into an itolerable bitch
whack.gif
energy switching from great to fatigued
You have the best emoticons of anybody I know. Yikes, do you take any mB12?
What about choline? I'm finding that helps enormously, and I'm just taking the powdered choline bitartrate (because I can get a bigger dose for less dinheiro).