What are your experiences with the healing protocol?

[yellowspain]

Hello. I've been a little worried for a few days. My health condition worsened as a result of taking glutathione. Thanks to the threads on this forum, I discovered that glutathione causes vitamin b12 deficiency. Today I just received the results of some blood tests and my vitamin B9 is low. Right now I have neurological symptoms, headache, weakness, instability when walking... I have been reading the healing protocols and they talk about supplementing with netylfolate to prevent the deficiency from progressing. They also talk about the need for potassium (which worries me) I would like to know what your experiences have been with the healing protocol and if your potassium needs have been truly alarming. I would also like to know if you took a multivitamin before or at the same time as supplementing with B9 or B12.

 

[Faith2007]

I would be glad to discuss but would like some more specifics, like are you taking lipsomal glutathione and specifically what are you taking for the healing protocol?

I take a multivitamin called Multiplex from Holtraceuticals which I take in 2 doses with lunch and dinner that contains a total of 680 mgDFE folate, 500 mg B12 (plus more B12 in a separate morning supplement), and 50 mg potassium. All of the B vitamins are methyl. I've been taking this multivitamin for many years.

Since about a year or two ago, I take 1 tsp Researched Nutritionals Tri-Fortify liposomal glutathione 2 to 3 times a week based on genetics testing I had done. I was only doing it once weekly, but since I felt better and the effects faded after the 1 day, I requested to increase my intake which was approved.

My supplements are recommended by my ME/CFS specialist.

I am at the lowest possible number of the normal testing range for my potassium levels, so I recently asked about eating a banana daily to supplement, which my doc approved and I eat.

 

[yellowspain]

I would be glad to discuss but would like some more specifics, like are you taking lipsomal glutathione and specifically what are you taking for the healing protocol?

I take a multivitamin called Multiplex from Holtraceuticals which I take in 2 doses with lunch and dinner that contains a total of 680 mgDFE folate, 500 mg B12 (plus more B12 in a separate morning supplement), and 50 mg potassium. All of the B vitamins are methyl. I've been taking this multivitamin for many years.

Since about a year or two ago, I take 1 tsp Researched Nutritionals Tri-Fortify liposomal glutathione 2 to 3 times a week based on genetics testing I had done. I was only doing it once weekly, but since I felt better and the effects faded after the 1 day, I requested to increase my intake which was approved.

My supplements are recommended by my ME/CFS specialist.

I am at the lowest possible number of the normal testing range for my potassium levels, so I recently asked about eating a banana daily to supplement, which my doc approved and I eat.

Hello. Thanks for answering. I am not currently following any protocol, that is why I am interested in hearing about experiences, especially with regard to the incorporation of group B vitamins, after suffering from what is called a folate trap in the forum. As I said, after taking glutathione, I experienced a strong adverse reaction. Thanks to the forum I have discovered that glutathione depletes vitamin B12. I just received the results of some blood tests and my vitamin b9 is low, which agrees with the information given on the forum. Several messages talk about how to correct this deficiency and they are about the refeeding problem, which can lead to lack of potassium. That's why I want to gather information and learn about other people's experiences.

 

[Faith2007]

Understood. So I don't have a refeeding problem, but if my potassium dropped any lower, it would fall outside and below (too low for) the range of testing, for clarification.

Also, you likely have already have thought of this, but it is good to look at your potassium levels before you made the changes and after, to make sure your potassium levels weren't already low to start with.

Best wishes in finding a solution to your issue.

 

[Mary]

I am at the lowest possible number of the normal testing range for my potassium levels, so I recently asked about eating a banana daily to supplement, which my doc approved and I eat.

I think your ME/CFS specialist should have flagged this for you. That's not a healthy level of potassium. Take a look at this thread, and here is a pertinent portion:

In 2001, Burnet et al in Australia reported measuring the whole-body potassium content of people with CFS compared to healthy normals. This is possible by using a whole-body gamma ray counter, because all potassium, including that in our bodies, contains a small amount of the natural radioactive isotope, potassium-40, which emits an energetic gamma ray. (This potassium isotope has a very long half-life, and is thought to have been present since the formation of the earth, several billion years ago. It has been decaying ever since, but there is still enough to measure because of its long half-life.) Since the current concentration of potassium-40 in potassium is known, it is possible to calculate the total potassium in the body using this measurement.

Burnet et al. found that the CFS patients who had predominately fatigue but not muscle pain were low in whole-body potassium by more than 10% compared to normal. They also measured the plasma level in the blood serum, and that was found to be normal.

It is known that at least 95% of the potassium in the human body is inside cells. Potassium is the most abundant positive ion inside all cells. So the measurements of Burnet et al. mean that the CFS patients they studied were significantly low in intracellular potassium.

The observation of low intracellular potassium in the presence of normal serum potassium means that there is a problem with the membrane ion pumps that normally pump potassium in (and sodium out) of the cells. These pumps require ATP for their energy supply, and that implies that the mitochondria are not able to supply enough ATP.

I think you would have to eat too many bananas (too much sugar) to get your potassium levels up since they are so low. A very good way to get more potassium without a lot of sugar or calories is low-sodium V-8. Many people here have tried it with good results, including myself.