PANDA AND PANS: Autoimmune attacks on the brain causing neuropsychiatric illness.

PANDA AND PANS: Autoimmune attacks on the brain causing neuropsychiatric illness.

If you suspect a family member may have developed a neuropsychiatric disease  after an illness like a Strep/Mono/Lyme /Mycoplasma bacteria infection/etc. you might consider testing for the over/under expression of neurotransmitter receptors because of an autoimmune attack on the brain caused by the body’s overreaction to the illness.

The Cunningham Panel Testing Results by Moleculera Labs Inc. tests for: Anti-Dopamine Receptor D1; Anti-Dopamine Receptor D2L; Anti-Lysoganglioside GM1 ; Anti-Tubulin and Ca/Calmodulin Protein Kinase II (% of Baseline). Moleculera Labs Inc. may be reached at 405-239-5250/ www.molculera.com

Other resources for Pediatrics Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders include www.NIMH.NIH.gov and the PANDAS Network.org.  Labs

The Molculera  Lab may have a list of providers they have worked with in the past (please be advised that most Labs carry a list of providers who have worked with them in the past-however-no screening of these providers is done by the respective labs-as always do your own research!)

Some of the more obvious signs of an autoimmune attack on the brain are Obsessive Compulsive Disorders; TICS and Tourette Syndrome, however these concerns may be just the tip of the iceberg of effects of autoimmune attacks on the brain.

Does Your Family Carry the Genes for Depression and Cardiovascular Disease? Are there simple ways to reverse these disorders?

Does Your Family Carry the Genes for Depression and Cardiovascular Disease?

Are there simple ways to reverse these disorders?

 

If one carries the gene for impaired Folate metabolism due to a MTHFR enzyme inactivation they may have risks for cardiovascular disease and depression.

 It is high homocysteine levels that increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The right kinds of B vitamin 6, 9 (Folate) and 12 help the body to process and correctly process homocysteine.

Besides heart disease high levels of homocysteine can increase depression.

To help manage depression lowering homocysteine levels with the methylated form of B6, B 9 (Folate) and B12.

The major cravat here is that the B-vitamins must be in the methylated forms.

Methylated B6, B9 and B12 are not easy to find.

Check the information panel on the forms of B6, B9 and B12 vitamins in the formula. Look for these forms of: L-5-MTHFR of Folate/B9; Pyridoxal-5-phospate (B-6); Methylcobalamin (B12); Riboflavin-5-phosphate (B-2) may be a necessary cofactor.

Only the methylated forms of the B vitamins cross the blood brain barrier and are bio-available for the human body to use.

This information maybe life saving in regards to cardiovascular disease also help to prevent possible fatal drug sensitivity to Methotrexate (used in cancer and autoimmune disease treatment).

Those with some of the MTHFR genetic mutations should avoid alcohol because alcohol may increase their blood homocysteine levels and decrease their Folate levels.

The correct forms and does of B Vitamins maybe depending on the advice of your well informed genetic savvy health care provider:

 B-9/Folate-L-5-MTHHF or L-FTHF 400-mcg to 15 mg.

B-12-Methylcobbalamin from 500mg

B6-Pyridoxal-5-phosphate 25-mg

B2- Riboflavin-5-phospate 2.1 mg

The above listing is some helpful guidelines based on your reports and other supplements and medications.

Those interested in MTHFR genetic testing might check with Life Extension for the costs of doing the MTHFR /COMT testing ($111-$175). 1-888-895-4764.

Other less expensive tests are the Urine MMA test ($50)/Homocysteine Blood Levels test ($65).  Many online labs may provide these tests direct, however you may wish to determine how much of an explanation of the lab report is available or what sources like the internet can provide for an understanding of the implications of the lab reports.

 

 

 

 

HRT: The Answers for Solving the Hormone Replacement Puzzle-2003 by Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith.

HRT: The Answers for Solving the Hormone Replacement Puzzle-2003 by Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith. This book covers the intricate interplay of natural hormones in the female brain and body.

What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones: Choosing a Safe Course of Action That Works for You

What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones: Choosing a Safe Course of Action That Works for You; Your Guide to Natural Hormone Treatments for PMS, Menopause, Osteoporosis, PCOS and More 2010  by Pamela Wartian Smith. Smith covers the roles of hormones in health; the signs and symptoms of hormone deficiencies and excesses. Dr. Smith explains the interplay of hormones that effect many health conditions. This is an easy to read book with good explanations of how hormone balance or imbalance influences fibroids, anxiety, panic attacks, strokes etc., essentially an A to Z Book of Women’s Health. The Chapter Summaries on Page 171 is a quick reference any health-hormone topic covered in the book

 Introduction to Part 1 explains the 400 roles that Estrogens play in the female body. “Your body has receptor cites for estrogen everywhere: in your brain, muscles, bone, bladder, gut, uterus, ovaries, vagina, breast, eyes, heart, lungs, and blood vessels to name a few.” In particular Dr. Smith explains the functions of the weak estrogen known as E3. The Clinic phone number is 231.929.7450.

Page 125 covers Postpartum Depression, “When you deliver, the drop in estrogen is two thousand times greater than the drop in estrogen you experience just before your cycle begins. Progesterone levels also fall abruptly at delivery, which can trigger depression as well…Taking natural hormones Postpartum, may be necessary to help rebalance your hormone levels.” Smith notes that depression is a very dangerous condition and needs to be treated immediately by a qualified health care professional

Dr. Denis Wilson, The use of T-3, Botanicals& Nutrition to Optimize Thyroid Function Notes Annual Winter Conference

Thyroid Disease Management Notes from the Conference on Regenerative Medicine, Dec. 12-15, 2013

 

Dr. Denis Wilson, The use of T-3 , Botanicals & Nutrition to Optimize Thyroid Function, Peripheral T4 to T3 Conversion & Well Being.

Dr. Wilson notes in his remarks that people treated with the right balance of  T3 tend to feel, “20 years younger” once their  thyroid hormone has been balanced with the correct amount and type of  Thyroid Hormone  ( mostly T3; Cytomel,  Liothyronine ).

Symptoms of the an unbalanced/low thyroid function, “ are fatigue, mental  fog, poor memory, hair loss, muscle aches , joint aches, decreased ambition are often  due to slow metabolism and not mere aging”.

He has treated over 5,000 patients with low thyroid disease and low body temperature whose LAB TESTS WERE NORMAL, yet patients had the detrimental symptoms of low thyroid disease.

He has trained over 1,000 doctors in the use of sustained – release T-3   ( T3 is the active form of the thyroid hormone).

Other lecturers on Thyroid were Dr. Ron Rothenberg, formerly, Director of Prevention at the UCSD School of Medicine now Director of California HealthSpan Institute ( 760-635-1996); Alan Christianson, NMD of Scottsdale, Arizona (480-657-0003).

Several of the Speakers on optimum Thyroid function noted that thyroid treatment with T4 alone might actually work in REVERSE by causing increased levels of Reverse Thyroid Hormone ( RT3), an inactive form of the much needed Thyroid Hormone T3. Symptoms in these patients included feeling good for about 3 months on T4/Synthroid/Levothyroxine; then the patient develops more symptoms because the T4 is not converting to the active thyroid hormone form of T3. Often the patient is then put on a higher dose of T4 resulting in the same low levels of thyroid hormone symptoms 3 months later with the cycle continuing to repeat its self ; with the patient is still suffering the ill effects of low thyroid hormone levels; meanwhile prescribed ever increasing doses of T4. Low thyroid hormone causes slow metabolism low heart function and low mood.

 

Most speakers at the conference recommended that the Free T3 thyroid test be done in conjunction with the Free T4 Thyroid Test ( any hormone test of with the word “Free” in it means that the monitored hormone can be utilized by the body rather than just floating around in the blood bound up by proteins put out by the liver).

Some of the lecturers mentioned the importance of dosing with ¾ T3 and ¼ T4 then after  3 weeks of this type of therapy the patient should have follow up tests with a complete thyroid panel including Free T3; Free T4, RT3; TSH. The initial thyroid evaluation should have included an autoimmune antibody test.

Dr. Rothenberg in his remarks noted that the difference between a TSH of 5.0 and .05 was 12.5 pounds. Some of the speakers noted that a high TSH could result in fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and weight gain; stressing the heart, joints and hips thus accelerating the aging process.

Alan Christianson, NMD presentation was on  Resolving Hasimotos Thyroiditis. He has worked with and lectured extensively on healing Hashimotos disease. His books include: Healing Hashimoto’s a Savvy Patient’s Guide; The Complete Idiots Guide to Thyroid Disease. He trains doctors internationally on thyroid disease and endocrine disorders and resides in Phoenix with his family.

Dr. Pamela W. Smith on Hormone Balance and Depression Prevention A4M Annual Winter Meeting

Depression and Hormone Balance:  Dr. Pamela W. Smith

 

Dr. Smith’s extensive practice in hormone balance based on her own travails with sleep loss, post a tubal ligation that threatened her career as an ER doctor. This personal experience gives her a good background to address the importance of hormone balance in immune, heart and brain function.

Her remarks at this conference covered the role of each of the KNOWN female hormones: Estrogen, Testosterone, Progesterone, D3 and  DHEA. Topical hormones should ALWAYS be tested by Saliva Testing as topical hormones only remain in the red blood cells for a few minutes after application.

 Dr. Smith notes that within 1 year of hormone balance most of her patients are off their anti- depression meds. Her most recent book is : What You Must Know About Memory Loss & How You Can Stop It.

 

Prostate Cancer Prevention-Active Prostate Cancer?

Prostate Cancer Prevention-Active Prostate Cancer?

According to Dr. Thierry Hertoghe a man’s raising estrogen level is one of the best predictors of the prostate cancer risk. Prostate Cancer may be prevented. The good news is that prostate cancer may be prevented by lowering a man’s estrogen levels.

 A simple ways to reduce estrogen levels is to decrease belly fat as belly fat cells in particular produce high levels of estrogen. Alcohol and caffeine increase male estrogen levels. Pesticides and plastics also increase a man’s estrogen levels.

Saliva testing can reveal high male estrogen levels relative to progesterone levels. A Saliva test indicating a high estrogen level relative to progesterone can alert a man to take steps to reduce his risk of prostate cancer.

As a man ages his progesterone levels (produced in the male adrenal glands) drop leaving testosterone and estrogen levels unopposed by progesterone, a cancer prevention hormone.

Environmental toxins and belly fat convert the testosterone to a powerful estrogen/testosterone (DHT).  This powerful estrogen-testosterone combination can cause prostate cancer, swell the prostate and create male pattern baldness.

Further good news is that if rising estrogen levels are addressed in time the prostate cancer causative factors can be reversed and prevented.

The major challenges are to reverse the steps leading to prostate cancer and to stop the conversion of testosterone to DHT.

1-Reduce belly fat.

2-Consider Saw Palmetto  (However, this herb may give false PSA tests).

3-Zinc, less than 100 mg daily.

4-Topical NATURAL progesterone cream available through many compounding pharmacies over the counter or with a prescription.

5-Avoid environmental chemicals which tend to be retained in the adrenal glands and bind to the male hormone receptors.

6- Test your vitamin D levels. Blood levels of Vitamin D3 below 50 ng/ml increase the risk of cancer (by failing to produce the T-cells necessary to ward off abnormal cells like cancer and autoimmune disease). Serum Blood levels of Vitamin D3 need to be in the range of   50-80ng/ml to prevent abnormal cells like cancer/autoimmune disease.

7-Strong T-cells kill cancer cells before cancer can gain a toe-hold. Blood levels of Vitamin D3 80-100ng/ml can slow the progression of cancer. D3 serum blood levels of over 100ng/ml can cause health issues such as kidney damage. This is why testing IS VERY IMPORTANT AS EVERYONE PROCESSES D3 differently based ON GENETICS.

You can order inexpensive D3 tests through vitamin D3 Council. 805-439-1075

8-Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these stimulates increase a man’s estrogen levels.

9-Avoid sugar because the glucose converts quickly to belly fat and creates vascular system clogging inflammation.

There are tests that may help to determine if a man’s estrogen level is rising or if his testosterone is converting to DHT include: DHT Blood serum test available through Life Extension 1-888-895-4764 for about $75 or a Saliva test showing the ratio estrogen progesterone balance available through ZRT Lab 866-600-1636 (about $135).  Life Extension offers a lab review of their tests so you can ask for a lab reviewer to call you back and help you determine your questions for your health practitioner. ZRT Labs on their website maintains list of health practitioners by zip code. As in all things we are responsible for doing the research necessary to find the right practitioners!

DHT conversion below 30ng/ml could lead to ED problems or muscle weakness. DHT conversion higher than 80ng/ml may set up a man for prostate cancer. ZRT Labs offer Saliva Test feedback as a healthy ratio of progesterone to estrogen to prevent prostate cancer based on the questionnaire and saliva test results.

 This Life Extension link will provide you with the dangers of excess estrogen. You make go directly to the Life Extension website and look up the dangers of excess estrogen by the title listed below. Call LE @1.888.895.4764.

http://www.lef.org/Magazine/2008/11/Dangers-of-Excess-Estrogen-in-the-Aging-Male/Page-01
 

Active Prostate Cancer? The Check out the Role of D3 in reversing prostate cancer without burning, poisoning, being put in diapers and losing all male function by Dr. Bruce Hollis’s Research done at the Medical University of South Carolina. Read Dr. Mark Stengler’s : Breakthrough: Vitamin D shrinks prostate tumors!

 

Check out Dr. John Lees's excellent monograph on the web on male hormones and prostate cancer prevention.