#2 Biochemical disorders

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www.hriptc.org/BioTreatment.html

 

This is an EXCELLENT web link for Pyroluria and other Biochemical

Disorders. Hope you ALL find this link helpful for " many " biochemical

disorders.

 

For me,it is obvious why powerful " mind-altering " " legal drugs " such as

SSRI anti-depressants, SNRI's, atypical depressants, and any other

psychotropic " legal drugs " do NOT CURE what we are told are " mental

illnesses/diseases/disorders/impairments " .... when in fact it appears

they are actually biochemical deficiencies!!!

 

About half way down, under the heading " Biochemical Treatment of

Depression " see:

-- High Histamine Depressives

-- Low Histamine Depressives

-- PYROLURIA

-- High Copper depressives

-- Toxic substances

 

Yes it is difficult to realize we have been " duped " by a system we were

taught to trust in ... the triangulation of the " Pharma co's - FDA -

medical community " . The outcome of the 2nd round of FDA investigations

on Sept. 12 and 13th just proved this " financially-bottom line oriented "

triangulation.

 

En-JOY...

Encourage One Another

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Research Studies and Papers

 

 

 

Biochemical Treatment of Mental Illness and Behavior Disorders

 

Minnesota Brain Bio Association

November 17, 1997

 

 

BIOCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND BEHAVIOR DISORDERS

William J. Walsh, Ph.D.

Health Research Institute

 

 

 

 

Introduction

Treatment of schizophrenia, manic depression, and other forms of mental

illness is extraordinarily expensive, unavailable to many Americans, and

…worst of all… very limited in effectiveness. Mental illness can strike

any family. The net result is often a life of misery for the patient,

mental anguish and devastated finances for the family, and a great public

sacrifice in terms of human potential lost and national health care

costs.

The past few decades have seen a major advance in the understanding of

mental illness. It is now clearly understood that schizophrenia, bipolar

depression, and other mental disorders are primarily caused by imbalances

in brain neurotransmitters. Stressful events and flawed life experiences

are now viewed as aggravating factors that may trigger a breakdown in

mental functioning, but not a primary cause.

This improved understanding has led to a revolution in the treatment of

mental illness. In place of the psychiatrist’s couch, the principal focus

is now adjustment of disordered brain chemistry through the use of

powerful drug medications. In the beginning, treatment was often more

Edisonian than scientific with a variety of tranquilizers, neuroleptics,

and other drugs applied on a trial-and-error basis. In recent years,

" designer drugs " developed to alter the functioning of specific

neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin, etc., have been

introduced.

Medication therapy has produced wonderful benefits for many victims of

mental illness. However, these benefits are usually partial in nature. In

1995, a typical patient with schizophrenia under medication may be able

to live without institutionalization, but usually is only a shadow of

his/her former self in terms of cognitive function, behavioral control,

and peace of mind.

 

 

Limitations of Medication Therapy

Any medication aimed at a specific neurotransmitter will inevitably alter

some of the dozens of other neurotransmitters. The net result is likely

to be changes in behavior or other side effects. We should not expect

that a powerful psychiatric medication will have effectiveness without

some unwanted alteration of brain function. Moreover, schizophrenia,

bipolar depression, and other mental disorders are not single illnesses

but a diverse collection of disorders, each with different biochemistry.

Thus any single drug may have strikingly different outcomes for different

patients.

The development of new psychiatric drugs will not conquer mental illness,

but will instead place additional weapons in the arsenal of the

practitioner. Since mental illnesses are diverse and individual patients

are biochemically unique, a larger number of candidate drugs will

increase the likelihood of finding a beneficial medication (or

combination of medications). Thus in future times, psychiatric patients

will probably have medications with improved effectiveness and fewer side

effects. However, it is likely that these patients will still suffer from

residual mental illness and experience side effects.

The ultimate remedy for mental illness may not be a collection of drug

medications aimed at adjusting neurotransmitters. Advances in molecular

biology and brain chemistry will eventually identify the basic causes and

mechanisms of chemical imbalances, which may lead to more direct (and

more natural) methods of adjusting neurotransmitters.

 

Biochemical Treatment

The brain is a chemical factory that constantly produces

neurotransmitters throughout our lives. The raw materials are amino

acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The step-by-step

processes by which the body produces the major neurotransmitters have

been known for years.

Sufficient nutrients to produce neurotransmitters can usually be obtained

from a well-balanced diet involving the major food groups. However, many

persons have absorption or metabolic disorders which result in severe

nutrient imbalances that adversely affect brain functioning. For example,

animal studies (Dakshinamurti, et.al.) have shown that a diet low in

vitamin B-6 can result in reduced serotonin levels in the brain. This is

not surprising since B-6 is a vital cofactor required for natural

synthesis of serotonin.

It would be a simple matter if all nutrient imbalances were deficiencies,

since a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement would then have efficacy.

Unfortunately, most imbalances involve overloads of certain nutrients,

and multiple vitamin/mineral supplements can make these persons worse.

For example, elevated copper has been associated with paranoia (Pfeiffer

and Iliev), and high folate levels have been observed in

obsessive-compulsive schizophrenics (Pfeiffer, et.al.).

Biochemical treatment is a modality in which nutrient levels in blood,

urine, and tissues are balanced to improve physical and mental

functioning. The procedure involves extensive chemical analysis of blood,

urine, and tissues to define the patient’s biochemistry. Treatment

requires supplements of specific amino acids, vitamins, and minerals

which need to be supplied with rifle-shot precision. Biochemical

treatment can be effective only for persons with significant biochemical

imbalances. This new therapy has been applied primarily to victims of

schizophrenia, depression, and behavior disorders.

 

Biochemical Treatment of Schizophrenia

In the 1950’s, Abram Hoffer discovered that many persons with severe

mental illness improved greatly after treatment with vitamins B-3, B-12,

and folic acid. Subsequently, Carl Pfeiffer, M.D., Ph.D. of Princeton,

New Jersey, developed a classification system which divided schizophrenia

into three major biochemical groupings which he termed histadelia,

histapenia, and pyroluria. Pfeiffer studied more than 20,000 patients

with schizophrenia and reported 90% of them fell into one of these three

categories. He developed individualized nutrient treatments for each of

these conditions and reported good treatment effectiveness across each

group. Pfeiffer (now deceased) reported striking improvements in

thousands of case histories, but unfortunately did not carry out

double-blind, controlled studies of treatment efficacy. In the absence of

double-blind studies, this promising treatment system has been regarded

as unproved.

The Pfeiffer Treatment Center (Naperville, IL) has treated more than

1,000 persons with a diagnosis of schizophrenia using this system. An

outcome study involving 150 patients indicated that best results are

achieved for patients under the age of 40. Referring psychiatrists report

that most patients improve significantly after biochemical treatment,

enabling lower medication dosages and reduced side effects. Biochemical

treatment for schizophrenia is most effective when administered along

with medication, counseling and other conventional treatment. At the

present state of development, biochemical treatment usually does not

result in complete freedom from medication for persons with severe mental

illness.

 

Biochemical Treatment of Depression

The Pfeiffer Treatment Center has observed that most victims of

depression fall into one of five biochemical classes: (1) high histamine,

(2) low histamine, (3) pyroluric, (4) high copper, and (5) toxic

overload. The treatment for these biochemical disorders is highly

individualized, with most patients reporting good treatment

effectiveness.

High-histamine depressives overproduce and retain excessive levels of

histamine, an important neurotransmitter which affects human behavior.

They are under-methylated resulting in generalized low levels of

important neurotransmitters such as serotonin. This syndrome often

involves seasonal variations in depression, obsessive-compulsive

behavior, inhalant allergies, and frequent headaches. Biochemical

treatment revolves around antifolates, especially calcium and methionine.

Three to six month of nutrient therapy are usually needed to correct this

chemical imbalance. As in most biochemical therapies, the symptoms

usually return if treatment is stopped.

Low-histamine depressives are usually nervous, anxious individuals who

are prone to paranoia and despair. They are over-methylated which results

in elevated dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Although free of seasonal

allergies, they often report a multitude of food and chemical

sensitivities. Many have a history of hyperactivity, learning

disabilities, and underachievement. Treatment focuses on use of folic

acid together with niacinamide and vitamin B-12, with about 2-4 months

required for correction of the imbalance.

Pyroluria is a stress disorder characterized by pronounced mood swings,

temper outbursts, and anxious depression. Many pyrolurics report an

inability to eat breakfast, absence of dream recall, and frequent

infections. Treatment centers on correcting a double deficiency of B-6

and zinc, which is believed to result from abnormal hemoglobin synthesis

that depletes the body of these nutrients. A positive response often

occurs within the first 7 days of treatment, with 1-2 months usually

required for correction of the imbalance.

High-copper depressives usually have a history of hyperactivity,

tinnitus, and skin sensitivity to metals. Females with this condition

usually have significant PMS and are prone to heightened depression

during hormonal events such as childbirth and menopause. They often

report a worsening of depression after estrogen or multiple vitamins.

Treatment focuses on release of excess copper from tissues, promotion of

copper excretion, and stimulation of metallothionein (a metal-binding

protein). Caution must be exercised due to the tendency of blood copper

levels to rise during the first 10 days of treatment. Many patients

report a mild worsening over the first 3 weeks, followed by steady

improvement. A total of 60 to 90 days is usually required to correct this

imbalance.

Toxic substances which are capable of producing depression include lead,

cadmium, mercury, and a wide variety of organic and inorganic chemicals.

This syndrome often involves a sudden, prolonged bout of depression

without apparent reason and without a prior history of depression.

Treatment varies with the type of toxic material involved, and care must

be exercised to avoid flooding the kidneys with toxins during the early

stages of treatment. Heavy-metal overloads can be corrected quickly by

in-hospital chelation, or more slowly using biochemical treatment.

Organic chemical overloads require liberal use of antioxidants along with

avoidance of the offending substances.

In an outcome study of 200 depressive patients treated at the Pfeiffer

Treatment Center, approximately two-thirds reported their anti-depressant

medications were no longer necessary after biochemical treatment. However

a double-blind, controlled study is needed to better define treatment

efficacy.

 

Biochemical Treatment of Behavior Disorders

In the late 1970’s, Dr. Walsh and co-workers developed a biochemical

classification system for behavior disorders based on trace-metal

concentrations. Based on chemical analysis data from hundreds of violent

criminals and behavior-disordered children, behavior disorders were

divided into four distinct types.

Type A individuals are characterized by an elevated copper/zinc ratio,

along with elevated lead and cadmium and low sodium and potassium levels.

They exhibit episodic rages which may be quite violent, and usually

exhibit remorse after they have calmed down. Patrick Sherrill who killed

17 co-workers in an Oklahoma post office was found to have a severe Type

A imbalance. Many school children who are Type A individuals may have

mild, moderate, or severe versions of this chemical imbalance.

Type B individuals are characterized by low copper/zinc ratios, along

with elevated sodium, potassium, lead and cadmium. Most exhibit behavior

disorders by age 2, and are often described as oppositional, defiant,

pathological liars, remorseless, and cruel. The incidence of the Type B

imbalance appears to be less than 0.5% in the general population, but

between 20-75% in maximum-security prisons in Illinois, California, and

Ohio. In studies of ex-convicts and violent children, Dr. Pfeiffer found

these individuals to exhibit elevated blood histamine, low blood

spermine, elevated kryptopyrroles in urine, and zinc deficiency. Notable

examples of persons with a severe Type B imbalance include James Huberty

(McDonalds massacre), serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, and Charles Manson.

Type C individuals are low in most nutrients and Dr. Pfeiffer identified

their primary imbalance to be malabsorption. The majority are slender,

non-violent, impulsive persons who underachieve in school and in the

workplace.

Type D persons were found by Dr. Pfeiffer to exhibit glucose-control

problems. These individuals are often non-violent underachievers who

complain of irritability, fatigue, and sugar cravings.

The Health Research Institute (parent organization of the Pfeiffer

Treatment Center) has accumulated a data base of chemistry levels for

more than 6,500 behavior-disordered children, 800 violent criminals, and

26 serial killers and mass murderers. We have found that about 90% of

these persons fit into one of the A/B/C/D categories.

In the early 1980’s, Dr. Pfeiffer developed individualized biochemical

treatments for each of these behavior syndromes. Under this system,

patients are screened and treated for trace-metal imbalances, histamine

disorders, pyroluria, malabsorption, glucose disorders, and other

biochemical imbalances. Nearly 7,000 behavior-disordered persons have

been treated at the Pfeiffer Treatment Center using this system. In four

separate outcome studies involving a total of 1,400 patients, a majority

of the families reported major improvements in behavior control after

biochemical treatment. These studies indicated good treatment

effectiveness for most patients below the age of 14.

In a blinded, controlled study in 1992, 24 patients of the Pfeiffer

Treatment Center were tested before and after 4 months of individualized

biochemical treatment by an independent testing expert. The test group

showed clear improvements in behavior control after treatment, whereas

controls did not.

Our nation’s problems of crime and violence will not be solved by getting

tough with criminals, building more prisons, or wider application of the

death penalty. The only hope is early identification of

behavior-disordered children and effective treatment. Biochemical therapy

represents a promising approach to this societal problem.

 

SUMMARY

Biochemical treatment, originally developed for schizophrenia, has also

shown promise in the treatment of depression and behavior disorders.

Although still in a process of evolution, the testing methods and

treatment modalities have matured to the point that a high percentage of

patients report treatment effectiveness. However, double-blind,

placebo-controlled studies must be successfully carried out before this

promising therapy can become part of mainstream medicine.

 

 

 

 

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