Adrenal Fatigue: What It Is and How to Treat It

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

April 20,2024

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Adrenal fatigue describes a collection of symptoms such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems
• The theory is that chronic stress can overtax the adrenal glands, resulting in their functional decline and an inability to produce adequate hormones
• It’s long been assumed that if you have low cortisol, you’re suffering from “adrenal fatigue,” but we now know that this is not an accurate concept
• When adrenal function changes, what’s really going on has to do with the signaling between your brain and your adrenal gland in response to stress — not to adrenal gland function alone
• HPA axis dysfunction, which can be identified using the DUTCH test, may better describe where symptoms come from after prolonged exposure to stress

Adrenal fatigue describes a collection of symptoms such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. The concept is based on the idea that your adrenal glands, which are small glands located on top of each kidney that produce hormones like cortisol, can become overworked.

The theory is that chronic stress can overtax the adrenal glands, resulting in their functional decline and an inability to produce adequate hormones necessary for optimal function. In other words, adrenal fatigue is the idea that your adrenal output of cortisol can become insufficient from long-term stress.

It’s important to note, however, that some experts do not believe adrenal fatigue is an actual medical syndrome.¹ While the symptoms often attributed to adrenal fatigue are very real, their underlying causes may be something else entirely.

Adrenal Glands 101

Your adrenal glands are two triangular-shaped endocrine glands located atop each kidney. They produce over 50 hormones, such as cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline. Like thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones are crucial for your metabolism.

Adrenal hormones primarily regulate your physical and mental stress responses and influence your metabolism, mood, immune function and blood pressure, but testing their function is complex.

As noted by Dr. Michael Greger in the NutritionFacts.org video above, “Saliva tests for adrenal hormone levels are not reliable, with studies showing so-called ‘adrenal fatigue’ patients having higher levels than controls, similar levels or lower levels, ‘an almost systematic finding of conflicting results.’”²

Further, although blood tests can assess many bodily systems, they do not provide a clear picture of adrenal function. Cortisol is frequently tested using blood, but what’s being measured is your total cortisol, which includes both free and bound cortisol.

Since most cortisol in your body is bound to proteins and inactive, “high cortisol” levels in blood tests may not be informative. Free cortisol, which is biologically active, is what’s important. One of the most effective tests for this is the Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones, or DUTCH test, performed multiple times over a 24-hour period.

Cortisol levels can vary significantly throughout the day, typically peaking in the morning and decreasing by evening, which is referred to as the diurnal rhythm. A single measurement like a blood draw cannot reveal if your diurnal pattern is dysfunctional. By taking multiple samples throughout the day, you can get a more accurate measure of your cortisol pattern.

Further, the DUTCH test evaluates levels of free cortisol, cortisone and their metabolites, alpha-tetrahydrocortisol (a-THF), beta-tetrahydrocortisol (b-THS), and tetrahydrocortisone (THE). These metabolites are important for assessing adrenal output and can help you understand what the underlying pathology is. While saliva tests allow you to check free cortisol, they still won’t show you the metabolites of cortisol. DUTCH, on the other hand, shows both.

Adrenal Insufficiency Versus Adrenal Fatigue

It’s long been assumed that if you have low cortisol, you’re suffering from “adrenal fatigue,” but we now know that this is not an accurate term or concept. When adrenal function changes, what’s really going on has to do with the signaling between your brain and your adrenal gland in response to stress — not to adrenal gland function alone.

Addison’s disease, or adrenal insufficiency, however, is a medical condition that occurs when your body doesn’t make enough cortisol. “The only situation in which low cortisol becomes problematic is probably Addison’s disease, which is adrenal failure. And that’s very rare,” says Georgi Dinkov, an expert on the work of the late Ray Peat, Ph.D., an author and pioneer in nutrition, bioenergetic medicine, environmental factors and regenerative processes.

“If you have adrenal failure, unless you take cortisol shots you will die from hypoglycemia or Addison’s disease. So, it’s lethal,” Dinkov notes. Many doctors use an ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) test to check for problems with your adrenal glands. However, the ACTH test only recognizes extreme underproduction or overproduction of hormone levels. Greger explains:³

“There is an actual disease of adrenal insufficiency known as Addison’s disease, which is diagnosed with an ACTH stimulation test. You inject people with adrenocorticotropic hormone, the signal your brain uses to get your adrenal glands to pump out the stress hormone cortisol, and if your adrenals don’t respond, that shows your adrenal glands must be in trouble.

But inject those presumed to be suffering from chronic stress and fatigue with ACTH, and sometimes you even get a greater rise in cortisol, disproving the notion that stress causes the adrenals to ‘burn out.’”

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Adrenal Fatigue Is Rare

Even if your free cortisol is low, adrenal fatigue is rarely the cause, according to Dr. Peter Attia. In reality, cortisol production is often normal, but the cortisol is either a) being degraded, b) too much of it is being converted into inactive cortisone, or c) instead of converting back to cortisol, the cortisone is metabolized into THE.

Enzymes called reductases regulate the conversion of cortisol and cortisone into their respective metabolites. Inflammation, obesity and other factors associated with poor health accelerate these conversions.

So, if you’re feeling lousy and have no energy but your cortisol and cortisone metabolites indicate that production of these hormones is normal, then you need to address the underlying factors, i.e., the obesity, insulin and leptin resistance, and inflammation.

Corticosteroids are often prescribed to people with adrenal fatigue — and it may make you feel better temporarily — but the boost they provide isn’t a sign that you needed more cortisol, and exposes you to another set of health risks. Greger said:⁴

“But wait, you were diagnosed with ‘AF,’ [adrenal fatigue] given corticosteroids, and now you feel great, so it must have been real. That’s the thing about corticosteroids, though. One of the side effects is a euphoric sense of well-being. The problem is that even low doses can increase the risk of osteoporosis, psychiatric and metabolic disorders, muscle damage, glaucoma, sleep disturbances, and cardiovascular diseases.”

Understanding HPA Axis Dysfunction

While both primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency can be diagnosed with a lab test, more subtle abnormalities in the hypothalamus-pituitary-axis (HPA) are more difficult to diagnose, as there’s no accepted medical test for it. The HPA axis is the primary stress response system. As described in the Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education:⁵

“It [the HPA axis] is the neuroendocrine link between perceived stress and physiological reactions to stress. The primary function of the activated HPA axis is to release glucocorticoids that activate short-term physiological responses to stress.

While some stress is necessary for salubrious development and aging, when an individual exists in a chronic state of stress their ability to cope is compromised by dysregulation of HPA-axis and other peripheral physiological functions.”

To better describe where symptoms come from after prolonged exposure to stress, it’s important to look at the bigger picture of HPA axis dysfunction. This is the more accurate term describing what is happening here. According to Mark Newman, the founder of Precision Analytical Laboratory in Oregon, makers of the DUTCH test:⁶

“If a patient has low cortisol, we see many providers label that as ‘adrenal fatigue’ and work to try to increase cortisol. What we find when we look at the metabolites of cortisol in these patients (which is a better marker for overall cortisol production), is that about half of the patients with low free cortisol are making more than average amounts of cortisol.

They may be processing it more quickly. As in obesity, you get these huge productions of cortisol (metabolites), but when you only focus on the free cortisol, you can call someone ‘stage 3 adrenal fatigue’ who is literally making more cortisol than 90%, 95%, or 99% of the population in some situations (because obesity results in more cortisol production, but not more free cortisol). So it’s a more complex situation than that.”

Evaluation of free hormone plus metabolites gives a more complete picture and can prevent practitioners from misunderstanding what is wrong with a patient. As mentioned, the ACTH test only recognizes extremes, as shown by the top and bottom 2% of a bell curve.

This means your adrenal cortisol production could be functioning 20% below the mean, and your body experiencing symptoms of HPA dysfunction, yet the test will not recognize it. To identify HPA dysfunction, a comprehensive hormone panel like the DUTCH test is recommended.

Your Adrenals Work in Tandem With Your Thyroid

Thyroid function is another variable in cases of “adrenal fatigue,” as dysfunction in one can affect the other. For example, if you have low thyroid function and your adrenals aren’t producing enough cortisol, it can worsen your symptoms. Since both are involved in metabolism, dysfunction in either your thyroid or adrenals can also produce very similar symptoms, such as fatigue, memory impairment and low mood.

Dr. Jinaan Jawad, a specialist in chiropractic and functional medicine, describes your adrenals as the “battery backup” for your thyroid. If your adrenals are overtaxed, your thyroid function will suffer.⁷ If you’re hypothyroid and on hormone replacement therapy, yet still experience symptoms of low thyroid function, you could be shutting down too much cortisol. To address this, Jawad recommends avoiding adrenal stimulators, such as:

Coffee, soda, energy drinks and other caffeinated and/or stimulating beverages	Refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners
Nicotine	Alcohol
Any food you have an allergy or sensitivity to (example: dairy, wheat, corn, gluten or shellfish), as these foods will cause a release of histamine and inflammatory chemicals that active your fight-or-flight response	Seed oils (partially hydrogenated fats high in omega-6 linoleic acid) and any food made with them, which includes most processed and fast food.Examples include cottonseed oil, corn oil and canola oil. All of these oils inhibit adrenal hormone synthesis
Excessive exercise, as this keeps your body locked in fight-or-flight response

Five Natural Herbs to Support Your Adrenal Health

If chronic stress is taxing your body, adaptogenic herbs can help your body become more resilient to stress. They work, in part, via hormone regulation and immune function support. Five adaptogenic herbs for adrenal support include the following:

1.Ashwagandha, which helps your body adapt to stress by balancing your immune system, metabolism and hormonal systems. The root contains the highest concentration of active ingredients that modulate hormones, including thyroid hormone, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

2.Rhodiola, which has been shown to be particularly beneficial for your nervous system. It has antidepressant and anti-anxiety benefits, and may help reduce symptoms of burnout associated with work stress. Its energy and vitality-boosting effects can have clear benefits for those struggling with chronic fatigue. As an added boon, it tends to be fast-acting.

3.Asian (Panax) ginseng — Like ashwagandha, Asian ginseng impacts thyroid hormones. More specifically, it contains properties that block production of excessive amounts of rT3. A study looking at the impact of ginseng injections found it produced healthy increases of T3 and T4 and a reduction in rT3.⁸

4.Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) — Its active components are called eleutherosides, which are thought to stimulate your immune system. Like Asian ginseng, Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen that’s traditionally been used to increase energy, stimulate the immune system and increase longevity.

It also has mild antidepressive effects and is useful for insomnia, behavioral and memory problems, and has been shown to improve exercise endurance by improving oxygen utilization in your body.

5.Tulsi — Highly revered in India for over 5,000 years, tulsi, also known as holy basil, has been valued for its many health-promoting properties. This herb is said to purify the mind, body and spirit, and has been cherished for its protective and uplifting nature.

Tulsi tea is an antioxidant-rich beverage with a complex and unique chemistry. It contains hundreds of beneficial phytochemicals. Working together, these compounds have adaptogenic and immune-enhancing properties that combat stress, bolster your immune system and promote healthy metabolism, including helping your body maintain an optimal level of blood sugar.

 Sources and References

• ¹ BMC Endocr Disord. 2016; 16(1): 48
• ² NutritionFacts.org March 27, 2024, 1:14
• ³ NutritionFacts.org March 27, 2024, 1:30
• ⁴ NutritionFacts.org March 27, 2024, 2:06
• ⁵ J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2018 Spring; 16(2): R59–R60
• ⁶ Youtube, Dr. Mercola Interviews Mark Newman 2016
• ⁷ YouTube, How Are the Adrenal Glands and The Thyroid Connected
• ⁸ Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine January 2000; 6: 29-31

source https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/04/20/adrenal-fatigue.aspx

Improve Your Physical and Psychological Health With This Simple Lymphatic Drainage Routine

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola April 20,2024

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Your lymphatic system, integral to immune function and waste removal, significantly influences overall health, including physical, mental and emotional aspects
• The “Big 6” routine developed by chiropractor Perry Nickelston involves stimulating six key lymphatic points to enhance blood flow, nerve response and the clearance of toxins. The “Big 6” lymphatic drainage points are: above and below the collarbone, jawline, chest, abdomen, hip area and back of the knees
• A lymphatic drainage routine helps reduce swelling, facilitates detoxification, helps prevent disease by boosting immune function, and improves digestion and nutrient absorption
• Understanding the lymphatic system’s unique pressure system is essential; drainage should start at low-pressure areas (above and below the collarbone) and move towards higher-pressure areas to prevent swelling, especially in extremities
• Enhanced proprioception, resulting from a well-functioning lymphatic system, translates into a feeling of safety by allowing the brain to accurately sense joint positions and movements, thus reducing injury risk and boosting confidence and psychological well-being

The lymphatic system is a crucial part of your body’s immune and waste removal systems, and as such play a significant role in your overall health and well-being. Its proper functioning affects physical, mental, and emotional health through its network of vessels and nodes that transport lymph, a fluid containing white blood cells and waste products.

As explained by Perry Nickelston, a practicing chiropractor, in the video above, maintaining a healthy lymphatic system is important for preventing health issues like infections, joint pain, fatigue, and more serious conditions such as lymphedema and cancer.

Your lymphatic system helps remove toxins and waste, supports the immune system, and aids in the absorption and transport of fats and vitamins. The lymphatic system of your brain is called the glymphatic system, and it’s essential for removing waste products from your brain.

When either of these systems gets congested, sluggish or blocked, it can have severe effects on your physical and mental/neurological health.

Regular exercise, a healthy diet, adequate hydration and stress management are essential for supporting lymphatic function. Eastern practices such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have long recognized the lymphatic system’s importance, using methods like lymphatic massage, yoga and herbal remedies to support the free flow of lymph.

To support the health of your lymphatic system, Nickelston has developed a six-step routine called the Big 6, which he describes in the featured video. The routine involves stimulating key lymphatic points in your body by rubbing, tapping and massaging them.

Common Detox Symptoms That May Arise

While the routine may appear deceptively simple, it can have a profound effect, as stimulating these lymphatic spots will boost blood flow to and from various tissues, change how your nerves respond to tightness in the tissues, and encourage the clearance of toxins from your body through your sweat, urine and feces.

As a result of this detoxifying process, you may experience a period of increased fatigue, lethargy, pain, headache, general malaise or illness-like symptoms. This is a sign that toxins are being expelled. As noted by Nickelston, “that is normal.” To aid the detox process, make sure you drink some water before and/or after doing the routine.

Understanding the Lymphatic Pressure System

The lymphatic system operates on a unique pressure system that is pivotal for its efficient functioning. This system’s design ensures the effective drainage of lymph back into the bloodstream.

Understanding the pressure gradients within the lymphatic system is crucial for promoting optimal lymph flow and preventing the accumulation of fluids, which can lead to swelling, especially in the extremities like the hands and feet.

The areas around and above the collarbone represent the points of lowest lymphatic pressure. It is here that the lymphatic fluid drains back into the venous blood system, completing its circuit around the body. Because these points are the final destination for lymph being cleared from the body, they are crucial in the lymphatic drainage process.

Conversely, your hands and feet are the farthest from these low-pressure points, making them more prone to swelling due to the accumulation of lymph fluid, as gravity and distance impede the fluid’s return flow.

By starting at the collarbone — where the pressure is lowest — and working outward and upward, ensures that these low-pressure pathways remain open and able to receive lymph from other parts of the body.

To effectively encourage the movement of lymph through its vessels and nodes, it is essential to clear the lymphatic system from areas of low pressure toward those of high pressure.

This means that any lymphatic drainage technique or routine should never start with the extremities, where pressure is higher and fluid accumulation is more common. Instead, starting at the collarbone — where the pressure is lowest — and working outward and upward, ensures that these low-pressure pathways remain open and able to receive lymph from other parts of the body.

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Nickelston’s Big 6 Routine

The six key points for effective lymphatic drainage are as follows. In the video above, Tim Boettner of Think Flow Grow does a full demonstration of Nickelston’s routine so you can follow along. Again, make sure to do them in the correct order, as listed. Use whatever pressure and speed that feels good. You’re not seeking to cause pain.

The whole routine can be completed in just a few minutes and can be done any time of the day. Getting into the habit of doing it once a day, perhaps during your morning shower, is the best way to reap maximum benefits.

1.Above and below your collarbone — Initiating drainage here facilitates the clearance of lymph back into the circulatory system. Begin by lightly rubbing above, over and below your collarbone on one side for several seconds. Next, lightly tap the area with open hand, and then rub the area in a circular motion clockwise and counterclockwise. Repeat on the other side.

2.Jawline — Rubbing and massaging your jawline helps drain lymph from your head and neck. The spot you’re working is located at the top of your neck, directly behind the angle of your jawbone just below your earlobe. Using two or three fingers, rub that area in an up and down motion on one side. Then, lightly tap and do some circular rubbing. Repeat on the other side.

3.Chest — Clearing the chest area supports the drainage of lymph from the upper torso and arms. The spot you’re looking for is where your shoulder attaches to your pectoral muscle. Perform the same rubbing, tapping massaging motions as before on each side.

4.Abdomen — The abdomen is a central hub for lymphatic activity, influencing digestion and lower body lymph flow. To locate the correct spot, place one hand over your belly button and the other hand directly above that. Using both hands, rub your belly up and down. Then, tap your belly with both hands, then stack your hands one atop the other, press your hands into your abdomen and rub in circles.

5.Front of the hip — Stimulating this area encourages the movement of lymph from the lower extremities toward your core. Place your hands over the crease of your groin and rub up and down, then tap and rub in circles.

6.Back of the knees — Finally, the area behind the knees is critical for draining lymph from the lower legs, reducing the risk of swelling in the feet and ankles. Simply place your hands behind your knees and rub above and below the crease of your knees in an up and down motion. Then tap the crease and rub in a circular motion.

When done with all six areas, stand up, lift your heels off the floor and lightly bounce up and down on the balls of your feet for 20 to 30 seconds and shake out your hands and arms.

Adhering to this order is paramount for maintaining an efficient lymphatic system. By starting at the points of lowest pressure and methodically working toward areas of higher pressure, it’s possible to enhance lymph flow throughout the body, bolstering immune function, reducing swelling and promoting overall health.

The Psychological Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage

As explained by Nickelston, this lymphatic drainage routine can also have significant benefits for your emotional and mental health. The reason for this is because when your brain can accurately sense where your body’s joints are in space — a faculty known as proprioception — it significantly contributes to a feeling of safety and security.

Proprioception is part of your body’s sensory system, providing continuous feedback about the position of limbs, the tension in muscles, and the state of joint movement. This sensory information is crucial for maintaining balance, coordinating movements, and performing daily activities confidently and efficiently.

The link between proprioception and feelings of safety lies in your brain’s ability to predict and control bodily movements. When proprioceptive feedback is clear and accurate, your brain can effectively anticipate the outcome of movements, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing physical autonomy. This predictability and control are foundational to a sense of safety, as they enable you to navigate your environment with assurance.

Additionally, clearing the lymphatic system reduces swelling and inflammation around joints, which can otherwise impede the flow of sensory information. Swelling can distort the signals sent by proprioceptors (sensory receptors that detect motion and position) located in muscles, tendons, and joint capsules, leading to decreased proprioceptive accuracy.

As the lymphatic system is optimized and fluid balance is restored, proprioceptors can function more effectively, sending clearer, more precise signals to your brain. As you become more attuned to your body’s positions and movements, you develop a heightened sense of spatial awareness and body control.

This improvement not only aids in physical performance but also reinforces the neural pathways responsible for proprioceptive processing, making your brain more adept at interpreting and utilizing this information.

The culmination of these effects — a well-functioning lymphatic system and enhanced proprioception — contributes to a greater sense of bodily integrity and safety.

When your brain can reliably know where your body is in space, it reduces the perceived risk of falling or suffering an injury, which in turn diminishes anxiety and enhances confidence in your physical capabilities. This assurance extends beyond mere physical safety, influencing psychological well-being by fostering a sense of control and competence in interacting with the world.

source: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/04/20/lymph-flow.aspx

SSRI Drugs Can Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Dr. Joseph Mercola

April 19, 2024

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• SSRIs, which increase serotonin levels, have been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). A study showed that administering Prozac (fluoxetine) to mice at high dosages induced symptoms of CFS, suggesting a link between excessive serotonin levels and the condition
• Symptom reversal was achieved with the serotonin inhibitor fenclonine
• Other serotonin inhibitors include Benadryl, the H2 blocker Pepcid (famotidine), aspirin, progesterone and GABA
• Branched-chain amino acids, tyrosine, phenylalanine and L-theanine can also help reduce serotonin levels
• GABA is a more effective solution for conditions typically treated with SSRIs, such as depression and anxiety, without the adverse effects associated with elevated serotonin
• Reducing intake of linoleic acid (LA), found in high amounts in seed oils and certain meats, is recommended if you have CFS, as excess LA impair your mitochondrial function and cellular energy production

Serotonin — also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT — is typically referred to as “the happiness hormone” and deficiency is thought to be the source of depression. That’s why depression is routinely treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that raise serotonin levels in your brain.

The problem is, serotonin is NOT responsible for depression, and raising your serotonin is the last thing you want to do, as it destroys empathy, love and wisdom. Elevated serotonin also impairs thyroid function, reduces your metabolism, and contributes to premature aging by increasing reductive stress.

SSRIs Linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

SSRIs have also been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), otherwise known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS. As reported by bioenergetic medicine researcher Georgi Dinkov,¹ elevated extracellular 5-HT has been shown to cause most of the CFS symptoms, including debilitating physical and mental fatigue.

“I am actually surprised it took researchers so long to make that connection,” he writes,² “considering the well-tested so-called ‘central fatigue hypothesis’ (CFH), which stipulates that most of the perception of fatigue is brain-derived and often is not peripherally biochemically justified.

More specifically, it is the accumulation of serotonin in the brain, which leads one to perceive severe fatigue even if the bioenergetic state of their muscles do not demonstrate signs of fatigue (e.g. lactate buildup, creatine kinase and LDH leakage, ammonia accumulation, etc).

Conversely, lowering serotonin levels in the brain usually leads to abolishing the feelings of fatigue. In fact, there are multiple animal studies demonstrating that tryptophan depletion in the brain (which leads to lower 5-HT levels in the brain) is a reliable mechanism to delay or even abolish feelings of fatigue even in animals whose muscles are biochemically fatigued …

Another fact implicating 5-HT as a causal agent in CFS is the fact that most CFS patients seem to develop the condition as a result of viral infection … [M]ost viral infections require activation of specific 5-HT receptors (by elevated serotonin) in order for the infection to take hold, and blocking these receptors either prevents the infection altogether or can treat an already established one.”

One Month of Prozac Induced CFS Symptoms in Mice

In one 2024 study,³ researchers were able to induce the classical signs and symptoms of CFS in mice by giving them Prozac (fluoxetine) for four weeks, albeit at dosages that are two to five times higher than what is used in clinical practice for depressive patients. Science Alert reported:⁴

“Based on clinical clues, Jin-Seok Lee, a ME/CFS researcher at Daejeon University in South Korea, and colleagues hypothesized that a spillover of serotonin could lead to ME/CFS. Known to play a role in governing moods, declining levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin have long been thought to cause depression.

Although that theory is now disputed, treatments that target serotonin pathways — such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) — are some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. By blocking receptors that bind and remove serotonin from the signaling pathway, the medication artificially maintains a higher level of the mood messenger.

According to several decades-old studies, some patients with ME/CFS appear to have fewer serotonin transporters than healthy volunteers and may also have receptors that only weakly bind serotonin.

Lee and colleagues thought that if such people had coincidentally been treated with serotonin-based treatments for depression before they developed ME/CFS, they may have had excessive levels of serotonin in their brain. This could have triggered ME/CFS by throwing off a feedback mechanism designed to keep a lid on the immune system and inflammation …

After four weeks, animals treated with fluoxetine had higher levels of serotonin in two parts of the brain, the hypothalamus and dorsal raphe nucleus.

They also developed behaviors that resembled the main symptoms of ME/CFS seen in humans, including unrefreshing sleep, PEM and orthostatic intolerance, but not cognitive impairment. These behaviors disappeared six weeks after the drug was stopped.

Mice whose serotonin receptors were depleted via viral knockout also showed ME/CFS symptoms, further confirming the mechanism. Another experiment showed inhibiting serotonin production could alleviate their symptoms.”

According to the authors:⁵

“Our study provides the first translational [animal] evidence for the involvement of 5-HTergic [serotonergic] hyperactivity in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS. With our novel animal model for ME/CFS, this study helps to clarify one of the potent pathophysiological mechanisms of this syndrome.

In addition, we provide diagnostic clues (high central serotonin) that can be used to differentiate ME/CFS from similar diseases, such as fibromyalgia and depressive disorders.”

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Serotonin Inhibitors

The serotonin inhibitor used in the featured study was fenclonine, but there are several over-the-counter options as well, including Benadryl and the H2 blocker Pepcid (famotidine).

Aspirin can also lower extracellular serotonin by inhibiting the absorption of tryptophan from your gastrointestinal tract,⁶ while progesterone inhibits serotonin synthesis directly. Progesterone is one of only four hormones I believe many adults can benefit from. (The other three are thyroid hormone T3, DHEA and pregnenolone.)

As a general recommendation, I recommend most adults to take 25 to 50 mg of bioidentical progesterone per day, taken in the evening one hour before bed, as it can also promote sleep. For optimal bioavailability, progesterone needs to be mixed into natural vitamin E. The difference in bioavailability between taking progesterone orally without vitamin E and taking it with vitamin E is 45 minutes versus 48 hours.

Another good reason for taking progesterone with vitamin E is because it binds to red blood cells, which allows the progesterone to be carried throughout your body and be distributed to where it’s needed the most.

Simply Progesterone by Health Natura is premixed with vitamin E and MCT oil. You can also make your own by dissolving pure USP progesterone powder into one capsule of a high-quality vitamin E, and then rub the mixture on your gums. Fifty milligrams of powdered progesterone is about 1/32 teaspoon.

Do not use synthetic vitamin E (alpha tocopherol acetate — the acetate indicates that it’s synthetic). Natural vitamin E will be labeled “d alpha tocopherol.” This is the pure D isomer, which is what your body can use. There are also other vitamin E isomers, and you want the complete spectrum of tocopherols and tocotrienols, specifically the beta, gamma, and delta types, in the effective D isomer.

I do not recommend transdermal progesterone, as your skin expresses high levels of 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which causes a significant portion of the progesterone you’re taking to be irreversibly converted primarily into allopregnanolone and cannot be converted back into progesterone.

GABA Is a Far Better Choice Than SSRIs

It’s a travesty that the primary remedy for depression is a drug that not only comes with a laundry list of side effects such as CFS, but also doesn’t address the underlying problem in the first place. Again, depression is not the result of low serotonin.

GABA is a more effective solution for conditions typically treated with SSRIs, such as depression and anxiety, without the adverse effects associated with elevated serotonin.

A far more common problem in depression is GABA deficiency, and increasing GABA can indeed be part of the solution. As explained by Dr. Scott Sherr, director of integrative hyperbaric medicine and health optimization at Hyperbaric Medical Solutions and an expert on neurotransmitter balancers like GABA:

“GABA deficiencies are associated with anxiety, with fear, with depression, with a short temper, phobias, impulsiveness, disorganization, addictions. It’s even associated with schizophrenia and OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder].

You can also have things like IBS and diarrhea, hypertension, tinnitus, chronic pain, migraines, allergies, frequent urination, flushing, sweating, salt cravings, muscle tension. These are all things that could be signs of GABA deficiency. Many have been prescribed an SSRI for some of these symptoms, but … we know that depression is not related to serotonin deficiency.”

In my view, GABA is one of the easiest solutions for depression, anxiety and insomnia, either alone or with progesterone. I recommend a dose of 500 mg to 2,000 mg (2 grams) daily. This range has been shown to relieve anxiety and insomnia in people who are already taking SSRI drugs.

However, according to Sherr, as little as 100 milligrams of GABA has been shown to lower the assessment scores of patients with anxiety and depression disorders. Effects can be further amplified by combining it with the amino acid L-theanine, which is a natural GABA agonist.

Just be careful using GABA products that contain magnesium. While magnesium is very helpful, if you take high doses of GABA, you will get far too much magnesium, which can have a laxative effect.

Interestingly, if you take too much GABA, some of it will get deaminated and convert into succinic acid, an intermediate of the Krebs cycle. As such, GABA also helps boost mitochondrial function at high doses. So, from a toxicity perspective it appears to be very safe.

To Address CFS, Be Sure to Eliminate LA

https://www.youtube.com/embed/bS4PgUmS9MA?si=p5hhcDjZ6jGuZzjF&wmode=transparent&rel=0Download Transcript

As for CFS sufferers, the No. 1 remedy would be to drastically lower your daily LA intake, as excess LA acts as a mitochondrial toxin and severely inhibits cellular energy production. Naturally, if your cellular energy production is low, you’re going to struggle with fatigue and a host of other health problems. PUFAs like LA also disrupt your body’s hormonal equilibrium, imitating the effects of estrogen and cortisol while counteracting androgens and progesterone.

Considering the profoundly serious damage they cause, eliminating seed oils from your diet can go a long way toward improving your health. This includes soy, canola, sunflower, grapeseed, corn, safflower, peanut and rice bran oil.

Also, be mindful of olive oil and avocado oil, as both are commonly adulterated with cheaper seed oils. That said, even pure olive and avocado oil are loaded with LA. If, like me, you’re in the habit of eating olive oil, I would strongly encourage you to limit your intake to 1 tablespoon per day or less. In my view, olive oil is not a magic bullet and if you are already consuming 80 grams of LA per day, it will only worsen, not help, your health.

To avoid these oils, don’t cook with them, of course, but also avoid processed foods, condiments, fast foods and restaurant foods. If you eat out, you’re undoubtedly eating unhealthy amounts of seed oils, as most restaurant foods are loaded with it.

Fried foods, dressing and sauces tend to be key culprits. Your best bet is to prepare most of your food at home, so you know what you are eating and, in the case of seed oils, what you’re not. Chicken and pork are also high in LA and are therefore best avoided. Since these animals, even healthy organically grown animals, are typically fed grains, they are loaded with omega-6 fats and may have 10 times the LA content that beef, lamb or buffalo do.

How Much Linoleic Acid Is Too Much?

Ideally, consider cutting LA down to below 5 grams per day, which is close to what our ancestors used to get. If you’re not sure how much you’re eating, enter your food intake into Cronometer — a free online nutrition tracker — and it will provide you with your total LA intake.

The key to accurate entry is to carefully weigh your food with a digital kitchen scale so you can enter the weight of your food to the nearest gram. Cronometer will tell you how much omega-6 you’re getting from your food down to the 10th of a gram, and you can assume 90% of that is LA. Anything over 5 grams is likely to cause problems.

Sources and References

• ^1, 2, 6 Haidut.me March 22, 2024
• ^3, 5 Journal of Translational Medicine 2024; 22, Article number 34
• ⁴ Science Alert March 20, 2024

SOURCE: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/04/19/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors.aspx?ui=1219e819b0c2dc269c5618c626f922b2b5787474db9286b05a98de6e27c5155c&sd=20110604&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1ReadMore&cid=20240419_HL2&foDate=true&mid=DM1559692&rid=2099958223

SSRI drugs, serotonin (5-HT) can cause chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

 HAIDUT  MARCH 22, 2024

Mainstream medicine does not officially recognize the condition commonly known as CFS. Depending on which doctor one asks, the response would be that CFS is either hypochondria, malingering, mental illness, hidden substance abuse disorder, subclinical viral infection, or just sensationalism. As such, the treatment for most patients suspected as having CFS has usually been prescribed (psycho)therapy and SSRI drugs to treat their suspected underlying mental illness. Unfortunately, a new study below demonstrated that SSRI drugs are just about the worst treatment a CFS patient can get due to the fact that it is elevated extracellular 5-HT potentially causing most of the CFS symptoms, especially the debilitating physical/mental fatigue. I am actually surprised it took researchers so long to make that connection, considering the well-tested so-called “central fatigue hypothesis” (CFH), which stipulates that most of the perception of fatigue is brain-derived and often is not peripherally biochemically justified. More specifically, it is the accumulation of serotonin in the brain, which leads one to perceive severe fatigue even if the bioenergetic state of their muscles do not demonstrate signs of fatigue (e.g. lactate buildup, creatine kinase and LDH leakage, ammonia accumulation, etc). Conversely, lowering serotonin levels in the brain usually leads to abolishing the feelings of fatigue. In fact, there are multiple animal studies demonstrating that tryptophan depletion in the brain (which leads to lower 5-HT levels in the brain) is a reliable mechanism to delay or even abolish feelings of fatigue even in animals whose muscles are biochemically fatigued.

Well, the primary symptom of CFS is…fatigue. Also, multiple studies have demonstrated that aside from mitochondrial dysfunction, the cells of CFS sufferers do not exhibit the biochemical signs of  fatigue. In some cases, there is a buildup of pyruvate and lactate, but this finding is not consistent. It is this lack of direct evidence of true biochemical fatigue that is the likely main driver behind medicine’s decision to not recognize CFS as an actual organic condition, and to often accuse CFS patients of malingering or hypochondria. However, when viewed through the CFH lenses the CFS condition makes perfect sense and, of course, involves elevated brain serotonin (5-HT). Another fact implicating 5-HT as a causal agent in CFS is the fact that most CFS patients seem to develop the condition as a result of viral infection. As I have posted in the past, most viral infections require activation of specific 5-HT receptors (by elevated serotonin) in order for the infection to take hold, and blocking these receptors either prevents the infection altogether or can treat an already established one. Case in point, recent studies have implicated serotonin overload in COVID-19, and several studies have demonstrated that anti-serotonin drugs such as famotidine or cinanserin can be therapeutic for COVID-19. I suppose it goes without saying that chronic stress can also cause CFS since the former is a well-known inducer of 5-HT synthesis by reliably raises tryptophan (and thus 5-HT) levels in the brain.

Long story short – just 4 weeks of fluoxetine (Prozac) administration to animals induced all the signs/symptoms of CFS. Conversely, inhibiting serotonin synthesis with the drug Fenclonine reversed the already induced CFS. This finding suggests that 5-HT antagonists such as Benadryl, famotidine, cyproheptadine, and ergot class of drugs may also be reliable treatments for CFS. Aspirin inhibits tryptophan absorption from the GI tract and lowers extracellular 5-HT, so that could be another potential remedy. Finally, ingesting BCAA amino acids, as well as tyrosine/phenylalanine may also lead to 5-HT depletion in the brain. In fact, that amino acid protocol was used suucessfully in a prior animal study to delay/block central fatigue due to exhaustive exercise. Finally, androgens such as testosterone and DHT are also 5-HT synthesis inhibitors, as is progesterone, so those steroids may also be viable tools for treating CFS.

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-023-04808-x

https://www.sciencealert.com/antidepressants-could-trigger-some-cases-of-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

“…Now a new study based on mice suggests that some drugs used to treat depression, which commonly accompanies ME/CFS, could also ignite the condition. Based on clinical clues, Jin‑Seok Lee, a ME/CFS researcher at Daejeon University in South Korea, and colleagues hypothesized that a spillover of serotonin could lead to ME/CFS. Known to play a role in governing moods, declining levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin have long been thought to cause depression. Although that theory is now disputed, treatments that target serotonin pathways – such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) – are some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. By blocking receptors that bind and remove serotonin from the signalling pathway, the medication artificially maintains a higher level of the mood messenger. According to several decades-old studies, some patients with ME/CFS appear to have fewer serotonin transporters than healthy volunteers, and may also have receptors that only weakly bind serotonin. Lee and colleagues thought that if such people had coincidentally been treated with serotonin-based treatments for depression before they developed ME/CFS, they may have had excessive levels of serotonin in their brain. This could have triggered ME/CFS by throwing off a feedback mechanism designed to keep a lid on the immune system and inflammation.”

“…After four weeks, animals treated with fluoxetine had higher levels of serotonin in two parts of the brain, the hypothalamus and dorsal raphe nucleus. They also developed behaviors that resembled the main symptoms of ME/CFS seen in humans, including unrefreshing sleep, PEM and orthostatic intolerance, but not cognitive impairment. These behaviors disappeared six weeks after the drug was stopped…Another experiment showed inhibiting serotonin production could alleviate their symptoms. “Our study provides the first translational [animal] evidence for the involvement of serotonergic hyperactivity in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS,” Lee and colleagues conclude, adding that high levels of serotonin could also be used to distinguish ME/CFS from other similar disorders such as fibromyalgia.”

Hydrogen Peroxide for Respiratory Infections

April 9, 2024 Notes gathered by Bill Dawson

Nebulized hydrogen peroxide is an effective treatment for colds, flu, Covid, and other respiratory infections. This is an old therapy that is still quite effective and has the advantage that pathogens don’t become resistant to it. The hydrogen peroxide sold in drug stores has proprietary stabilizing chemicals added to it. While that could be used in a pinch, it is best to purchase food grade hydrogen peroxide for use in a nebulizer, diluted with a saline solution as described below.

“Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) consists of a water molecule (H₂O) with an extra oxygen atom (O₂), and it is the additional oxygen atom that allows it to inactivate viral pathogens. Some of your immune cells produce hydrogen peroxide to destroy pathogens. By killing the infected cell, viral reproduction is stopped. So, hydrogen peroxide therapy aids your immune cells to perform their natural function more effectively.

Many studies have investigated the use of hydrogen peroxide against different pathogens. For example, a 2020 review⁴⁰ of 22 studies found that 0.5% hydrogen peroxide effectively inactivated a range of human coronaviruses, including those responsible for SARS and MERS, within one minute of exposure.

According to Brownstein, all pathogens studied to date have been found to succumb to hydrogen peroxide, albeit at varying concentrations and for different amounts of exposure.

While you can use virtually any percentage of food grade peroxide, it’s crucial to dilute it properly before use. What you want is a 0.1% dilution, so even a 3% hydrogen peroxide will need to be diluted at least 30 times.

In a pinch, you could use commercial 3% hydrogen peroxide, the stuff used for wound care, but I don’t recommend routine use of it as it contains stabilizing chemicals that can detract from the benefits. Also, you want to dilute the hydrogen peroxide with hypertonic saline, not plain water, as the lack of electrolytes in the water can damage your lungs if you nebulize that. Using saline prevents the osmotic differential that can damage lung cells.

To end up with a final peroxide/hypertonic saline solution concentration of 0.1%, you need to go through two steps:

1. Create the hypertonic saline solution
2. Dilute the peroxide

I used to recommend using normal saline, which contains 0.9% salt, but a 2021 study⁴¹ found that a 1.5% sodium chloride solution (hypertonic saline) achieved a 100% inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro (in cell culture). Using lower levels of saline, like 1.1%, only inhibited 88%. So, I now recommend using hypertonic saline instead, which would be slightly less than double the amount of salt used to make normal saline.

To make hypertonic (1.5%) saline, simply mix 1.5 teaspoons of high-quality unprocessed salt to one pint of purified or distilled water. Stir until the salt is thoroughly dissolved. Be sure to use proper measuring spoons and not a regular kitchen teaspoon. For even greater precision, you could use a digital scale to measure out exactly 7.1 grams of salt.

If the 1.5% hypertonic solution causes nasal burning, irritation or cough, you can lower the concentration to 0.9% salt, which is isotonic normal saline. For this you would decrease the salt to one level teaspoon to one pint of water. Once you have your saline solution and a food grade hydrogen peroxide, dilute the peroxide according to the following chart, based on the concentration you’re starting with.

[Dr. Brownstein prefers to use a 0.04% concentration which he achieves by diluting 3ml of a 3% mixture, adding it to 250ml of normal saline. To this, he adds one drop of Lugol’s solution prior to nebulizing.]

!WARNING:

Food grade peroxide at concentrations of 12% and 36% should NEVER be used full-strength either topically or internally. It MUST be diluted or severe injury can occur. Your safest bet is to use 3% food grade peroxide and dilute it as indicated so you end up with a solution of 0.1%.

Once you have your peroxide-saline solution, simply pour 1 teaspoon of it into the nebulizer and inhale the entire amount. If you like, you can add one drop of 5% Lugol’s iodine solution to the nebulizer as well. Some find it boosts the effects.

I recommend using nebulized peroxide for any suspected respiratory infection, and the earlier you start, the better. If you’re already presenting with a runny nose or sore throat, use the nebulizer for 10 to 15 minutes four times a day until your symptoms are relieved.

You can also use nebulized hydrogen peroxide for prevention and maintenance, which may be advisable during flu season. There is no danger in doing it every day if you’re frequently exposed, and there may even be additional beneficial effects, such as a rapid rise in your blood oxygen level.”

Source Scientists Warn Bird Flu Outbreak Could Be 100 Times Worse Than COVID

From another Mercola article: nebulizer recommendation and more dilution instructions, showing how to make a 0,04%concentration.

“Nebulized hydrogen peroxide is extremely safe. Brownstein has used it for 25 years with no ill effects being found. It’s also incredibly inexpensive, and you can administer it at home, without a prescription. In my view, it is one of the absolute best therapies for viral infections like SARS-CoV-2 or even worse respiratory viruses that will likely be unleashed in the future.

You need to buy a desktop nebulizer (it needs to produce a very fine mist and desktop versions are stronger than handheld battery operated models). The one I use is the Pari Trek S Compressor Aerosol System. The large battery option is unnecessary as you can simply plug in the device to run it when you need it.

Please understand, though, that the Pari Trek S is designed to treat asthmatics and as such only comes with a mouthpiece. While this would get the peroxide in the lungs where it is needed, it does nothing to reach the sinuses, which are also likely infected. This is why it would be worth pick up some face masks on Amazon to use instead of the mouthpiece as they are only about $10.

It is important to acquire this BEFORE you need it, as the sooner you treat the infection the better your results will be, although the testimonials are unbelievably impressive even in late stage illness. It is not necessary to treat yourself preventively, but only if you are sick or exposed to someone who is.

While I’ve been using a 0.1% dilution, Brownstein uses an even lower concentration of just 0.04%. Neither Brownstein nor I recommend using commercial 3% hydrogen peroxide found in most grocery stores, however, as it has potentially toxic chemical stabilizers in it. Then take 3 to 5 ml and put that into the nebulizer and inhale the entire amount.

You can do this every hour when you are sick until you start to notice improvement and then back down to every four to six hours and continue until you are over the illness.

Since you are not using full strength 3% peroxide and diluting it by 30 to 50 times, it is unlikely the stabilizers will present a problem, but to be safe it is best to use FOOD-GRADE peroxide. Also remember not to dilute it with plain water as the lack of electrolytes in the water can damage your lungs if you nebulize that. You will need to use saline or add a small amount of salt to the water to eliminate this risk.

Brownstein also dilutes the peroxide with sterile water and saline rather than distilled water. Using saline prevents the osmotic differential that can cause damage to lung cells. Brownstein dilutes the 35% food-grade peroxide as follows. When nebulizing, Brownstein also adds one drop of 5% Lugol’s solution to the nebulizer as well.

• Dilute 35% food-grade peroxide down to 3% by mixing 1 part peroxide with 10 parts sterile water
• Take 3 cubic centimeters (CCs) of that 3% dilution and add it to a 250CC bag of normal saline. This brings it down to a .04% hydrogen peroxide concentration”

Source: How Nebulized Peroxide Helps Against Respiratory Infections

More on how hydrogen peroxide therapy works.

“Your immune cells actually produce hydrogen peroxide. This is in part how your immune system kills cells that have been infected with a virus. By killing the infected cell, viral reproduction is stopped. So, hydrogen peroxide therapy is in essence only aiding your immune cells to perform their natural function more effectively.

Hydrogen peroxide is also a key redox signaling agent. As explained in the March 30, 2020, review article from my absolute favorite journal Nature Reviews Molecular Biology “Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) as Pleiotropic Physical Signaling Agents”:⁷

“At the low physiological levels in the nanomolar range, H₂O₂ is the major agent signaling through specific protein targets, which engage in metabolic regulation and stress responses to support cellular adaptation to a changing environment and stress …

Recent methodological advances permit the assessment of molecular interactions of specific ROS [reactive oxygen species] molecules with specific targets in redox signaling pathways.

Accordingly, major advances have occurred in understanding the role of these oxidants in physiology and disease, including the nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems, skeletal muscle and metabolic regulation as well as ageing and cancer.

In the past, unspecific elimination of ROS by use of low molecular mass antioxidant compounds was not successful in counteracting disease initiation and progression in clinical trials. However, controlling specific ROS-mediated signaling pathways by selective targeting offers a perspective for a future of more refined redox medicine.”

In short, hydrogen peroxide is a major ROS, but while ROS are typically thought of as “all bad,” this is a gross oversimplification. As noted in this paper, blanket elimination of ROS is inadvisable as they actually serve important signaling functions. The paper, which is behind a paywall, further explains:⁸

“Steady-state physiological flux of H₂O₂ to specific protein targets leads to reversible oxidation, thereby altering protein activity, localization and interactions, which contributes to orchestration of various processes in cells and organs, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and angiogenesis. This state of low-level H₂O₂ maintenance and its associated physiological redox signaling is called ‘oxidative eustress.'”

Contrary to oxidative stress or oxidative distress, oxidative eustress denotes an oxidative challenge that has positive or beneficial effects and is essential in redox signaling.”

From Could Hydrogen Peroxide Treat Coronavirus?

Hydrogen peroxide functions as a signaling molecule in various biological pathways as described in this abstract:

“Increasing evidence implicates hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as an intra- and intercellular signaling molecule that can influence processes from embryonic development to cell death. Most research has focused on relatively slow signaling, on the order of minutes to days, via second messenger cascades. However, H₂O₂ can also mediate subsecond signaling via ion channel activation. This rapid signaling has been examined most thoroughly in the nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) pathway, which plays a key role in facilitating movement mediated by the basal ganglia. In DA neurons of the substantia nigra, endogenously generated H₂O₂ activates ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channels that inhibit DA neuron firing. In the striatum, H₂O₂ generated downstream from glutamatergic AMPA receptor activation in medium spiny neurons acts as a diffusible messenger that inhibits axonal DA release, also via K_ATP channels. The source of dynamically generated H₂O₂ is mitochondrial respiration; thus, H₂O₂ provides a novel link between activity and metabolism via K_ATP channels. Additional targets of H₂O₂ include transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. In contrast to the inhibitory effect of H₂O₂ acting via K_ATP channels, TRP channel activation is excitatory. This review describes emerging roles of H₂O₂ as a signaling agent in the nigrostriatal pathway and other basal ganglia neurons.”

Source: H₂O₂: A Dynamic Neuromodulator

“Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is widely regarded as a cytotoxic agent whose levels must be minimized by the action of antioxidant defence enzymes. In fact, H₂O₂ is poorly reactive in the absence of transition metal ions. Exposure of certain human tissues to H₂O₂ may be greater than is commonly supposed: substantial amounts of H₂O₂ can be present in beverages commonly drunk (especially instant coffee), in freshly voided human urine, and in exhaled air. Levels of H₂O₂ in the human body may be controlled not only by catabolism but also by excretion, and H₂O₂ could play a role in the regulation of renal function and as an antibacterial agent in the urine. Urinary H₂O₂ levels are influenced by diet, but under certain conditions might be a valuable biomarker of ‘oxidative stress’.”

Source: Hydrogen peroxide in the human body

‘Shocking Cover-up’: DOJ Lawyers Committed Fraud in Vaccine Injury Case, CHD Attorney Alleges in Motion Filed Today

Rolf Hazlehurst, a Children’s Health Defense staff attorney and father of a son diagnosed with autism, today filed a motion in federal court alleging lawyers representing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services fraudulently concealed and misrepresented evidence that vaccines can cause autism.

4/2/2024

By 

Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

Rolf Hazlehurst, a Children’s Health Defense (CHD) staff attorney and father of a son with autism, today filed a motion in federal court alleging lawyers representing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fraudulently concealed evidence that vaccines can cause autism.

In a motion filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Hazlehurst alleged that U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers who represented HHS in vaccine injury cases repeatedly defrauded the judicial system — from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) to the U.S. Supreme Court.

That fraud led to thousands of families of vaccine-injured children being denied the right to compensation and the right to have their cases heard, according to the motion.

“This motion makes very serious and well-substantiated allegations of a massive scheme of fraud on the courts,” said Kim Mack Rosenberg, CHD general counsel who also is of counsel to Hazlehurst in the federal case.

“The evidence submitted in support of the motion clearly shows that attorneys from the Department of Justice concealed and misrepresented highly relevant information from the special masters in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and the judges in the courts,” Mack Rosenberg told The Defender.

Hazlehurst’s son Yates regressed into autism after being vaccinated as an infant. In the early 2000s, his family and thousands of others filed cases seeking compensation for vaccine-induced autism through the NVICP.

The program consolidated all of the petitions into the Omnibus Autism Proceeding (OAP) and selected six representative “test cases” — of which Yates’ was the second — as the basis for determining the outcome of the remaining 5,400 cases.

Unbeknownst at the time to the petitioners and the NVICP special masters, the DOJ’s star expert medical witness, Dr. Andrew Zimmerman informed DOJ attorneys during the ongoing omnibus proceedings that he had reversed his original opinion and determined that vaccines can and do cause autism in some cases.

In what Hazlehurst alleges was “a shocking cover-up,” instead of allowing Zimmerman to share his revised opinion, the DOJ attorneys relieved Zimmerman of his duties as a witness.

However, they continued to use excerpts from his unamended written opinion to make their case that vaccines did not cause autism — misrepresenting his position and committing “fraud on the court.”

“The Wuhan Cover-Up” by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

ORDER NOW

According to the motion, the DOJ’s first act of fraud snowballed into a scheme of deception with far-reaching implications in which DOJ attorneys repeatedly misrepresented Zimmerman’s opinion and concealed other evidence that emerged during the test case hearings in the OAP in subsequent cases before multiple courts.

“As a result, thousands of cases in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding were denied compensation and the impact beyond the OAP is enormous,” Mack Rosenberg said. “This fraud affected the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program — especially the Omnibus Autism Proceeding — the Court of Federal Claims, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and even the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Hazlehurst said he is “asking the court to give this motion the serious attention it deserves.” He added, “At a minimum, the court should allow discovery and hold a hearing on this motion.”

Overturning a ruling due to fraud on the court is an extraordinary remedy reserved for extraordinary cases but according to Hazlehurst, “This motion we filed shows that this indeed is an extraordinary case.”

The DOJ has until April 30 to respond to the motion.

CHD CEO Mary Holland told The Defender, “Vaccines most definitely do cause autism, and the government has been lying about this reality for decades.”

Holland added:

“With others, I published a law review article in 2011 showing that the government absolutely knew that vaccines cause autism — and yet they have covered it up and lied about it since the inception of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

“How many hundreds of thousands of children and families would have been spared the heartaches and crushing financial burdens of autism had the government come clean?”

‘Exceptionally difficult’ to obtain compensation through NVICP

In the late 1980s, a substantial number of lawsuits for vaccine injuries related to Wyeth’s (now Pfizer) DPT vaccine, combined with “grossly insufficient compensation” for victims of vaccine injury, threatened the vaccine program’s viability.

In response, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which established the “vaccine court.” The law gave the pharmaceutical industry broad protection from liability and proposed to compensate vaccine-injured children through the new NVICP.

The NVICP originally was designed to be a “swift, flexible, and less adversarial alternative to the often costly and lengthy civil arena of traditional tort litigation.”

To receive compensation, parents file a claim with the program.

The Court of Federal Claims (which oversees the program) appoints “special masters” — typically lawyers who previously represented the U.S. government — to manage and decide the individual claims. Attorneys may represent the petitioners, and the DOJ represents HHS.

NVICP proceedings are more informal than a typical courtroom. Unlike regular court proceedings, petitioners in the “vaccine court” have no right to discovery.

If a petitioner files a claim for a vaccine covered under the program and listed on the Vaccine Injury Table — the list of known vaccine side effects associated with certain vaccines within set time frames — it is presumed that a vaccine caused the petitioner’s injury and the petitioner is eligible for compensation without proof of causation.

However, if a petitioner experiences an “off-table injury” — an injury not listed on the table or that didn’t happen in the recognized injury time frame — the petitioner must prove by “a preponderance of evidence” that the vaccine caused the injury. Evidence includes medical records and expert witness testimony.

Claims must be filed within three years of the first symptom or two years of death.

Petitioners must provide a medical theory of the cause, a sequence of cause and effect, and show a temporal relationship between vaccine and injury.

However, the NVICP does not specify the required volume and type of evidence, so meeting the “preponderance of evidence” standard is largely at the discretion of the special master.

Petitioners can appeal NVICP cases to the Court of Federal Claims, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and ultimately to the U.S. Supreme Court.

It is “exceptionally difficult” to obtain compensation within the NVICP, Hazlehurst told The Defender. The proceedings are often turned into drawn-out, contentious expert battles and the backlog of cases is substantial.

The Vaccine Act of 1986 is unjust for petitioners, Hazlehurst alleges. And that injustice reached its zenith with the OAP, when the DOJ perpetrated fraud right under the noses of the special masters, signaling the beginning of the fraud on the courts that continues to this day.

Hazlehurst told The Defender he hopes his motion will shed light on the damage inflicted by this law and that it will ultimately help end the autism epidemic.

“The Vaccine Act of 1986 is one of the fundamental causes of the autism epidemic,” Hazlehurst said. “Understanding why this is true, and how the United States Department of Justice perpetrated fraud upon the courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States, is the key to ending the autism epidemic.”

RFK Jr. and Brian Hooker’s New Book: “Vax-Unvax”

ORDER NOW

A short history of the autism omnibus proceedings

By 2002, to address a “massive influx” of petitions alleging vaccine-induced autism, the Office of Special Masters combined over 5,000 claims into the OAP to determine whether vaccines cause autism and if so, under what conditions.

Initially, the NVICP planned to investigate causation issues and apply those general findings to individual cases. However, the program changed its strategy and instead selected six “test cases” by which it would examine the evidence for injuries caused by the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine, thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCV), or a combination of both.

Then it would apply the findings of the test cases to other similar cases.

In doing so, Hazlehurst alleges, the court conflated general causation evidence with specific causation evidence from a few cases, without allowing for rules of discovery or evidence that would apply in an actual court.

This, Hazlehurst said, “was a recipe for disaster” as each test case was then used to determine the outcome for the remaining 5,000 cases.

Three cases — Cedillo v. HHS, Hazlehurst v. HHS and Poling v. HHS — are at the center of the alleged fraud by the DOJ.

Fraud #1: the Zimmerman testimony

Hearings for the first OAP test case, Cedillo v. HHS, began in 2007. Zimmerman had worked with the DOJ to prepare an expert report on behalf of HHS finding that Michelle Cedillo’s autism had likely not been caused by the MMR vaccine.

Zimmerman later wrote in a 2018 affidavit that he attended the Cedillo hearing and listened to the testimony of Dr. Marcel Kinsbourne, another world-renowned expert in pediatric neurology.

On that basis, Zimmerman stated, he decided to clarify his written expert opinion about Michelle Cedillo, concerned it would be taken out of context.

Zimmerman spoke with DOJ attorneys to clarify that his expert opinion in the Cedillo case “was not intended to be a blanket statement as to all children and all medical science,” according to the 2018 affidavit.

He specified that advances in science, medicine and his own clinical research had led him to believe there were exceptions in which vaccinations could cause autism.

He also referred the attorneys to a paper he published with colleagues in 2006, the Poling paper, describing the case of an unidentified child who suffered regressive autism following vaccine adverse reactions. The paper suggested a possible association between mitochondrial dysfunction, vaccinations and regressive autism.

After communicating this evidence to DOJ attorneys, the DOJ dismissed Zimmerman as a witness but continued to use his written opinion as general causation evidence.

The DOJ was also allowed to use that report, submitted in one test case, as general causation evidence in other test cases.

None of the petitioners in the test cases could cross-examine Zimmerman, because he was no longer a witness. This was only possible because the federal rules of evidence do not apply in NVICP proceedings.

Yates’ case, Hazlehurst v. HHS, was the second test case in the OAP. His treating neurologist, Dr. Jean-Ronel Corbier testified Yates’ autism was likely caused by a genetic predisposition combined with an environmental insult in the form of vaccinations administered when Yates was ill. (Yates was a patient of Zimmerman in 2002.)

Corbier’s theory of causation in Yates was similar to the theory developed by Zimmerman in the Poling paper and shared with DOJ attorneys.

Yet, despite knowing Zimmerman had concluded that in a subset of children like Yates, vaccines can cause autism, the DOJ “intentionally and fraudulently” misrepresented Zimmerman’s expert testimony in its closing statements in Yates’ case, Hazlehurst alleges.

DOJ attorneys selectively quoted Zimmerman’s expert report from the Cedillo case, telling the court that Zimmerman found there was “no sound evidence to support a causative relationship with exposure to both or either MMR and/or mercury,” when Zimmerman had explicitly told the DOJ that his opinion was the opposite, according to the affidavit.

Fraud #2: the Hannah Poling case

Three weeks after closing arguments in Yates’ case, the DOJ quietly conceded Hannah Poling’s case, which was on the verge of becoming the fourth test case.

Hannah regressed into autism over several months after being vaccinated against nine diseases at one doctor’s visit.

In 2003, Poling’s father, Jon, a physician and trained neurologist, and mother, Terry, an attorney and nurse, filed an autism petition against HHS under the NVICP for their daughter’s injuries.

Jon Poling was a co-author of the 2006 paper with Zimmerman that analyzed an unnamed child, later revealed as Hannah Poling, who had a mitochondrial disorder — a condition with which Yates was later diagnosed.

In 2007, just three weeks after the lead DOJ attorney misrepresented Zimmerman’s opinion during the hearing in Hazlehurst, the same DOJ attorney submitted a report to the special masters conceding that in the case of Poling v. HHS, Hannah’s “regressive encephalopathy with features of autism spectrum disorder” (i.e., regressive autism) was caused by a vaccine injury, based upon a preponderance of the evidence standard.

This was the same neurological diagnosis Zimmerman had made for Yates in 2002.

According to court documents, if HHS had not conceded Poling, Poling v. HHS would have been designated as a test case. However, because the DOJ conceded the case, it was taken out of the omnibus and the DOJ had the case records sealed —- although they were later leaked to the press and published in the Huffington Post in 2008.

In March 2008, Hannah’s parents moved to make the proceedings transparent and available to the public, but the DOJ opposed the motion and the NVICP deferred a ruling on the motion for 60 days.

During those 60 days, the DOJ filed amendments to its report conceding the Poling case. It retroactively changed the basis for compensation to say that Hannah had a “table injury.”

This meant that instead of conceding that the petitioners had proven with a preponderance of evidence that the vaccines caused her autism, they said she had a presumptive injury on the vaccine table, in which causation is presumed.

By conceding the Poling case, opposing the parents’ motion for complete transparency and changing the basis for compensation, the DOJ was able to conceal fraud and critical material evidence of how vaccines cause autism, according to Hazlehurst.

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Fraud #3: appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court

On Feb. 12, 2009, the special masters denied compensation in the first three cases. They found the petitioners failed to establish causation between MMR or TCV vaccines and autism.

In Hazlehurst’s case, the NVICP explicitly relied on the portion of Zimmerman’s expert report that DOJ attorneys misrepresented.

The Hazlehursts appealed to the Court of Federal Claims and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, both of which upheld the special master’s decision — by relying on Zimmerman’s misrepresented opinion and knowingly fraudulent statements made by a DOJ attorney, according to Hazlehurst.

Those prior decisions directly influenced the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Bruesewitz v. Wyeth.

In that case, Wyeth, now Pfizer, argued that a decision favoring the Bruesewitz family — who was attempting to sue the company for their daughter’s vaccine injury — would lead to a “flood of frivolous lawsuits,” including by the families from the omnibus.

Amicus briefs from the American Academy of Pediatrics, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Sanofi Pasteur on behalf of Wyeth relied on Hazlehurst v. HHS and other OAP decisions that were based on the misrepresentation of Zimmerman’s testimony that there was “no scientific basis” that vaccines cause autism.

The Supreme Court ruled that the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, and the NVICP it created, preempt all design-defect claims against vaccine manufacturers by individuals seeking compensation for injury or death.

In oral arguments and in their written opinions, the justices explicitly cited the portions of the amicus briefs citing Hazlehurst v. HHS and other OAP rulings that relied on the DOJ misrepresentations in their rulings.

Since that ruling, the special masters have continued to rely on the DOJ’s fraudulent claims to deny compensation to families filing complaints in the NVICP.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CHD chairman on leave, and Hazlehurst in September 2018 filed a complaint with the DOJ Office of Inspector General outlining what they then knew about the DOJ’s fraud during the OAP.

The DOJ Office of Professional Misconduct investigated and responded in a June 2019 letter that it found no wrongdoing.

In that letter, however, the Office of Professional Responsibility conceded the DOJ had in fact kept Zimmerman’s testimony while dismissing him as a witness in order to avoid creating the appearance that he had changed his opinion and to prevent the petitioners from cross-examining him, according to Hazlehurst.

The ‘fraud on the court’ doctrine 

It has taken 17 years, Hazlehurst said, since the DOJ’s first alleged act of fraud upon the court, for him to gather all of the admissible evidence necessary to “connect the dots and reveal the DOJ’s web of deceit” to make this claim under the “fraud on the court” doctrine.

Under this doctrine, codified as Rule 60(d)(3) in the rules of the Court of Federal Claims, there is no time limit for the court to overturn a judgment made on the basis of fraud on the court.

The petitioner must demonstrate that there was fraud, intent to defraud and that the fraud affected more than one instance of litigation — putting the integrity of the judicial process at stake.

Hazlehurst alleges DOJ attorneys committed fraud by knowingly making false statements and offering evidence they knew to be false and that they did not take remedial action to disclose information they knew to be false and misleading to the court.

The special masters themselves have an obligation to consider all relevant evidence, but didn’t, in this case, Hazlehurst said. Instead, they ignored the contradictions in Zimmerman’s opinions and ignored the Poling evidence.

This is particularly problematic for NVICP cases, where petitioners can’t conduct meaningful discovery or cross-examination and the special masters’ oversight is the only meaningful safeguard to prevent the DOJ’s abuse of power, according to Hazlehurst.

“There is nothing fair about a government proceeding where the government controls the admissibility of evidence,” he said.

Hazlehurst said that by forcing people injured by vaccines into an administrative program, petitioners are deprived of the basic constitutional rights to due process and equal protection under the law. “It should be declared unconstitutional,” he said.

Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

Brenda Baletti Ph.D. is a reporter for The Defender. She wrote and taught about capitalism and politics for 10 years in the writing program at Duke University. She holds a Ph.D. in human geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s from the University of Texas at Austin.

source: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/doj-chd-rolf-hazlehurst-fraud-vaccine-injury-case-children-autism/

Study: These 3 Supplements Boost Your Heart Health

March 27, 2024 Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• An analysis of 884 randomized controlled trials including 27 micronutrients and 883,627 participants demonstrated that folic acid, coenzyme Q10 and omega-3 fatty acids could reduce heart disease mortality, heart attack and coronary heart disease events
• Omega-3, folate and CoQ10 help support more than your heart, including reducing the risk of dementia, age-related cognitive decline and major depressive disorder, promoting DNA synthesis and red blood cell production, lowering blood pressure and decreasing brain shrinkage, to name a few
• While the study is encouraging, you can do more to protect your heart health, including getting adequate sleep, appropriate exercise, using a sauna and doing breathing exercises, taking care of your gums and avoiding lifestyle choices that damage heart health

A December 2022 paper¹ analyzed 884 clinical trials and 27 micronutrients to determine the nutrients that have the biggest impact on heart health. The focus on heart disease is important since it continues to be the leading cause of death in the U.S.²

Cardiovascular disease is a term that encompasses several types of conditions, many of which are related to atherosclerosis. In this condition, there’s a buildup of plaque along the walls of the artery which makes it more difficult for blood to flow and oxygen to reach the muscles. Heart disease contributes to some of the other leading causes of death, including stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

According to the World fHealth Organization,³ 4 out of every 5 cardiovascular deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and roughly one-third of these occur in people under 70 years of age. In the U.S.,⁴ one person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds and roughly 1 out of every 5 heart attacks are silent. This means the heart attack happened, the damage is done, but the person is not aware of the event.

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,⁵ 90% of the annual health care bill totaling $4.1 trillion is dedicated to caring for people with chronic and mental health conditions. Of those, one-third of all deaths are from heart disease and stroke, which has an economic burden of $216 billion every year and $147 billion in lost productivity.

Cardiovascular disease is a multifactorial health condition that must be addressed using a variety of strategies. This systematic review of the literature⁶ helped identify three nutritional supplements that have had the biggest impact, but not the only impact, on cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Data Show 3 Supplements Boost Heart Health

The study⁷ was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology with the objective of providing an up-to-date evidence-based diagram of the impact that micronutrients have on cardiovascular disease outcomes.

The researchers analyzed 884 randomized controlled clinical trials that included 27 micronutrients and 883,627 participants. The supplements tested included omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, folate, vitamin D, magnesium, L-arginine, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), melatonin, curcumin and quercetin, to name a few. These were among the supplements that suggested moderate to high-quality evidence for reducing risk factors associated with heart disease.

Specifically, the researchers found that omega-3 supplementation reduced heart disease mortality, heart attack and coronary heart disease events. Folate supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of stroke and CoQ10 helped reduce all-cause mortality events. The researchers concluded that their data highlighted the “importance of micronutrient diversity and the balance of benefits and risks to promote and maintain cardiovascular health in diverse populations.”⁸

In other words, the diversity and balance of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients from a well-balanced, whole-food diet could help promote and maintain heart health. Unfortunately, monocropping,⁹ nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides have destroyed soil health,¹⁰ so with each passing year it becomes more challenging to get enough vitamins and minerals from whole foods.^11,12

The data also showed that supplementing with beta-carotene could increase the risk of death,¹³ which is likely because it converts to vitamin A in the body and supplementing increases the risk of toxicity.¹⁴ In a press release,¹⁵ the researchers acknowledged that antioxidants have long been known to play a role in heart health by reducing oxidative stress.

They believe that one reason past studies have been inconsistent is that the approach of using antioxidant therapy hasn’t been widely adopted in preventive cardiology. The researchers said the findings suggest there is a need for personalized dietary interventions and further study is required to look at the long-term effects that some micronutrients have on health.

Dr. Simin Liu, professor of epidemiology and medicine at Brown University and a principal investigator for the study, discussed the results of the study in a press release:¹⁶

“Research on micronutrient supplementation has mainly focused on the health effects of a single or a few vitamins and minerals. We decided to take a comprehensive and systematic approach to evaluate all the publicly available and accessible studies reporting all micronutrients, including phytochemicals and antioxidant supplements and their effects on cardiovascular risk factors as well as multiple cardiovascular diseases.”

Heart Problems May Be Linked to Herbal Supplements

Since much of mainstream reporting appears bent on generalizations that serve the purpose of advertisers, it is crucial to ask questions as you read, and not take things at face value. For example, a December 2022 Insider article¹⁷ reported that even though researchers found three supplements that could help improve heart health, and one that doesn’t help, there were other studies showing problems with fish oil.

The article gives several examples and links to more research, but what it illustrates is that, depending on the publication and the authors’ affiliations and objectives, it’s important to keep an open mind when you see a study, and to remember this is one reason why it’s important to keep your doctor informed about what you’re taking, if for no other reason than because some supplements can interfere with certain prescription drugs.

Another concern is that cardiologists are seeing a rise in heart problems in connection with certain herbal remedies, specifically, heart arrhythmias in young people.¹⁸ (Herbal remedies are derived from a plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark or flowers,¹⁹ and besides in pill form, they often come as a liquid extract, tea, bath salt, oil or ointment.)

According to Cleveland Clinic,²⁰ herbal supplements have been used for centuries, as they are believed to have healing properties. Some examples include aloe vera, echinacea, peppermint oil and chamomile.

The “herbal” supplements that Insider named included fish-based omega-3 and beta carotene, even though fish oil doesn’t qualify as an herbal supplement. In the article, California-based cardiologist Dr. Danielle Belardo names ephedra and bitter orange as the supplements causing the most trouble.

The U.S. banned ephedra in 2004 because it causes arrhythmia, heart attack, stroke and death, but it still shows up in some herbal supplements.²¹ The evidence against bitter orange is inconclusive when taken at commonly used dosages.

Insider also discusses conflicting findings on the benefits of fish oil and ashwagandha, while links within the article lead to more discussion on the pros and cons of fish oil — a source of omega-3, but not the only source.²²

When analyzing all the different outcomes, it’s likely that the mixed research results reflects cases where participants are not always tested for deficiency before the potential benefits of supplementation are measured. It’s also important to note that while nutrients are necessary for optimal health, more of a good thing isn’t necessarily beneficial.

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Omega-3, Folate and CoQ10 Help More Than Your Heart

While the featured study has confirmed what past research has found — that these supplements are associated with improved cardiovascular health — these three nutrients have other health benefits. For example:

•Omega-3 — Just some of the health benefits of maintaining an optimal or near optimal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 include reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease,²³ cognitive decline,²⁴ autoimmune diabetes (Type 1 diabetes),²⁵ eczema or psoriasis,²⁶ tumor growth,²⁷ major depressive disorder and other psychiatric disorders,²⁸ and poor weight management.²⁹

Balanced omega-3 to omega-6 levels also offer protection for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),³⁰ cognitive aging,³¹ and improved recovery after traumatic brain injury.³²

•Folate — Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9 that’s found in food, while folic acid is the synthetic type of B9 found in supplements. Vitamin B9 is essential; your body cannot synthesize it so you must consume it.

Folate is required for DNA synthesis, protein metabolism and red blood cell production.³³ It also supports fetal development, cognitive function during aging,³⁴ lowering blood pressure and decreasing brain shrinkage.³⁵ Deficiency can lead to depression, infertility, heart disease, anemia, muscle weakness and dementia.³⁶

•CoQ10 — Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant your body produces, and the highest levels are found in the pancreas, liver, kidneys and heart.³⁷ Evidence demonstrates that it is integral to mitochondrial function.³⁸

One of the functions of CoQ10 and ubiquinol — the reduced form — is to neutralize the byproducts of cellular metabolism and therefore lower the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).³⁹ Supplementation can help lower the incidence of atrial fibrillation⁴⁰ improve mitochondrial function, and may halt the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).⁴¹

Several More Steps to Protect Your Heart Health

While this study is encouraging, supplementing with omega-3, folate and CoQ10 are not singular strategies that protect your heart health. In other words, your heart health is affected by several factors over which you have control. These include:

Sleep — Insufficient sleep42 and the time you go to bed43 influence your heart health. In the short-term, sleep deprivation also negatively affects your judgment, ability to learn and mood, and increases your risk of an accident or injury.44

Exercise — Exercise, including aerobic and resistance training, helps preserve cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association recommends at least 2.5 hours of getting your heart above a resting rate each week45 to help improve the risk factors associated with heart disease.46 Resistance training reduces muscle loss, which is associated with insulin resistance,47 metabolic dysfunction48 and cardiovascular disease.49

Sauna use — Sauna use mimics exercise and improves heart health. Men using a Finnish-style, dry heat sauna seven times per week cut their risk of death from fatal heart problems in half, compared to those who used it only once a week.50

Breathing exercises — Two minutes of slow rhythmic breathing help lower blood pressure,51 which the researchers suggested could be used therapeutically. A separate study52 from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona found five minutes of focused high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) could lower blood pressure.

Gum health — People with periodontal disease have a higher risk of a serious cardiovascular event, including a stroke or a heart attack.53 It is important to note that people with heart disease don’t all have unhealthy gums and not everyone with unhealthy gums gets cardiovascular disease. Daily flossing and tooth brushing can help reverse the early stages of gum disease, which when left untreated can turn into periodontal disease.

Nutrition — Polyphenol proanthocyanidins unique to cranberries may help support heart health,54 vitamin D can improve heart failure outcomes55 and a vitamin D deficiency is a significant predictor of mortality.56Adequate amounts of vitamin K2 in the diet can significantly lower the risk of atherosclerotic-related heart disease,57 and magnesium, which is essential to many bodily functions, helps maintain normal blood pressure, combats inflammation and improves blood flow, thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.58

Avoiding lifestyle choices that damage heart health — As important as doing something to improve your heart health is not doing the things that damage your heart. For example,59 smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, a sedentary lifestyle and substance abuse are choices that damage your heart.There are also medications and over-the-counter drugs that can cause heart damage in people with diabetes, including commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen (Advil).60

 Sources and References

• ^{1, 6, 7, 8} Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2022;80(24)
• ² National Center for Health Statistics, Leading Causes of Death
• ³ World Health Organization, Cardiovascular Diseases
• ⁴ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Heart Disease Facts
• ⁵ National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases
• ⁹ Food Revolution Network, March 18, 2022
• ¹⁰ Yale Environment 360, May 3, 2017
• ¹¹ NPR, February 24, 2021
• ¹² Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2004;23(6)
• ¹³ Insider, December 13, 2022 para 4
• ¹⁴ AOL, December 14, 2022
• ^15, 16 American College of Cardiology, December 5, 2022
• ¹⁷ Insider, December 13, 2022
• ¹⁸ Insider, September 7, 2022
• ¹⁹ Mount Sinai. Herbal Medicine
• ²⁰ Cleveland Clinic, Herbal Supplements
• ²¹ National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Bitter Orange
• ²² NIH. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• ²³ Alzheimer’s Dementia, 2010;6(6)
• ²⁴ Nutritional Neuroscience, 2008;11(2)
• ²⁵ Diabetes Care, 2021;44(2)
• ²⁶ Dermatology Times, December 11, 2022
• ²⁷ JPEN, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 2002; 26(5)
• ²⁸ Integrative Medicine Research, 2015;4(3)
• ²⁹ BMJ Open Heart, 2016;3(e000385)
• ³⁰ Neurology, June 21, 2023
• ³¹ Neurology, September 25, 2013
• ³² Cell Transplant, 2017;26(4)
• ³³ Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Folate
• ³⁴ Scientific Reports, 2016;6(37486)
• ³⁵ PNAS, 2013;110(3)
• ³⁶ Cleveland Clinic, Folate Deficiency, Complications due to deficiency and symptoms of deficiency
• ³⁷ National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, CoQ10
• ³⁸ Integrative Medicine, 2014;13(4)
• ³⁹ Redox Report, 2018;23(1)
• ⁴⁰ Journal of Investigative Medicine, 2015;63(5)
• ⁴¹ Archives of Medical Research, 2014;45(7)
• ⁴² European Heart Journal, 2021; 2(4)
• ⁴³ Study Finds, November 9, 2021
• ⁴⁴ Better Health Channel, Sleep Deprivation
• ⁴⁵ American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids
• ⁴⁶ Harvard Health Publishing, January 1, 2023
• ⁴⁷ Diabetes Care, 2009;32(2)
• ⁴⁸ Journals of Gerontology, 2017;73(8)
• ⁴⁹ American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2022; 63(2)
• ⁵⁰ JAMA, 2015;175(4)
• ⁵¹ Frontiers in Physiology, 2023;14
• ⁵² Journal of Applied Physiology, October 6, 2022
• ⁵³ Science Daily, February 22, 2021
• ⁵⁴ Food and Function, 2022;7
• ⁵⁵ American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006;83(4)
• ⁵⁶ European Journal of Heart Failure, 2014;14(4)
• ⁵⁷ SciTech Daily, January 1, 2022
• ⁵⁸ BMC Medicine, 2016;14(210)
• ⁵⁹ Stanford Medicine Heart Health, Lifestyle Risk Factors
• ⁶⁰ European Society of Cardiology, August 23, 2022

source: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/27/heart-health-supplements.aspx?ui=1219e819b0c2dc269c5618c626f922b2b5787474db9286b05a98de6e27c5155c&sd=20110604&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1ReadMore&cid=20240327&foDate=true&mid=DM1548997&rid=2080598608

The Steep Cost of Sleep Deprivation

March 11, 2024 Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Sleep deprivation has the same effect on your immune system as physical stress or illness and increases your risk of numerous chronic diseases, including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and Alzheimer’s
• Research confirms that sleep is an important factor in children’s risk for diabetes, and that children need far more sleep than adults. Even at eight hours a night, children were at increased risk of obesity and insulin resistance when compared to those who slept up to 12 hours or more
• Babies have improved recall after napping, suggesting sleep plays an important role in memory solidification. Amyloid plaques, common in Alzheimer’s disease, also build up more quickly when you’re sleep-deprived

Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published September 7, 2017.

What I have learned since this article was initially posted is that if you supply your body, and your brain specifically, with enough near infrared light, the average person will need 48 minutes less of sleep per night. I currently sleep less than six hours a night as per Oura ring sleep tracking data. I rarely use an alarm and have more than enough energy throughout the day. I will be posting more details on near IR light later this year.

Sleep deprivation has the same effect on your immune system as physical stress or illness, which helps explain why lack of sleep has been shown to raise your risk of numerous chronic diseases. Sleep is also intricately tied to important hormone levels, including melatonin — an antioxidant with powerful anticancer activity — which is diminished by lack of sleep, and to brain detoxification and rejuvenation, which only occur during deep sleep.

Cutting just one hour of sleep a night increases the expression of genes associated with inflammation, immune excitability, diabetes, cancer risk and stress.¹ A single night of poor sleep has also been shown to impair your physical movements and mental focus to a degree comparable to having a blood alcohol level of 0.10%.² In other words, lack of sleep can result in a level of impairment on par with someone who’s drunk.

Sleeping well is also important for maintaining emotional balance. Fatigue compromises your brain’s ability to regulate emotions, making you more prone to crankiness, anxiety and unwarranted emotional outbursts.³ Small adjustments to your daily routine and sleeping area can go a long way to ensure uninterrupted, restful sleep and, thereby, better health.

One of the worst things you can do is to reach for a sleeping pill. Research shows these drugs do not work and can have serious side effects. One analysis found that popular sleeping pills reduced the average time it takes to fall asleep by a mere 13 minutes compared to placebo, while increasing total sleep time by 11 minutes. Such results are typical.

Meanwhile, research^4,5 shows people who take sleeping pills have a 35% higher risk for certain cancers and are nearly four times as likely to die from any cause as nonusers. These are significant risks for mere minutes of additional sleep.

What Science Tells Us About the Ramifications of Sleep Deprivation

According to an analysis⁶ of available research by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, the weight of the evidence suggests adults need somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimal health, with the Goldilocks’ Zone being right around eight hours.

They also determined that consistently sleeping less than six hours a night increases your risk for a wide range of psychological and physical effects. In addition to exacerbating any chronic ailment you may already have, poor sleep or lack of sleep also directly contributes to:⁷

Increased risk of car accidents. In 2013, drowsy drivers caused 72,000 car accidents in which 800 Americans were killed; 44,000 were injured8	Increased risk of cardiovascular disease. African-American have a higher risk of heart disease than Caucasians and as much as 50% of this racial difference has been linked to blacks getting less sleep9
Premature birth; sleep deprived mothers have double the risk of delivering more than six weeks early than mothers who sleep well10	Reduced ability to learn or remember and lowered academic performance. Even infants have improved recall after napping, suggesting sleep plays a role in solidifying memories11
Reduced ability to perform tasks and reduced productivity. According to research, workers sleeping less than six hours per night costs the U.S. $411 billion annually in lost productivity12	Reduced creativity at work or in other activities
Increased risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes	Increased susceptibility to stomach ulcers
Increased risk of cancer	Increased risk of high blood pressure
Increased risk of osteoporosis	Increased accidents at work
Reduced athletic performance	Premature aging by interfering with growth hormone production, normally released by your pituitary gland during deep sleep
Increased risk of depression and anxiety.13 In one trial, 87% of depressed patients who resolved their insomnia had major improvements to their depression, with symptoms disappearing after eight weeks	Increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease14
Decreased immune function	Increased risk of dying from any cause

Lack of Sleep Raises Your Risk of Obesity

A number of studies have demonstrated that lack of sleep can play a significant role in obesity, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes — all of which are at epidemic levels not only in the U.S. but around the world.

The link between sleep deprivation and weight gain is explained by the fact that sleep affects hunger-related hormones. Studies show poor sleep increases ghrelin, which results in increased hunger, while simultaneously inhibiting leptin, the hormone that signals your brain when you’re “full.”

This combination results in increased hunger and food cravings, especially for carbohydrates. According to one study,^15,16,17 getting one extra hour of sleep per night may reduce your waist size by one-third of an inch. Compared to people who averaged just under six hours of sleep per night, those who slept an average of 8.45 hours per night (plus or minus 40 minutes) were roughly 7 pounds lighter on average, and had a waist circumference averaging 1.6 inches smaller.

Another study published in the International Journal of Obesity¹⁸ found that infants who sleep less eat more, which places them at increased risk of future obesity and related health problems. Infants who, at the age of 16 months, slept less than 10 hours per day ate an average of 10% more calories than those who slept for at least 13 hours daily.¹⁹

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Sleep Deprivation Ups Diabetes Risk in Both Young and Old

Research²⁰ also confirms that sleep is an important factor in children’s risk for diabetes. A British team evaluated more than 4,500 children aged between 9 and 10 years of varying ethnic backgrounds. On average, their parents reported the children slept between eight and 12 hours, with the average sleep time being 10 hours.

Previous studies have shown children need more sleep than adults and this study confirms that view. Even at eight hours a night, children were at increased risk of obesity and insulin resistance when compared to those who slept the most.

According to senior author Christopher Owen, a professor of epidemiology at St. George’s University of London, for children, more sleep is better, and there’s really no upper threshold. He told The New York Times,²¹ “Increasing sleep is a very simple, low-cost intervention. We should be doing our utmost to make sure that children sleep for an adequate amount of time.”

Other research²² involving adults found that women who slept five hours or less per night were 34% more likely to develop diabetes symptoms than women who slept for seven or eight hours each night.

Another study²³ published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that after just four nights of sleep deprivation (sleep time was only 4.5 hours per night), study participants’ insulin sensitivity was 16% lower and their fat cells’ insulin sensitivity was 30% lower, rivaling levels seen in full-blown diabetics.

Senior author Matthew Brady, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, noted,²⁴ “This is the equivalent of metabolically aging someone 10 to 20 years just from four nights of partial sleep restriction. Fat cells need sleep, and when they don’t get enough sleep, they become metabolically groggy.”

Sleep Deprivation and Dementia

Lack of sleep or poor sleep has also been linked to an increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the latter of which is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Researchers from University of California Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab discovered that a lack of sleep leaves you more vulnerable to buildup of amyloid beta proteins in the brain, associated with dementia.²⁵ Needless to say, chronic sleep deprivation is particularly risky.²⁶

Problematically, amyloid beta deposits also hinder your ability to sleep, thus trapping you in a vicious cycle. Lead author Bryce Mander, Ph.D., neuroscientist from the University of California Berkeley was quoted in California Association UC Berkeley magazine, saying:²⁷

“What was unknown was whether or not that’s just a side relationship that has nothing to do with the clinical symptoms of dementia, or if sleep disruption is part of why these toxic chemicals in the brain are causing memory loss. This is not to say that amyloid and other pathologies can’t impact memory independent of sleep. But it does suggest that part of the way it impacts memory is through sleep-dependent memory.”

As mentioned above, research shows that babies have improved recall after napping, suggesting sleep plays an important role in memory solidification.²⁸ Other research demonstrates that amyloid plaques, common in Alzheimer’s disease, build up more quickly in sleep-deprived lab animals. Other important research discovered that sleep clears toxins from your brain during deep sleep, which is really important for the prevention of Alzheimer’s.²⁹

Light Pollution and EMF Decrease Sleep Quality and Quantity

If you’ve ever gone camping, you’ve likely noticed a change in your sleep quality. Chances are you slept deeper and arose more rested. Aside from factors such as grounding to the earth and spending time in fresh air and nature, the most influential factor resulting in better sleep is the drastic reduction in exposure to artificial lights and electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

Exposure to light at night interrupts your circadian clock and melatonin level, both of which play a role in how deeply you sleep and how well-rested you feel the next day. LEDs and fluorescent lights are particularly troublesome because the blue light peaks are not balanced by red and near-infrared.³⁰ Incandescent lights are safer, as they emit red and near-infrared wavelengths and very few blue wavelengths.

Even very dim light during sleep (such as that from a nightlight or alarm clock) can have a detrimental effect on your sleep quality and quantity, and can negatively affect your cognition the next day.³¹ Ideally, avoid electronic screens and predominantly blue light such as LEDs in the evening. Alternatively, use blue-blocking glasses. I’ve included a recommendation below for an inexpensive pair that work really well.

Similarly, EMFs emitted from wiring, electronic devices and Wi-Fi, for example, impair your melatonin secretion and harm your mitochondria by producing oxidative damage. EMF exposure has also been linked to neuronal changes that affect memory and the ability to learn.³²

Importantly, research^33,34,35,36 by Martin Pall, Ph.D., suggests microwave radiation from wireless technology may be a causative factor in Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety and more. It can also seriously hamper your sleep.

As early as nearly 20 years ago it had been well-documented in over 15 studies³⁷ that exposure to microwave radiation from cellphones, Wi-Fi, ELF and magnetic fields from improper wiring in your bedroom can disrupt melatonin production and deep sleep. There are far more studies confirming this now that can easily be documented by doing a pub med search.

EMF Remediation May Improve Your Sleep

Eliminating EMF exposure can be tricky, as most homes are flooded with electric currents and microwave radiation. Still, you can reduce it to some degree, depending on how far you’re willing to go. Here are some suggestions that may improve your sleep quality:

Turn off your Wi-Fi at night. Ideally turn off your Wi-Fi permanently and only used wired connections.

You can also pull your circuit breaker to your bedroom before bed as this will decrease magnetic fields in your bedroom which will lower your melatonin. Ideally it would be best to have a remote cut off switch to disconnect the power to your bedroom.

Avoid running electrical cords underneath your bed. Especially avoid plugging in any transformers (power supplies) within 6 feet of your bed.

Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your head, or ideally out of the room. Not only do they create pernicious electric fields but they also shine unnecessary light in your room.So how do you know what time it is? Good question. I picked up a talking clock38 designed for the visually impaired to solve the problem. If you have your phone in your room it simply MUST be in airplane mode if it is within 30 feet of your bed or you will be blasted with microwave radiation all night long.

Avoid sleeping with your head against a wall that contains unshielded electric wiring and/or electric meters, circuit breaker panels, televisions or stereos on the other side. Move your bed 3 feet away from the wall, install an EMF faraday cage canopy over your bed to shield against microwaves and turn off the power breaker to your bedroom to minimize electric and magnetic fields.

Avoid using electronic media for at least an hour or more before bed. If you do use them after sunset, be sure to use a blue light filter. The research is quite clear that people who use smartphones and computers, especially in the evening but also during the daytime, are more likely to report insomnia.39 One 2008 study40 revealed that people exposed to cellphone radiation for three hours before bedtime had more trouble falling asleep and staying in a deep sleep.

Other Tips That Can Help Improve Your Sleep Quality

Increasing the number of hours you sleep to eight each night and improving your quality of sleep may help to significantly reduce health risks associated with sleep deprivation. Below are several suggestions that may help.^41,42

Turn your bedroom into an oasis for sleep — Your bed is a place to sleep and rest comfortably. Anything else, such as work, computers, cells phones or watching television will reduce the quality of your sleep. Reduce any noisy interruptions from pets or outdoor activities. You might consider removing your pet from the bedroom or using a white noise machine to reduce interruptions from outdoor noises.

Establish a soothing pre-bedtime routine — Activities such as a warm bath, reading a good book or relaxation exercises may help you fall asleep easier. If you have trouble falling to sleep one night, it’s better to leave the bedroom and read quietly than to try even harder to fall asleep. I would strongly recommend using blue-blocking glasses if you do this, to prevent your reading light from further depressing your melatonin production.

Keep a consistent schedule — Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day allows your body to become accustomed to the routine. This helps regulate your circadian clock so you fall asleep and stay asleep all night. Keep this routine even on the weekends.

Get plenty of bright sunlight exposure in the morning and at noon — Exposure to bright light first thing in the morning stops production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and signals to your body that it’s time to wake up. Outdoor sunlight is best, so you might even want to take a quick walk outside.Not only will this increase in physical activity help you sleep later, but taking your walk outdoors — either first thing in the morning or around noon when the sun is high — gives you more exposure to bright sunlight, which helps anchor your circadian clock.

At sundown, dim your lights (and/or use amber-colored glasses) — In the evening (around 8 p.m.) you’ll want to dim your lights and turn off electronic devices. Normally, your brain starts secreting melatonin between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., and these devices emit light that may stifle that process. After sundown, shift to a low-wattage incandescent bulb with yellow, orange or red light if you need illumination.A salt lamp illuminated by a 5-watt incandescent bulb is an ideal solution that will not interfere with your melatonin production. If using a computer or smartphone, install blue light-blocking software like Iris — an improved version of f.lux.The easiest solution, however, is to use amber-colored glasses that block blue light. I found an Uvex model (S1933X) on Amazon that costs just $15.52 and eliminates virtually all blue light. This way you don’t have to worry about installing programs on all your devices or buying special light bulbs for evening use. Once you have your glasses on, it doesn’t matter what light sources you have on in your house.

Exercise daily — Your body thrives on exercise and movement. It reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Exercise will help you get to sleep more easily and sleep more soundly. However, your body also releases cortisol during exercise, which may reduce your melatonin secretion. Exercise at least three hours before bed, and earlier if you can.

Keep your room cool — The optimal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 68 °F. If your room is cooler or warmer, you may have a more restless night’s sleep.43 During sleep your body’s core temperature drops to the lowest level during a 24-hour period. The cooler your room is, the more conducive it may be to your body’s natural drop in temperature.

Sources and References

• ¹ BBC News October 9, 2013
• ² Inc.com May 21, 2013
• ³ Medical News Today December 11, 2015
• ^4, 5 BMJ Open 2012;2: e000850
• ⁶ The Atlantic January/February 2017
• ⁷ CNN September 18, 2017
• ⁸ NHTSA Research on Drowsy Driving
• ⁹ The Atlantic August 3, 2017
• ¹⁰ Scientific American August 9, 2017
• ¹¹ Reuters July 27, 2017
• ¹² Rand Europe Sleep Study
• ¹³ The Conversation May 11, 2017
• ¹⁴ Washington Post July 18, 2017
• ¹⁵ PLOS One July 27, 2017
• ¹⁶ Reuters August 3, 2017
• ¹⁷ Forbes July 30, 2017
• ¹⁸ Science Daily March 25, 2014
• ¹⁹ Medical News Today March 25, 2014
• ²⁰ Pediatrics August 2017
• ²¹ New York Times August 15, 2017
• ²² Diabetes Care 2003 Feb;26(2):380-4
• ^23, 24 Ann Intern Med. 16 October 2012;157(8): 549-557
• ²⁵ Cal Alumni Association June 2, 2015
• ²⁶ Berkeley News June 1, 2015
• ²⁷ Nature Neuroscience February 25, 2015; 18- 1051-1057
• ²⁸ Reuters July 27, 2017
• ²⁹ NPR.org January 4, 2016
• ³⁰ Harvard Health, Blue Light Has a Dark Side
• ³¹ Neuroimage 2010 Apr 15; 50(3-3): 1313–1319
• ³² Alternet December 2, 2011
• ³³ Rev Environ Health. 2015;30(2):99-116
• ³⁴ International Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering and Management, September 2015; 2(5)
• ³⁵ J Cell Mol Med. 2013 Aug;17(8):958-65
• ³⁶ Current Chemical Biology 2016; 10(1): 74-82
• ³⁷ EMF Reduces Melatonin, Dr. Neil Cherry
• ³⁸ Amazon, Talking Clock
• ³⁹ Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2014 Sep 3;12(5):343-57
• ⁴⁰ URSI.org
• ⁴¹ Healthysleep.med.harvard.edu
• ⁴² Sleepfoundation.org, Healthy Sleep Tips
• ⁴³ Ajc.com October 29, 2015

source: The Steep Cost of Sleep Deprivation

Vegetable Oils Wreck Your Gut

March 11, 2024 Analysis by Ashley Armstrong

• Saturated fats are stable molecules and are protective. Unsaturated fats are unstable and can cause a lot of damage when consumed in excess
• Vegetable oils, high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), can disrupt your metabolic rate, increase gut permeability and induce gut dysbiosis and inflammation. High PUFA intake also shifts your gut microbiome, which can affect your overall health
• High PUFA intake can also have a detrimental impact on your thyroid and metabolic health by affecting cells’ use of thyroid hormones
• For optimal health, eat real, whole foods, and prioritize animal fats that are rich in stable, protective saturated fats

You may have heard about how bad vegetable oils are by now. But have you ever wondered why? My biggest beef with vegetable oils is that they negatively impact your metabolic rate and gut health — the two most important factors that impact your state of health.

So, yah. It’s kind of a big deal that our food system is centered around them. And that mainstream nutrition advice from Harvard still recommends vegetable oil as a “healthy fat” because it lowers serum cholesterol.

But what about the well-known fact that PUFAs (polyunsaturated fats) are very unstable molecules? (And vegetable oils are high in PUFAs, specifically linoleic acid, an omega-6).

“Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are highly susceptible to lipid per oxidation because of their unstable double bonds.¹

PUFAs, in this sense, are like delicate glass … When glass shatters, it invariably leaves behind a mess of dangerous shards … Likewise, when PUFAs shatter they leave behind shards such as MDA, which are capable of damaging proteins, DNA and other structurally and functionally important components of our cells.” ~ Chris Masterjohn, Ph.D.²

Having more of these fats around creates a damaging internal environment in your body. Thus, there are long term negative health consequences with high PUFA consumption. Let’s discuss a few of these consequences.

Vegetable Oils Increase Gut Permeability

First, vegetable oils wreak havoc on the gut by increasing tight junction permeability.³ Tight junctions play an important role in intestinal barrier function by maintaining selective permeability. Well, unfortunately, PUFAs can increase the permeability of tight junctions. (Not what we want!)

In one study, the omega-6 PUFA rich diet increased host inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut barrier dysfunction:⁴

“The corn oil diet, rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, increased the potential for pathobiont survival and invasion in an inflamed, oxidized and damaged gut while saturated fatty acids promoted compensatory inflammatory responses involved in tissue healing.

We conclude that various lipids uniquely alter the host-microbe interaction in the gut. While high-fat consumption has a distinct impact on the gut microbiota, the type of fatty acids alters the relative microbial abundances and predicted functions. These results support that the type of fat are key to understanding the biological effects of high-fat diets on gut health.”

Why Simply Taking More Omega-3 Isn’t the Answer

Okay so I will just up my omega-3s, the healthy PUFAs, right? Ehh, not so fast. High dietary omega-6 PUFA consumption has been shown to shift the gut microbiome and can induce gut dysbiosis and inflammation.⁵

But the authors of this study point out that while omega-3 PUFAs may lead to short-term inflammation reduction, this was due to immune suppression, which eventually led to other health problems and increased mortality.

Saturated fats are stable molecules and are protective. Unsaturated fats are unstable and can cause a lot of damage when consumed in excess. So, it makes sense why the gut can be damaged in the long run with high PUFA consumption.

“Clinically, excessive ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and inadequate ω-3 PUFA have been associated with enhanced risks for developing ulcerative colitis. In rodent models, ω-3 PUFAs have been shown to either attenuate or exacerbate colitis in different studies.

We hypothesized that a high ω-6: ω-3 PUFA ratio would increase colitis susceptibility through the microbe-immunity nexus. To address this, we fed post-weaned mice diets rich in ω-6 PUFA (corn oil) and diets supplemented with ω-3 PUFA (corn oil + fish oil) for 5 weeks. We evaluated the intestinal microbiota, induced colitis with Citrobacter rodentium and followed disease progression.

We found that ω-6 PUFA enriched the microbiota with Enterobacteriaceae, Segmented Filamentous Bacteria and Clostridia spp., all known to induce inflammation. During infection-induced colitis, ω-6 PUFA fed mice had exacerbated intestinal damage, immune cell infiltration, prostaglandin E2 expression and C. rodentium translocation across the intestinal mucosae.

Addition of ω-3 PUFA on a high ω-6 PUFA diet, reversed inflammatory-inducing microbial blooms and enriched beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, reduced immune cell infiltration and impaired cytokine/chemokine induction during infection.

While, ω-3 PUFA supplementation protected against severe colitis, these mice suffered greater mortality associated with sepsis-related serum factors such as LPS binding protein, IL-15 and TNF-α. These mice also demonstrated decreased expression of intestinal alkaline phosphatase and an inability to dephosphorylate LPS.

Thus, the colonic microbiota is altered differentially through varying PUFA composition, conferring altered susceptibility to colitis. Overall, ω-6 PUFA enriches pro-inflammatory microbes and augments colitis; but prevents infection-induced systemic inflammation.

In contrast, ω-3 PUFA supplementation reverses the effects of the ω-6 PUFA diet but impairs infection-induced responses resulting in sepsis. We conclude that as an anti-inflammatory agent, ω-3 PUFA supplementation during infection may prove detrimental when host inflammatory responses are critical for survival.”⁶

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PUFAs Negatively Impact Thyroid and Metabolic Health

Another consequence of high PUFA consumption is that PUFAs can negatively impact thyroid and metabolic health since they interfere with your cell’s ability to utilize active thyroid hormone. It’s great that our body can convert T4 to active T3. But to increase energy production, our cells must be able to access that T3.

In fact, tissue T3 levels are different than serum T3,⁷ which is why one of the best ways to assess metabolic and thyroid health is through body temperature and pulse measurements (which I discuss in depth here), since higher cellular T3 increases the metabolic rate, raises body temperature, and increases our pulse.⁸ Understanding this helps us realize why it’s a bad thing that PUFAs interfere with your cell’s ability to use active thyroid hormone, T3.

“Safflower oil [high in Omega-6 PUFA] was more effective than tallow as a repressor of T3 action … polyunsaturated fats uniquely suppress the gene expression of lipogenic enzymes by functioning as competitive inhibitors of T3 action, possibly at the nuclear receptor level.⁹

The potency of unsaturated fatty acids for INB (Inhibition of Nuclear T3 Binding) was greater than of saturated fatty acids, and increased with the number of double bonds.¹⁰

The effects of selected fatty acids (linoleic – PUFA, oleic – MUFA, and palmitic – SFA) on triiodothyronine (T3)-receptor binding were compared … the rank order of potency for inhibition was linoleic acid greater than oleic acid greater than palmitic acid.”¹¹

Take a Sensible Approach

It’s never about extremes. You cannot eat a zero PUFA diet and that is not the goal. But you do not need to over consume PUFAs. You do not need to add more omega-3s to your diet if you are consuming animal fats. You do not need to add fish oils, you do not need to force flax seeds down your throat. And you certainly don’t need to increase your vegetable oil consumption.

Instead, eat real, whole foods. And for your fats, prioritize animal fats that are rich in the stable, protective saturated fats. Just like your great grandma. This will provide your body with more of an optimal fatty acid profile without over thinking it. Plus, this approach just makes sense.

Vegetable oils did not exist 100 years ago. People did not force fish oils down their throat. They enjoyed a diet rich in animal products, and consumed saturated fat without fear. And the rates of autoimmune and chronic diseases we face today was certainly not as high.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; May 2011; 93(5): 950-962

About Angel Acres Egg Co. and the Nourish Cooperative

https://www.bitchute.com/embed/WDsuzXb6QnZn/ Video Link

What your food eats, matters — as pigs and chickens are vehicles for vegetable oils. (So if their diet is high in PUFAs, the final product will contain more PUFAs). With the current agriculture system, knowing where your food comes from is vital. The article was written by Ashley Armstrong, who is passionate about providing the highest quality food possible.

Armstrong is the cofounder of Angel Acres Egg Co., which specializes in low-PUFA (polyunsaturated fat) eggs. We discussed the importance of low-PUFA eggs in a recent interview, embedded above for your convenience.

Angel Acres Egg Co. ships Low PUFA eggs to all 50 states — but there is currently a waiting list as she slowly increases the number of chickens within the network to fulfill the demand. More egg boxes will be available this spring — join the waitlist for low PUFA egg boxes here.

Armstrong also co-founded Nourish Cooperative which ships the best low PUFA pork, beef, cheese & A2 dairy and traditional sourdough to all 50 states. They are also close to accepting new members to the farm cooperative — join the waitlist here: nourishcooperative.com.https://www.bitchute.com/embed/YfDBHaugLVDN/Video Link

In the video segment above Ashley reflects on the timeline of her decision to invest her free time into regenerative farming. Considering how just a few years ago, her health was far from ideal. She struggled with mitochondrial energy production, and her body was in a low thyroid state. Your body prioritizes energy for essential tasks, and decision-making requires significant energy.

Your brain consumes about 20% of your body’s energy despite being only 2% of its weight. Ashley simply would not have had enough cellular energy to supply her brain to make a decision like she did unless she improved her health. Factors like excess linoleic acid, estrogen and endotoxins were depleting her cellular energy, which is crucial for making energy-intensive decisions.

Her transformation underscores the power of nurturing your health to gain the energy necessary for making significant life changes. Avoiding dietary pitfalls like seed oils played a key role in this journey, enabling her to tap into a newfound capacity for brave decisions — a testament to the profound impact of regaining cellular energy on her ability to navigate life’s choices.

It is my sincere desire and hope that you consider her journey to inspire and empower you to make similar choices in your own life and reclaim the Joy that you deserve. Imagine experiencing the nearly limitless Joy that Ashley has with her 1,000 chickens and four Livestock Guard Dogs below.https://www.bitchute.com/embed/aW15EmHHUowv/Video Link

 Sources and References

• ¹ Methods in Cell Biology 2022; 172: 37-50
• ² Functionalps.com The Perils of PUFA: Oxidative Stress
• ³ Animal Sci J. Jan-Dec 2020; 91(1): e3357
• ⁴ Nutrients February 2019; 11(2): 418
• ^5, 6 PLOS ONE 2013; 8(2): 55468
• ⁷ Journal of Restorative Medicine January 2014; 3(1): 30-52
• ⁸ NIH How does the thyroid gland work?
• ⁹ Journal of Nutrition June 1990; 120(6):625-30
• ¹⁰ Int. J. Biochem. 1990; 22(3):269-73
• ¹¹ Metabolism July 1992; 41(7): 788-792

source: Vegetable Oils Wreck Your Gut

Is the Medical Establishment Sabotaging the Fight Against Chronic Infections?

What the latest research and mounting clinical evidence indicates

By Harold Fickett and Dr. Robert Malone March 9, 2024

In 2016 a San Antonio police officer named Robert Taylor began to experience what’s politely termed “pelvic pain.” Generally, this manifests as stabbing and burning sensations overlaid by a relentless, crushing pressure. In less clinical terms, it’s like a boa constrictor squeezing your genitals while simultaneously digesting them with its stomach acids.

San Antonio police officer Robert Taylor

Taylor recalls the experience as “hell on earth.” Much worse than the pain he felt when he was stabbed on duty.

Soon after the onset of the pain, he couldn’t work or sleep.

He sought help immediately from a urologist. The doctor told Taylor he probably had a case of Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis (CBP).

There was good news, though, as CBP is readily treatable. The doctor performed a rectal exam, took tissue samples, prescribed the standard antibiotics for CBP, and sent the specimens out for testing. He told Taylor that he ought to feel much better in about ten days. In the meantime, he also prescribed pain medications.

Taylor saw no improvement in ten days and received little relief from the pain medications. His physician reported that his test results came back negative or “within scope.” He would prescribe a broader-spectrum antibiotic.

Why hadn’t the test results revealed anything?

That often happened, the urologist admitted, even when there were clearly pathogens present. The testing had its limits. By prescribing a broader-spectrum antibiotic, his physician was resorting to the “empirical method.” Since traditional cultures fail so often to provide any diagnostic information, physicians prescribe antibiotics that have worked in the past to cure patients with similar symptoms. The “empirical method” boils down to making educated guesses.

As Taylor’s condition persisted, his life began to fall apart. The pain became all-consuming, leaving him withdrawn and self-absorbed. He began to worry about his sanity.

He tried a second urologist, then a third, then a fourth. Each performed the same rectal exam, wrote a prescription for one or more antibiotics, and assured him he ought to start feeling better soon.

This went on for two years. One day the fourth urologist, clearly exasperated by the lack of results, suggested that Taylor seek help from a psychiatrist, if only to improve his coping resources. Too tired to argue, Taylor simply left and never returned.

Now at his physical, emotional, and spiritual nadir, Taylor broke down one night and confessed to his wife that he was thinking of killing himself. He couldn’t bear the suffering, or the burden that suffering was putting on others.

Dr. Timothy Hlavinka

That’s when he found out about Dr. Timothy Hlavinka.

Dr. Hlavinka, a urologist with an international clientele, seemed able to help people like Taylor, whose conditions only puzzled and frustrated other physicians. Taylor made an appointment. Hlavinka’s first recommendation had to do with diagnosis. The Culture and Sensitivities (C&S) testing his other doctors had run had long been the standard but had a 40% to 70% failure rate for Robert’s condition. Accuracy was actually slightly worse now that the process was automated, the only change in this technology since the Civil War era.

Nucleic acid extraction (NGS)

Dr. Hlavinka wanted to have Taylor tested by the Lubbock, Texas lab of a company called MicroGenDX (MicroGen Diagnostics). They use a process called Nucleic acid extraction, which is based on running a DNA analysis of all the bacteria and fungi found in the specimen. The results would allow Dr. Hlavinka to prescribe more targeted antibiotics.

This made perfect sense to Taylor. DNA analysis had been used in law enforcement for thirty years. Why hadn’t this been done before?

Taylor submitted urine samples (MicroGenDX’s testing can also use other common samples like blood, saliva, semen, and skin) and was told to expect an initial report within as little as twenty-four hours, followed by a full report in three to five days.

For the full report, MicroGenDX employed both qPCR and well as an advanced sequencing technology involving next-generation deep sequencing for nucleic acid extraction (NGS). This produces results that can be compared against the company’s proprietary database of over 57,000 bacteria and fungi, including genetic variations.

The full report ranks the relative “load” of each microbe as “low,” “medium,” or “high,” with an approximation of the DNA copies per gram. It also indicates the relative percentage of a given bacterium or fungus. This helps the physician distinguish between disease causing bacteria and commensals, which exist in benign symbiosis with the body. It also provides a more extensive record of the drug resistant genes present, while recommending antibiotics for effective treatment

Taylor’s first MicroGenDX test showed four organisms. The primary bacteria were Acinetobacter wolfia and E. coli, both undoubtedly pathogenic. The latter two, Massilia timonae and Finegoldia magna, were rare. Their role in Taylor’s condition would have to be determined through further analysis.

Dr. Hlavinka mainly knew they were in for a fight, since polymicrobial infections—infections in which two or more bacteria participate—can present mystifying challenges. But even this limited information left him with more informed treatment options than were available to Taylor’s previous urologists

Polymicrobial infections are frequently referred to as “biofilms.” This indicates the bonding of bacteria into a matrix that includes products from our bodies’ attempts to thwart the infection. The bacteria not only cooperate but hijack the body’s protective measures to maintain their collective toxicity.

Another way to portray polymicrobtial infections are as “colonies” that operate under a “calyx” or umbrella-like structure. Although the metaphor is inexact, we might imagine a polymicrobial infection as a nasty, exploitative off-planet mining colony with several types of workers operating under a protective dome.

The governance of the colony might also be compared to organized crime, with direction supplied by its dominant strains. Polymicrobial colonies even have their own form of “omerta,” or vow of silence. Bacteria have an uncanny ability to hide from detection.

Many of the ways in which bacteria keep hidden are not yet understood. A few discoveries have been made in this regard, however. For example, bacteria can hide in white blood cells, the very agents the body sends to attack them, often multiplying until they explode the cells apart in a kind of toxic storm. They can also hide within the cell walls of the organs they are infecting.

Such was the tenacious and elusive foe that had attached itself to the wall of Robert Taylor’s prostate, systematically stripping him of the will to live.

Taylor’s treatment extended over four different courses of antibiotics. Each was directed against the dominant strains of bacteria that showed up in a succession of MicroGenDX tests.

This did not surprise Dr. Hlavinka. Delay in proper diagnosis of a chronic infection allows polymicrobial colonies to become stronger and stronger, with more survival tactics at their disposal. Each course of antibiotics brought others out of hiding until the entire colony was obliterated. Taylor made a full recovery.

Dr. Hlavinka sees this as proof that extensive biofilms are behind the suffering of hard-to-treat patients like Taylor. “Nothing else explains the ‘treat one and another pops up’ phenomenon,” he says. And he has no doubt that he could never have helped Taylor using only traditional culture and the “empirical method.” Taylor, now thriving both at home and at work, agrees.

“This is life-changing technology,” he says. “It kept me around for my wife and kids.”

DNA testing may have been used for decades in criminology—and every Forensic Files episode, but the U.S. medical establishment has resisted adopting its diagnostic use for bacterial and fungal infections for years. The insurance companies, hospital networks, doctors’ associations, and medical journals that guide conversations about the field show an unwillingness to replace C&S with NGS.

This despite the widely-accepted accuracy of NGS and the emergence of an industry eager to implement it. In addition to MicroGenDX, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Washington also offer NGS, if on a more limited basis and at greater cost. Then there’s Karius, an NGS service that works with blood samples. Even PCR-only services like BioSphere and Pathogensis offer a measure of improvement over C&S alone. NGS testing services can also be ordered directly from MicroGenDX.

For patients like Taylor, the resistance to NGS is puzzling, if not infuriating. It also has larger ramifications for public health. Misdiagnosed infections result in ineffective antibiotic prescriptions. This in turn contributes to the evolution of “super bugs,” whose susceptibility to even the most advanced antibiotics is rapidly diminishing. According to The Lancet, 1.2 million people in 2019 died across 204 countries from anti-microbial resistance (AMR)—people administered antibiotics that proved ineffective. The rate of death from AMR outpaced mortality from HIV/AIDS or malaria.

The Calvary is not on the way.

Nor is help from new antibiotics on the way. As the headline of a recent Wall Street Journal article declares, “The World Needs New Antibiotics. The Problem Is, No One Can Make Them Profitably. New Drugs to defeat ‘superbug’ bacteria aren’t reaching patients.”

Two major sources of resistance to NGS adoption are Labcorp and Quest, the dominant players in the seven-billion-dollar-a-year US diagnostic testing market. Both companies have “leakage” provisions in their contracts which penalize customers who send out too high a percentage of specimens to competing laboratories.

There’s also medical skepticism. Some worry that sensitive detection of microorganisms [from molecular testing] could be associated with increased diagnostic confusion and dilemmas. This could lead to over diagnosis and associated over-treatment.

The Guidelines for 2022 (Recurrent Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline by the American Urological Association still recommends traditional methods of testing. This Guideline has been widely used by private insurance companies to deny coverage for NGS testing by classifying it as “investigational/experimental,” even after the American Medical Association (AMA) and The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accepted the use of MicroGenDX testing as “medically necessary” in 2019.

The medical profession is at a time of transition between a clearly outmoded diagnostic testing technology and molecular testing that relies on a greater knowledge base.

The benefits of NGS testing outweigh the risks, provided that it is interpreted with appropriate prudence.

---

Orthopedic applications

Dr. Javad Parvizi is a world-renowned expert in orthopedic infections who’s performed over 10,000 hip and knee replacements as well as their “revisions,” or secondary surgeries where part or all of the hardware implanted has failed.

An outcome-based study Parvizi and colleagues recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases claims that NGS improves antibiotic stewardship through providing far more accurate results.

Before knee or hip replacement surgery, antibiotics are administered prophylactically to prevent post-surgical periprosthetic (prosthesis-related) infections. Parvizi asserts that in his experience in 30% to 40% of patients traditional testing fails to provide guidance for the administration of these antibiotics. The subsequent “blind” treatment greatly increased the risk of post-operative infections and promoted the over-prescription of antibiotics.

A new paper from Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology by Kaipeng Jia, Shiwang Huang, et. al. echoes this conclusion:

“mNGS has shown significant advantages over traditional culture, particularly in the context of mixed infections and UTIs that are difficult to diagnose and treat. It helps to improve the detection of pathogens, guide changes in treatment strategies, and is an effective complement to urine culture.”

Would physicians who do not practice in such advanced research facilities enjoy similar success? This question troubled Tucson-based infectious disease specialist Dr. Clifford Martin. He was especially worried that the siloed nature of medicine actively encourages over-prescription of drugs across narrow specialties.

After successfully treating chronic UTIs and prosthetic joint infections with NGS, Dr. Martin’s concerns changed focus. Dr. Martin says:

“Infectious disease doctors who understand the molecular testing and the nuances of making diagnoses based on ambiguous information should really be championing the appropriate use of it. They should be rolling it out widely in areas where patients are truly suffering or where there’s diagnostic difficulty. The technology wasn’t the problem. The problem was educating our colleagues on what it is and how to use it appropriately.”

Hlavinka agrees. He keeps an informal tally of how many doctors each of his patients has seen prior to him, and how many traditional cultures they’ve had run. The current record is twenty- three doctors and fifty-four traditional cultures. One can only imagine how many rounds of antibiotics this amounts to.

“They need to vent.”

According to Hlavinka, the relief his patients feel is often accompanied by another emotion: anger. When they hear that he’s been using MicroGenDx’s NGS testing for more than six years they can’t help but rage at the suffering they could have avoided.

The key question is why aren’t these advanced sophisticated molecular diagnostic methods being used more widely? The most benign explanation is inadequate physician education. Once again, the health care delivery system is failing patients, who are being forced to take matters into their own hands by directly contacting companies, academic institutions, and informed physicians that provide these services.

source: https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/is-the-medical-establishment-sabotaging?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=583200&post_id=142451063&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=yn4qs&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

What Do L-Carnitine Supplements Really Do?

March 7, 2024 Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Your body needs carnitine for energy production; it helps transport long-chain fatty acids into your mitochondria where they’re oxidized and turned into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
• Acetyl-L-carnitine has many beneficial effects on brain metabolism, protects against neurotoxic insults and has been shown to benefit certain forms of depression
• Carnitine has been widely studied for autism as a treatment that targets mitochondria; one meta-analysis found low carnitine in 80% of children with autism
• Carnitine may help moderate oxidative stress and decrease inflammation, benefiting heart health; it may also help prevent potentially fatal arrhythmias
• Carnitine supplementation significantly improved ovulation and pregnancy rates, while reducing BMI and insulin resistance, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Carnitine is another important nutrient that’s abundant in animal foods. Your body produces L-carnitine from the amino acid lysine, and while healthy people are typically able to synthesize enough, certain conditions — like pregnancy — may cause your body’s need for carnitine to exceed its ability to produce it. For this reason, carnitine is considered a conditionally essential nutrient.¹

L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine are forms of carnitine found in dietary supplements. While your body absorbs carnitine from animal foods such as grass fed beef better than carnitine in dietary supplements,² some research suggests L-carnitine supplements may benefit certain conditions.

Carnitine for Brain Health

Your body needs carnitine for energy production. It helps transport long-chain fatty acids into your mitochondria where they’re oxidized and turned into energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP),³ which is needed by your cells for life, repair and regeneration. Carnitine may also help remove toxins from the mitochondria.⁴

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) is more easily absorbed in your gut than L-carnitine, and also crosses the blood-brain barrier.⁵ ALCAR has many beneficial effects on brain metabolism, protects against neurotoxic insults and has been shown to benefit certain forms of depression. In one study,⁶ healthy mice given ALCAR for 25 days at a dose of about half a gram per kilo were found to have increased levels of the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and serotonin.

According to the authors, this is “consistent with ALCAR’s potential efficacy for depressive symptoms.” In another study, ALCAR was found to improve the clinical condition of patients with degenerative cerebellar ataxia, a condition resulting in the loss of control of bodily movements.⁷ According to the authors, “statistically significant improvement of some symptoms and a slow progression of the disease in both groups of patients” were observed.

Carnitine for Alzheimer’s Disease and Autism

Carnitine is also being studied for use in Alzheimer’s disease. According to the National Institutes of Health:⁸

“Cholinergic neurons use the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and Alzheimer’s disease is often treated by increasing acetylcholine levels or preventing its breakdown. Carnitine might be conditionally essential in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease because it may support acetylcholine synthesis and help remove toxic compounds to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction associated with extensive degeneration of brain structures.

Therefore, researchers have examined whether acetyl-L-carnitine supplements benefit individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, but studies have had mixed results.”

In a meta-analysis of 21 studies, adults with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease took 1.5 grams to 3 grams of acetyl-L-carnitine or placebo daily for three to 12 months. Those taking acetyl-L-carnitine had greater improvements than those taking placebo.^9,10

It’s also been widely studied for autism as a treatment that targets mitochondria. One meta-analysis found low carnitine in 80% of children with autism.¹¹ As explained in Seminars in Pediatric Neurology:¹²

“Two medium sized (n = 30, 30) double-blind placebo-controlled studies using L-carnitine treatment (50 mg/kg/d for 3 months and 100 mg/kg/d for 6 months) found that scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) improved with L-carnitine as compared to placebo with one study finding that greater symptomatic improvement was correlated with a greater increase in blood carnitine levels.

A small (n = 10) 8-week open-label trial of L-carnitine used particularly high doses (up to 400 mg/kg/d in 3 divided doses, maximum of 6000 mg/d) …

Several parental rated measures showed improvements in behavior and hyperactivity before correction for multiple comparisons and improvements in language correlated with post-treatment blood carnitine levels. Children with ASD and genetic mutations in the carnitine pathway also appear to response to L-carnitine.

… Thus, L-Carnitine is a promising treatment for children with ASD. For child neurologists, it is always important to remember that children with ASD could have an underlying defect in carnitine metabolism.”

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Carnitine for Heart Health

There’s some evidence that carnitine may help moderate oxidative stress and decrease inflammation, benefitting heart health. It may also help prevent potentially fatal arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms.¹³

One meta-analysis involving 3,629 adults found, “Compared with placebo or control, L-carnitine is associated with a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality, a 65% reduction in Vas [ventricular arrhythmias], and a 40% reduction in anginal symptoms in patients experiencing an acute myocardial infarction.”¹⁴

There’s some controversy over carnitine for cardiovascular disease, however, because it’s metabolized by gut microbiota into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a substance associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,¹⁵ although the evidence on that is mixed.

According to James DiNicolantonio, Pharm.D., who is also the coauthor of my book, “Superfuel: Ketogenic Keys to Unlock the Secrets of Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Great Health,” the likely true cause of elevated TMAO levels is hepatic insulin resistance.¹⁶ Because carnitine (and choline) raises TMAO, some recommend limiting dietary and supplementary intake of these nutrients.

However, DiNicolantonio and his coauthors point out there’s a significant flaw in this theory, stating, “… supplemental carnitine is known to be highly protective in patients with vascular disease; and fish, the richest dietary source of preformed TMAO, is also protective.”¹⁷ There’s little evidence to suggest that dietary intake of TMAO or its precursors actually promote CVD, provided your renal function is normal. DiNicolantonio explains:¹⁸

“With respect to carnitine and CV risk, a meta-analysis¹⁹ of prospective clinical trials in patients who had recently experienced a myocardial infarction concluded that carnitine supplementation is markedly protective with respect to total mortality, ventricular arrhythmias and new-onset angina …

Clinical trials^20,21 have also reported favorable effects of supplemental carnitine or carnitine esters on angina, intermittent claudication and heart failure.

Moreover, rodent atherogenesis studies, in which carnitine has been administered in doses reasonably proportional to the supplementation doses used clinically, have found that carnitine is anti-atherogenic, despite its propensity to raise TMAO …

It is therefore reasonable to suspect that moderately elevated TMAO, rather than being a mediator of the associated CV risk, is a marker for factors which both promote CV events and increase plasma TMAO.”

Carnitine for Weight Loss

Research suggests L-carnitine supplements, which are the least expensive form on the market with an absorption rate of 14% to 18%,²² may be useful for weight loss. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 trials, L-carnitine supplementation significantly decreased body weight, body mass index and fat mass, particularly in adults who are overweight or obese.²³

“A nonlinear dose-response association was seen between L-carnitine supplementation and body weight reduction … suggesting that ingestion of 2000 mg L-carnitine per day provides the maximum effect in adults,” the team, from Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Iran, noted.²⁴

Carnitine May Improve Fertility

L-carnitine concentrates in the epididymis, a duct behind the testis where sperm mature. Concentrations of L-carnitine in semen have been linked to the number of sperm, suggesting it may play an important role in fertility in men. Some research also shows that L-carnitine supplementation for two months may improve sperm quality and motility.²⁵ According to the NIH:²⁶

“Carnitine might play a role in sperm maturation, sperm motility, and spermatogenesis. It might also reduce oxidative stress, which could improve oocyte growth and maturation. Therefore, researchers are examining whether supplemental carnitine improves sperm count, concentration, and motility as well as pregnancy rates.”

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can affect fertility, may also benefit from carnitine. A systematic review and meta-analysis involving women with PCOS revealed that carnitine supplementation ranging from 250 mg to 3,000 mg daily for 84 to 90 days significantly improved ovulation and pregnancy rates, while reducing BMI and insulin resistance.²⁷

Carnitine to Boost Athletic Performance

There’s interest in the use of carnitine to enhance athletic performance, in part because carnitine preserves muscle glycogen while boosting fat oxidation. “It also spares the use of amino acids as energy sources during exercise, making them potentially available for new protein synthesis, and decreases the accumulation of lactate,” NIH notes,²⁸ but research is mixed on its benefits.

In one study published in the Journal of Physiology, the data showed L-carnitine supplementation for six months raised levels of muscle carnitine by 21%.²⁹ Further, participants taking carnitine supplements raised their athletic performance and work output by 11% in a 30-minute performance trial.

The researchers explained this improvement “by the dual role of carnitine — glycogen sparing at low intensities and reduced muscle lactate accumulation at high intensities.”³⁰

Where carnitine further shines is for those with frailty. It’s been suggested that carnitine deficiency could cause frailty via mitochondrial dysfunction, with research showing pre-frail older adults had decreases in frailty and improvement in hand grip strength when they took 1.5 grams of carnitine daily for 10 weeks.³¹

Carnitine for Liver Health and More

Additional research is looking into the effects of carnitine supplementation on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that L-carnitine supplementation may improve liver function and regulate triglyceride metabolism in those with NAFLD. Writing in Systematic Reviews, researchers explained:³²

“The main drivers in NAFLD are inflammation and accumulation of lipids, and L-carnitine has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects by upregulating the peroxisome proliferator activator receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in the liver. L-carnitine is also closely related to fat metabolism.”

Beyond the liver, carnitine also shows promise for a range of other health conditions, including:^33,34

• Insulin resistance
• Diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Muscle cramps

In another example, a systematic review and meta-analysis found men and women experienced improvements in waist circumference and blood pressure, two biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, when taking carnitine supplements.³⁵

The studies used carnitine doses between 0.75 grams (gm) and 3 gm per day for eight to 24 weeks, with researchers suggesting biomarkers of metabolic syndrome could improve with a carnitine dose of 1 gm to 3 gm per day, by reducing fasting blood sugar and triglycerides, while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Are You Getting Enough Carnitine?

Most people can effectively synthesize between 11 mg and 34 mg of carnitine per day, which is typically enough to prevent deficiency.³⁶ Animal foods, including meat, seafood and dairy, are the richest sources of L-carnitine, so if you eat animal protein it will virtually assure you receive enough carnitine without having to take supplements.

However, if you eat a primarily plant-based diet or are targeting certain conditions, you may need to consider supplementation. Acetyl-L-carnitine (not regular L-carnitine), for instance, appears to be particularly beneficial for improving memory, but you need about 2,000 mg to 2,500 mg a day. Most notice a difference after a few weeks.

If you do choose to supplement, be sure to choose a reputable source. When NOW Foods tested seven largely unknown brands of acetyl-L-carnitine, none met label claims and most were labeled incorrectly.³⁷

 Sources and References

• ¹ Linus Pauling Institute, L-Carnitine
• ² NIH, Carnitine, Consumer
• ^{3, 4, 8, 9, 13, 15, 33} NIH, Carnitine, Health Professional
• ^5, 22 Yahoo June 23, 2023
• ⁶ Neurochemistry International 2012 Jul;61(1):100-7
• ⁷ Clinical Neuropharmacology 2000 Mar-Apr;23(2):114-8
• ¹⁰ Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2003 Mar;18(2):61-71. doi: 10.1097/00004850-200303000-00001
• ¹¹ Seminars in Pediatric Neurology October 2020, Volume 35, 100829, ASD Is Associated With Unique Disorders of Mitochondrial Metabolism
• ¹² Seminars in Pediatric Neurology October 2020, Volume 35, 100829
• ^14, 19 Mayo Clin Proc. 2013 Jun;88(6):544-51. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.02.007. Epub 2013 Apr 15
• ^16, 17, 18 Open Heart 2019; 6: e000890 (PDF)
• ²⁰ Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol. 1985 Oct;23(10):569-72
• ²¹ Arzneimittelforschung. 1992 Sep;42(9):1101-4
• ^23, 24 Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2020 Jun;37:9-23. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.03.008. Epub 2020 Apr 18
• ²⁵ Linus Pauling Institute, L-Carnitine, Infertility
• ²⁶ NIH, Carnitine, Health Professional, Infertility
• ²⁷ Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2023 May;98(5):682-691. doi: 10.1111/cen.14885. Epub 2023 Feb 17
• ²⁸ NIH, Carnitine, Health Professional, Athletic performance enhancement
• ²⁹ Journal of Physiology, 2011;589(pt.4)
• ³⁰ Journal of Physiology, 2011;589(pt.7)
• ^31, 34, 36 Linus Pauling Institute, L-Carnitine, Frailty
• ³² Syst Rev. 2023; 12: 74
• ³⁵ Nutrients, 2020;12(9):2795
• ³⁷ NOW, All Acetyl-l-Carnitine Is Not Created Equal

source: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/07/what-do-l-carnitine-supplements-really-do.aspx