Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (153 page)

Rule out celiac disease and food sensitivities.
Do blood testing for food allergies and sensitivities. Try an elimination diet.

Look for nutritional deficiencies.
Checking for specific nutrients and supplementing will give the best results because each person’s needs will be different. Beginning with a good multivitamin and mineral supplement can help but probably won’t fill in the gaps if there are severe deficiencies in specific nutrients.

Take niacin.
Abram Hoffer, M.D., long used niacin therapy for schizophrenia. It is believed that there is faulty niacin metabolism in this condition, because people with schizophrenia often do not experience the intense flushing that usually occurs with niacin ingestion. Take up to 3,000 mg daily.

Increase intake of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP).
In 14 patients tested, dietary restriction of tryptophan worsened their symptoms. Tryptophan can easily be converted to niacin, which may be one reason why it is of benefit. Tryptophan is also a precursor to serotonin, which affects mood, behavior, sleep, and carbohydrate cravings. At a recent conference Bill Walsh, Ph.D., medical director at Great Plains Laboratory, expressed concern about possible negative effects of tryptophan and recommended using only 5-HTP. To err on the side of caution, I am recommending 5-HTP. Take 300 to 600 mg 5-HTP.

Increase consumption of good fats.
Schizophrenics often have low omega-3 fatty acid levels, low arachidonic acid levels, and low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Benefit would be found by increasing good fats in the diet from sources such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, unprocessed vegetable oils, and cold-water fish, including salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines, or herring. Twenty hospitalized patients were given 10 grams of fish oil daily. There were significant improvements in psychological symptoms, behavior, and tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable movements) after six weeks. Another study used a smaller dose: 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, plus 400 IU vitamin E and 500 mg vitamin C twice daily. There was improvement in lab testing and also in schizophrenic symptoms.

Try serine.
Research indicates that high-dose glycine is beneficial for schizophrenia. Concern has been posted as to the possible long-term neurological effects of high-glycine supplementation, however. The mechanism of the response was believed to be the effect on the receptor sites for NMDA, a neurotransmitter. NMDA function is low in people with schizophrenia. Newer research on serine, by Toru Nishikawa, shows that the positive effects of enhancing NMDA function can be achieved by taking serine, without the risks of high-dose glycine.
Dosage in one study was 0.8 grams of serine per kilogram of body weight daily. It would be advisable to do a urine amino acid test before using this type of therapy. Work with a physician.

Check your MTHFR gene and homocysteine levels.
Homocysteine levels are often high in people who have schizophrenia. There are many studies looking at genetic variations in the MTHFR gene in people with schizophrenia. These studies have mixed results. Nonetheless, if you do have a genetic variation of this gene, you are less able to utilize folic acid from food and supplements. People with this genetic variation (MTHFR gene 677 C
>
T) benefit from supplements that have preformed folic acid, called methyltetrahydrofolate. People who have this genetic variation and schizophrenia are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome.

Take magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency can produce depression, agitation, confusion, and disorientation. In one study, 20 schizophrenic patients were evaluated for serum magnesium levels. Twenty-five percent were found to be magnesium deficient. Serum magnesium is not a sensitive test of magnesium deficiency, so if red blood cell magnesium had been analyzed, the results would probably have been much higher. Half of the magnesium-deficient patients were exhibiting psychotic behavior, including hallucinations. In drug-treated schizophrenics, magnesium levels have been found to be consistently low. Supplementing with magnesium does not always show improvement in symptoms. Magnesium injections or use of choline citrate may be necessary at first to “prime the pump.” Because so many enzymes are dependent on magnesium, a deficiency could affect other nutrients, including vitamins B
₁
, B
₆
, E, and C and minerals such as zinc, copper, and selenium.

Scleroderma is an autoimmune connective-tissue disease characterized by a thickening and loss of elasticity in the skin, joints, digestive tract (especially in the esophagus), lungs, and thyroid; and scarring in the heart and kidneys. The most common initial complaint is loss of circulation in toes or fingers (Raynaud’s syndrome), characterized by swelling and a thickening of skin. About 300,000 Americans have scleroderma. Like all autoimmune conditions, scleroderma is linked to genetics and your environment. Scleroderma has been linked to bacterial and viral infections as possible triggers that set up the molecular mimicry that causes cell damage. So far parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and retroviruses have been implicated.

There are two forms of the disease: localized, affecting one or two locations, and systemic (also called diffuse), which is found throughout the body. The diffuse form can rapidly progress and can be quite serious. Generalized symptoms include fatigue, muscle pain, and arthritis.

People with the more limited form of scleroderma have less involvement, which is mostly confined to the skin on the fingers and face. Changes occur more slowly in this type of scleroderma but in a typical way that has been defined as CREST, which represents the initials of the symptoms. You may have only a few of these signs.

Calcinosis:
These are tiny calcium deposits in the skin. They look like hard, whitish areas and are most common on elbows, knees, and fingers. This is not as common as the other indicators.

Raynaud’s phenomenon:
In Raynaud’s there are spasms of tiny arteries and your fingers, toes, nose, ears, and tongue can lose circulation. This is typically triggered by cold, heat, or dampness.

Esophageal issues:
The lower two-thirds of the esophagus are often affected by poor muscle function. This can lead to gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which can lead to scarring and narrowing of the esophagus.