Post by Admin/ Traveler on Jan 7, 2019 19:26:25 GMT
Trav here - now this is one thing that I've had a ton of experience with, unfortunately. The buildup of ammonia in my body was so extensive that others could even smell it!! Talk about embarrassing!
After this article, I will be posting some other information as well, that was not included in the article below - that I had to go on a search to find when I was dealing with too much ammonia in my body.
Ammonia: A Lyme Disease Exotoxin
"Ammonia is a natural byproduct of eating protein, as well as gut-friendly bacteria, but these are normal levels of ammonia and the body knows how to remove them efficiently. Borrelia Burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease, as well as many of the coinfections that could potentially accompany it, not only contribute to the amount of ammonia the body has to process, but can also make this process less efficient which could potentially result in ammonia toxicity. A CBS gene mutation could complicate this process even further by contributing more ammonia to an already excessive load.
What Is Ammonia?
Ammonia is a molecule consisting of one nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, or NH3. To the human body, it can be very deleterious if it is in excess and not removed in an efficient manner.
The body naturally removes ammonia through a process known as the urea cycle. In a nutshell, when ammonia enters the liver, the liver converts ammonia to urea, the urea is then sent to the kidneys where it is then flushed out via urine. This is how the body addresses the normal amounts of ammonia it encounters daily, but this process can be disrupted and hindered when liver and kidney function become inefficient through damage or if they're overburdened with work. As a result, ammonia is not properly removed from the body and will begin to back up into the bloodstream, and from there, begin entering other organs (i.e., the brain), teeth, other body tissue, and disrupt the nervous system as it is a neurotoxin.
Lyme Disease And Ammonia
Lyme Disease can contribute to excessive ammonia in a number of ways. The first is that Borrelia Burgdorferi, the Lyme bacteria, releases ammonia as an exotoxin within the body. Wherever the bacteria resides within the body, this can occur, and if it's in the brain, there is potential for damage to occur to neurotransmitter receptors. This opens up the door to Lyme induced depersonalization and other discrepancies of the brain.
Lyme Disease can also contribute to the accumulation of ammonia in the body by hindering the body's ability to remove ammonia. We learned earlier that the body removes ammonia through the urea cycle, a process initiated by the liver. However, in people with Lyme Disease, the odds increase that their liver and/or kidneys may not be working efficiently. Herxheimer reactions, which is the release of endotoxins in the body from dead spirochetes, more than likely have the liver and kidneys working overtime which can result in an inefficient urea cycle. If the body's urea cycle isn't converting ammonia into urea properly, this in turn can cause a back up or accumulation of ammonia in the body from any source whether it be basic protein metabolism, or a CBS gene mutation. This is where ammonia becomes troublesome as it is forced to enter the bloodstream, and from there, infiltrate and disrupt other parts of the body - symptoms begin to manifest.
This is just one reason why it is so important to detox and support the organs while treating Lyme Disease.
CBS Gene Mutation And Excessive Ammonia
While the human body is very impressive, biology isn’t perfect. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to genes. While you don’t need to be a biologist to understand the basics of genetics, to keep a potentially complex topic simple, know that chromosomes are comprised of DNA, and a section of DNA is called a gene. It’s also important to note that the blueprint and instructions for human biology (i.e., you) is DNA.
There is a specific gene (i.e., segment of DNA) called the Cystathionine Beta Synthase gene, or CBS gene for short. The CBS gene can also be broken down into further variations. The imperfection of biology is that sometimes genes are mutated (i.e., they don't work properly). When a CBS gene is mutated, it can lead to high levels of ammonia, as well as taurine and sulfur.
While it isn’t possible at the moment to change (i.e., fix) our gene mutations, it is possible to change how they’re expressed (i.e., their functions). Specifically fixing a CBS gene mutation’s expression can be done with the CBS treatment protocol which can be found in the book, “Autism: Pathways to Recovery” by Dr. Amy Yasko, Ph.D.
You can get tested for a CBS and other common gene mutations through 23andMe. After receiving your results, upload them to geneticgenie.org for an analysis of gene mutations.
Symptoms Of Ammonia Toxicity
Symptoms of ammonia toxicity, like many of the other conditions that can affect people with Lyme Disease, have a tendency to overlap making it difficult to discern the cause. When the body can no longer process ammonia efficiently through the urea cycle, ammonia will begin to back up into the body and symptoms such as severe cognitive dysfunction, nervous system dysfunction, irritability, headaches, chronic fatigue, food intolerance, and in more severe toxicity cases, coma, and even death can occur.
Testing For Ammonia Toxicity
A standard blood-ammonia test can check the amount of ammonia present in the blood at the time the blood is withdrawn. However, this type of test does not reflect the total amount of ammonia that may be stored in other parts of the body such as the brain, teeth, and muscle tissue that could be causing damage.
For ammonia stored in locations of the body other than the blood stream, Direct Resonance Testing is performed. D.R.T. identifies a strong muscle of the body. A vial of ammonia is then placed at various locations around the exterior of the brain, and if that strong muscle goes weak, ammonia toxicity is suspected.
Removing Ammonia
Always consult your physician first before beginning a treatment protocol for ammonia removal. Also, if you have CBS gene mutation which leads to excessive ammonia in your body, you need to follow the protocol in the book, "Autism: Pathways to Recovery" by Dr. Amy Yasko, Ph.D. and not assume a single supplement will address the CBS mutation because it's just one part of the equation.
For those who don't have a CBS gene mutation, but are still concerned about excessive ammonia in their body, there are some popular supplements used for helping the body remove excessive amounts of ammonia. Dosages should be discussed with your treating physician.
L-Ornithine - An amino acid that plays an important part in the formation of urea which is needed to remove ammonia from the body. It is recommended over both L-Arginine and L-Carnitine for removing ammonia from the brain because the brain lacks the Ornithine-related enzyme for neutralizing ammonia. When using L-Ornithine, one should start out slow and increase as the dosages become more tolerable. Too much L-Ornithine at once may result in brain fog and cognitive impairment which may be the result of unwarranted rapid removal of ammonia from the brain.
Yucca Root - An herb well known for its unique ability to remove ammonia from the body. Dosages can be found here.
Charcoal/Magnesium Flushes - Charcoal is used to soak up excess ammonia in the body, and Magnesium Citrate is used to help produce bowel movements. Dosages can be found here.
Dr Jernigan's Neuro-Antitox II Formula CNS/PNS - A supplement created by Dr. David Jernigan designed to help remove the neurotoxins caused by Lyme Disease. This product can be ordered through hansacenter.com. Product information can be found here.
Hydroxy B12 - Hydroxy B12 comes at the recommendation of well known Lyme physician Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D. He states that Hydroxy B12 may be able to help remove ammonia from the brain."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alrighty then!! So, here's some more information to try to understand! LOL!
"Ammonia is an extremely toxic base and its accumulation in the body would quickly be fatal.
However, the liver contains a system of carrier molecules and enzymes which quickly converts the ammonia (and carbon dioxide) into urea.
This is called the urea cycle."
www.biology-pages.info/U/UreaCycle.html
This means that you can develop gout! What is gout?? Glad you asked!!!
"Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. The acid can form needle-like crystals in a joint and cause sudden, severe episodes of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling.
What Are The Stages of Gout?
There are several stages of gout:
Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is the period prior to the first gout attack. There are no symptoms, but blood uric acid levels are high and crystals are forming in the joint.
Acute gout, or a gout attack, happens when something (such as a night of drinking) causes uric acid levels to spike or jostles the crystals that have formed in a joint, triggering the attack. The resulting inflammation and pain usually strike at night and intensify over the next eight to 12 hours. The symptoms ease after a few days and likely go away in a week to 10 days. Some people never experience a second attack, but an estimated 60% of people who have a gout attack will have a second one within a year. Overall, 84% may have another attack within three years.
Interval gout is the time between attacks. Although there’s no pain, the gout isn’t gone. Low-level inflammation may be damaging joints. This is the time to begin managing gout – via lifestyle changes and medication – to prevent future attacks or chronic gout.
Chronic gout develops in people with gout whose uric acid levels remain high over a number of years. Attacks become more frequent and the pain may not go away as it used to. Joint damage may occur, which can lead to a loss of mobility. With proper management and treatment, this stage is preventable."
www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/gout/what-is-gout.php
So, what are the symptoms???
"For many people, the first symptom of gout is excruciating pain and swelling in the big toe – often following a trauma, such as an illness or injury. Gout may also appear in another lower-body joint, such as the ankle or knee. Subsequent attacks may occur off and on in other joints, primarily those of the foot and knee, before becoming chronic.
Gout usually affects one joint at a time, but if left untreated it can affect many joints. Joint pain that used to resolve in a week to 10 days could become a milder, but constant pain. Eventually, untreated gout can cause other problems. Tophi – painless but disfiguring lumps of crystals formed from uric acid may develop under the skin around joints. The crystals can also form kidney stones."
www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/gout/symptoms.php
As someone that has lived through a few gout attacks, I can tell you that they can be incredibly painful!!! It's very similar to getting stung on the toe by a scorpion - at least that's the way it felt to me, and yes - I've had both, and neither is fun!!!
After this article, I will be posting some other information as well, that was not included in the article below - that I had to go on a search to find when I was dealing with too much ammonia in my body.
Ammonia: A Lyme Disease Exotoxin
"Ammonia is a natural byproduct of eating protein, as well as gut-friendly bacteria, but these are normal levels of ammonia and the body knows how to remove them efficiently. Borrelia Burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease, as well as many of the coinfections that could potentially accompany it, not only contribute to the amount of ammonia the body has to process, but can also make this process less efficient which could potentially result in ammonia toxicity. A CBS gene mutation could complicate this process even further by contributing more ammonia to an already excessive load.
What Is Ammonia?
Ammonia is a molecule consisting of one nitrogen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, or NH3. To the human body, it can be very deleterious if it is in excess and not removed in an efficient manner.
The body naturally removes ammonia through a process known as the urea cycle. In a nutshell, when ammonia enters the liver, the liver converts ammonia to urea, the urea is then sent to the kidneys where it is then flushed out via urine. This is how the body addresses the normal amounts of ammonia it encounters daily, but this process can be disrupted and hindered when liver and kidney function become inefficient through damage or if they're overburdened with work. As a result, ammonia is not properly removed from the body and will begin to back up into the bloodstream, and from there, begin entering other organs (i.e., the brain), teeth, other body tissue, and disrupt the nervous system as it is a neurotoxin.
Lyme Disease And Ammonia
Lyme Disease can contribute to excessive ammonia in a number of ways. The first is that Borrelia Burgdorferi, the Lyme bacteria, releases ammonia as an exotoxin within the body. Wherever the bacteria resides within the body, this can occur, and if it's in the brain, there is potential for damage to occur to neurotransmitter receptors. This opens up the door to Lyme induced depersonalization and other discrepancies of the brain.
Lyme Disease can also contribute to the accumulation of ammonia in the body by hindering the body's ability to remove ammonia. We learned earlier that the body removes ammonia through the urea cycle, a process initiated by the liver. However, in people with Lyme Disease, the odds increase that their liver and/or kidneys may not be working efficiently. Herxheimer reactions, which is the release of endotoxins in the body from dead spirochetes, more than likely have the liver and kidneys working overtime which can result in an inefficient urea cycle. If the body's urea cycle isn't converting ammonia into urea properly, this in turn can cause a back up or accumulation of ammonia in the body from any source whether it be basic protein metabolism, or a CBS gene mutation. This is where ammonia becomes troublesome as it is forced to enter the bloodstream, and from there, infiltrate and disrupt other parts of the body - symptoms begin to manifest.
This is just one reason why it is so important to detox and support the organs while treating Lyme Disease.
CBS Gene Mutation And Excessive Ammonia
While the human body is very impressive, biology isn’t perfect. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to genes. While you don’t need to be a biologist to understand the basics of genetics, to keep a potentially complex topic simple, know that chromosomes are comprised of DNA, and a section of DNA is called a gene. It’s also important to note that the blueprint and instructions for human biology (i.e., you) is DNA.
There is a specific gene (i.e., segment of DNA) called the Cystathionine Beta Synthase gene, or CBS gene for short. The CBS gene can also be broken down into further variations. The imperfection of biology is that sometimes genes are mutated (i.e., they don't work properly). When a CBS gene is mutated, it can lead to high levels of ammonia, as well as taurine and sulfur.
While it isn’t possible at the moment to change (i.e., fix) our gene mutations, it is possible to change how they’re expressed (i.e., their functions). Specifically fixing a CBS gene mutation’s expression can be done with the CBS treatment protocol which can be found in the book, “Autism: Pathways to Recovery” by Dr. Amy Yasko, Ph.D.
You can get tested for a CBS and other common gene mutations through 23andMe. After receiving your results, upload them to geneticgenie.org for an analysis of gene mutations.
Symptoms Of Ammonia Toxicity
Symptoms of ammonia toxicity, like many of the other conditions that can affect people with Lyme Disease, have a tendency to overlap making it difficult to discern the cause. When the body can no longer process ammonia efficiently through the urea cycle, ammonia will begin to back up into the body and symptoms such as severe cognitive dysfunction, nervous system dysfunction, irritability, headaches, chronic fatigue, food intolerance, and in more severe toxicity cases, coma, and even death can occur.
Testing For Ammonia Toxicity
A standard blood-ammonia test can check the amount of ammonia present in the blood at the time the blood is withdrawn. However, this type of test does not reflect the total amount of ammonia that may be stored in other parts of the body such as the brain, teeth, and muscle tissue that could be causing damage.
For ammonia stored in locations of the body other than the blood stream, Direct Resonance Testing is performed. D.R.T. identifies a strong muscle of the body. A vial of ammonia is then placed at various locations around the exterior of the brain, and if that strong muscle goes weak, ammonia toxicity is suspected.
Removing Ammonia
Always consult your physician first before beginning a treatment protocol for ammonia removal. Also, if you have CBS gene mutation which leads to excessive ammonia in your body, you need to follow the protocol in the book, "Autism: Pathways to Recovery" by Dr. Amy Yasko, Ph.D. and not assume a single supplement will address the CBS mutation because it's just one part of the equation.
For those who don't have a CBS gene mutation, but are still concerned about excessive ammonia in their body, there are some popular supplements used for helping the body remove excessive amounts of ammonia. Dosages should be discussed with your treating physician.
L-Ornithine - An amino acid that plays an important part in the formation of urea which is needed to remove ammonia from the body. It is recommended over both L-Arginine and L-Carnitine for removing ammonia from the brain because the brain lacks the Ornithine-related enzyme for neutralizing ammonia. When using L-Ornithine, one should start out slow and increase as the dosages become more tolerable. Too much L-Ornithine at once may result in brain fog and cognitive impairment which may be the result of unwarranted rapid removal of ammonia from the brain.
Yucca Root - An herb well known for its unique ability to remove ammonia from the body. Dosages can be found here.
Charcoal/Magnesium Flushes - Charcoal is used to soak up excess ammonia in the body, and Magnesium Citrate is used to help produce bowel movements. Dosages can be found here.
Dr Jernigan's Neuro-Antitox II Formula CNS/PNS - A supplement created by Dr. David Jernigan designed to help remove the neurotoxins caused by Lyme Disease. This product can be ordered through hansacenter.com. Product information can be found here.
Hydroxy B12 - Hydroxy B12 comes at the recommendation of well known Lyme physician Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D. He states that Hydroxy B12 may be able to help remove ammonia from the brain."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alrighty then!! So, here's some more information to try to understand! LOL!
"Ammonia is an extremely toxic base and its accumulation in the body would quickly be fatal.
However, the liver contains a system of carrier molecules and enzymes which quickly converts the ammonia (and carbon dioxide) into urea.
This is called the urea cycle."
www.biology-pages.info/U/UreaCycle.html
This means that you can develop gout! What is gout?? Glad you asked!!!
"Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. The acid can form needle-like crystals in a joint and cause sudden, severe episodes of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling.
What Are The Stages of Gout?
There are several stages of gout:
Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is the period prior to the first gout attack. There are no symptoms, but blood uric acid levels are high and crystals are forming in the joint.
Acute gout, or a gout attack, happens when something (such as a night of drinking) causes uric acid levels to spike or jostles the crystals that have formed in a joint, triggering the attack. The resulting inflammation and pain usually strike at night and intensify over the next eight to 12 hours. The symptoms ease after a few days and likely go away in a week to 10 days. Some people never experience a second attack, but an estimated 60% of people who have a gout attack will have a second one within a year. Overall, 84% may have another attack within three years.
Interval gout is the time between attacks. Although there’s no pain, the gout isn’t gone. Low-level inflammation may be damaging joints. This is the time to begin managing gout – via lifestyle changes and medication – to prevent future attacks or chronic gout.
Chronic gout develops in people with gout whose uric acid levels remain high over a number of years. Attacks become more frequent and the pain may not go away as it used to. Joint damage may occur, which can lead to a loss of mobility. With proper management and treatment, this stage is preventable."
www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/gout/what-is-gout.php
So, what are the symptoms???
"For many people, the first symptom of gout is excruciating pain and swelling in the big toe – often following a trauma, such as an illness or injury. Gout may also appear in another lower-body joint, such as the ankle or knee. Subsequent attacks may occur off and on in other joints, primarily those of the foot and knee, before becoming chronic.
Gout usually affects one joint at a time, but if left untreated it can affect many joints. Joint pain that used to resolve in a week to 10 days could become a milder, but constant pain. Eventually, untreated gout can cause other problems. Tophi – painless but disfiguring lumps of crystals formed from uric acid may develop under the skin around joints. The crystals can also form kidney stones."
www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/gout/symptoms.php
As someone that has lived through a few gout attacks, I can tell you that they can be incredibly painful!!! It's very similar to getting stung on the toe by a scorpion - at least that's the way it felt to me, and yes - I've had both, and neither is fun!!!