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Theresa Coe looks
at how Adrenal Stress can impact on M.E. and what can be done about
it. The
body is not designed to cope with prolonged stress, whatever the
cause. Its response is to produce high levels of the hormone Cortisol
, which in time leads to negative clinical consequences in the body.
These include:
Adrenaline
is the hormone secreted in response to immediate stress, such as a
loud bang. Many M.E. people seem to have `trigger-happy' adrenal
glands which are far too sensitive to stimuli therefore producing
the `fight-or-flight' feeling at the slightest provocation. This
leads to a constant sense of anxiety, which may never have been
present before M.E. This again is as a result of the endocrine
system malfunctioning due to chronic adrenal stress. The
doctor I see tests all his chronic fatigued patients for adrenal
stress, and so far all twenty have shown severe adrenal dysfunction.
At last here is a test which not only shows something to be
clinically wrong with M.E. patients, but for which there is
treatment. A
couple of months ago my father (Peter Coe, who also has M.E.) and I
had the Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) test, which involves taking four
saliva samples throughout the day to test cortisol levels,
corresponding levels of DHEA (the hormone which regulates cortisol)
plus immune response and sensitivity to gluten. In
a healthy person cortisol levels are highest on waking and fall
throughout the day to allow for restful sleep. My results showed
exactly the opposite. Reducing adrenal stress and correcting
cortisol levels is reputedly 80% successful using a nutritional
approach alone although this can be done with drugs failing this. My
own treatment involves:
So
far, my sleep pattern has improved slightly, but it's early days: it
takes about six months to correct malfunctioning cortisol output. I
have no idea what, if any effect, this test/treatment will have on
my health, but for those of you who are interested in finding out
more, here are some details. The
test is by doctor-referral only, but your GP, if anything like mine,
may not be the best-qualified person to analyse and treat your test
results. For this reason, I phoned up Diagnostec (the
company responsible for this test) and asked if they could recommend
a good doctor to both refer me for the test and see me afterwards.
They put me in touch with Dr. John Briffa who is a medical doctor
that uses a holistic/nutritional approach to treat chronic
conditions including M.E. He charges £45 an hour and the ASI test
cost £50
Could
you have an underactive thyroid? Symptoms
usually associated with under-active thyroid include low body
temperature and low energy (especially on waking), intolerance to
heat and often, but not always, slowed metabolism and weight gain. A
physical examination may reveal dry, brittle hair, dry skin and weak
nails with the outer third of the eyebrows missing, a slow pulse
rate, cold hands and feet and possibly an enlarged thyroid gland. As
well as taking thyroid hormone drugs (which at 100 tabs for £1.50
are extremely cheap), treatment should also include correction of
trace elements, especially zinc, magnesium, iron and selenium. If
you think you may have an under-active thyroid, you could try taking
your temperature immediately on waking for three consecutive days,
for ten minutes under the armpit (in menstruating women this should
preferably be done on days 2-4 of the menses). If body temperature
is below 97.8F, this is a likely indication of an under-active
thyroid and you could request that thyroid function tests be carried
out by your GP, with possible referral to an endocrinologist. If
morning temperature is above 98.2F this may reflect an infection or
hyperthyroid state. One final point to note: not all GPs are skilled
at interpreting test results correctly and may only be looking for
low levels of T4 (thyroid hormone). However, another clear indicator
of early stage under-active thyroid is raised TSH (thyroid
stimulating hormone) and this is cause for thyroxine treatment in
itself, even where T4 levels appear to be normal. Remember, you do
have a right to a copy of your own test results under the law. How
reliable are current testing procedures? Barbara
Houghton, former group leader of the Chester area M.E. support group
writes: I feel that I must let other sufferers know that several members
of our Action for M.E. self-help group are now actually getting
better. In September 1996 I was put in touch with Dr. Gordon
Skinner, a consultant virologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
Birmingham, and a senior lecturer at University of Birmingham
medical school. He is especially interested in looking at thyroid
function tests and how these can be misleading and open to
misinterpretation, partly because they only represent what is
happening to 95% of the population. Clinically hypothyroid despite 'normal' blood tests I subsequently went to see Dr. Skinner for a consultation and
after a careful examination he declared me to be clinically
hypothyroid despite having been diagnosed as having M.E. in 1993. At
that time I could hardly walk and felt very ill indeed despite
having a positive attitude. He ran some tests and the results showed
FT4=12.7 (range 10-17) and TSH=1.8 (range 0.5-5.5). I began a trial
of thyroxine for two months, taking 25mcg daily for one week and
then 50mcg for the rest of that time. Very quickly I noticed an
improvement in mental alertness and very slowly I began to have more
energy to do various small tasks. I am currently taking 100mcgs each
day and can now easily walk around the supermarket to get in the
shopping when before I had to be pushed in a wheelchair. My brain
functions much more like it used to do and I would estimate that I
am 60% better. I feel that I can start living again and that I can
plan for the future. Individual experiences As the group leader of the self-help group,
naturally many people have seen the great improvement in my health
and wanted to know more. So, Diana Holmes who was ill for 23 years
before being diagnosed hypothyroid, despite 'normal' test results,
and who is now fully recovered, came to talk to our group and
consequently many more people wanted to see Dr. Skinner. We have set
up a clinic here in Chester and he has seen 27 members of our group
so far, of which seven were already taking thyroxine, but have
subsequently improved on a higher dose. 23 have been diagnosed
hypothyroid, (of which 16 had normal test results) and have started
thyroid replacement therapy. Whilst it is still very early days yet,
so far 18 members feel they have improved noticeably despite only
taking thyroxine for three months. Three members have seen no change
yet and for a further four it is too early to tell, while two people
have dropped out of the trial after experiencing a further loss of
energy; another person is experiencing some problems but these seem
to be alleviated by taking Efamol marine. Four members have had
their GPs refuse involvement due to prior medical conditions. Issues that are of importance to all people
with M.E.:
Could it be that thyroxine could actually help
someone rightly diagnosed as having CFS? I feel that everyone should have a thyroid
function test carried out to find out their FT4 and TSH levels with
the exact figures and the 'normal' range that they refer to as a
starting point before investigating with their GP if they could
actually be hypothyroid to some degree. Some people may in fact only
need a small dose of thyroxine to return to normal life. Dr. Skinner
holds clinics in Leeds, Glasgow, London and Birmingham as well as
Chester. An excellent reference book is 'Solved: The
Riddle of Illness' by Langer and Scheer ISBN 0-87983-667-9 which
backs up what Dr. Skinner is doing and suggests that a large
percentage of the American population may be hypothyroid. Editorial comment: Medical opinion is extremely divided as to the
reliability of thyroid function tests, and whether or not it is
indeed possible to diagnose hypothyroidism clinically. As well as
those points made by Barbara, however, reasons why current testing
methods may be inadequate, according to Action for M.E. medical
advisor Dr John Briffa, include:
Instead of thyroxine, Dr. Briffa gives those
patients he considers to be clinically hypothyroid a nutritional
thyroid support supplement from Biocare called TH207, which he says
has increased the body temperature of many of these patients. TH207
contains dulse, Siberian ginseng, liquorice, glutamine and some
vitamins and trace elements (tel. Biocare on 0121- 433 3727 for more
details). Medical Profession Divided There is some dispute as to the safety of
giving thyroxine to patients whose test results appear to be normal;
one person who took part in Dr. Skinner's trial suffered a relapse
and it was later suggested that this may have been due to her being
given too much thyroxine. While our own medical advisor Dr Sarah
Myhill believes thyroxine to be perfectly safe if the patient is
started on a low dose and monitored carefully, Dr Charles Shepherd
and Professor Behan do not agree, while Dr. Alan Franklin's view is
that one shouldn't stay on thyroxine if no improvement is seen
within three months. One of Dr. Shepherd's concerns is that giving a
patient too much thyroxine can disturb heart rhythm, and that
patients should have their heart checked before taking this drug.
Similarly, patients with a disease like Addisons or low cortisol,
where adrenal function is very weak, could suffer greatly if given
thyroxine as thyroid hormones further challenge the adrenals. This
is why it is important to start on a low dose and monitor health
closely for any adverse effects, (Dr. Skinner usually checks
cortisol levels before starting treatment). Finally, Dr. Shepherd is worried about the
long-term effects of taking thyroid hormone, which he thinks could
dampen down the response of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA)
axis, so that the effect wears off and patients may need to increase
their dosage, possibly staying on thyroxine for life. He believes
that much of the therapeutic effect felt by patients on thyroxine
may be due to its stimulating effect, rather than a genuine
deficiency in thyroid function. However, in the book 'Why M.E.?',
Dr. Belinda Dawes writes "Thyroid function is very often
disturbed in a whole range of enviromental and allergic disorders,
exactly why we are not sure, but it does seem to be the target for a
number of auto-immune disturbances. It is important to check thyroid
function, but even if function is normal, I still prescribe a low
dose of thyroid hormone supplementation where there are positive
levels of thyroid auto-antibodies." Michael Valentine, pharmacologist, comments:
"Those most likely to benefit from thyroid treatments tend to
have thyroid levels at the low end of the scale or borderline, and
may be considered in conventional medicine to have 'normal' thyroid
chemistry. The mechanism is thought to be thyroxine resistance,
whereby the body has normal levels of thyroid hormones but does not
respond - something similar is seen in cases of 'brittle' diabetes,
where massive amounts of insulin are needed to achieve an
effect." Case Histories We received a great many letters in response to
Barbara Houghton's article in InterAction 24 - here is just a
selection: My daughter, now aged fifteen, has had M.E.
since she was eight. During that time she has been unable to go to
school and was bed-ridden for months at a time. A few years ago I
heard about two sisters who had M.E. who were later diagnosed as
hypothyroid and made dramatic recoveries once their condition was
treated. I took my daughter to see Dr. Barry Peatfield, who
specialises in treating thyroid problems and he diagnosed that my
daughter was suffering from hypothyroidism (due to her low basal
temperature) and low adrenal reserve (from clinical examination).
She began treatment with very low levels of hydrocortisone and
natural thyroid which were gradually increased and then adjusted to
achieve the desired effect. Within two weeks there was such an improvement
in her condition that she was able to come on holiday with us. We
could scarcely believe the change in her. She has made steady
progress since then, and was soon able to tackle her lessons once
again (still at home) and was thrilled, six months after starting
treatment, to be able to go horse-riding for the first time. Jane is
now fifteen and taking her GCSEs. When we think back to the eleven
year-old who spent most of her time lying in bed with a constant
blinding headache, the effort of brushing her teeth almost more than
she could manage, we realise how fortunate we are now to have found
a way forward. Dr Peatfield says that one problem is that the
diagnosis is sometimes a difficult one to get doctors to accept. He
believes this is due to a deficiency in medical education as well as
a misplaced trust in laboratory blood tests. A tendency to hypothyroidism can be inherited
genetically. Equally it can be caused by disease of the thyroid, by
physical injury to the gland [possibly viral], or through
nutritional, iodine or enzyme deficiency. I'm sure my daughter's
hypothyroidism is genetic as my son also suffers from it but with
quite different symptoms. My niece also had M.E.-type symptoms which
were attributed to hyperventilation and later bradycardia, but
before getting a pacemaker fitted (aged 22) she consulted Dr
Peatfield, was found to be hypothyroid with a low adrenal reserve
and within a month of treatment was absolutely fine. I would urge
anyone who thinks they might be suffering from hypothyroidism to
take their temperature first thing in the morning. There could not
be a cheaper or easier diagnostic test. If you are able to follow it
up with the right treatment, life could begin to look up. name
and address withheld Annabel's story Once diagnosed I read everything I could about
M.E., the recurring message was that I must not expect to recover in
a few weeks, worse still, I might be looking at years. This was no
light sentence. Soon after the diagnosis, I contacted my local M.E.
group, the woman I spoke to said that she had been ill for 6 years,
but in the last year was seeing a doctor in Birmingham who was
treating her with some success. Sceptical, I found myself sitting in front of
this Scottish doctor, Dr Skinner two weeks on. I half-listened to
him saying that he believed some M.E. sufferers were in fact missed
cases of hypothyroidism - suffering from an under-active gland,
missed because the patient has low normal levels, so the GP would
not prescribe thyroxine on these results. I let him take a blood
test, and took some natural thyroxine, armour thyroid, home with me,
to take with the results of the blood test, on Dr Skinner's advice. He wrote and said that in his opinion, the
results indicated that my ill-health was due to thyroid problems.
With my diagnosis of M.E. I continued to believe he was wrong, but I
decided to go on the treatment anyway! If it doesn't work, I could
always stop was my reasoning. Months passed, I stayed on the
treatment, gradually increasing my intake of armour thyroid. It
seemed to have no effect, and I took it every day saying tomorrow I
will stop. In April, 5 months after I first saw Dr
Skinner, I increased my dose once more, on Dr Skinner's
recommendation. I began to notice improvements, I didn't have to
take so many rests, the aches were not so bad, and I could walk
short distances. Since April I haven't looked back, a trip to a
friend's wedding in Israel and a week in Prague, each week
improving. I can only conclude that the armour thryroid has made me
so much better, and my diagnosis for M.E. was wrong. The test will
be moving to London and looking for some regular part-time work. I
can't wait, no wheelchair or muscled-arm mum, services no longer
required, sorry mum. Annabel
Schleutker Despite a 'normal' reading for my blood TSH
levels, I started taking 50mcg of thyroxine in March this year after
contacting Diana Holmes on her help-line [see below]. I also had a
low blood temperature, after checking it every morning for a week.
Since starting treatment I have improved in energy and now have a
clearer mind ... Alice
Morland I saw Dr Gordon Skinner in April after getting
Diana Holmes' number from the Action for M.E. therapy line. At that
time I could only walk one to two hundred yards on a good day and
had been badly disabled with M.E. for the last six years. I took
25mcg of thyroxine for two months and then built it up slowly by
25mcg a month. The result, after five months, is amazing - I am now
back climbing mountains with no pain, joint stiffness or muscle
weakness. In fact all my symptoms of eleven years of illness are
gone, except those pertaining to the gastro-intestinal tract. My
grandmother, mother and sister all have health problems too so it
may be a hereditary problem. My blood tests showed that I was low
within the normal range and being slim, I don't appear an obvious
case for hypothyroidism, but I did always have a low body
temperature and slow pulse and recently constant feelings of vertigo
which have now vanished completely. Sally
Pearce My M.E. started in 1989 but several years later
I had a major relapse and after a series of tests (which showed my
thyroid level to be at the low end of normal) was treated for
hypothyroidism, which does run in my family. I did feel a bit better
on treatment, and was advised to stop it for a while, and it was
soon clear how much it had been helping me. I used to be freezing
cold at night then have night sweats but my body temperature is
better controlled now and best of all, my sleep pattern has improved
and I have more energy. I started on 50mcg a day but am now up to
150mcg. Samantha
Coney Two years after developing M.E., my GP
discovered that I was hypothyroid which we thought was good news as
this condition is at least treatable. However, despite taking
thyroxine since 1993 there has only been gradual improvement in my
health over the years but I cannot attribute this to the thyroxine. Philip
Vaughan I have had M.E. since 1985 but ten years later
developed an overactive thyroid. The drugs for this worked to begin
with, but then my legs got so painful I couldn't walk and was forced
to have radio iodine treatment. This caused extreme pain, impotence,
muscle numbness and bloating and resulted with me becoming grossly
hypothyroid. I was put on 150mg of thyroxine but was still
very ill on this as it was not being taken up by my muscles. At no
point was my T3 measured; as long as the T4 and TSH were within the
normal range then that was that. I believe I would have died had I
not read articles about various vitamins to take. I started taking
vitamin B12, Co-Enzyme Q-10 and vitamin C which helped my muscles
accept the thyroxine. However, I am still not back to normal as the
thyroxine drug only supplies T4 which my muscles are having trouble
converting this to T3. I am just about surviving but the thyroid
problems have ruined my appearance, affected my health and put me
through the worst hellish experience that almost cost me my life. I
have been told by a doctor that glandular medicine is an alternative
but the NHS does not actually recommend it. name
and address withheld Despite normal tests for thyroid function, I
was prescribed 50mcg of thyroxine for one week increasing to100mcg
for the next two months in December '96. Two weeks after commencing
treatment, I began to develop symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as
increased anxiety, palpitations and regular panic attacks. Once I
had discontinued use of thyroxine the effects wore off in about
fourteen days but by that point my mental state was one of almost
total despair. I was bed-bound and my energy levels had diminished
to half that prior to taking this drug. It has taken me several
months to get onto an even mental keel from this experience, and I
would urge doctors to think carefully before prescribing thyroxine
to patients with normal blood test results. Andrew
Perry Action for M.E. medical advisor Dr Sarah Myhill comments: The symptoms that Andrew describes are those of
overdosing and he did the right thing to stop it. I use thyroxine on
a lot of my CFS/M.E. patients and this is the first time I have seen
such a bad reaction. It is unusual to become toxic on 100mcg a day.
However, as a result of Andrew's experience, I now increase the dose
very much more slowly, starting on only 25mcg a day for someone who
is very small or elderly, and increasing by 25cmg a month until
optimum dose is reached. I would urge that people trying thyroxine
have their T4 (thyroid) blood level checked every three months after
starting treatment so that the levels of hormone can be monitored
carefully and one doesn't reach a state of hyperthyroidism. I also
warn patients that should they develop palpitations or undue anxiety
then they should reduce the dose at once. However, so many of my patients do well on low
dose thyroxine that it is now a regular part of my armamentarium.
Some have likened taking thyroid hormone to the 'last piece in the
jigsaw' on their road to recovery. T4 or T3? If a patient with a low blood level of
thyroxine or a high level of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) fails
to respond to thyroxine I would want to look at their T3 levels.
Thyroxine is T4 which is relatively inactive and is converted in the
body to T3, the active principle. It is possible but unusual to see
patients who've failed to make this conversion, therefore to ensure
that the hundred micrograms of thyroxine is adequate, you need to
have blood levels done of T4, T3 and TSH and the dose of T3 and T4
prescribed adjusted accordingly. Editorial comment: An article on the controversy surrounding
diagnosis of under-active thyroid appeared in the Daily Telegraph
magazine on October 11th. In this, consultant endocrinologist at the
London Lister Hospital Sir Richard Bayliss agreed that in the early
stages of disease, thyroxine levels may be normal, with TSH only
slightly raised, leading to some patients not being treated. He
recommends that doctors do more intensive investigations when the
diagnosis is uncertain, such as looking for thyroid antibodies.
Diana Holmes, who was ill for more than twenty years before being
diagnosed as hypothyroid, adds that 80% of the calls to her
help-line in Manchester are from treated cases of hypothyroidism who
are still not well, because although their T4 levels have increased,
they still need to be higher within the reference range before
symptoms will clear up. She also wishes to stress that blood tests
only tell you how much thyroid hormone is in the blood and not how
much of it is usable at cell level. Diana sums up "If all cases of M.E. were to be re-assessed, taking the
patient's signs, symptoms, history and a clinical appraisal and
using the blood test as an indicator only, perhaps many cases of
hyopthyroidism would be found." Meanwhile Dr. Toft, who is president of the
British Thyroid Association, is about to embark on a study to
determine whether patients with borderline TSH levels may also
benefit from thyroid hormones. Interestingly, the World Health
Organisation has now stated that laboratory experts are to abandon
the term 'normal range' from the reference values and instead
replace it with 'reference interval'. For further information about thyroid problems,
send an SAE to the British Thyroid Foundation at PO Box HP22, Leeds
LS6 3RT. The BTF recommends that those with persistent illness
should get their thyroid function checked as the thyroid can be both
over or under-active and both conditions can cause a variety of
symptoms that may be mistaken for other illnesses. However, they do
still assert the reliability of blood tests for diagnosis. Bolton GP Dr. Andrew Wright comments: "Work coming from America shows that not
only can patients be hypothyroid because of a thyroid gland problem,
but also because other hormones - including melatonin and cortisol
(secreted by the adrenal gland) - are affecting thyroid
function." The thyroid and adrenal stress For more on melatonin, see article on Insomnia.
To check for adrenal weakness you can get the Adrenal Stress Index
test done by Diagnos-techs (tel. 01792- 464 911) - see Adrenal
Stress and Interview
with Dr. Briffa more details about this. Alternatively,
you can ask your GP to do a cortrosyn stimulation test first thing
in the morning. For this you have your blood taken both before and
then half an hour after being given an injection of cortrosyn (ACTH
- 25 units) to check your cortisol levels. If they are low, (less
than 11mcg/dL) then you have adrenal weakness, and if the cortisol
level doesn't rise after the injection then you have a low adrenal
reserve. Both of these problems can be treated with a natural
adrenal support like liquorice (try AD206, available from Biocare,
tel. 0121- 433 3727 for more details) or by taking a very low
(sub-physiological) dose of hydrocortisone in the morning. We are hoping to cover adrenal problems in more depth in the
future and would welcome feedback from members who have had
treatment for weakened adrenal function. Recommended reading: Thyroid Problems by Patsy Westcott (£5.99
from Thorsons). AfME also has an info pack on adrenal problems and
M.E. send SAE and £1 in stamps to the Wells
office. Everyone with M.E. should read this book
Tears behind closed doors by Diana Holmes Available from Vinehouse books on 01825 723398
or write to Plot B, Sunnybank, Lapley, South Staffordshire, ST19 9QH
for £9.30 including pp Reviewed by Elaine Myers InterAction has consistently monitored the
thyroid connection. Diana Holmes' book examines how an underactive
thyroid (hypothyroidism) mimics M.E. and tells us how to
differentiate between the two conditions. It has long been believed that many chronically
ill people are undiagnosed with M.E. This book turns that theory on
its head and purports that thousands of people are wrongly diagnosed
with M.E. when they really have deficient thyroids. The reader will
learn why the thyroid can suddenly fail and how to look out for
warning signs of hypothyroidism: symptoms formerly disregarded by
doctors. She does not advocate that everyone suffering from M.E. has
a thyroid condition but she wants every sufferer to have a thyroid
function test. Diana Holmes was previously diagnosed as
suffering from epilepsy, depression, coeliac disease, carpal tunnel
syndrome and asthma and was so debilitated at one point that she was
doubly incontinent. Now fully recovered, her crusade is to apply a
different approach to the interpretation of the blood tests which
currently allow thousands of people to be falsely diagnosed with an
efficient thyroid. Don't expect a book written by a scientist.
Much of it is anecdotal and there is poetry by long term sufferers.
However, it provides the ammunition to approach an apathetic or
sceptical doctor. Knowledge is power. I totally understand why this book sold out
after a first print run. Also available from the Action for M.E. library Contact details for Dr Gordon Skinner: Harborough Banks, Old Warwick Road, Lapworth,
Warks., B94 6LD Tel/fax. 01564 782488
Gill Jacobs, Action
for M.E. Executive and Council member and health writer, looks at
the connection between Antioxidants and M.E. There
has long been an unsolved paradox in medicine, which is the fact
that oxygen is the source of all life and also the major cause of
ageing. Energy is released when oxygen burns hydrogen. If we do not
have enough free hydrogen, then too much oxygen -oxidation- can
cause the formation of free radicals which can destroy tissues, and
cause reduced immune function and disease. Antioxidant
enzymes, hormones and nutrients have the job of neutralising free
radical damage. The antioxidant enzymes include two forms of
superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as glutathione, (glutathione has
potent anti-viral properties) and catalase. In a similar way,
antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and
beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, act as 'scavengers' to
remove various free radicals from the body and prevent new ones from
being formed. Oxidation Oxidation
is a loss of electrons - we age, die and decay because we cannot
continually control this loss of electrons and the energy contained
within them. The single factor that is common to all antioxidants is
that they are sources of hydrogen. Most M.E. specialists who
recognise the importance of nutrition, also recognise the central
role played in M.E. by free radical damage. Free
Radical Damage and Live Blood Analysis Dr
Majid Ali in his book 'The Canary and Chronic Fatigue' defines the
scientific basis of chronic fatigue as accelerated oxidative
molecular injury. Dr Ian Hyams, who trained with Dr Ali, prescribes
antioxidants as a key element in his treatment regimen. By using
live blood analysis Dr Hyams is able to see free radical damage as
white clumps in the blood. After a course of antioxidants the
patient is rewarded with feedback from a new blood reading. One of
the antioxidants used at Harley Health Clinics is Quench from
Bio-Tech-Pharm. Quench, among other things, contains the enzymes
SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, important for defending
against oxidant damage at an intracellular level. It costs £35 for
120 capsules. A
natural source of glutathione is sprouted wheat, or wheatgrass,
suitable for those with wheat intolerance. BioCare do a wheatgrass
product called Oxyplex, providing 800mg. Wheatgrass also contains
superoxide dismutase, catalase and methionine reductase. Disorders
Related to Free Radicals Cancer,
coronary heart disease, diabetes, cataracts, alcohol-induced liver
damage, adverse drug reaction, immune hypersensitivity, arthritic
tissue damage, inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson's disease,
neurological degeneration, senile dementia, chronic brain disease,
and traumatic inflammation. Link
with M.E. Free
radicals damage cell membranes. We now know that M.E. causes
misshapen red blood cells, and this is clearly evident in live blood
analysis. When cell membranes are damaged the immune system cannot
function properly. In addition, the link between M.E. and allergies
and chemical sensitivity points further to oxygen stress, as an
underlying mechanism. ACE+Selenium The
most common antioxidants which you will be familiar with are
beta-carotene in the form of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, from
vegetables and fruits, and vitamin E from oils. Many effective
supplements are a combination of these vitamins together with
selenium. For example, NutriGuard Forte, from BioCare (also includes
lycopene.) Lycopene You
may be confused by the choice of other antioxidants appearing on the
market, which all claim to be highly effective at combating free
radical damage. Lycopene, for example, is found in the pigmentation
of tomatoes, pink grapefruit and red grapes. In one study lycopene
was at least three times more effective than beta-carotene in
preventing cell death by quenching free radicals from tobacco smoke.
However, the key to all protective carotenoid activity is in
ensuring COMBINATIONS of natural carotenoids. Anthocyanosides
and PCO's More
powerful free radical scavengers come in the form of anthocyanosides,
(the colour in blueberries, cherries, and blackberries),
proanthocyanadins, and procyanidolic oligomers (PCO's, or the French
equivalent, OPC's). The particular PCO's found in the pine bark have
a patented name of Pycnogenol. Other PCO's are found in purple grape
skins and grape seeds. These antioxidants are as much as 50 times
more potent than Vitamin E and 20 times more than Vitamin C.
Research has shown that the use of antioxidants derived from
blueberries and grape seeds can inhibit the breakdown of the
blood/brain barrier in rats and also reduce inflammation.
Anthocyanosides tend to be better anti-inflammatories and PCO's
better antioxidants. Products Many
people with Multiple Sclerosis are trying the Neways product Revenol
to improve the blood brain barrier. (Multi Level Marketing - MLM -
see note below) It contains 60mg of OPC's from Maritime Pine Bark,
Grapeseed and Curcumin extracts from Pycnogenols and other
bioflavinoid antioxidants. Another
multi-level marketing product is from Life Plus International;
Proanthenols Bio-Complex High Potency (HP), with 100mg of grapeseed
and pinebark, and 200mg of other antioxidants. At £39.66 for 60
capsules this product seems overpriced, given the superior ratios at
less cost in some of the other products which we review. The
marketing hype pushes the line that this product is superior because
of the 'secret' blend of synergistic nutrients alongside the OPC's. An
excellent new BioCare antioxidant, and non-MLM, is Resveratrol Plus,
30 and 90 capsules, with 100mg of OPC's as grapeseed, 100mg of
Bilberry Extract (natural mixed flavonoids) and 50mg of Green Tea
Extract, (natural mixed phenols) with zinc, Betatene, Lycopene and
Chromium. This costs (AfME 15% reduced prices) £13.99 for 30 or £36.26
for 90. Resveratrol
should ideally be combined with another antioxidant formulation,
Procydin. This is made up of 300mg of Black Cherry Extract, 100mg of
Blackberry Extract and 100mg of Blueberry Extract. AfME reduced
price £13.77 for 90 capsules. Comparing
prices is a very complex task, given different strengths and
combinations. Pro Health Inc do Nature's 8 Complex, with 5mg pine
bark extract, 450mg green tea extract, and 32.5mg grapeseed extract,
50mg red grape skin extract, 60mg bilberry extract, 40mg gingko
biloba extract, 87,5mg milk thistle extract, and 125mg citrus
bioflavinoid complex. Although this has lower amounts of OPC's than
some products, the other ingredients are good ones, and this could
be an effective product to try. It all depends what else you are
taking at the same time. An additional bonus with Pro-Health is that
substantial profits go towards M.E. research. Redox
Potential Apart
from live blood, it is possible to test the ability of an
antioxidant to prevent free radical damage by measuring what is
called its redox potential. This is a reduction in oxidation
potential (Redox) in the body, helping to create an internal
environment that simultaneously promotes healthy cell growth and
function, and discourages the proliferation of unhealthy bacteria,
fungi and viruses, which prefer more acidic (less alkaline)
conditions inside the body. One very new antioxidant which performs
exceptionally well on this score is Microhydrin. As the silica
hydride passes through the digestive system, hydrogen gives off
electrons to neutralise free radicals. The hydrogen atom, minus an
electron, combines with oxygen, to create an alkaline condition in
the body. Acidity and alkalinity are measured by pH, which is simply
a measure of the power (p), or amount, of hydrogen (H). As hydrogen
increases, the blood and body tissues become less acidic and change
to the more desirable alkaline pH, in which environment viruses and
bacteria find it hard to survive. Microhydrin is the only known
antioxidant that does not itself become a free radical after it
gives up electrons. To work maximally this product should only be
taken with reverse osmosis water, plumbed in, as provided by
Aquathin, or bought from Sainsbury's. Volvic water is the best
substitute. Microhydrin costs £26.68 plus postage for 60 capsules.
(fluctuating price according to the rate of exchange). How
to Minimise Free Radical Damage in the First Place In
this factsheet we have attempted to clarify what at first glance
could seem to be a confusing area. If your budget is limited, one
way to minimise free radical damage is to make sure that you are
consuming the right foods and minimising exposure to chemicals and
pollutants:
How to Take Antioxidants The flavonoids may be destroyed by bacteria
normally found in the bowel and, if taken together with food, may be
slowed down in transit and more susceptible to bacterial damage of
the active ingredients. Although some advise to take with meals, it
may make sense to take on an empty stomach. The doses should be
taken as a single dose in the morning or in divided doses in the
morning and at mid-day. Taking them in the evening seems to increase
the likelihood of disturbed sleep or dreams. Multilevel Marketing MLM means that marketing is in the hands of
users, who get money back on sales to others below them in the
'pyramid'. As a charity we have some reservations about this way of
distributing products, but some of the products are good, and
usually there is no other way to purchase them. The problem is that
once you are hooked into MLM your judgment about a particular
product's worth can get clouded, because of the financial gain from
pushing it to others. That is why products are marketed this way. To
start with it is probably best, if you do want to try products sold
this way, to remain objective, and shop around before committing
yourself one way or the other |
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