I was trying to think of a humourous title instead of using some medical jargon that will make people not want to read any further. I sought the care of a naturapath 1 1/2 years ago because I wasn't getting good treatment or any significant answers from my medical doctor. Being on the other side of the stethescope has profoundly changed the way I not only give care to my patients but also how I think about the human body. I am incredibly grateful for my NP and his team. I don't really want to think of the mess I would be in had I not found him.
Anyway, about a month ago, he decided to do some more testing to see if there was some underlying cause for my inability to eliminate copper. For some background information, copper is found in foods we eat such as nuts, avocados, etc. It is a normal and healthy substance that we need for many bodily functions. However, some people do not eliminate copper effectively and it builds up in the liver, gut and brain. When this happens, it begins to inhibit a whole slew of other processes. It acts as a stimulant on the brain, often leading to mood swings, angry outbursts, inability to focus, insomnia, anxiety and depression. It destroys neurons...you can imagine that over any length of time, the damage might be irreparable. I've read several articles stating that patients with Alzheimers, Autism, Lou Gherig's disease, Parkinsons and Schizophrenia ALL have extremely high levels of serum copper.
So, that is one issue I have. However, through naturopathic treatment, this has much improved. You need zinc to help eliminate copper because they compete with eachother. You also need Zinc to help build neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, etc.
My labs came back as high histamine, low zinc in relation to the copper (its important to note that it is the ratio of the copper to zinc that is important, vs the actual numerical value), copper was high and...DRUMROLL PLEASE...I have pyroluria.
What is pyroluria? I had never heard of it, but when I read up on it, I fit the symptoms almost to a tee. There is a natural waste product from hemoglobin called kryptopyrolles. Most people just excrete them in the urine, but in people with pyroluria, the pyroles bind to zinc and vitamin B6 and make them unavailable to the body. As I said before, zinc and B6 are essential for neurotransmiter function, so it makes a whole lot of sense that most of the symptoms would be neurological, however, many people with pyroluria have issues with their thyroid, sunburn easily, have acne, arthritis, and many of them become vegetarians due to the zinc deficiency and inability to break down animal proteins. Having pyroluria makes one fairly intolerant to stress as it is not eliminated properly from the body and is stored in tissues or the brain.
Pyroluria seems to be genetically passed down, but whether that gene is "turned on" or not (epigenetics), seems to be determined by stress, trauma, frequent childhood infections, etc.
Treatment is fairly easy, and it should just be a matter of time before the deficit is corrected. HALLELUJAH! I am soooo grateful for a thorough doctor who doesn't give up when the symptoms of dysfunction seem to persist. My naturapath is now my first go to, instead of my pcp.
