THE UPLINK
Merging Contemporary Chiropractic Neurology and Nutritional Biochemistry in the Tradition of Applied Kinesiology
Issue No. 25
Issue No. 25
TO “B” OR NOT TO “B”
In
Issue #24 of THE UPLINK we discussed
the importance of activated forms of folic acid in many patients. In this issue,
we will continue this topic and talk about the use of other activated
(coenzyme) forms of B vitamins. We have
only recently learned that as many as 30-35% of patients have genetic faults in
activating B vitamins. Although we have new information about activated B
vitamins and new products are available, the concept is not new.
For many years we have discussed the chemical and clinical differences
of the two parts of the vitamin B complex which are called “B” and “G.” There
is an entire chapter in Compiled Notes on
Clinical Nutritional Products on this topic. The “B” and “G” products which
are available actually contain activated, coenzyme forms of B vitamins.
In 1987, I wrote the paper called “Making B-6
Work.” This paper (which is included in Selected
Papers on Metabolic Faults) discusses the nutrients necessary to convert
pyridoxine to its active, pyridoxal-5-phosohate (P5P) form.
In
patients requiring activated B vitamins, oral testing with the nutrient form of
the vitamin will be negative, but testing with the activated form will be
positive. The activated, coenzyme form of the substance must be taken if they
are ever to maintain optimal health. You
have a number of these people in your practice, and they may have ANY symptom.
PANTETHINE
Pantothenic acid is converted into coenzyme A (CoA) which is necessary for moving two-carbon (and
three-carbon) groups around the body. CoA combines
with an acetyl (two-carbon) group to make acetyl CoA
which is used for the synthesis of many other molecules such as steroid
hormones and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh.) If you
have patients with recurrent adrenal problems, and you are looking for nutrient
needs, test pantethine. If you
have patients with neurological problems including cognitive problems, check
for pantethine. If you have patients who have excess sympathetic activity and
don’t seem to be able to produce the parasympathetic ACh, try pantethine.
AN INTERESTING FOLIC ACID CASE
One of the most interesting responses we have seen with 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate
(5-MTHF) was a 30 year old male patient with a history of chronic post nasal
drip and frequent (minimum 4 times per minute) throat clearing. He had been a
patient for about five years and nothing had helped this problem. He responded
to oral 5-MTHF (we tried it just because nothing else was working) and his
congestion and throat clearing problem was almost totally alleviated. He ran
out of his supplement for five days and the symptoms returned full force. When
he re-started the 5-MTHF, the symptoms resolved once again.
Note that we also test for other active forms of folate including methylene THF and formyl
TFH.
METHYLCOBALAMIN
Methyl
B-12 works hand-in-hand with 5-MTHF. This is the pathway for the conversion of
homocysteine (HCYS) back into methionine (MET) in the
body’s major methyl donor pathway. Just as CoA moves
two-carbon (and three-carbon) groups around the body, folate and B-12 move
one-carbon groups around. A build up of
HCYS is implicated in heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases
including Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) diseases. When HCYS is not converted
to MET, it is converted to homocysteic acid which is
a neurotoxin contributing to damage and death of neurons. My experience is that this is an issue not
only in AD and PD, but also in other neurological problems, both named and
unnamed.
In
another pathway, HCYS can be converted on to cysteine
(CYS) and taurine (TAU) requiring P5P. Remember that TAU is an essential substance
to protect the body from the free radical hypochlorite, and CYS is part of the
most important molecule, glutathione. The papers (also included in Selected Papers on Metabolic Faults) “The
Clorox Sniff Test” (1985) and “Glutathione” (1989) discussed this. So when HCYS
is not being metabolized properly, the body is jeopardized in many different
ways: neurological, cardiovascular, and immune.
See below for sources of these nutrients.
¢ OTHER B
VITAMINS IN ACTIVE FORM:
Adenosylcobalamin: This is another form of B-12 which will sometimes test when no other
forms will.
Activated
thiamine (B-1): B-1 is available in various forms including thiamine pyrophosphate and
thiamine triphosphate.
Riboflavin-5-phosphate
(B-2): In our experience, the need
for activated B-2 is less common than the others.
Note on B-2 and Dysbiosis: When B-2 is
needed (in either form,) it is often due to unfriendly organisms growing in the
GI tract (dysbiosis.) The dysbiotic organisms thrive on the B-2 and then there is
none left over for the patient. If a
patient shows a recurrent need for B-2, we always check the gut, and usually
find a dysbiosis problem.
¢ TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT ACTIVATED B vitamins, we
suggest the seminars taught by our friend, Chris Astill-Smith,
DO. You will learn much about your patients and possibly about yourself by
taking Chris’s seminars. We highly recommended them. Information about his seminars is available
by contacting
¢ SOURCES FOR ACTIVATED “B” VITAMINS:
The following list of activated
B vitamin products and companies that offer them will help you get started on
ordering. It is not a complete list and we are sorry if we didn’t include your
favorite product or favorite company. Any omissions are purely unintentional.
Company names are abbreviated as follows:
BIO = Biotics
(800-231-5777)
EF = Ecological Formulas
(800-888-4585)
MUSA =
METG = Metagenics
(800-692-9400)
NW = Nutri West
(800-443-3333)
SCS = SCS Intensive Nutrition
(800-333-7414)
TH = Thorne (800-228-1966)
SP = Standard Process
(800-848-5061)
Folic acid (various forms):
MUSA, METG, SCS
Vitamin B-12 (various forms):
MUSA, TH, EF
Thiamine (various forms): EF,
MUSA, SP
Pantethine: EF, TH
Pyridoxal-5-phosphate: EF,
TH, BIO, SP, NW
Riboflavin-5-phosphate: MUSA, TH, SP
Activated B Complex: BIO,TH, EF
¢ TEXTBOOKS
FOR THE 100 HOUR COURSES which begin this fall in LOS
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¢ THE UPLINK
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information.
¢ GANGEMI’S
TOP 10 TESTIMONIALS: Dr. Schmitt’s
associate, Dr. Stephen Gangemi, decided that he would help Dr. Schmitt promote
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Dr. Gangemi calls it his "Top 10 List."
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For
a list of actual testimonials about
the Special 100 Hour AK Courses, please see www.theuplink.com.
Dr. Walter H. Schmitt, Jr. Seminar
Schedule (8/02)
Call contact person to confirm details of
seminars. Schedule
subject to change.
Dates Locations Titles Contact
2002:
Aug 24-25
2003:
Mar 6-8
2002-2003 Special 100 Hour AK Course:
Tampa/St.
Session 1:
Session 2:
Session 3:
Session 1:
Session 2:
Session 3:
For Information
Contact:
•AKSP,LLC / Sara,
•Dr.
Walter Schmitt,
•NC
Chiropractic Association, (919) 832-0611.
•Healthworks! (727) 217-0990 Fax (727) 217-9256 e-mail:
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