Histapenia in bipolars: Vitamins

The focus in histapenia treatment  is reducing brain overmethylation, increasing folate and histamine, and addressing high copper and metal metabolism problems, if present.

Treatment must reflect individual biochemical requirements.

Doctors Pfeiffer, Hoffer, Walsh and other orthomolecular physicians have, over tens of thousands of histapenic patients, have found these vitamins almost always beneficial, roughly grouped around the following symptoms:

Voices and other psychotic symptoms.

Vitamin B3 — Critical to brain circulation and metabolism, histamine production, metal metabolism, copper elimination. Antioxidant. May create a flush.
Vitamin C — Counters overstimulation, voices, and paranoia. Promotes copper excretion, protects brain tissue from oxidation.
Vitamin B6 — May be even more important than B3 for psychosis in children. Helps form GABA, glutathione, CoQ10. Antioxidant. Supports B12 absorption, zinc metabolism. May decrease available methyl.
Zinc — Inhibits absorption and promotes copper excretion. Facilitates histamine storage. Antioxidant. Helps maintain GABA levels.

Paranoia:

Vitamin C, Zinc (above)

Stress, overstimulation, hypomania, mania:

Vitamins B3, C, B6, Zinc, Magnesium. Plus:
B complex — Supports neural function; helps prevent deficits due to high doses of specific B vitamins.
Pantothenic acid (B5) — Supports adrenals. Helps keep copper low.
Manganese — Lowers dopamine. Supports metal metabolism and copper elimination. Makes choline available to form acetylcholine.
Choline or DMAE — Counters dopamine  and norepinephrine.
GABA — Counterbalances norepinephrine. But may interact with meds.
Valerian — Only if needed. Check for drug interactions.

Depression: 
Vitamins B3, C, B6, B5, omega 3,  L-carnitine.
Folic acid and B12 — Counterbalance and trap methyl.   Helps produce histamine (via BH4).

High copper and poor metabolism of divalent metals:

Zinc, C, B6, B3. manganese.
Molybdenum — Important to copper metabolism. Especially suggested by pronounced allergies and high urinary sulfite.
NAC — Critical in decreasing copper. Introduced slowly, and only after at least three months of zinc, etc. Can cause severe symptoms if given too early. For a discussion on decreasing copper see: Copper Tox Doc.

Neural support
B complex, zinc, magnesium. 

Vitamin C and E, selenium, other antioxidants — Helps protect against peroxidation due to overstimulation and to elevated copper.
Omega 3 — Supports neural receptor function.  

Chronic lack of physical energy,  but not indicated if voices or overstimulation worsen:
 L-carnitine — Brings fuel (fats) to the mitochondria (cellular energy factories) and protects mitochondria from oxidative stress.
Iron — only if deficient.

Other

Isoleucine — Helps retain B3. While usually not needed, Hoffer finds it rapidly effective in some acute low-B3, high-leucine patients.

Diet — Fresh whole foods (organic, if possible), omega 3 fish, abundant folic acid-rich vegetables. Avoid allergens, fried or hydrogenated fat, sugar, alcohol, refined carbs.
Intake of meat depends on individual reactions and chemistry.*

* Meat is rich in B3, B6, B12, zinc and carnitine, and benefits hypoglycemia. However, as Walsh points out, meat can markedly increase methionine and methylation.

Cautions

Methionine and SAMe increase methylation.
Copper worsens voices, paranoia, overstimulation and hypomania.
SSRI’s, and St Johnswort may produce adverse reactions.


Reminder: This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis or treatment recommendations for the individual. Even within the histapenic subgroup, everyone's biochemical requirements are unique. So if you need treatment for mania, bipolar, or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.