The Magic of Niacin

Since the 1950s, Dr Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, healed countless hearts and minds with his discovery of megadose niacin (vitamin B3) therapy for schizophrenia. This heralded the onset of megavitamin therapy, starting as a niacin/vitamin C treatment. As the therapy developed, other nutrients and health considerations were included, per unique individual requirements.

Eventually niacin and megavitamin treatment contributed to the recovery or great improvement of tens of thousands of people with schizophrenia: voices and psychosis gone, rare, or significantly muted. Niacin may also play a prominent role in bipolar therapy, especially if voices or anxiety are involved.

My earlier blogposts discuss this further: https://www.boragebooks.com/schizophrenia-blog.html

For details and studies, see my books, Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder at https://www.boragebooks.com/

Edelman podcast interview on Wellness for Life

My recent interview on webmd with Dr Susanne Bennett can be found on her website at
http://radiomd.com/show/wellness-for-life-radio/item/38075-natural-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder
or go to  iTunes at
https://apple.co/2NVJ8bw 
and click on Natural Treatments for Bipolar Disorder

SAMe, happiness and serotonin

What exactly is SAMe?
SAMe is known popularly for its antidepressant effectiveness.
SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine) is derived from the essential amino acid methionine with the help of magnesium and ATP (our energy currency, produced in the mitochondria) and the enzyme MAT.
SAMe is the key methyl donor in the body.
Methylation is critical to body function. It is required in creation of creatine (which recycles ADP into ATP), and proper function of DNA, neurotransmitters, proteins, lipids, and enzymes; also, in creating glutathione (our most important antioxidant) and SAMe, in making serotonin more available, and in removing histamine and excess estrogen.
SAMe is fundamental to redressing undermethylated brain chemistry, which occurs in some 35% of bipolars, and is characterized by chronic severe depression.

Increasing serotonin in the synapse
As pointed out by Dr Walsh, methylation by SAMe or methionine reduces genetic expression of reuptake transporters that ferry serotonin out of  the synapse and back to the initial neuron. Decreased transporters mean that more serotonin accumulates in the synapse. The more the serotonin in the synapse, the more serotonin messages. Optimal serotonin makes us happy and content, and better able to handle stress.

Other Effects
SAMe also works on other consequences of undermethylation, such as:
fatigue, insomnia and low melatonin, oxidative stress, low glutathione
migraine, chronic pain, compulsions, addictions
metal toxicity, immune and liver issues, cirrhosis
low acetylcholine, phospholipids, and taurine
hormone dysregulation, excess estrogen

Intake
In the treatment for most depressed undermethylators (as indicated by high whole blood histamine and/or a low SAMe/SAH ratio), SAMe and/or methionine are introduced gradually until the correct level becomes evident. This is done in the context of the full range of treatments for undermethylation.

Warnings
Methylation is required for major brain and body functions. Thus, corresponding intake of SAMe and/or methionine for the undermethylated individual should support optimal health. However, if starting to feel too good, dosage should be backed down, in some cases stopped, to prevent hypomania or mania.
If already overmethylated (low blood histamine, high SAMe/SAH), and so, overstimulated (and prone to anxiety/panic; perhaps, hyperactivity, hypomania, mania, psychosis, paranoia or aggression), SAMe and methionine are entirely contraindicated (methylation does not need to increase further). SAMe/methionine are also contraindicated if taking SSRIs.

Reminder: This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis or treatment recommendations for the individual. Even within the undermethylated (histadelic) subgroup, each person's biochemical requirements tend to be unique. So if you need treatment for depression, mania, bipolar, or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician. 

For a wider view of SAMe, undermethylation and bipolar disorder, you may want to see the 2018 edition of my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here. Your purchase at BorageBooks.com supports my work.

Announcing the New 2018 Edition of Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder

Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder

The 2018 edition of  Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder is out! Readers can thank Hyla Cass, MD, who impressed on me the need to update the research. So, after numerous interviews and conferences, and after pouring through the past ten years of studies, voila!
This book is a compendium of more than seven decades of scientific work, worldwide, on nutrient and herbal approaches for bipolar disorder. It is geared to both general public and health professional and researcher. It offers physicians an in-depth view of potential treatments, nutrient-relevant symptoms, labs and research. And it gives patients and other interested persons insight into nutrients and health issues relevant to them, and a means to have more effect on treatment choices.

Some of the highlights of the new compendium:

• The latest in bipolar research, including the Walsh/ deVito theory, which suggests difficulty  removing extra-neuronal potassium is a major cause of moodswing.
• Genes are not everything! The book looks at how nutrients like folate, methionine, SAMe, and niacin change the extent to which genes that influence mood are expressed (epigenetics).
• Further refinements on pyroluria (a stress disorder) and methylation therapies, including a methylation diagram which emphasizes nutrients.
• Added emphasis on the effects of folate, the copper/zinc balance, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. 
• A new, more effective, less damaging, metal detox approach.
• More on allergic/ immune reactions, inflammation, autoimmunity, and cellular energetics.
• Additional info on specific nutrients, diet, sugar metabolism, gut issues, endocrines, other health factors.
• Updated resources, expanded references.

Available here.

Influence of Copper and Metals on Mania, Voices and Paranoia

The influence of copper and metal metabolism on stimulation, mania, voices and paranoia: http://naturalhealingforschizophrenia.blogspot.com/2014/01/iiib-metal-metabolism-copper-paranoia.html
Also see previous posts on histapenia.
To learn more about copper, toxic metals, mania, and bipolar vitamins, get my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder, from Borage Books, here, and you also get a FREE educational phone consult.

Histapenia (overmethylation low folate)

For info on vitamin approaches  for histapenia (brain overmethylation, low folic acid), a biotype affecting up to 25% of bipolars, especially when more prone to mania or paranoia, see my Natural Healing for Schizophrenia blog at http://naturalhealingforschizophrenia.blogspot.com/
Check posts June 25, 2013 to Sept 19. (More to follow shortly.)
You can find the complete rundown in either of my books, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder or Natural Healing for Schizophrenia, available at http://boragebooks.com
Questions? You get a free educational consult when you buy my book at http://boragebooks.com

IV. Bipolar Creativity: Chemistry and Vitamins

Bipolar chemistry may foster creativity.

It may be that the increased brain stimulation in mania (and positive-symptom schizophrenia) helps provide that particular blend of openness, obsession, intensity, and altered perception which fuels creativity (or provides the insights to be expressed during calmer states).

Thus, methylation imbalances, heightened activity of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, thyroid, pituitary, etc.; and/or increased receptor sensitivity to such biochemicals may contribute not only to mania or psychosis, but also, creativity.

Perhaps all "creatives" have a little bit of bipolar (or schizophrenia) in them.

Perhaps "creatives" not diagnosed with bipolar or schizophrenia also manifest some of the above chemistry, but possess greater balancing mechanisms--better defense against oxidative stress and toxins, more balanced methylation activity, more accurate metal metabolism, more efficient use of calming nutrients; stabler hormone homeostasis, etc. Or, perhaps, just more optimal intake of supportive nutrients.

Why heal?

Are  extreme moods intrinsic to creativity? Possibly, however, family members, people who have similar genetics but not evident bipolar or schizophrenia, can be particularly creative. On the other hand, studies suggest that bipolar I individuals often begin -- but do not complete -- creative endeavors.
Does one need extremes of irritability, paranoia, isolation, recklessness, and confusion to be creative?

What about a healing approach that nourishes the brain, rather than coercing it, an approach that enables the brain to optimize function with needed nutrients... Consider that the late and great Dr. Abram Hoffer, who had worked with over 10,000 patients, has said something to the effect that people who recover with orthomolecular treatment no longer have the adverse symptoms, but just seem to be more creative that everyone else.

To learn more about nutrient-based approaches, see my books, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder, and Natural Healing for Schizophrenia, here
Buy at boragebooks.com. and you also get a free educational consult.

Reminder: The information in this blog is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you need treatment for mood disorder or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.

III. Bipolar Biotypes and Creativity

Biotype creative tendencies 

Doctors William Walsh, PhD, (2006, 2007) and Carl C Pfeiffer,  (1987, 1988), who have overseen nutrient-based treatment of approximately 20,000 psych patients each, have noted particular types of creativity associated with biotype.

Histapenia. Artistic or musical interest/creativity. (Pfeiffer 87, 88, Walsh 2006)

Histadelia.  Often perfectionist, competitive, compulsively productive and creative, highly accomplished (Pfeiffer); and frequently excels in science, business, and left brain activity. (Walsh)

Pyroluria. Pfeiffer has stated that pyrolurics are among his most original patients and that many great people were pyroluric, despite the mental anguish and physical deterioration caused by the illness.

For descriptions of these biotypes, corresponding nutrients, and relevance to bipolar, see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder.
Get a free educational consult (by phone) when you purchase from http://boragebooks.com/orderBooks.html

This is the third in a series on bipolar and creativity.

II. Creativity / Bipolar Intersections

Temperament, cognitive style, and mood, are notably similar in "creative" individuals and bipolars (perhaps, particularly bipolar IIs). The bipolar syndrome, for example,  involves such creative characteristics as manic love of words, sexual seduction via the arts (poetry, music art, food, fashion, etc.), hypersensitivity to others, etc. (Janza 2004, Akiskal 2005, Fieve 1976, Nettle 2002, Kubie 1961)

Creatives often experience such bipolar traits as:

-- Creative surges and blocks similar to mood swings. (Kubie 1961, Fieve 1976)
-- Sudden change of mood immediately preceding creative periods (in perhaps 50%). (Jamison 1989)
-- Affective temperaments. Cylcothymia. (Nowakowska 2005)
-- Tendency to emotional problems and vulnerability. (Fieve 1976)
-- Emotional flooding; confusing, conflicting passions and ideas; unconventional or restless behavior. (Andreason 1987)
-- Overinclusive thinking, rich associations, or hypomania. (Janza 2004)
-- Reduced sleep, or sudden early waking prior to creative episodes. (Jamison 1989)
-- Unique, unconventional, eccentric, erratic perceptions. (Andreason 1987, Fieve 1976)
-- Ornamental, flamboyant (e.g., wearing red and bright colors). (Akiskal 2005)
-- Tolerance for ambiguity. (Rottenberg 2001)
-- Curiosity, risk taking, adventuresome. (Andreason 1987, Rottenberg 2001)
-- Creativity, novelty-seeking (Nowakowska 2005), impulsivity.  (Akiskal 2005)
-- Eminence, creative achievement, professional instability.  (Akiskal 2005)
-- High energy and activity. (Rottenberg 2001)
-- Excess sociability, frequent moving, different jobs. (Andreason 1987, Fieve 1976)
-- Multiple marriages. (Akiskal 2005)
-- Multiple substance abuse, addiction (Andreason, Akiskal 2005)
-- Comorbidity, irritability, anxiety, neuroticism. (Nowakowska 2005)

Taken mostly from my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder, which see, for extensive info on nutrients, herbs, allergies, toxicity, and health factors. Get a free educational consult (by phone) when you purchase from http://boragebooks.com/orderBooks.html

This is the second in a series on bipolar and creativity. More in the following posts.

I. Creativity and Bipolar

The link to bipolar

A disproportionate number of bipolars (and families) experience heightened creativity, leadership, or spirituality -- more so than the rest of the population. Similarly, mood disorder is particularly common among individuals classically recognized as creative (Janza 2004) and may help inspire and drive the poet, playwright, or musician. (Fieve 1976)

Some of the research

In an extensive review of historical observations, biographies, scientific surveys, and psychiatric evaluations, Janza (2004) found bipolar symptoms more frequent in the "creative." Moreover, during intense creative expression, artists and writers often report hypomanic symptoms (Janza 2004), and most seem to experience a mood/creativity interaction. (Andreason 1987, Fieve 1976)

In a survey of 47 British writers and artists, Kay Jamison, PhD, (1989) found the greatest prevalence of psychiatric conditions in poets, then writers. Half the poets, two-thirds of the playwrights, 20% of biographers, 13% of painters had been treated for depression. 17% of poets had been treated for mania. All poets, novelists, and artists, 88% of playwrights, and 20% of biographers experienced intense creative episodes characterized by enthusiasm, euphoria, high energy, confidence, fast mental associations, and fluid thought. 63% of playwrights had been treated for mood disorder. 38% of the entire group had received treatment for affective illness (a rate six times that of the general population); one third of the group had severe mood swings; one fourth, intense elated mood states, 50% had taken psychiatric medications, 20% had been previously hospitalized, and 90% reported creative highs lasting an average of two weeks (a typical span for manic elation). (Jamison 1989)

Similarly, Andreason (1987) found substantially greater affective illness, particularly bipolar disorder, among 30 writers (teachers at the University of Iowa creative writing workshop) studied over 15 years. 80% had experienced a mood episode (compared to 30% in controls); 37%, major depression (17%  in controls); 30%, alcoholism (7%, controls). Most wrote during normal mood. First degree relatives also showed greater affective disorder and creativity.

In Arnold M Ludwig's biographical survey of 1005 famous persons in the 20th century, rates of psychosis, suicide attempts, mood disorder, drug and alcohol use were two-to three fold greater in writers and artists than in people successful in business, science or public life. Mania and suicide occurred most in poets. Writers and relatives had very high rates of bipolar psychosis.

Taken mostly from my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder, which see, for extensive info on nutrients, herbs, allergies, toxicity, and health factors. Get a free educational consult (by phone) when you purchase from http://boragebooks.com

More on bipolar and creativity in the following posts.

Note: Histapenia series beginning

Just to let you know, I am starting a series of posts on histapenia in my schizophrenia blog: http://naturalhealingforschizophrenia.blogspot.com
The introductory post is dated June 25, and is on Dr. Hoffer's seminal work with niacin and C. Subsequent posts will deal directly with histapenia.
Histapenia is found in approximately 25% of bipolars, but up to 50% of schizophrenics -- which is why I have placed it on the schizophrenia blog.

For a compendium of nutrient-based approaches for bipolar disorder, see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder.
Available here.
You may also be interested in Natural Healing for Schizophrenia.
Available here.

Bipolar nutrient research: Optimizing design

The interaction of nutrients and herbs with human health is as intricate as nature herself and presents multiple challenges to research design. Here we address ourselves specifically to bipolar research.

Important distinctions in biochemistry need to be controlled for

Effects of nutrients on other biological processes which might confound results.
And conversely, effects of individual biochemistry, epigenetics, and health on how nutrients are used.
Discerning relevant subgroups with distinct biochemical requirements and patterns of response.
Whether to use the entire complex of nutrients which work together toward a specific outcome or somehow control for the effects of using single nutrients isolated from that complex.

Sufficiently long studies

Long enough to assess nutrient benefit. Most nutrients and many herbs do not produce dramatic drug-like effects. But improvement tends to compound over the months and years.
And specificially for bipolar:
Most studies are too short to adequately account for the effects of cycling or shifts in cycling patterns.
Info on long-term effectiveness is critical* since treatments usually must be sustained for life (e.g., decades elapsed before it was realized that overuse of antidepressant drugs could trigger mania, increase cycling and worsen long-term outcome).

Moral considerations when studying bipolar

How morally can the researcher set up sufficiently lengthy controlled blinded studies involving nutrients (which are, by definition, critical to health), when he/she believes it likely that lack of those nutrient in controls could increase bipolar severity, possibly with permanent repercussions.

Additional issues specific to bipolar research

Manic participation may be sporadic, or end abruptly, perhaps leaving only people with milder manias in the study.
People commonly do not report hypomania or mania; and researchers can readily mistake hypomania for signs of health.
Bipolar reactions to minor stressors, even the study, can distort results.

Biases favoring pharmaceuticals

Horrobin (2002) points out that 40-60% of subjects typically drop out of six-to-eight-week studies of psychiatric medications, mostly to avoid side effects. So info on drawbacks is lost, and the data is slanted toward positive outcomes.
Effects of drugs, polypharmacy,  and drug withdrawal are not readily teased out from effects of illness. Medication rebounds, for instance, are often construed as bipolar deterioration (e.g., in many early studies, lithium was withdrawn abruptly in controls, a practice now known to promote mania).
The common protocol of comparing a new medication to one already in use presumes a lack of flaws in the original studies -- a notion often not borne out.
The high cost of large double-blinds skew the body of research away from substances like vitamins, which are unlikely to return enough profit to encourage much funding. Abramson (2004), moreover, finds research financed by drug companies is five times more likely (than if funded more impartially) to uphold the company's drug-of-choice.

The value of open naturalistic, longitudinal studies

So while double blinds (with optimal controls) will always have their place, the complexity of factors involved, and the need long studies, have led a number of bipolar researchers (both mainstream and orthomolecular) to increasingly value open, naturalistic, longitudinal studies. Particularly when backed by periodic biochemical tests (and, as relevant, genetic tests), this type of design particularly lends itself to exploring how bipolars fare, long-term, with multiple nutrients, tailored to health, diet, medication, evolving biochemistry, cycling pattern, etc.

For an extensively-referenced compendium of nutrient-based approaches for bipolar disorder, see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder.
Available here.
You may also be interested in Natural Healing for Schizophrenia.
Available here.

This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you need treatment for mood disorder or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.

Orthomolecular Psychiatry: Hoffer-Pfeiffer-Walsh Outcomes

Scurvy and pellagra (see previous post) are not the only conditions in which severe mental symptoms are "cured" by vitamins.
Others include:
Wernicke-Korsakoff psychosis, associated with B1 depletion due to chronic alcoholism.
The dementia caused by difficulty absorbing and/or insufficient intake of B12.
The depression associated with lack of vitamin D and sunlight.
The depression of iron, copper, or B6- deficiency anemia.
And so on.

The basis of medical treatment: A period of sufficient intake of respective vitamins to resolve the psychosis / dementia / mood symptoms for almost all patients.

So perhaps we can extrapolate the power of nutrients to address those same symptoms in some of what is now thought of as exclusively psychiatric disorders.

Hoffer-Pfeiffer-Walsh Clinical Outcomes

To support this contention, we can look to the clinical outcomes reported by Drs. Hoffer, Pfeiffer and Walsh. Together, these three giants of orthomolecular psychiatry, treated at least 50,000 patients with severe psychiatric disorder, focusing on nutrients tailored to individual biochemical requirements, and considering, where relevant, metal metabolism, environmental toxins, and confounding health conditions. Outcome for schizophrenia, anxiety, and mood disorders was 75-85% great-improvement or recovery, in the higher range when patients were treated early in the illness. Follow-up was generally one year or longer.
Recovery (defined by Hoffer) meant that people could go back to school or work at comparable level to that at which they left off, and that they again got on reasonably well with the people with whom they associate.
Furthermore, each of approximately 40,000 of these patients were assessed with hundreds of tests of nutrients, enzymes, and health status, which correlated nutrient-induced biotype and other biochemical changes with psychiatric improvement.

ABA Subgroup

Which is not to say people get cured, in the sense that to maintain improvement those vitamins tailored to individual biochemical requirements usually must be taken for life. This is actually advantageous because, unlike most meds: nutrient benefits tend to increase slowly but steadily over time; taking many indicated nutrients tends to compound the benefit; and improved physical health is often a side-effect.
Which may have contributed to a decision by many hundreds of the above patients that they were so well they could go off the nutrients. Almost invariably, they deteriorated, then were started again on the vitamins. These situations produced an ABA (on-off-on) within-subject experimental design bolstered by several factors: (1) Most biochemical parameters (except those being manipulated by the vitamins) were as identical as you are going to get (since it was within patient). (2) During the "off" stage, the deterioration was opposite to subject expectations (which was that they were well). (3) Accompanying labs tracked biotype-related biochemistry as it related to psychiatric status.
So this ABA group produced particularly strong data.
The results for almost all patients were deterioration during B, improvement during both A stages, although slower the second time around. Improvement in biotype biochemistry correlated with psychiatric improvement.

How can anyone ignore these amazing outcomes?

Altogether, we have long-term outcome on tens-of-thousands of individuals, reported from three distinct clinics, with most recovering over time, or improving greatly, and with the degree of recovery largely unheard of in mainstream psychiatry. And this, using nutrients, which, by definition, are essential to life, and which, accurately used and tailored to individual requirements, are not going to cause the heart-rending side effects we see with many psych drugs.
Now add to these outcomes the many thousands of positive studies and clinical results from all other nutrient-oriented physicians and researchers, a fertile body of research, constantly expanded by new insights and findings.
And just possibly, what we as a society will find ourselves moving towards is a way to treat the brain with all due respect to its natural processes.

For an extensively-referenced compendium of nutrient-based approaches for bipolar disorder, see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder.
Available here.
You may also be interested in Natural Healing for Schizophrenia.
Available here.

This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you need treatment for mood disorder or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.
Warning: Changes in medication can trigger episodes which are worse than the initial illness. If changes are desired, please consult a knowledgeable doctor. Orthomolecular doctors usually add the new nutrients to the prior drug regimen. They then reduce meds in very gradual steps, and each stage, only when enough improvement on the nutrients allows it. 

The Power of Nutrients; Edelman article

How important can nutrients be? Can they really do much for severe mental health symptoms? Two old illnesses, whose vitamin cures have been used by modern medicine for the past hundred years, will serve to provide an intuitive glimpse into the potency of nutrients in brain function.

Vitamin C and Scurvy

 

Consider first, scurvy, the disease of the ancient pirates, a prolific killer of olden-day sailors on long sea voyages. Symptoms included easy bruising, internal bleeding, roughening skin, and wounds which would not heal. Teeth would loosen and fall out. Scurvy also caused profound anxiety and depression, overwhelming fatigue, insomnia and, eventually, in some cases, psychosis. Late stage scurvy often resolves into fever, convulsions, and death.

Scurvy has been known for at least 2000 years, and periodically, people have tried various fresh food cures, only to lose that knowledge in subsequent generations. In the twentieth century, treatment with sources of vitamin C caught on more universally. Sufficient C not only stems the physical changes, but also reverses the often-severe mental symptoms.

Note again: Vitamin C, all by itself reverses the psychosis and mood changes of scurvy! Interestingly, many institutionalized psychiatric patients have vitamin C levels close to that found in people with scurvy.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and Pellagra 

Secondly, let us look at pellagra, an illness characterized classically by the 4Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia and Death. That is: various skin and gastrointestinal symptoms, along with increasing weakness and depression, mood instability, aggression, insomnia, confusion eventually resolving into dementia and, in some cases, a schizophrenia-like psychosis.

In the early 1900s, liver, and then, its active ingredient, niacin, was found to cure pellagra. A few hundred mg. of vitamin B3, over several weeks, reversed the unstable mood, the irritability and violent disposition, and the pellagren psychosis.

Since then, orthomolecular psychiatrists have found niacin helpful in many cases of schizophrenia and depression, and critical in up to 90% of cases of paranoid schizophrenia.

If such nutrients can cure the severe mental symptoms of scurvy and pellagra, then perhaps they also have the power to address those same symptoms in psychiatric disorders.

About the author

Eva Edelman is a health researcher and the author of two widely-acclaimed compendiums:

Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder: A Compendium of Nutritional Approaches

Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Other Common Mental Disorders

For more info on these books, see http://www.boragebooks.com

NAMI/ Lane County/ Spring 2013 Newsletter

VI.d. Histamine, hyperthyroid, undermethylation

Many histadelics (undermethylated, high histamine and folate individuals) experience overactive thyroid (others, underactive). Possible mechanisms for the elevated thyroid found in some histadelias:

Histamine can increase thyroid hormone. 

Histamine triggers TRH release, increasing thyroid hormones.
The thyroid, in turn, may block histamine degradation and increase sensitivity to histamine, worsening the histadelia.*  (Mariano)
* On the other hand, it can reduce mast cells, and decrease histamine release.

The low NE activity, common in histadelia, can increase thyroid hormones.

Norepinephrine (NE) and thyroid have the same precursor, tyrosine. The relation between NE and thyroid can be reciprocal, with elevated thyroid compensating for decreased NE.  (Swann,
Becker)

Autoimmune thyroid, which may be due histadelia, can initially cause sporadic hyperthyroidism.

See  VI.b. Autoimmune thyroid, histadelia and glutathione


Note: Thyroid status can also be largely independent of the histadelia.

For a wider view of thyroid, histadelia, and bipolar disorder, you may want to see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.

VI.c. Low thyroxine, histadelia and B12

BH4 (biopterin) is required in converting tyrosine into thyroid hormone, dopamine and norepinephrine; and for forming serotonin from tryptophan.   If, in the homocysteine-to-methionine step  of the methylation cycle,  methyl folate cannot give up its methyl to B12, you get what is called a folate trap. Methyl folate accumulates (actually, 5-methyl-hydrofolate), and cannot break down into usable folate (5HTF), needed in creating biopterin. (Scroll up to the diagram at the top of this link). 

Again, if BH4 is limited, then so are thyroid hormones, and key antidepressant neurotransmitters.
So you get undermethylation and low thyroid, along with low dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.

In other words, we have here a subset of histadelics with difficulty transferring methyl from folate to B12, prone to low levels of thyroxine (T4).

Odd, isn't it, when histadelics generally have high metabolism. Perhaps, in some cases, T3 compensates.

For more on the folate trap, look here.

For a wider view of thyroid, histadelia, and bipolar disorder, you may want to see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.
 

VI.b. Autoimmune thyroid, histadelia and glutathione

Histadelics (undermethylated, high folate individuals) can be either high, low or normal thyroid. What follows is a possible association between undermethylation and autoimmune thyroid.

1 Undermethylation is commonly associated with low glutathione
Almost all histadelics  are low in glutathione, a critical antioxidant, because:
—  An efficiently functioning methylation cycle is needed to supply precursors of glutathione as well as other important sulfur antioxidants. 
— Also, in some, due to specific problems in feedback mechanisms between the methylation cycle and transsulfuration pathway.

2 Low glutathione may foster thyroid autoimmunity
The thyroid uses hydrogen peroxide to create thyroid hormones. Glutathione peroxidase then detoxes the hydrogen peroxide. If glutathione is lacking, however, the hydrogen peroxide, a potent free radical, will react with thyroid proteins. The immune system may then fail to recognize these altered proteins as normal constituents of the thyroid, and launch an autoimmune attack.   C Duthoit (2001)
suggests this scenario as a possible etiology of autoimmune thyroid.

In this vein, Dr. Rich van Konynenburg reports that thyroid function improved markedly in a number of his chronic fatigue, autoimmune hypothyroid patients, upon methylation and glutathione support. They find glutathione stimulating, perhaps due to enhancement of thyroid function

-- suggesting caution with glutathione during episodes of thyroid hyperactivity (and perhaps mania) that can occur with early thyroid autoimmunity.

For a wider view of thyroid, histadelia, and bipolar disorder, you may want to see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.

VI.d. Thyroid / Histamine Interactions

Chronic elevated histamine is one of the chief means of diagnosing histadelia, the most common biotype in bipolar disorder. Histamine interactions with the thyroid are complex, and not well-explored. Here is some food for thought:

The thyroid can either increase or decrease histamine:

— The thyroid may suppress the brain's histamine release and decrease its histamine-containing mast cells.
— Or increase body sensitivity to histamine and block its degradation.
 Sabria 1987, Uhpadhyaya, 1993,  Mariano 2009

Histamine may alter thyroid function

Histamine is known to strongly influence hypothalamus regulation of cellular metabolism, energy production and food intake. The thyroid is a major target gland in hypothalamic governance of  metabolism and energy production.
 Elmhar 2006,  Sakata 1997, Masaki 2001

Allergies and associated histamine release may be hard on the thyroid

Allergic reactions, which cause the profuse mast cells of the thyroid to dump histamine, and perhaps iodine, may thereby interfere with thyroid function. (Elmhar, Do low thyroids suffer more with allergies?)

Histamine may contribute to thyroid autoimmunity

Histamine-releasing antibodies are often found during increased thyroid autoimmunity, suggesting histamine may contribute to the immune attack on the thyroid (Mariano, 2009) -- perhaps via inflammation and increased permeability. (Melander 1975)


For a more comprehensive view of thyroid, histamine, and bipolar disorder, you may want to see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.

Reminder: This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis or treatment recommendations for the individual. Each person's biochemical requirements tend to be unique. So if you need treatment for bipolar, thyroid disorder or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.

VI.a. Thyroid, histamine and methylation in bipolars

Thyroid disorders, like histamine imbalances, pervade the bipolar population. Metabolism is low in histapenia and hypothyroid, high in histadelia and hyperthyroid. Some histamine/thyroid symptoms match up, others do not. The relationship of thyroid to histamine and methylation is complex, and not well explored.

The following posts will look at this relationship, particularly as regards bipolars.


For more on thyroid and bipolar disorder, you may want to see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.

V. Hyperthyroid and Bipolar Mania

High thyroid can interact with, trigger, or intensify mania, (Nath 2001, Escamilla 2001)  and can also increase switching on antidepressants. (Bottlender, 2000). Even levels in the high-normal range can contribute to the development of mania. (Lee 2000, Roca 1990)

Joyce (1991), for instance, reported more than one-third of manics with elevated thyroid, and in the other two-thirds, various individuals with higher thyroid in mania than depression. Moreover, a number of researchers have suggested lithium’s anti-thyroid effects may underly its benefit to mania.
In some manics, however, thyroid can test low.

Mental symptoms that can be common to both hyperthyroid and mania

High irritability, tension, emotional instability, explosiveness, anxiety; exhilaration, increased motor activation, restlessness, tremors, hyperactivity, insomnia and other sleep problems; and, in some cases, erratic bizarre behavior, mood swings, impulsive destructive tendencies, psychosis, paranoia.

Eventually, perhaps, exhaustion or depression

Over time, hyperthyroids may succumb to depression and social withdrawal, perhaps due to an exhaustion caused by extended thyroid overstimulation. Similarly (although usually sooner), manic overstimulation eventually gives way to depression.


To get a comprehensive view of the interaction with bipolar disorder, you may want to look through my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder
                available here.

To contact me, click here.


Reminder: This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis or treatment recommendations for the individual. Each person's biochemical requirements tend to be unique. So if you need treatment for bipolar, thyroid disorder or any other medical condition, please consult a knowledgeable physician.