Social Anxiety, Depression, Poor Stress Tolerance, ADHD, Allergies, Eczema, Digestive Upset - COULD IT BE EXCESS PYROLLES?

Acne	Mood swings	Hair Loss	Anaemia
Elevated Pyrroles	Eating Disorder	Arthritis	Autism
Depression	Anxiety Disorder/ Social Anxiety	Kids that ‘feel funny/ not right’	Repeated Candida Infections
PMS	Painful Periods	Prostatitis	Male Infertility
Sensitivity to Sounds/ Light/ Smells	Migraines	Chronic Infections	Hayfever/ Allergies
Racing Thoughts – can’t turn mind off	Nerve Pain (Neuralgia)	Hypothyroidism	Bipolar (manic depression)
Schizophrenia	Detoxification Issues	Hormonal Imbalances	CFS/ Adrenal Fatigue

Take a moment to read through the table above, do several of these sound like you, your child or someone you know? These are all possible signs of excess pyrroles, or in other words, oxidative stress. Of course not every case of hormonal imbalance, depression or migraines involves excess pyrroles, but it is a possibility.

What are excess Pyrolles? 

Essentially this refers to a build-up of hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) due to either an overproduction during haemoglobin synthesis, or through increased oxidative degradation of haemoglobin (oxidative stress). Pyrroles (HPL) are a normal by-product of haemoglobin metabolism, however, excess pyrroles occur when levels go beyond the normal range.

How did I get this?

Whilst there is no evidence that excess pyrroles are a genetic condition, in clinical practice I have noticed a strong prevalence within families. If you have a parent, aunt, uncle or sibling who has bipolar, anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, addictions, ADHD etc.., then it is more likely that this could be an issue for you. Having said this, stress increases pyrrole levels, as such, a major severe stressful life event could trigger a transient ‘one off’ excess pyrrole episode which does not require ongoing management. 

Does it really matter if I have elevated pyrrole levels?

Well yes it does, you see pyrroles are classed as a neurotoxin or ‘nerve poison’ which can cause damage to nerves, nerve cells and your brain, and can interrupt nerve transmission. Your body wants to safely remove all the pyrrole created; to do this the pyrrole molecule is bound to biologically active forms of zinc and B6; this facilitates the safe elimination of this neurotoxin largely via the kidneys (urine). 

But this is not the only reason, you see as pyrrole levels rise, symptoms (dysfunction) begin to appear; the mechanisms by which this occurs are somewhat complex which is why the resulting dysfunction and therefore symptoms can be so wide-ranging. 

Let's take a look at why excess pyrroles cause such a wide range of symptoms...

When zinc and B6 are bound to the pyrrole molecule, these substances become unavailable to the body and are excreted via the kidneys. Excess pyrrole levels also interfere with the availability of other nutrients to your cells, these include arachidonic acid, biotin, magnesium, and manganese.  

Excess pyrrole leads to a deficiency of biologically active zinc, B6 and arachidonic acid. In many ways, it is the deficiency of these substances which not only reinforces excess pyrrole levels but also inhibits numerous other metabolic functions, leading to further systemic dysfunction and many of the symptoms experienced by an individual.

To understand this more, let us take a look at the role of zinc, B6 and arachidonic acid in the body.

Arachidonic acid is important for maintaining the integrity of the skin, your largest organ. A deficiency, therefore, is often associated with eczema, psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Arachidonic acid is also found in high concentrations in cell membranes, where it is involved in immune reactions, blood clotting, hormone responses, the transmission of nerve signals, as well as communication within and between cells. It is also essential for foetal and infant development, is found in breast milk, and really is a vital component of all cellular activity. Are you starting to see why a deficiency in this important nutrient can be so widespread throughout the body?

Free radicals (oxidative stress) can damage or destroy your cells. Luckily the body has 3 major systems in place which reduce free radical and oxidative stress levels. However, these 3 systems require biologically active zinc or B6 in order to function. A deficiency in these substances lowers your antioxidant defences, increases oxidative stress, and increases the degradation of haemoglobin, which in turn increases pyrrole levels which further depletes zinc and B6 levels. You see it goes round and round in a positive reinforcing merry-go-round of dysfunction.

Biologically active B6, zinc, biotin, magnesium and manganese are also needed for healthy function of the methylation cycle. This is the means by which your liver processes pretty much everything; hormones, heavy metals, poisons, toxins, metabolic by-products, vitamins and minerals – you name it. Not to mention the production and regulation of all your neurotransmitters like serotonin, gaba, and melatonin; all vital for healthy regulation of your sleep and waking cycles, mood stabilisation, resilience, feeling good etc.. If you aren’t methylating properly then you are going to experience dysfunctional symptoms in some way or many ways, you are also much more likely to accumulate heavy metals in your organs and tissues. This is why many individuals with pyrroles also have heavy metal toxicity which in itself fuels further oxidative stress. 

Zinc alone is involved in pretty much every bodily process and is the nutrient most commonly deficient in the clients I see.

Leaky gut syndrome and dysbiosis often go hand in hand with excess pyrroles due to the associated nutritional deficiencies. Poor diet and lifestyle choices further exacerbate the dysbiosis and leaky gut which further increases pyrolle levels; again this becomes a positive feedback loop that increases symptoms and dysfunction.

Then we get to heme. Heme is found in haemoglobin, liver, and nerve cells which require heme for their function. Stress, heavy metal exposure and deficiencies in biologically active B6, biotin and zinc all reduce heme levels. This in turn reduces the function of heme-containing enzymes such as cytochrome P450 which are your major detoxifying enzymes in the liver. Reduced levels also contribute to the excess production of free radicals like nitric oxide and the accumulation of toxins and heavy metals.

Ok, so if I just go out and buy some zinc and B6 then everything will fix itself?

By now hopefully, it is starting to become obvious that this is not a quick-fix issue, it is not always simply a matter of taking some zinc and B6 and everything is fine. Treatment really does require guidance by a skilled practitioner who understands what is essentially a dysfunctional methylation process that requires some form of management for the rest of your life (unless of course, you experience a one-off stress-induced episode).

The correction of deficiencies supports the healthy functioning of detox pathways and enables your immune system to start working again. Toxins, heavy metals, viruses and infections begin to be liberated from their storage sights for safe removal from your body. This is why some initial worsening of symptoms is expected. However, if this process occurs too quickly, the levels of inflammatory substances 'dumped' into your system can easily exceed the body's capacity for their safe removal. This situation is not only counterproductive to recovery but can also leave you feeling quite unwell.  

It takes careful guidance from your health professional to minimise any discomfort experienced. 

Successful management of excess pyrroles requires addressing underlying infections, gastrointestinal dysfunction (leaky gut, dysbiosis, SIBO), food and/or environmental intolerances and allergies, correcting the diet, lifestyle skills training (healthy stress management), immune and nervous system support, methylation support, and utilising functional pathology to determine metabolic imbalances and monitor treatment.

A holistic approach achieves the best results.

How do I find out if I have excess pyrroles?

There is a simple urine test that can be organised through your health care practitioner. However, it is important to note that the test must be done under strictly controlled conditions to ensure the accuracy of results. Luckily those who live near Logan in Qld can have their sample taken onsite at the laboratory which is a leading authority on this test. This way one can be sure that the sample is handled correctly.

If your test result comes back positive, further functional pathology testing may be necessary depending on the severity of your symptoms and dysfunction.

The good news!

There is much relief to be had with correct treatment, for some symptomatic improvement can be felt within 3-4 weeks, for others it may take several months, and for a few, it can take up to a year. Once a stable level of health has been achieved it is then a matter of incorporating lifetime maintenance strategies.