Urinary
Porphyrin Testing
Heavy metals may be
implicated in autism
30 May 2006
From New Scientist
URINE
samples from hundreds of French children have yielded evidence for a
link between autism and exposure to heavy metals. If validated, the
findings might mean some cases of autism could be treated with drugs
that purge the body of heavy metals.
Samples from children with autism contained abnormally high levels of a
family of proteins called porphyrins, which are precursors in the
production of haem, the oxygen-carrying component in haemoglobin.
Heavy metals block haem production, causing porphyrins to accumulate in
urine. Concentrations of one molecule, coproporphyrin, were 2.6 times as
high in urine from children with autism as in controls. Autism is
thought to have a number of unknown genetic and environmental causes.
Richard Lathe of Pieta Research in Edinburgh, UK, says he has found one
of these factors. "It's highly likely that heavy metals are
responsible for childhood autistic disorder in a majority of
cases," he claims. The study will appear in Toxicology and Applied
Pharmacology.
Lathe
says these porphyrin metabolites bind to receptors in the brain and have
been linked with epilepsy and autism. The researchers restored porphyrin
concentrations to normal in 12 children by treating them with "chelation"
drugs that mop up heavy metals and are then excreted. It is not yet
known whether the children's symptoms have eased, but Lathe cites
anecdotal reports suggesting the drugs might do some good.
Source: issue 2553
of New Scientist magazine, 30 May 2006, page 21
Further Information on
Urinary Porphyrin Testing
The
French Study:
"Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology" (30 page document) You
can find this study here:
http://www.filariane.org/anglais/DOC/MSFINAL.pdf
Urine
Porphyrin Profile Analysis (UPPA):
Many
references can be found here:
http://www.mercury-freedrugs.org/ AutismOne
radio broadcast on Porphyrin Testing July
4, 2006, 10:00 am Guest:
Dr. James Woods, Topic:
Urinary porphyrin profiles and mercury. http://www.autismone.org/radio/?SearchText=james+wood&x=16&y=6
Vitamin
D Theory of Autism There
is a theory that links autism with a lack of vitamin D:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.com/health/autism/vit-D-theory-autism.shtml
|
