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Archives for October 2018

How EMFs affect your patients/clients: neurological effects, including behavioral disorders like anxiety, ADHD, depression, as well as insomnia

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EMFs affect your patients/clients causing neurological effects, including behavioral disorders like anxiety, ADHD, depression, as well as insomnia. We can’t put our heads in the sand anymore – we need to be educating our clients/patients about the facts and teaching them that there is something they can do and must do.

I have a great deal of respect for investigative health journalist, Nick Pineault, also known as “The EMF Guy.” Nick is on a mission to create awareness and provide practical and research-based resources for practitioners. He shares this about EMF sensitivity:

According to Dr. Magda Havas from the Trent University in Toronto, at least 35% of your patients [or clients] are EMF sensitive, and suffer from EMF-related symptoms when exposed to cell phones, but also to wifi routers, cell phone towers, and many other sources of ‘electrosmog’

Nick also shares this about children and EMFs:

Children absorb twice the radiation that adults do.

What’s even more shocking is this: according to a 2015 survey, 75% of 4-year-old children own a cell phone.

The microwave radiation emitted by cell phones is a Class 2B carcinogen and has been linked with neurological effects, including behavioral disorders like anxiety, ADHD, depression, as well as insomnia – all contributing to long-term health consequences.

If you’re new to the harmful effects of EMFs it can feel overwhelming and scary. Nick has put together an easy guide where he shares the foundational knowledge every health practitioner needs to know about EMFs.

Learn the foundational science-based knowledge every practitioner in the world needs to know about EMFs inside this no-cost EMF guide: How EMFs Affect Your Patients/Clients

  • The Top 10 Symptoms of EMF sensitivity (affects at least 35% of patients)
  • 5 Scientific Facts proving cell phones, WiFi and other sources of EMFs are not “safe”
  • 3 Easy Tips to help your patients/clients reduce their EMF exposure by 90%
  • How EMFs make people more sensitive to heavy metal toxicity, mold exposure and infections

It’s a useful and concise guide and if you’re just learning about ‘EMF-sensitivity’, and aren’t sure what symptoms come with that… check out page 2 of the guide that walks through the 10 most common symptoms that you can spot right away.

If you’re already well-versed in EMFs you’ll find this guide to be a practical summary.

Nick shares this about the top 3 EMF-related symptoms:

The top 3 symptoms include excessive fatigue, poor sleep and headaches. They can be commonly caused by cell phones, but also WiFi routers, wireless phones, “smart” utility meters and many other sources of “electrosmog”…

If you’ve never seen cases of EMF sensitivity in your practice, it probably means that you’ve missed them.

If you’ve been reading my recent blogs on the topic of EMFs you’ll also be aware that EMFs play a role in neuropsychiatric symptoms and can increase anxiety and depression for many individuals. They may be contributing to chronic SIBO, oxalate problems and adrenal dysfunction too.

Dr. Klinghardt and many other doctors and health practitioners are recognizing the importance of addressing EMFs:

Patients who get better are the ones who follow my recommendations to reduce exposure to electrosmog

In this case study video you’ll learn how to identify EMF-related symptoms. It’s a must-watch!

Nick is sharing this information in advance of the re-launch of his ElectrosmogRX practitioner training (with tons of new content). If you participated in the launch of ElectrosmogRX earlier this year, you will get access to all the new material too.

Stay tuned for details about a live webinar Nick is hosting. I’ll also be doing A and Q webinar with Nick on November 9th so please submit your questions in the comments below and I’ll get them answered.

This content and training is geared to practitioners. Feel free to share with your practitioner and/or join us to learn too (on the webinar and/or asking questions)

Metal-on-metal hip replacement and cobalt toxicity: anxious, tearful, lowered self-esteem, social withdrawal and poor sleep

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I’m always on the look-out for out-of-the-box root causes for anxiety, insomnia and low mood and the role of targeted amino acids like GABA, tryptophan and tyrosine in easing symptoms clients and boy was I surprised to learn about the connection between metal-on-metal hip replacements and mental health symptoms.

I first learned about this in the new Netflix documentary called The Bleeding Edge which is an “eye-opening look at the fast-growing medical device industry” and “reveals how the rush to innovate can lead to devastating consequences for patients.”

With metal-on-metal hip replacements it’s the cobalt and chromium in the metal-on-metal hip replacements that are causing toxicity in many individuals. In the Guardian article The Bleeding Edge: behind the terrifying new Netflix documentary we hear about Stephen Tower, an orthopedic doctor who shared his story in the documentary:

He had developed a tremor and was having a hard time thinking when he decided to scrawl all over the walls and ceiling of a hotel room during a medical conference, eventually using soap as ink.

Tower, his friends and family knew he was in the throes of mental health crisis, but no one was sure why. So, Tower studied himself until he found the answer in a blood and urine sample: his levels of cobalt, a metal used in rechargeable batteries, were more than a hundred times higher than normal.

Tower thought it might be related to his metal-on-metal hip replacement and had it redone. On the operating table, his surgeon found metal sludge seeping from the device before it was removed.

Dr. Tower shares that within a month of having his hip replacement redone his recovery was remarkable – he could think again, and his psychiatric symptoms resolved.

The sad thing is that he actually admits that he would never have believed this could be possible without having had experienced it himself. We see this all too often in the medical profession.

But he is now enlightened and of course he’s passionate about sharing what he experienced and has started documenting similar adverse experiences in his patients. He says the EPA and FDA should be studying this and reporting it and so they should be.

I was curious to find out how serious an issue this was and how long it’s been an issue because surely we’d be hearing more about it.

A paper published in 2017: Neuropsychiatric symptoms following metal-on-metal implant failure with cobalt and chromium toxicity reports depression and short term memory problems, as well as “disorientation in place, problems with tests of concentration and word finding difficulties.”

The paper includes feedback from some of the study participants. This is what two of them shared about their mood, sleep and anxiety post-hip replacement:

Ms. X … persistent anxieties about the need for future surgery and a feeling she must always be cautious about protecting her hip, tearfulness, lability of mood, lowered self-esteem – “I used to be very active and now I feel a mess”, guilt about being a burden on her husband, a fear about the effects of ions on her body and poor concentration.

Mrs. Z … complained of poor sleep with early morning wakening, low mood and emotional lability, social withdrawal, poor appetite, forgetfulness and a tendency to repeat herself reported by relatives, her frustration at being unable to do day to day activities such as cleaning, she felt she was a burden to relatives, and complained of anhedonia [or an inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities]. She was disorientated in person, was unable to perform serial sevens and was able to register, but not able to retain any elements of a new name and address on cognitive testing.

The study authors state that “in order preserve neurocognitive function implant removal conceivably should be as soon as possible after toxicity is detected.”

They admit it’s a small sample and that some of the depression and anxiety may be typical after a surgery HOWEVER once I looked at how long metal-on-metal cobalt toxicity has been an issue I feel we really need to take this very very seriously. Here are just a few of the studies from 2017 going back to 2011:

Cobalt can be responsible for local toxicity (including metallosis, hypersensitivity reaction, and benign tumor) or systemic toxicity (including cardiomyopathy, polycythemia, hypothyroidism, and neurological disorders).

  • Systemic toxicity related to metal hip prostheses (published 2014) This systematic review states toxicity is rare but reported cases of cardiotoxicity, thyroid toxicity, peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss, cognitive decline and visual impairment.

Prosthetic hip-associated cobalt toxicity (PHACT) is gaining recognition due to the use of metal-on-metal total hip replacements

And then we have this study reporting toxicity issues as far back as 1999:

Our findings suggest that in total hip replacements using metal-metal pairings, metal ions of the alloys are released. This release may lead to significantly elevated metal concentrations in biological fluids. Long-term studies are needed to determine the risk of metal-metal implants as a potential cause of cobalt and chromium toxicity.

You may wonder how this toxicity problem has been ignored and swept under the rug for so long. If you watch the documentary, you’ll soon see that the medical devices industry is far more powerful than the pharmaceutical industry and has its own set of rules for medical device approval. It’s basically the wild west and the FDA is doing nothing about it (even though it is acknowledged to be a problem)!

I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t be doing hip replacements – they are amazing surgical innovations that give many people their mobility and lives back – but instead I suggest we consider the following:

  • Know what you’re getting into before you embark on a major medical procedure
  • Understand that the testing for medical devices is very inadequate
  • Ask questions and get detailed information about the medical device: what materials are being used, how long it’s been around, any known adverse effects etc.
  • Search for information using terms like “horror stories metal-on metal hip replacement” and “law suits metal-on metal replacement”
  • Have a plan in place should you start to notice adverse symptoms after a hip replacement (or other major procedure). You may even want a medical directive in case you become cognitively incapacitated

I have no expertise on what the safest type of hip replacement is and will find an expert for a part 2 of the blog. If you know of someone please do share in the comments.

How do we address the cobalt and chromium toxicity?

  • Tower, the orthopedic doctor in The Bleeding Edge documentary found his symptoms resolved once the metal-on-metal hip replacement was removed. The research seems to support this approach too
  • A 2-person case study supports the use of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) for reducing blood levels
  • An in vivo (test tube) study found astaxanthin “mitigated cobalt cytotoxicity … by modulating oxidative stress”

How do we address the anxiety, insomnia and associated mood issues?

I recommend using the above amino acids short-term to ease symptoms before the hip revision surgery is done and for as long afterwards as they are needed. And, as always, base the use of the amino acids on trials per the amino acid questionnaire.

Also, work with a thyroid expert for thyroid support which will also help the mood and cognitive issues. And work with a heart specialist to rule out any damage to the heart.

If you’ve had a metal-on-metal hip replacement in the past and have chronic anxiety or cognitive issues (that started or got worse after the surgery), then I encourage you to look into cobalt toxicity as a possible root cause or contributory root cause.

Please feel free to share your experiences with this surgery – both good and bad – so we can all learn. And if the amino acids have helped ease anxiety and mood symptoms and helped you sleep while going through this.

And do let us know what you think about the Netflix documentary The Bleeding Edge.

Using amino acids for anxiety and depression: does the right dose ever change or need a tweak?

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If you are using targeted individual amino acids for anxiety and/or depression and doing well on them, you’ll likely get to the point when you’re asking questions like how to discontinue them and does the right dose ever change or need a tweak, especially after some stressful life events. Amy posted this question in the comments section of the blog on using tyrosine to create a sense of calm energy (paraphrased and formatting for ease of reading)

Trudy you are a God send! I stumbled upon your work after following Julia Ross. I have depression and anxiety. I’m currently taking:

1000 mg tyrosine 2x daily

500 mg glutamine morning, 1000mg mid-morning and afternoon

500mg DPA (Endorphigen) 3 x daily (previously I was using DLPA but your recommended DPA was so much better and less stimulating)

50 mg 5-HTP afternoon and

1500mg tryptophan at night

I used the amino acids to treat what used to be referred to as “atypical” depression: loss of motivation, tiredness, lethargic, intense carb craving, feelings of guilt and hopelessness. I would become paralyzed with depression, barely able to get through the days. When I was younger I treated these episodes with antidepressants but as I got older could no longer tolerate the side effects. I’m also still on birth control pills at the age of 46 and believe I may be in perimenopause but can’t stop the pills for medical reasons.

Tyrosine gave me my energy back, glutamine cut the carb cravings. DPA and True Calm work wonders for my anxiety.

I watch my sugar intake and always consume lots of animal protein. I’m so grateful for this solution.

After trialing this seems to be the right combo. I always get confused when is it time to discontinue supplements? Do you stop or slowly reduce or taper?

Does the “right” dose ever change? I’ve been on this combo about 2 months. I’ve felt great but some anxiety/panic creeping back up …. wondering if supplements need a tweak or is this just the result of some stressful life events. Advice appreciated!

I was really pleased to hear the wonderful results she was having and glad that she had trialed the amino acids to find the correct amount for her unique needs and situation. I don’t see this happening often enough and it really is the most effective way to get results. It’s what I do with all my clients – methodical, step-by-step trialing of each amino acid, one at a time and carefully documenting results (both good and bad) in order to find the optimal dose of each one.

When and how to discontinue the amino acids?

To answer her question about when and how to discontinue this is my feedback:

Once you are feeling back to your old self with no more anxiety, panic attacks or depression, you may choose to stop everything at once, but I prefer to slowly lower the amount of one amino acid at a time and add back if your symptoms come back. They don’t need to be “tapered” but doing it this way it helps with preventing your original anxiety and depression symptoms going back to really bad in one big swoop and having to start all over again.

I will add that I have had feedback from someone saying when she stopped tryptophan abruptly she felt the same withdrawal effects as when she weaned off meds but based on my experience this is very rare.

After posting her question Amy made some adjustments – taking less of all of them. As I mentioned above I find it better to lower the amount of one amino acid at a time – kind of reverse of the trialing method you use when starting the amino acids. Also, since she mentioned she felt anxiety/panic creeping back up, I would have expected her to increase some of the calming amino acids.

Does the right dose ever change or need a tweak?

And to answer Amy’s other question: does the right dose ever change or need a tweak?

Yes, the “right dose” can change based on stressful life events especially if you have pyroluria – stressful life events can cause you to dump more zinc and vitamin B6 affecting serotonin and GABA production and increasing the social anxiety.

Amy does mention that she’s on the birth control pill and this depletes zinc and vitamin B6 and hence serotonin) and has an impact on the microbiome – so this may well be playing a role in the need to tweak doses.

There are many other factors that could lead to the need to adjust the amino acids (or other supplement protocols):

  • hormonal changes like PMS, perimenopause or menopause
  • something contributing to leaky gut like adding back gluten or accidental exposure to gluten
  • antibiotics (affecting the microbiome and serotonin/GABA levels)
  • artificial sweeteners (because of their effect on the microbiome and hormones)
  • starting on other medications (since many cause nutritional depletions)
  • adding in a new food like collagen/gelatin (for some people collagen and gelatin may lower serotonin levels)
  • running a marathon (it likely depletes zinc and may ramp up cortisol)
  • a formulation changing completely without you knowing (one example is Seriphos – used to lower high cortisol – where the core ingredient changed completely and the labeling stayed the same)
  • a product changing from using gelatin to cellulose capsules (this may be problematic if you have SIBO)
  • you move into a new home and get mold exposure
  • you get a new dog or cat and start using Frontline Plus for fleas (fipronil, the active ingredient, targets GABA receptors and recent research points to increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory problems)
  • you have started using a sauna (depletion of zinc and other minerals, as well as stirring up toxins)
  • your need for serotonin support increases as you head into winter-time (some low serotonin folks are more susceptible to the winter blues)
  • a recent course of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (impacts on magnesium and GABA levels and the mitochondria)
  • you may no longer need them

This is not a complete list of reasons that could impact you but this will give you an idea of what to start to think about.

Hopefully this shows how important it is to monitor how you’re doing and adjust as needed (either up or down) and think about what is changing in your life.

If you’d like to read about the amino acids products Amy uses – the same ones I recommend and use with clients – you can find them listed on my supplements blog.

We appreciate Amy for allowing me to share her results and posting these questions which are a great learning opportunity for you.  She shared this with me:

I hope my “story” is helpful. Keep doing this important work! I work in the behavior health field. My colleagues think this is radical thinking and continue to only support the medical model. I’ve done a lot of my own research and trial and error. I wish there were more-open minded clinicians.

Hopefully with success stories like this, all the nutritional psychiatry research and behavioral health practitioners like Amy who have experienced it first hand and/or with clients/patients and family, we’ll change how mental health care is approached.

Do success stories like this lead you to be more open-minded about anxiety nutrition solutions? Have they worked for you?

And have you found the ideal dose of amino acids and then needed to adjust them up or down based on any of the above? How methodical were you in doing your adjustments?

Fipronil insecticide: GABA/glutamate and anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory and Alzheimer’s disease in humans?

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The insecticide called fipronil has me concerned because there is increasing evidence that it can be toxic to humans and, much to my surprise, I’ve just discovered that the main mechanism of action is by targeting the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor and recent research points to increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory problems and even Alzheimer’s disease in animal studies.

Based on a rather surprising conversation I had with someone a few weeks ago (let’s call her Sue), I felt compelled to get more information on fipronil. Before that I was not aware about the specific effects I mention above.

We were in Sue’s front yard and the dog kept sniffing these small white plastic squares in the flower beds. Sue kept pulling the dog away and I asked “why? what are those?” It turns out they were ant-bait devices. Yes, I’m this clueless simply because I’ve never purchased anything like this. I expressed my concerns about toxicity and possible endocrine/hormone effects but didn’t have enough concrete facts, so I went digging through the research. Needless to say I am very concerned with what I found.

What was equally concerning is that Sue had not even considered that it could be harmful. Looking into possible harms was not even on her radar. When pressed, Sue said “it’s only a small amount in each container so I’m sure it’ll be fine” and “the poison is inside the container so none of it will come out – so it’ll be fine.”

This is what went through my mind (which is pretty typical for me – I’m always in questioning mode): What is it and how toxic is it? Does it have impacts on humans and by what mechanism? Could it cause anxiety or increase existing anxiety symptoms? Are there additional concerns about it being in a flower-bed near the front door where you could possibly walk some into the house or breathe it in as you come and go?

Organophosphates and psychological effects

Organophosphates are a commonly used pesticide used on fruits and vegetables and research going as far back as 1994 reports that acute exposure can cause psychological effects because they

act directly on the nervous system by inhibiting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine … [contributing to] … acute psychological and behavioral effects, such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.

The researchers also suggest that long-term psychological effects of low-level exposure have not been determined satisfactorily.

We hear less about insecticides such as fipronil

We hear less about insecticides such as fipronil and how they work.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center Fipronil is a broad use insecticide that

belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family. Fipronil is used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, termites, mole crickets, thrips, rootworms, weevils, and other insects.

Fipronil is used in a wide variety of pesticide products, including granular products for grass, gel baits, spot-on pet care products, liquid termite control products, and products for agriculture.

It can be found in ant-bait and anti-cockroach products as well as Frontline Plus (tick and flea protection) for cats and dogs. You can find a partial list of products here and a fact sheet here.

GABA & glutamate: anxiety, aggressive behavior and neurotoxic effects

Fipronil works to kill insects via the inhibition of glutamate- and GABA-activated chloride channels resulting in uncontrolled neural excitation. It also blocks GABAA receptor function and is typically considered toxic to insects but not humans.

As soon as I read the GABA-glutamate mechanism I started searching for anxiety and neurotoxic connections.

There are no human studies on increased anxiety due to fipronil exposure but research on zebrafish larvae exposed to fipronil at typical environmental levels, finds anxiety-like behavior.   In the paper, A metabolomic study of fipronil for the anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish larvae at environmentally relevant levels, the authors report decreased levels of glycine and serine with higher levels of glutamate saying fipronil may be a potential neurotransmitter disruptor. Here are some of the possible mechanisms they discuss related to this:

  • The decreased metabolite glycine caused by fipronil may contribute to the excitatory swimming performance. Whether the glycinergic reciprocal receptor (GlyR)…inhibitory mechanism is also involved in low level of fipronil [exposure] requires further investigation.
  • Additionally, as one of the most abundant amino acids in microenvironment stress, proline is biosynthetically derived from the amino acid L-glutamine. Low levels of L-proline detected in fipronil-treated group may indicate the accumulation of glutamine. As an excitatory neurotransmitter, high level of glutamine would associate with the excitatory behavior of the fish.

In another study, Prenatal exposure to fipronil disturbs maternal aggressive behavior in rats, the authors suggest fipronil impacts the central nervous system areas that control aggression and increases in maternal aggressive behavior are via impacts on GABA(A) receptors.

This 2016 paper lists a variety of toxic effects to both animals and humans: Fipronil insecticide toxicology: oxidative stress and metabolism:

because of accidental exposure, incorrect use of fipronil or widespread fipronil use leading to the contamination of water and soil, there is increasing evidence that fipronil could cause a variety of toxic effects on animals and humans, such as neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, reproductive, and cytotoxic effects

They explore oxidative stress as a possible mechanism as to how fipronil causes these toxic effects.

Does concrete make fipronil more toxic?

One of the questions I asked myself was this: Are there additional concerns about it being in a flower-bed near the front door where you could possibly walk some into the house?

It turns out that this may be a valid concern. In this 2016 paper, Conversion of pesticides to biologically active products on urban hard surfaces, the researchers report that urban landscapes that include concrete can actually convert pesticides to other biologically active and more toxic intermediates, likely caused by the alkalinity and metal oxides in concrete. They report that fipronil:

was quickly transformed to desulfinyl and sulfone derivatives, with the desulfinyl level exceeding that of parent in the runoff water only 1week after treatment. Fipronil derivatives have aquatic toxicity similar or even greater than the parent fipronil.

Impacts on memory and a possible factor in Alzheimer’s disease

This 2016 animal study, Memory impairment due to fipronil pesticide exposure occurs at the GABAA receptor level, in rats concludes that fipronil can

have toxic interactions with the CNS [central nervous system] of mammals and lead to memory impairment by modulating the GABAergic system.

We also have to ask how big a role this insecticide could be playing in Alzheimer’s disease? In a paper published earlier in 2018, Induction of Amyloid-β42 Production by Fipronil and Other Pyrazole Insecticides, they use the term “Alzheimerogens” when writing about insecticides such as fipronil and the metabolite fipronil sulfone:

Focusing on fipronil, we showed that some of its metabolites, in particular the persistent fipronil sulfone, also favor the production of Aβ42/Aβ43 in both cell-based and cell-free systems.

Fipronil administered orally to mice and rats is known to be metabolized rapidly, mostly to fipronil sulfone, which stably accumulates in adipose tissue and brain.

In conclusion several widely used pyrazole insecticides [such as fipronil] enhance the production of toxic, aggregation prone Aβ42/Aβ43 peptides, suggesting the possible existence of environmental “Alzheimerogens” which may contribute to the initiation and propagation of the amyloidogenic process in sporadic AD.

The paper shares that amyloid-β peptides (Aβs), especially increased production of Aβ42/Aβ43 over Aβ40, represent a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease.

Why wait for long-term human studies?

Hopefully you’re like me and don’t buy ant-bait or roach-bait products.

My bigger concern is the wide-spread use of spot-on pet-care products which contain fipronil, exposing our beloved pets to this toxin and all the humans they come into contact with. Pet-groomers are especially cautioned. And I’d also add a caution for children playing with pets where these flea and tick products are used since “the developing brain is particularly vulnerable to the action of insecticides.”

We don’t know for sure how harmful this insecticide is for humans and it’s not clear what the mechanisms are – GABA-glutamate and/or glycine and/or oxidative stress – but why wait for long-term human studies, especially given that chronic and long-term effects are difficult to investigate and based on what we already know about their effects on Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and depression.

I have found enough information to be very concerned and to feel justified in continuing to avoid fipronil. I encourage you to avoid fipronil as well.

This is especially the case if you already suffer from long-term anxiety, insomnia or another chronic health condition as it may be one more possible contributory factor.

Given that fipronil blocks GABAA receptor function, I have to wonder if chronic long-term exposure could play a role in difficulties with benzodiazepine tapering.

If this is old news to you feel free to share with family and friends who may not be as informed as you.

If this is news to you, I hoping this gets you thinking and questioning. I’d love to hear your thoughts, concerns and questions.