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Autism
Many recent studies have confirmed that all types of autism involve a malfunction in
the part of the body’s system that deals with metal regulation (1). It has also been
observed that the digestive system of these children does not work well (2). How
are these two problems related? How can we solve this problem?
Certain metals such as iron, zinc and copper, are essential to the body, others such
as cadmium, mercury, aluminum and lead are toxic. Too much or too little of any
metal in the body will have a disrupting effect on the system. Not everything is
understood about metal metabolism, but more studies are being done all the time
that show the body’s use of certain metals to have significant effects on the health
of the entire system. Recent autism studies have focused on a certain metal binding
protein, metallothionein (MT). MT is a biologically essential protein that has been
shown to be heavily involved in the metal regulation of zinc, and copper as well as
the chelation of toxic metals such as cadmuim, mercury and lead. MT proteins also
assist in immune function, neuronal development, are heart protective, brain cell
protective, involved in liver cell proliferation, the absorption and of nutrients in the
small intestine, the breakdown of certain dietary proteins, cellular respiration,
neuronal development, energy metabolism and have antioxident properties(3).
Studies show that MT does not function properly in autistic children, although it is
still unclear whether this is due to genetic factors or simply low levels of MT in the
system (4).
Metalloththionein (MT) is a single chain protein. There are four kinds of MT. MT I
and II are found all over the body, MTIII is found in the brain (mostly in the
neurons of the hippocampus) and MT IV is manufactured in the GI tract. MT
contains 61 amino acids, total, 20 of which are the sulfur containing essential amino
acid, cysteine. MT has seven binding sites for metal in two core clusters. The
principle metal binding ligands for these sites also contain cysteinal residues showing
that a huge component of the MT metal regulating system is the essential amino
acid, cysteine. The entire MT is composed of sulfur and protein (5).
Remember also that essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, but must be
obtained in the diet. One of the problems identified with autism is a digestive
system that cannot fully break down all protein into its basic components, the amino
acids, and the system will only use amino acids to make systemic protein. This
means that many necessary amino acids are unavailable to make systemic proteins
such as MT (6).
Studies have proven MT to have an affinity for zinc and an even stronger affinity
for cadmium, which will bind very much more strongly to the metal binding sites on
MT (cadmium has a half-life of ten years in the body)(7).
Zinc is an essential metal. Adequate amounts of zinc are necessary for proper
immune function. 90% of the body’s zinc stays in the muscle and has a very slow
rate of turnover, the remaining 10% is extremely metabolically active and very
sensitive to changes in the levels of dietary zinc. Diabetes studies showed
hypoglycemia and insulinemia to improve when cellular levels of zinc in mice were
raised, whereas removing zinc from the diet worsened these conditions.It takes
only 48 hours for all the zinc in the liver, a key area of zinc metabolism, to
exchange with the zinc in the blood plasma. Zinc is also part of the make-up of
over 300 enzymes and hundreds of zinc binding proteins. It is used in many of the
body’s systemic protein interactions as well as in the synthesis of the hormone
melatonin and its precursor, seratonin, and it facilitates the proliferation of liver
cells and has anti-oxidant properties when it is bound to the MT protein. Studies
have shown that patients with depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease,
Alzheimers, and autism are have severe zinc imbalances (8). Studies also show that
children with autism are often overloaded with toxic metals, as well as zinc
deficient and with MT proteins that don’t function properly.
The presence of glutathione is critical for the healthy regulation of zinc in the
body. In order for the MT system to work optimally, glutathione (a sulfur rich
tripeptide) must be present in both a reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) state.
GSH binds the metal to the MT while GSSG releases it. The ratio of both
(GSH:GSSG) within the cell is called the redox ratio of the cell, a healthy redox
ratio is between 30:1 and 100:1. (The redox potential of a substance is the
likelihood of it undergoing this reduction-oxidation transformation, for instance,
zinc has no redox potential at all) However, glutathione disulfide (GSSG) is also
very necessary, while GSH enhances both the rate of zinc transfer and the number
of zinc atoms released for cellular use, in the absence of GSSG, zinc release
becomes much more inhibited (9).A well-balanced redox ratio is important. For
instance, in the case of the body being under high levels of oxidative stress, as is
suspected in many autism cases, the GSSG levels rise causing, a condition where too
much zinc is released from the MT this leads to the over inhibition of certain
processes such as, cellular respiration and the inhibition of certain enzymes in
energy metabolism. (10). Studies also show that when the metal levels are high
glutathione levels are reduced.(11) In order for GSSG to be recycled into GSH
there must be adequate amounts of the proper redox enzymes available and as you
know, enzymes are made of systemic protein Could it be that not enough systemic
protein is available for autistics to make the proper redox enzymes?
The structure of glutathione (GSH) is composed of the amino acids (AA) glutamic
acid, glycine and once again, that sulfur containing essential amino acid, cysteine.
Studies show autistic children to be deficient in glutathione.(12)
When toxic metals such as mercury and cadmium enter the system, MT will attempt
to sequester the toxic material, this process requires zinc and GSH. If there is not
enough MT, the body will make more if it can. (13) MT manufacture requires
sufficient amounts of : cysteine, serine, lysine, argenine, alanine, lysine, valine,
aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline, threonine, and
methionine (also a sulfur containing amino acid). Exactly half of these are essential
amino acids, and one-third of the total number of AAs is made up of the sulfurrich cysteine. In order for the MT system to works properly the body must have
available adequate cysteine (14) Are autistic children deficient in amino acids?
Both glutathione and MT contain large amounts of sulfur. Sulfur is an essential
mineral that is necessary for many systemic functions. Because of the condition of
our soil today our main source of organic sulfur, plant food, is compromised.
Besides the metal regulation functions that it performs, sulfur is needed for
pancreatic release of digestive enzymes and if it is not present in the ileum of the
intestine, then leaky gut will ensue. (15). Sulfur is necessary for many enzyme
reactions as well as modulation of the nervous system, maintenance and protection
of the connective tissues, insulin production and support of the liver detoxification
Phase II pathway . Sulfur, along with molybdenum, fuels the process that
detoxifies certain food additives that may otherwise cause allergic reaction. Sulfur
containing amino acids (SAA) are cysteine and methionine. (Studies also show that
morbidity in HIV patients is decreased with increased SAA consumption. Methionine
in particular has been shown to decrease symptoms in Parkinsons Disease and
pancreatitis ) Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a safe and effective form of organic
sulfur(16).
Autistic children have been identified with high toxic metal levels, low levels of MT,
MT systems that don’t work, low levels of glutathione and zinc, low levels of sulfur
and mal-functioning digestive systems (including leaky gut and food allergies).
Various different theories for the cause of these malfunctions are proposed:
genetic predisposition, pre- and postnatal nutritional deficiencies, possible toxic
effects of infant immunizations, heavy metals exposure, and other environmental
factors. However this condition came about, the challenge remains to somehow
enable these impaired systems to function normally (17). The functioning of any
person’s system will improve when it has adequate systemic protein.
Current therapies for autistic children involve zinc, amino acid and glutathione
supplementation. The amino acid supplementation is usually protein specific. For
instance, MT is one of the proteins in which autistic children are deficient, leaving
them open to metal toxicity. Therefore, one therapy administers the 14 different
amino acids in MT along with GSH are given orally to the patients in an effort to
raise levels of body’s metal regulation system(18). The problem with oral GSH
supplementation is it is just not very effective (19). Glutathione and MT are
systemic proteins and the best way to get the body to manufacture these is to
enable it to fully digest its food, then it will create the proteins it needs, where it
needs them, when it needs them.
Recent studies indicate that the digestive systems of autistic children do not fully
break down food. Autistic people also show low levels of secretin and one of the
current popular theories is that orally administering this hormone could clear up the
poor digestion issues that are characteristic of autism. The digestive system is
supposed to secrete this hormone when the stomach empties. It helps the stomach
to produce digestive enzyme (pepsin), the pancreas to produce alkaline digestive
fluids, and the liver to produce bile. However, there has only been one very small
study (three children) demonstrating the successful use of this hormone with autism
and it is unknown whether supplementation of this hormone over long periods of time
would be harmful to the body(20). The action of secretin is to flush digestive
enzymes from the pancreas (21). If there are inadequate amounts of digestive
enzymes available to flush, how is secretin helping?
Could it not be possible that the main problem in autism is a critical deficiency of
systemic protein and sulfur in general? Secretin is a systemic protein. It is a
polypeptide consisting of 27 amino acids. MT is a low molecular weight protein
consisting of 61 amino acids, glutathione is a tripeptide, and sulfur is an essential
mineral. In order for the proper components to be available for systemic proteins
such as MT, glutathione and secretin, dietary protein must be completely broken
down into amino acids. If this does not happen, the partially broken down proteins
will simply irritate the system resulting in conditions such as diarrhea and allergic
responses such as rashes, inflammation, and mood disorders. (Partially broken down
peptides putrefy in the system producing indican which is easily identifiable using
the Urinary Indican Test) Partially broken down protein is not the same as amino
acids and the body will not use it to make systemic protein. A body that cannot
properly break down food will become protein deficient. If this protein deficiency
continues then systemic malfunction will eventually occur. If food can be fully
broken down then the systemic proteins will be available to create and support
systemic proteins of all sorts.
Another piece of the autism puzzle that seems to be missing from the research is
the concept of the limiting amino acid. This is a concept that has been applied
years in agriculture successfully but we do not use it often in human nutrition.
According to Donald Snyder, Ph.D, “In every native protein there is a particular
essential amino acid that limits that protein's value to the overall diet. Once that
limitation (minimum requirement) is met or exceeded, another amino acid becomes
limiting and so on until there is derived a theoretically perfect balance of amino
acids for optimal growth and performance. Further supplementation will not improve
the diet.” (22). In other words, essential amino acids must be given in a properly
balanced ratio in order for them to be safe and effective . This means the excess
of one essential amino acid can hamper the absorption of other AAs. Therefore it
would be necessary for any AA therapy to be sure that their amino acid supplement
was balanced so that the body could effectively use it.
If the body is not digesting its dietary protein it is because the pancreas is not
producing the necessary digestive enzymes Dr. Brice Vickery addressed this
problem in the early 1980’s when he found that all his patients with degenerative
disk disease were also deficient in systemic protein and organic sulfur. After years
of testing, Dr. Vickery solved the problem of the limiting amino acid that renders
so many other amino acid blends ineffective or, especially in the case of cysteine,
dangerous. He produced a perfectly balanced blend of essential amino acids
(Platinum Plus Essential Amino Acids, US Patent 6,203,820) that actually enable
the digestive system to produce the required enzymes to break dietary protein into
amino acids. Vickery recorded that in ten to twelve hours of taking Platinum Plus
his patient’s spinal disks began to heal. This was proven thru countless MRI’s and
CAT Scans. Further testing showed that combined with a certain program of use
(The Vickery Protocol) Platinum Plus enabled the body to manufacture systemic
proteins, which actually boosted the immune system to the point that it could heal
other imbalance and disease conditions as well.
Heavy metal Poisoning:
Vickery added extra organic sulfur and molybdenum to his blend to support phase
II liver detox pathways, helping the body to flush toxins such as heavy metals out
of the system. Attached charts show how quickly Platinum Plus Essential Amino
Acids enable the system to completely flush mercury, lead, and aluminum from the
body.
Fibromyalgia:
Vickery’s testing showed all Fibromyalgia patients to have five common conditions,
regardless of their symptoms. 1)protein deficiency 2)degenerating spinal disks
3)sulfur deficiency 4) heavy metal toxicity , and 5) viral infection. When they
follow the Protocol their bodies are able to heal.
Liver disease:
If the liver does not have adequate amounts of systemic protein it cannot make
body fluid regulators like albumin, it cannot make repair proteins used by the blood,
and it cannot keep up its two-phase detoxification system that the body uses to
filter and clean the blood. These two pathways also require glutathione and
molybdenum, respectively to work properly. If the body cannot supply these things,
the liver becomes susceptible to disease. Vickery’s research has shown Platinum Plus
to allow the liver to heal itself of diseases such as hepatitis and start functioning
normally again.
Hypoglycemia:
Protein deficiency can also lead to hypoglycemia (as well as vice versa.) If amino
acids are not available in sufficient quantities to manufacture the enzymes needed
for gluconeogenesis and glycolysis, then blood sugars will remain low after
pancreatic release of insulin. Proteins also transport the vitamins needed both of
these processes. Platinum Plus blend allows the body to produce the systemic
protein it needs to help maintain blood sugars at an optimal level.
Various viruses and bacteria:
The body’s immune system is also made up of various important systemic proteins. A
lack of these proteins will lead to a weakened immune system that is less able to
protect the body from viruses and bacteria such as staph, strep and hepatitis.
Vickery’s research shows that when the body has adequate protein it can fight off
these invaders and keep them away.
Glutathione, MT and secretin are all systemic proteins, which the body will make
itself if given adequate amounts of amino acids and co-nutrients. The Vickery
Protocol provides a balanced blend of amino acids, sulfur and molybdenum, along
with the necessary co-nutrients to allow the body to heal its digestion, rebuild its
immunity and balance its systems. Autism shows a remarkable resemblance to the
protein deficiency cases that The Vickery Protocol has successfully helped. Dr.
Vickery is currently following several autistic patients who appear to be using his
Program with considerable success.
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