9 days into dramatic improvement

[Biologist]

Theoretically, If a given mitochondrion is faltering, I don't mind if it self-destructs in an orderly way. It should be replaced by a new one that is not spewing out oxidants and poisoning the cell. My physiology text book (the premed standard) says that thyroid hormone triggers the creation of new mitos. The environment these days tends to suppress thyroid function such that perhaps most people are T3 deficient. I likely am. Later on, in a few months, I will supplement with Armour thyroid again. I go by feel. Minimal testing. The higher the levels the better for mito creation, is my understanding. If you do too much, it is not a comfortable feeling, so that is how I judge amounts. Good to go slowly. Currently I am not supplementing at all.

I am currently studying chelation. I am keeping testosterone levels low for now as this hormone has been shown to increase the absorption (and effect) of blood mercury in the brain . My blood levels are higher now due to removal of amalgam fillings recently. BTW, it is my understanding that med schools use affirmative action these days to get more males in med school. Their IQs have dropped to the point that the girls are replacing them, also in college admissions in general. Women have not gotten smarter, men have gotten dumber. The reason is believed by some thoughtful researchers to be due to higher heavy metal retention.

I will be doing more experimenting with antihistimines in the future.

Biologist

[David Staup]

suit yourself....

I believe you are labouring under a misconception or ignorance.

with a handle of "biologist" one must wonder if it is a "cultivated ignorance"

:shock:

[Biologist]

David,

I have no need to cultivate ignorance as I have plenty already, but here are some things I've learned:

Programmed death of an organism = "phenoptosis"
Programmed death of a cell = "apoptosis"
Programmed death of a mitochondrion = "mitoptosis"

Take a guess what the life span is of a typical human mitochondrion -- say from a liver cell? Most people would be surprised. I was. It's measured in days -- a very few days. Good thing.

"Truth is stranger than fiction" is no truer anywhere than in molecular and cellular biology, and also, apparently, in the practice of medicine and public health these days! To maintain credibility, I've learned it's often best to just keep quiet about it.

Biologist
______________________


Selective Degradation of Mitochondria by Mitophagy.

Abstract:
Mitochondria are the essential site of aerobic energy production in eukaryotic cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an inevitable by-product of mitochondria metabolism and can cause mitochondrial DNA mutations and dysfunction. Mitochondrial damage can also be the consequence of disease processes. Therefore, maintaining a healthy population of mitochondria is essential to the well-being of cells. Autophagic delivery to lysosomes is the major degradative pathway in mitochondrial turnover, and we use the term mitophagy to refer to mitochondrial degradation by autophagy. Although long assumed to be a random process, increasing evidence indicates that mitophagy is a selective process. This review provides an overview of the process of mitophagy, the possible role of the mitochondrial permeability transitionin mitophagy and the importance of mitophagy in turnover of dysfunctional mitochondria.

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756107/


Cell Physiology:

"Mitophagy also serves to eliminate the subset of mitochondria producing the most reactive oxygen species, and episodic removal of mitochondria will reduce the oxidative burden, thus linking the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging with longevity achieved through caloric restriction. Mitophagy must be balanced by biogenesis to meet tissue energy needs, but the system is tunable and highly dynamic. This process is of greatest importance in long-lived cells such as cardiomyocytes, neurons, and memory T cells. Autophagy is known to decrease with age, and the failure to maintain mitochondrial quality control through mitophagy may explain why the heart, brain, and components of the immune system are most vulnerable to dysfunction as organisms age."

*http://ajpcell.physiology.org/content/299/2/C203.full


Regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis by thyroid hormone.

Abstract:
Thyroid hormone (T3) has a profound effect on mitochondrial biogenesis...

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12552316


Control of mitochondrial turnover under the influence of thyroid hormone.

Abstract:
The effect of thyroid hormone on the turnover of mitochondrial DNA and protein was studied in rat heart and liver. Changes in turnover were observed in both thyroidectomized and normal rats following administration of thyroid hormone. In heart and liver the turnover of mitochondrial DNA and protein was slower in thyroidectomized rats than in normal rats. The turnover of mitochondrial DNA and protein was affected similarly following the administration of thyroid hormone, suggesting that mechanisms which control turnover of mitochondrial constituents may be predicated upon a major part of the mitochondrion. In heart a decreased rate of degradation contributes to the increase in total mitochondrial protein. Mitochondrial DNA, labeled before administration of thyroid hormone, turns over, after the start of thyroid hormone administration, at a different rate from that in newly synthesized DNA. The different turnover rates suggest that in liver the pre-existing population of mitochondria is being replaced by another population synthesized under new physiological conditions.

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5545111

[David Staup]

"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16175394?dopt=Abstract

[Biologist]

David, any update?

I bought a new bottle of 25 mg. generic Benadryl last night.

Removing my "silver" fillings and chelating has been a good move for me.

Biologist

[David Staup]

7 month update:

Physically I have continued to improve, albiet much more slowly, by slowly increasing my activity level. I can now make it twice around the local walmart.
My neuropothy symptoms, which initially seemed unchanged, have all but dissappeared.
My cognative abilities have improved steadily to the point that I can hold up to a two hour conversation with only minimal lapses and can now recoover from those lapses....I can form a logical argument and follow it through a debate...again. I can spell...again... I can do simple math in my head... again.

All of my skin problems have disappeared.

Although I stopped weight lose, I have only very slowly been gaining it back and my diet seems to stand more carbs than before starting the benadryl.

It recently became clear to me that low serum uric acid is related to "excessive " apoptosis and will be an indicator for those who will benifit the most from low dose benadryl.

Before statins I had collaborated with a guy on something in amateur astronomy that we eventually published and it revolutionized a portion of astrophotography. He is a physician and I took this to him. It took some convincing but he is going to try this for himself and two grandchildren with autism (which has been linked to apoptosis of brain cells) and then other appropiate patients.....I told him this would revolutionize medicine.

The percentage of people reporting positive results, no matter which group I introduce this to, with one exception...those with routinely high CK readings get no or greatly reduced physical results...I'm not sure but suspect the cognative and neuropothy benifits might still be there if those people continued the therapy.

I have one instance, maybe not so reliable a source, where his thyroid function returned to normal not immeadiately as I feared, but over the course of a month....I still caution anyone with autoimmune hypothyroid to be aware.



David

[Tracy Bell]

Hi David, have a friend who suffers terribly with the side effects of statins and is/has tried a lot of natural supplements etc to help. Am interested in the benadryl you are using. Not sure where you are from, but in Australia Benadryl is a cough syrup! Is that what you are using? Thanx
Tracy

[David Staup]

Hi Tracy,

What I'm talking about is diphenhydramine. look at the active ingredient

the other antihistamine that works in hydroxyzine

check allergy meds for either of those two and have your friend take 20% of the normal dose

actually I just checked an Aussy online pharmacy and Paedamin has diphenhydramine plus a decongestant. Also she would have to take twice the childrens dose to get 5 mg dyphenhydramine...

I think I would first try all of the single active ingredient antihistamines for a week before I would take the paedamin. taken at 20% the normal adult dose any antihistamine is worth a try.

also if you have compounding pharmacies in aus you could try them for pure dyphenhydramine at 5 mg per capsule.....

Good luck and let me know if you find another antihistamine that works


David

[David Staup]

One more positive result.

I have an 11 year old 100lb dog who was starting to have hip problems with pain and had slowed considerably. He has been a very good "personal trainer" for me. He was the one who first noted my improvements and urged me to do more over these past 4 years and even now with the dramatic improvements from the benadryl he was still more capable than I.
Three months ago I started him on fish oil and his pain abated. two and a half months ago I started him on 2.5mg of benadryl on the same, 4 times a day, schedule that I follow and WOW! The weight of at least three years have been lifted and he has turned into a training "nazi". If he continues to improve he'll be acting like a puppy again.....argh unintended consequences!!!


David

[David Staup]

Biologist,

Anything to report re: the benadryl?

[David Staup]

Link to exceptions:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2033

[David Staup]

19 months in:

First a little background on my acquired mito.
I was put on the statins in may of 2000 and rapidly declined to roughly 50% where I struggled for 5 years. I then stopped the statin, took a less physically demanding position where I continued to struggle. 18 months after I had stopped the statin...I experienced, over the course of one month, a most remarkable recovery. I went from 50% to 80% and I can't describe how GREAT that felt. That lasted for 4 months. I had a bladder infection that required a visit to the doctor where I was talked into a physical and, eventually, I was talked into a non statin cholesterol lowering drug and within 2 weeks I was far worse than 50%. Seven horrible months later I was effectively disabled...Remember 18 months...a 60% improvement over the course of 1 month.

Do you believe in coincidences?
I have just completed my 19th month on LDB and what a remarkable month it has been. I don't know where to begin!
On the background Prior, to the LDB I had been cycling between 160 lbs at the end of winter (low activity) and ~128 lbs by July after the spring rush. I would stay at the ~128 through the moderate activity summer and early fall when I would enter the low activity and regain the weight....I started the LDB in may at a weight of 140 where I stayed +/- 2 lbs... Until ...Now begins the list of improvements in order of notice:

On the first of two doctor visits in late November my weight was 144 lbs. I was a bit surprised and mentioned it to the nurse. At the second visit, two weeks later, my weight was 146. It is now 150+ lbs. .

3 weeks ago, when I went for a haircut, My cutter asked when I had started the hair regrowth treatment...I said huh, uh, never? I've been totally bald on the top for 35+ years and it's taken the three weeks for me to be able to tell for sure...and for sure it's going to be thin and white.. but it IS happening??

Liquid and caffeine requirements are way down. Because the humidity is so low I may wake up with a dry mouth, but just dry and just brushing my teeth takes care of that. I drink about 4 oz with my supplements and have found my self at noon before I need something to drink...amazing!

ALL of my life I have had cold hands and feet...ALL OF MY LIFE! If the environmental temperature was less than 75 degrees my hands were COLD and would remain so for a good while unless the "new" environment was REALLY warm. My feet, except right out of bed, were cold all winter! THAT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY three weeks ago!!!

2 weeks ago it became clear that my physical condition was rapidly improving and, HERE IS THE COINCIDENCE:

A 60% increase over the course of month 19. It cannot be a coincidence.

Cognitively, well the fog has lifted completely unless I really over do it! Trying to hard for to long to figure out WHAT IS GOING ON now did bring a return of "light fog" but for all intents and purposes I am mostly all here for the first time in years.

Except for some minor other things like skin and nails that is the story so far.


On the down side I get back pain because I need to build a muscle support system in my pelvic and shoulder girdles.

The only other downside is my dog now believes I can do as much of anything he wants "us" to do and that just ain't so...yet

I suspect that this has to do with mtDNA "quality control" :
*http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140120090420.htm

and repair:
*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2442166/

The science on this is not yet mature but ....

truly a happy new year!
David

[David Staup]

As reported in my last post on this subject I have experienced another dramatic round of improvements that started last November...

I have now reached my new activity limit and it is completely different. Rather than being limited by fatigue I am now experiencing symptoms of spastic diplegia after pushing to hard:

*http://www.bing.com/search?q=spastic+diplegia&qs=HS&sk=HS1&pq=spastic&sc=8-7&sp=2&FORM=QBLH&cvid=8e9c0ee0e3994e23912f16190e072d64

or it could be spasticity a very similar symptom of MS:

*http://www.bing.com/search?q=spasticity&qs=HS&sk=HS1&pq=spastic&sc=8-7&sp=2&FORM=QBRE&cvid=28ab9f4bfb6d433ebc12221cdb61f80f

but, so far, I am only seeing it in my legs which makes me lean towards the spastic diplegia. The effect lasted for about 8 hours and returned towards the end of shorter walks for 5 days. I was really worried that I had triggered something permanent but I don't think so now.

I have also experienced my first major crash since the new round of improvements began. It too was totally different and DID NOT INCLUDE the fatigue associated with ATP depletion. Additionally, my urine, which in the past has gone cloudy, foamy, and a deep pumpkin color during a crash, now is clear (not cloudy), less foamy, and a dark tea color. This could be acute necrotic myopathy (rhabdo) or it could have been not so acute, I didn't check my CK. Knowing the treatment for rhabdo is electrolytes I wasn't concerned and with the lack of atp depletion that is associated with apoptosis, I'll take necrotic myopathy over apoptotic myopathy EVERY TIME.

The crash was not caused by excessive activity but rather an episode of extreme stress and without pushing I am still 4 times better off than before starting LDB... I can accept that


David

[David Staup]

One more thing, the crash went on for 5 days before I went back to 4 doses of LDB in one day (I had been on 2). The symptoms were gone the next day (this past Sunday) except for some intermittent kidney pains. Sometimes I am so slow!

David

[David Staup]

*http://circres.ahajournals.org/content/104/3/292.full

"Regulation of Intracellular and Mitochondrial Sodium in Health and Disease"


"Do you have a clue as to why when I had novocaine this last week at the dentist it made me feel good/strong the rest of the day?"

This question from a Lyme sufferer that I was describing the LDB treatment to led me to look for commonalities between novocaine and Benadryl....the answer is they are both sodium channel blockers.

That led to my discovery of the above study.

"Diphenhydramine acts as an intracellular sodium channel blocker"

I have been looking for info on other intracellular channel blockers especially natural but the lists I've seen are all very expensive and Benadryl isn't on the lists I've found..... The info on this is rather disjointed but my hope is to find other more focused agents to try..

David

[David Staup]

Well it took a while but I have finally started to recover from my PTSD.

While I did improve , briefly, by going to 4 X doses per day, that improvement was short lived. I continued to be greatly affected by minor everyday stresses and as my physical conditioned worsened so did my emotional. As I saw my recent gains disappear I started having anxiety attacks which made my physical condition worsen even more causing depression ...a downward spiral.

It is now two weeks since I went back to where I started with the Benadryl, one low dose every 3 hours, and am pretty much recovered. I am still fragile and doing my best to avoid stress but I am regaining my stamina daily and no longer feel anxious or depressed.

David