Pyroluria
Researchers are still in the process of working out the implications of what is known by many as pyroluria or pyrole disorder. There are estimates that up to 1 in 10 in people have pyroluria and certainly that number is a great deal higher in serious mental health conditions.
In a nutshell, pyroluria means, among other things, the body is predisposed to experiencing inner tension and anxiety due to deficiencies in B6, Zinc and other nutrients. This has implications for mental health.
A person with pyroluria might have a leaning towards some of the following:-
Depression
Anxiety
Paranoia
Anger
Be argumentative
Irritable
Reduced ability to handle stress
Inner tension
General pessimism
Social withdrawal and loneliness
Emotional over-reaction and poor response to criticism
Delusions
Disperceptions
If you have pyroluria, you may also have a feeling that things are not quite right and that you don't appreciate the world in the same way as other people. You may notice that you have trouble sensing a genuine feeling of "joy", "pleasure", "happiness" and "contentment". On the other hand, you may have become accustomed to all of the above and think of your feelings as "normal" - at least for you.
You may also experience a variety of physical health problems including dental degradation, increased sensitivity to noise and light, decreased sense of smell and taste, headaches, low libido, leaky gut, anaemia etc.
For more details about the condition click here.
How Can The Body Guard Help?
The Body Guard Clinic specializes in anxiety and stress reduction. We cover areas that include depression and general anxiety disorder as well as other mental health issues. The majority of patients at The Body Guard have either pyroluria or other conditions which cause significant mental turmoil.
Christine Barnes, principal practitioner of The Body Guard, says
"I live with pyroluria everyday. My husband has now essentially resolved his pyroluria, ie - after an initial intensive treatment, he self manages with a relatively low dose of zinc, P5P, and a few other supplements. He's a much more pleasant person to be around than before treatment. Still not "glass half full" but we're working on that.
My mother is very high on the pyroluric scale. She has a good many additional health issues but she is fine when taking her medications. However, sometimes she forgets and the symptoms of the pyroluria return."
A Holistic Treatment Plan
Treating pyroluria means also treating the accompanying symptoms and conditions. Certainly in at The Body Guard Clinic, there as not yet been a patient who has just pyroluria and nothing else.
As a naturopath Christine take a holistic approach to your health. She doesn't just treat the pyroluria, she considers the whole body as a starting point for treatment - a treatment that may address simultaneously dietary inadequacies, gut absorption issues, mineral and vitamin rebalancing, hormonal adjustments etc. Christine also finds it vital to check for, and respond to, heavy metal toxicities and gut overgrowths. Most of all, she tries to find ways of relieving the mental toll you are suffering from which is after all, probably the prime reason you initially came to The Body Guard for treatment for pyroluria.
It really isn't just about supplementing with B6 and Zinc and a few other vitamins and minerals, or using a generalized pyroluria primer. Every case is different and requires an individualized approach.
