By Carol Sieverling (slightly edited)
Dr. Cheney prescribes oxygen for patients with alkaline venous
blood. An hour of oxygen in the morning can provide half a day of
significant improvement, and numerous benefits. He had seen alkaline blood
results for years, but dismissed it as insignificant, based on medical
school teaching. His growing suspicion that it was very significant was
confirmed when a speaker at an international conference in
The putative cause of the alkalosis is the glutathione deficiency that is pervasive in CFIDS (and autism). Low glutathione causes an elevation in citrate, which in turn lowers a substance (2,3 DPG) that controls the release of oxygen from hemoglobin. Our blood can be full of oxygen, but without enough of this substance, it cannot break free and get into the cells. This causes oxygen deprivation in the tissues (hypoxia), which makes the body switch over to anaerobic metabolism, which can be painful.
This blood alkalosis is unusual in that Cheney usually sees venous blood pH values over 7.4 and urine pH values under 6.0. When both blood alkalosis and urine acidosis are seen, it’s a metabolic problem not a psychogenic reaction to a needle stick. A blood pH above 7.4 shows impairment. Above 7.5 there is significant impairment and almost no oxygen transport at all. A urine organic acid test will also reveal this problem. Elevated citrate and/or low 2-oxo-glutaric are markers. The really terrible thing is the vicious cycle. The blood alkalosis further lowers the levels of 2,3 DPG (inhibiting the release of oxygen), causing tissue hypoxia, which then causes blood alkalosis, which lowers 2,3 DPG even further—and around and around we go. (From this, I must assume that Autistic children with alkaline pH must not use the citrate forms of minerals! —WSL)
The ultimate treatment for this situation is Immunocal™ or IMUPlus™, the undenatured whey protein supplements that help restore glutathione, but some patients cannot afford them, and they do not work for all patients. An immediate solution to the oxygen transport problem is to use a partial rebreather mask set at 35 to 40% FIO2 (Fraction of Inspired Oxygen), which requires a flow rate of about 10 liters per minute. Do an hour a day, broken into one, two, or three sessions. You can do more than one hour a day, but do not do more than one hour at a time. Do not breathe heavily – breathe normally. Most CFS patients have headaches, and this can help those headaches. If a prescription is written for headaches, insurance may cover it. One hour of oxygen a day can run $75 to $100 a month.
Oxygen through nasal prongs will not work. Oxygen alone in a mask will not work. It has to be a partial rebreather mask, which has a bag attached. This allows you to rebreathe your expired carbon dioxide along with the oxygen that is flowing into the mask. It is important to the function of the rebreather that the bag contract and expand with the breathing cycle. It’s not working properly otherwise. Breathing increased levels of both carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) at the same time is essential. The CO2 breaks the cycle. It corrects the alkalosis and frees the O2 in your blood to move into your cells. With proper functioning, vessels dilate and you start perfusing your brain and tissues, bringing out the toxins and bringing in the nutrients. Raising oxygen levels will also help kill off yeast and other pathogens. Lack of oxygen allows them to multiply.
The speaker at the
Two problems can be seen in some patients on a rebreather mask. (1) Rapidly correcting blood alkalosis or overcorrecting (i.e., acidosis) can provoke vasodilation. If there is significant blood volume contraction some patients will become hypotensive and feel dizzy or faint. This problem can be prevented by taking oxygen lying down, and by expanding blood volume with an isotonic electrolyte drink such as Gookinaid ERG (Electrolyte Replacement with Glucose) (http://members.aol.com/Gookinaid) (1-800-283-6505). You can also address this problem by reducing the time spent on the mask rebreather. (2) Patients with a history of migraine may provoke a migraine in the moments just after going off the rebreather. Again, expanding blood volume and reducing the time of the rebreather can help this side effect.
The ultimate treatment mentioned (whey) has little or no casein, but it can be dangerous to some with sulfation problems (PST), so several other ways to build glutathione are suggested herein. Use them rather than the expensive, time consuming breather mask or expensive, long term, hyperbaric oxygen. These both have value in short term, but do not “cure” the basic problem of alkalosis. To learn more about balancing the pH, see the Chapter “Digestion and Utilization” in my Electronic book, “Self-help to Good Health”, 34 Chapters, 535 pages, $24.95 US.
More than 25 years ago, IAHP was the first to recognize that among the various adverse environmental conditions which affect the brain-injured child, the most important is chronically insufficient oxygen supply to the brain. In their experience, this is almost universally present to some degree in brain-injured children, although not ordinarily in obvious form. The shallow and erratic breathing patterns and small chests seen in the majority of our brain-injured children are primary indications that such subclinical, oxygen deficiency exists.
Associated with oxygen insufficiency in various combinations are other adverse environmental factors contributing to seizures as well as other problems of the brain-injured child. Among these factors are: 1) blood sugar levels too low or unresponsive to the brain’s changing needs 2) nutritional imbalances or deficiencies, very common among children, most of whose diets are extremely poor both quantitatively and qualitatively, and 3) increases in pressure within the skull due to intake of liquids and water-retaining substances, such as salt, in amounts beyond the child’s needs or capabilities for handling. Additionally, magnesium, vitamin B6, and dimethylglycine (DMG) all have strong anti-seizure properties, and can be effective even when other anti-seizure medications fail. The deficiency of vitamin B1 has also been reported as a cause of epileptic seizures. Magnesium is an essential cofactor in the conversion of thiamine into active diphosphate and triphosphate esters. There have been reports of thiamine deficiency aggravated by magnesium depletion with refractory response to thiamine until magnesium was given. It seems plausible that magnesium depletion could provoke Wernicke’s encephalopathy, possible by suboptimum thiamine phosphorylation. Pyridoxine (B6), too, is only phosphorylated into its coenzyme (P5P) in the presence of magnesium. Some 70% of the enzymes are dependent on magnesium.
In a placebo-controlled study on prisoners with a
history of impulsive/aggressive behavior, the group taking low amounts of
lithium (10-15 mg twice a day) had a significant reduction in aggressive
behavior and infractions involving violence. It also helps to raise
white-blood-cell count and to protect against loss of white cells in
chemotherapy and radiation. Lithium also tends to normalize thyroid
function, particularly in Grave’s Disease. Researchers at
During the first week of magnesium deficiency, Substance P and CGRP are increased. The second week, histamine is increased, along with PgE2 (inflammatory), and TBAR molecules. The third week, cytokines IL-1, IL-6, TNF alpha are increased (Weglicki & Mak, 1994). The cytokines, IFN gamma, IL-2, 4, 5, 10, 12, and 13 are also increased in magnesium deficiency (Weglicki, 1996). I believe that these, except IL-10, are all inflammatory!
Clinical symptomology of magnesium deficiency is dominated by neuromuscular hyperexcitability (Rayssiguier, 1990; Durlach, 1997) exhibiting latent tetany (Durlach, 1997) and spasmophilia (muscle cramps and spasms) (Galland, 1991). Hyperarousal (Galland, 1991), with sensitivity to noise, bodily contact, and excitement (Langley, 1991; Goto, 1993) in the precipitation of neuromuscular hyperexcitability has been described in magnesium deficiency. Choreiform and athetoid movements can be produced by magnesium deficiency (Holvey,1972). Some tics may be forms of atypical latent tetany (Ploceniak, 1990). A chronic tissue magnesium deficit is found in HLA B35 individuals (a genetic type - Zeana, 1988; Henrotte, 1990; Durlach, 1997). A few clinical disorders that can be associated with magnesium deficiency are: migraine (Thomas, 1994), bruxism (Lehvila, 1974; Ploceniak, 1990), restless leg syndrome (Popoviciu, 1993; Hornyak, 1998), asthma (Fantidis, 1995), seizures (Galland, 1991; Goto, 1993), hearing loss, TIA (mini stroke - Galland, 1991), heart arrhythmia (Burtis, 1994), and mitral valve prolapse (MVP) associated with HLA B35 (Rybar, 1989). Vitamin A deficiency increases sensitivity of the inner ear to noise as well as susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss.
When there is current exposure, mercury binds to Hemoglobin in the red blood cell and will reduce the amount of oxygen that can be carried in the blood—a major cause of fatigue. Mercury at a level of 1 part per ten million will actively destroy the membrane of red blood cells. Hyperbaric oxygen has been used with great results, but at great expense in time and money, and may be contraindicated due to oxidative damage, especially where mercury toxicity is present. No oral antioxidant protects against the Superoxide radical until now. Tests show that a new form of SOD prevents the DNA damage that could not be offset by vitamin E or n-acetylcysteine. See Sodzyme™ by Life Extension Foundation.
A simple way to increase oxygen in the cells is through
addition of 2 drops of tasteless Cell Food™ (
Live Blood Analysis is a method of prescreening the blood that can be most revealing of a condition usually ignored. That is, the clumping of the blood. Blood clumps or sludges for several reasons. Platelets can become sticky. Red cells can fail to repel one another, especially following a high fat meal that lacks sufficient lipotrophic factors (chiefly lecithin, and vitamins B-complex, E, and C). It will show undigested carbohydrate particles circulating in the blood (signaling a need for digestive enzymes). It has been shown that when these clumped platelets, red cells, or undigested carbohydrate particles reach the small capillaries, they create a slowing or stoppage of blood flow robbing the cells in that area of necessary nutrients and waste removal. Additionally, a deficiency of glutathione tends to cause red cells to deform or burst, white cells decline in functional activity, and an alkaline condition of the blood ensues that constricts the blood vessels and reduces blood flow and oxygen transport still further. All this is evident by looking at one drop of blood under the electron microscope! Further, mercury binds to oxygen-carrying sites on hemoglobin reducing oxygenation of cells. All these causes of reduced oxygenation of cells lead to undesirable symptoms, many classed as autistic. Very low mercury concentrations block intestinal vitamin B6. Bind mercury by supplementing 50 mcg of selenium at each meal and 1 -3 mg of melatonin at night.
Garlic, vitamins E and C, bromelain, the flavonoids
(with rutin), and omega-3 fatty acids all “thin” the blood. Use these in
preference to aspirin. Under high stress, it is reported that aspirin fails
to affect the platelets. Recent studies by Dr. John Folts, Ph.D., who first
touted aspirin, shows these nutrients reduced activity of platelets about
52%, the same as aspirin, without the side effects or failure of aspirin. If
taking coumarin or other prescription for thinning the blood, consult with
your doctor before adding these supplements. He can help wean you off the
drug that has considerable side effects. Ginkgo Biloba effectively increases
circulation and nutrient supply to the brain that is desperately needed by
these children, however, because it enhances Phase I liver enzymes, it
should be used for only a few weeks unless you are certain that Phase I
needs to be enhanced. It should not be used at all by one with a lack of
fatty acids or with the PST problem.
While a large number suffer Thrombophilia (sludging of the blood), not a few suffer nosebleed. This is caused by a number of things:
As stated above, several things “thin” the blood. They are not the cause of bleeding, but could make it harder to stop the bleed. You might want to reduce vitamin E to 200 IU for the same reason. When you solve the cause, then you could consider increasing these again.