Question for Rich

[Guest guest]

I'm finally getting around to reading Parcell's article

outlining the general points of the methylation cycle and its

relationship to health. It's interesting reading -- both to see what

I've been doing right all these years, as well as to get direction

for what might be done better in the future.

Early on in the article, he says:

" To determine the therapeutic effect of SAA supplementation in HIV

infection, 40 patients with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 29

patients without ART were given treatment for seven months with

approximately 600 mg NAC administered every other day. (35) The main

outcome measures were the change in immunological parameters

including natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell functions, and the

viral load. N-acetylcysteine caused a marked increase in NK cell

activity and raised CD4 counts, serum albumin, and glutamine. The

immunomodulating effect of NAC supplementation suggests the HIV-

induced cysteine depletion may be a way in which the virus

compromises the immune defense of the host. "

All well and good...but I've been taking 1200 mg of NAC daily (600

morning and night) for over four years now. And when I had my NK cell

function tested at FFC a few months ago, the numbers were, to quote

the technical phrase used by the doctor, " in the toilet. "

Which suggests that, while NAC may boost NK cell activity in HIV

patients, it did diddly squat for me.

There are obviously a lot of components to this cycle -- I'm not a

total science dummy, but I don't expect I'll ever fully understand

the chemistry here -- and it seems likely that there's something else

that might be missing in this equation.

Any thoughts as to what might be missing in this scenario?

Thanks,

Sara

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/19/06 10:26:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

mercuria@... writes:

Perhaps, in some people, the SAMe doesn't activate. For those people,

methionine might do the job instead.

Sara

Methionine is what becomes activated into SAM-e. Methionine by itself

doesn't do much unless it comes bundled in a huge piece of very rare prime rib,

mushrooms optional.

mjh

[Guest guest]

On Feb 19, 2006, at 7:09 PM, foxhillers@... wrote:

> Did Rich say why he suggests Methione since SAM-e is its activated

> form?

Not sure; we'd have to ask him. My best guess is that he's trying to

open the sulphur pathways in a specific order that systematically

ensures that no channel is left unprimed as you move down through the

system; and that no potential blockage is left untouched. The

protocol seems to be designed (to my untutored eye) to maximize the

likelihood that if you can't jimmy a door open one way, you can do it

another.

Perhaps, in some people, the SAMe doesn't activate. For those people,

methionine might do the job instead.

> By the way, in about 2001, on cfs_research, Pall suggested I

> try TMG

> in place of SAM-e to save money. Evidently, for some the TMG

> provides the

> same benefit.

TMG didn't do a whole lot on its own; though today, at least, it

seems to be softening the harsher effects of the SAMe a bit.

One of the things I plan to do when I've done the whole sequence and

have ridden it awhile is (with Rich's guidance. hopefully) see what I

can remove from the cycle and still get the benefits. Seems doubtful

that I'll need to take all six items indefinitely -- though it that's

what it takes, of course, I'll do it.

> Keep me posted, please.

Thanks. I will. It's really good to not have to be doing this alone.

Sara