Guest guest Posted April 2, 2001 Report Share Posted April 2, 2001 Sissi, Is there any treatment for it? Carol G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2001 Report Share Posted April 2, 2001 Only avoiding unsafe medications and other triggers and/or glucose infusions -- that I know of. Sissi nitetrax@... Mom to: Amber, 17, scoliosis/fusion 1/16/01/ Dillon, 9, Crescentic HSP nephritis/NS Boone, 3, Autistic/Hyperlexic Kids' Page http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/dillon.htm Work sgarvey@... http://www.thealbanyjournal.com Re: [ ] Porphyria > Sissi, > > Is there any treatment for it? > > Carol G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2001 Report Share Posted April 4, 2001 Some porphyrias are due to genetic defects. Thesae are episodic and thus don't account for autism. Many toxins induce " toxic porphyria, " which is a laboratory sign of intoxication (poisoning). I don't know how significant the contribution of the porphyrins to the GI and neurological problems in autism is, but this is suggestive of a connection. Detox eliminates toxic porphyria. Andy > Has anyone on this list heard of a connection with Porphyria and autism? We have a good bit of porphyria in our family. I was talking to Dr. Morton who researches porphyria about testing for my 9YO NT son. When he found out I had an autistic son, he said there was a possibility it was caused by porphyria. Porphyria is a metabolic disorder with GI and neurological manifestations which can be triggered by lead, mercury, medications and a lot of other things. > Sissi > nitetrax@i... > Mom to: > Amber, 17, scoliosis/fusion 1/16/01/ > Dillon, 9, Crescentic HSP nephritis/NS > Boone, 3, Autistic/Hyperlexic > Kids' Page > http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/dillon.htm > Work > sgarvey@t... > http://www.thealbanyj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Never heard of anything like this... III went mad for a meal By Mark Research from America suggests that the King's disabling disease was caused by a frugal diet THE madness of King III may have been triggered by a newly identified protein that contributes to porphyria, the disease that caused the King's notorious mental instability. The protein, known as PGC-1a, has been revealed as a " molecular missing link " in the development of porphyria, and could provide a fresh clue to the cause of one of the most discussed royal illnesses to date. The research raises the possibility that III's relatively frugal lifestyle — he often preferred boiled eggs to lavish banquets — could have played a part in his porphyria, which can be brought on by fasting or malnutrition. When the body becomes starved of glucose as a result of fasting or poor diet, PGC-1a can become overactive in the liver, scientists in the United States have discovered. This starts a biological cascade that prevents the proper formation of one of the building blocks of haemoglobin, which ferries oxygen around the bloodstream. The result is a build-up of toxins in the blood that causes porphyria, the symptoms of which include psychiatric illness, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, weakness of the limbs, nausea and a characteristic dark-coloured urine. III suffered five prolonged episodes of madness during his reign, from 1760 to 1820, which became so severe that his son, later to become IV, was appointed Prince Regent. The descent of the monarch into mental illness was famously recounted in an Alan play that was later made into the film The Madness of King , starring Nigel Hawthorne and Helen Mirren. The King's symptoms have been retrospectively diagnosed as those of porphyria by modern doctors, though his psychiatric episodes were unusually serious for the disease and began much later in life than is usual, first striking him at the age of 50. Several potential causes for III's disease have been advanced, most convincingly a theory that he was poisoned by arsenic in his wig powder and in an antimony-based treatment administered by his doctors. The identification of the role of PGC-1a, by a team led by Bruce Spiegelman of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston, offers another possible explanation, though the scientists have yet to examine their work with specific relation to the King' s porphyria. In the study, which is published today in the journal Cell, Dr Spiegelman explains how fasting can trigger porphyria. When the liver detects a " starvation " signal caused by poor nutrition it starts making excess amounts of PGC-1a, which allows it to manufacture more glucose. This makes more of an enzyme called ALAS-1, which interferes with the production of haem, a precursor of haemoglobin. When these chemicals fail to form normal haemo- globin, they build up in the blood to cause porphyria. Dr Spiegelman said: " We've explained how porphyria symptoms can occur in attacks triggered by fasting, and why they can be treated by feeding carbohydrates and glucose. " The findings suggest that patients with porphyria ought to avoid diets or drugs that switch on PGC-1a activity in the liver. They also suggest new treatments for the disease: the high-carbohydrate diets that are currently prescribed put patients at risk of obesity. Targeting PGC-1a directly could prove more effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Hi All, It seems to have been a one royal rat experiment, since: porphyria = A pathological state in man and some lower animals that is often due to genetic factors, is characterised by abnormalities of porphyrin metabolism and results in the excretion of large quantities of porphyrins in the urine and in extreme sensitivity to light. Handschin C, Lin J, Rhee J, Peyer AK, Chin S, Wu PH, Meyer UA, Spiegelman BM. Nutritional Regulation of Hepatic Heme Biosynthesis and Porphyria through PGC-1alpha. Cell. 2005 Aug 26;122(4):505-15. PMID: 16122419 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstra\ ct & list_uids=16122419 & query_hl=31 Inducible hepatic porphyrias are inherited genetic disorders of enzymes of heme biosynthesis. The main clinical manifestations are acute attacks of neuropsychiatric symptoms frequently precipitated by drugs, hormones, or fasting, associated with increased urinary excretion of delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Acute attacks are treated by heme infusion and glucose administration, but the mechanisms underlying the precipitating effects of fasting and the beneficial effects of glucose are unknown. We show that the rate-limiting enzyme in hepatic heme biosynthesis, 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS-1), is regulated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha). Elevation of PGC-1alpha in mice via adenoviral vectors increases the levels of heme precursors in vivo as observed in acute attacks. The induction of ALAS-1 by fasting is lost in liver-specific PGC-1alpha knockout animals, as is the ability of porphyrogenic drugs to dysregulate heme biosynthesis. These data show that PGC-1alpha links nutritional status to heme biosynthesis and acute hepatic porphyria. Canavese C, li D, Guida C, Cappellini MD. Nephrologists and porphyrias G Ital Nefrol. 2002 Jul-Aug;19(4):393-412. Review. Italian. PMID: 12369042 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstra\ ct & list_uids=12369042 & query_hl=34 .... Only a small number of people with inherited enzyme deficiency will develop overt clinical disease, mainly because of the role of acquired aggravating and precipitating factors, such as drugs, hormonal causes, infection, caloric restriction, alcohol. ... --- drsusanforshey <drsusanforshey@...> wrote: > Never heard of anything like this... > > III went mad for a meal > By Mark > Research from America suggests that the King's disabling disease was > caused by a frugal diet > THE madness of King III may have been triggered by a newly > identified protein that contributes to porphyria, the disease that > caused the King's notorious mental instability. > > The protein, known as PGC-1a, has been revealed as a " molecular > missing link " in the development of porphyria, and could provide a > fresh clue to the cause of one of the most discussed royal illnesses > to date. Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Hi Tony: And what is more, artists selected to paint pictures of monarchs are no doubt chosen in large part because of a history of painting flattering pictures. So my bet is that in real life he looked a lot more over weight than the paintings depict. Rodney. > > Never heard of anything like this... > > > > III went mad for a meal > > By Mark > > Research from America suggests that the King's disabling disease was > > caused by a frugal diet > > THE madness of King III may have been triggered by a newly > > identified protein that contributes to porphyria, the disease that > > caused the King's notorious mental instability. > > > > The protein, known as PGC-1a, has been revealed as a " molecular > > missing link " in the development of porphyria, and could provide a > > fresh clue to the cause of one of the most discussed royal illnesses > > to date. > > > > The research raises the possibility that III's relatively > > frugal lifestyle — he often preferred boiled eggs to lavish banquets — > > could have played a part in his porphyria, which can be brought on by > > fasting or malnutrition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 This discussion has little to do with CR but a) he probably was poisoned by arsenic or some other would be medicine, back in the mid 18th century being slender was probably a sign of poverty or failing health so the artist may have added rather than subtracted corpulence, and c) who cares? JR [ ] Re: porphyria Hi Tony: And what is more, artists selected to paint pictures of monarchs are no doubt chosen in large part because of a history of painting flattering pictures. So my bet is that in real life he looked a lot more over weight than the paintings depict. Rodney. > > Never heard of anything like this... > > > > III went mad for a meal > > By Mark > > Research from America suggests that the King's disabling disease was > > caused by a frugal diet > > THE madness of King III may have been triggered by a newly > > identified protein that contributes to porphyria, the disease that > > caused the King's notorious mental instability. > > > > The protein, known as PGC-1a, has been revealed as a " molecular > > missing link " in the development of porphyria, and could provide a > > fresh clue to the cause of one of the most discussed royal illnesses > > to date. > > > > The research raises the possibility that III's relatively > > frugal lifestyle — he often preferred boiled eggs to lavish banquets — > > could have played a part in his porphyria, which can be brought on by > > fasting or malnutrition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Hi folks: And the symptoms of porphyria and lead poisoning are sufficiently similar that even in recent years the latter has been mis-diagnosed as the former. So there is another possibility. (We care only if there is good reason to suspect his illness may have been precipitated by caloric restriction.) Rodney. > > > Never heard of anything like this... > > > > > > III went mad for a meal > > > By Mark > > > Research from America suggests that the King's disabling disease > was > > > caused by a frugal diet > > > THE madness of King III may have been triggered by a newly > > > identified protein that contributes to porphyria, the disease that > > > caused the King's notorious mental instability. > > > > > > The protein, known as PGC-1a, has been revealed as a " molecular > > > missing link " in the development of porphyria, and could provide a > > > fresh clue to the cause of one of the most discussed royal > illnesses > > > to date. > > > > > > The research raises the possibility that III's relatively > > > frugal lifestyle — he often preferred boiled eggs to lavish > banquets — > > > could have played a part in his porphyria, which can be brought > on by > > > fasting or malnutrition. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 I have to wonder if I experienced this? I had some of these symptoms as well, but of course, nobody knew what the heck was going on. Patty Porphyria http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Porphyria I am so very curious about this....has anyone ever been diagnosed with Porphyria after getting breast implants? It seems to me that this may be seriously overlooked. Some of these symptoms seem common to us with illness from breast implants. Acute porphyria The hepatic porphyrias primarily affect the nervous system, resulting in abdominal pain, vomiting, acute neuropathy, seizures, and mental disturbances, including hallucinations, depression, anxiety, and paranoia. Cardiac arrhythmias and tachycardia (fast heart rate) may develop as the autonomic nervous system is affected. Pain can be severe and can, in some cases, be both acute and chronic in nature. Constipation is frequently present, as the nervous system of the gut is affected, but diarrhea can also occur. Given the many presentations and the relatively uncommon occurence of porphyria the patient may initially be suspected to have other, unrelated conditions. For instance, the polyneuropathy of acute porphyria may be mistaken for Guillain-Barré syndrome, and porphyria testing is commonly recommended in those scenarios.[4] Lupus erythematosus features photosensitivity, pain attacks and shares various other symptoms with porphyria.[5] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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