VIRUSES, LDN, AND ANTIVIRALS

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VIRUSES, LDN, AND ANTIVIRALS: First of all, all anti-virals only suppress viruses; anything strong enough to kill or eradicate them will kill the host in the process. Our goal is to keep the immune system in good enough shape so it can keep them from replicating and reaching a pathological level. When someone is immunocompromised they are much more susceptible to invasion by viruses which are everywhere. We ALL have viruses; they are ubiquitous, and very few people reach adulthood without having positive Epstein Barr, Cytomegalovirus, and the Herpes 1,2, and 6 antibodies in the IgG category, meaning - previous infection or at least strong exposure. When we get positive IgM antibody titers, it means that virus is active and replicating, and in the past this used to be the only time I would treat with anti-virals, as they are only supposed to be effective for disabling the replication process. However, though tests are great for showing some

cases, and for me those are the ones that have shown in my work to be the most responsive to anti-virals, I have learned that a test can maybe pick up the replication process or may miss it if the sample happens to be drawn in a quiescent period for viral activity, which could then pick up again with some other exposure or weakening of the person's immune system. Some also believe there may be hidden viruses and pathogens that our usual tests do not pick up, as some kids without positive titers show an unmistakable response to anti-viral treatment even though our usual tests do not show the reason for that. We have also learned from Dr. Sid Baker and others that the anti-viral valtrex can help lower an elevated adenosine level that about 25% of our kids have, and this lowering helps them in their natural detoxification process which somehow gets bound up by excess adenosine. Valtrex is also a very non-toxic medication; so is acyclovir, which is

much less potent and said not to cross the blood-brain barrier as valtrex does (it is also a much less expensive generic). However, many parents are not able to get valtrex; it is very expensive if your insurance does not cover it, and it is a prescription medicine so you have to have it prescribed by a knowledgeable and supportive physician who needs to have some understanding that viruses can and often do play a role in autism. These parents and some alternative practitioners have shown us that the use of natural anti-virals, especially Olive Leaf Extract, sometimes in combination with a protease inhibitor called Virastop (which apparently breaks down the walls of the virus) works just as well as valtrex. Estimates of the effectiveness of valtrex is around 30%, though I believe Stan Kurtz (parent who states his son was healed of autism by SCD, valtrex, and diflucan, also believing that this trio helped his son detoxify heavy metals without him having

to use our usual chelation meds for him) would say in his population that attend his e-list on valtrex and Nasal MB-12 spray that the number of positive responses is higher. This may be a high estimate of this special group who have some reason to believe their children are particularly virally affected. However, he nor I nor anyone would say anti-virals are a stand-alone treatment, as the child needs supportive nutrients including methylation strategies, dietary control, and gut healing measures such as anti-fungals as well. Also, we have found that most need some level of detoxification (chelation) to achieve optimum therapeutic outcomes. We certainly do need some studies other than parental reports, but these studies are not easy to do and the requirements of doing publishable studies are extremely daunting for clinicians who are not primarily researchers connected with a supportive (and wealthy) university. We do not have the time to wait for

peer-reviewed studies for our kids, so we are experimental and willing to use those things that help at least some of our kids as long as they are not harmful or addicting. Our general motto at DAN! based on Bernie Rimland's famous utterance is: "Do what works!" Much evidence is accruing clinically that show a definite sub-population of kids that do respond to LDN and also a group that responds to anti-viral treatment. In terms of LDN vs or plus valtrex: We are accruing evidence that LDN modulates the immune system, shifting the CD4/CD8 ratio to a more favorable level and helping enhance the T1 arm of the immunity. Though we need a balance between T1 and T2, our kids tend to be more T2 with allergies and autoimmunities rather than T1 where the innate immune system is prepared to send out cells that destroy directly and specifically any invading pathogens. Since their early toxic exposures such as mercury in vaccines and early antibiotics

deleteriously affect both the gut and the immune system, our kids are loaded with pathogens of a viral, fungal, and bacterial nature, and many also with parasites of a more advanced nature, plus a marked senstitivity to the large peptides in wheat, milk and soy, which are also thought to contribute to autoimmune issues. They are also extremely vulnerable from the ingestion of sugar which all kids love to the invasion of the ever-present yeast (which also love sugar) and clostridia and other bacterial pathogens. My focus on LDN is to get the immune system to the place where it can help the body overcome the pathogens no matter which ones come along. Valtrex since it is specifically an anti-herpes medication would not be expected to combat all the others, for instance, it has no effect on the measles virus. (The only thing that specifically combats the measles virus is Vitamin A). Yet lowering the load of viruses generally seems to be a help to

the immune system generally, which makes sense. I don't think there can be any rule as yet which should come first, and the ones who are using both are not firmly saying their children are doing any better than with one or the other. Since I often have an eye to the cost of treatments, I think my general feeling would be to start the child on LDN first unless testing shows an elevated IgM for Herpes 1,2, or 6 (the ones that are most responsive to valtrex) meaning active replication process going on. In that case, I may start Olive Leaf Extract and let the child get stabilized on that and then add the LDN. For those who have a sympathetic doctor to the viral issue and who have lots of money or good insurance, I might use the valtrex instead of the naturals, still adding the LDN for overall immune health once stabilized on the valtrex. My reasoning for the LDN is that the viruses are elevated because the immune system was not effective when the

child was exposed. We cannot keep our kids from getting exposed, but we may be able to enhance the immune system so the resistance is better. Otherwise we may be treating the viruses over and over. In the meantime, we get the metal load down, heal the gut, and use all our other treatment strategies to help support the immune process, and this is also probably going to help the immune system strengthen. There are certainly cases in addition to those with high IgM titers where the child is constantly sick, has history of severe viral infections, and really seems to have viruses as a prominent element in their clinical picture. In this case, I may want to get the viral load down immediately and start with anti-virals first, then add the LDN once stabilized on the anti-viral. I think both are important for different reasons, but if I HAD to pick only one, I would choose LDN to basically strengthen the immune system for whatever threatens the child.

Again, there are no rules yet in these matters of which to use first or which to use at all. I highly respect parents' intuition in these matters, so if a parent wants either LDN or valtrex I usually listen, as they know their child as I can never. The upcoming results of my large private research project will give us much more information along those lines. We are just getting the end-point blood studies for that, and then Dr. Vojdani at Immunosciences who works with some great statisticians at Cal State Northridge will subject all our findings to a rigorous statistical analysis which will show what happens to our kids' (and many of their parents') immune systems with the use of LDN. In the meantime, we will all continue to do all we can to get our kids well, and be open to new things as that one sure-fire magic bullet that cures autism has yet to be discovered. Dr. JM

Love, Gabby. :0)

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"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin." ~ Jerry Newport