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magnesium-rich supplement protocol taught by CPhA


Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Hello Sheila, Dr. Robbins, and everyone here on Latitudes forum,

 

I was astounded and pleasantly surprised as I was doing some online research for a current study I am conducting with Robert DiSilvestro, PhD that is underway at Ohio State University into the nutritional aspects of TS. (The TSA has given permission to allow its members to participate in my study and participants in central Ohio are now being gathered!)

 

I stumbled across a link to the CPhA (California Pharmacists Association) http://www.cpha.com/about/educ/ce/Feb03/0203ce.php that is a Feb 2003 continuing education article and test that teaches and references my hypothesis for a magnesium-rich supplement as an alternative treatment for TS:

 

On page 18 under Other Treatments..." Magnesium deficiency has been proposed as a potential cause of tics. Grimaldi 5 presented a theory that a decrease in magnesium causes increases in the enzyme kynurenine, which confirms decreased levels of serotonin. Decreased magnesium also causes an increased activity of NMDA receptors because it can no longer plug the receptor, thus allowing calcium to enter the cell, facilitating activation. None of these theories have been tested in any trials or studies. Grimaldi recommends a trial that requires supplementation with 600 mg/day of magnesium orally (from taurine-chelated magnesium), vitamin B6, zinc, and other supplements. 5"

 

(my note: kynurenine is not an enzyme, and the word "enzyme" should be deleted)

 

Click on References http://www.cpha.com/about/educ/ce/Feb03/ref.php

 

"5. Grimaldi BL. The Central Role of Magnesium Deficiency in Tourette's Syndrome: Causal Relationships Between Magnesium Deficiency, Altered Biochemical Pathways and Symptoms Relating to Tourette's Syndrome and Several Reported Comorbid Conditions. Medical Hypotheses 2002;58(1):47-60." http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?...8&dopt=Abstract

 

If you click on Table 5 http://www.cpha.com/about/educ/ce/Feb03/table5.php magnesium+supplements is listed under drug alternatives.

 

It is even on the test!...(I can't cut and paste this pdf, so I will type it in - you can click on Take the Test)http://www.cpha.com/about/educ/ce/Feb03/feb03ceform.pdf

 

"11. Which alternative therapy for TS has ben proposed but not studied?"

correct answer: "c. Magnesium replacement therapy"

 

I haven't done a search to see if other similar highly esteemed medical organizations have also recognized my hypothesis as valid, but I am very encouraged! I look forward to helping to unlock the mysteries of TS through research. Due to my recently published hypothesis, my career has taken a turn towards graduate nutritional research at the Ohio State University where I am employed and also now a master's candidate in Nutrition. I look forward to helping to unlock the mysteries of TS through my research.

 

In developing my hypothesis, I have come up with a list of supplements centered on magnesium metabolism and correction of magnesium deficient conditions that has helped many with TS which amazingly mirrors that found on Latitudes several years ago. Finally, for convenience to these supplement users, my loved one with TS, and those who have just now found out about them, I have formed a company, Bontech, http://bonniegr.com and developed an all-in-one supplement as an option instead of many different bottles at a similar price, but my ultimate goal and mission is to help those with TS through the highest quality nutritional research. As a magnesium-rich supplement, it can also be used by the general public for general good preventative health supplement and as a supplement for many proposed magnesium deficient conditions (in addition to inflammatory conditions in general).

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi, MT (ASCP), Master's candidate in Nutrition at The Ohio State University, managing member of Bontech Supplements, Ltd.

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear Jennifer,

 

There are many forms of magnesium out there. I am interested in a form of magnesium that is most absorbable and doesn't increase activation of NMDA receptors in the brain. Magnesium taurate goes a step further and has been found in at least one study to provide long term protection for magnesium deficient conditions. probably by the taurine helping the uptake of magnesium into the cell. Taurine is calming to the brain as is magnesium and so when combined is, in my opinion, the best form of magnesium for TS and other neurological conditions that may respond to magnesium replacement therapy without aggravating the condition. For example, I would not recommend magnesium aspartate for TS, which is widely sold, since aspartate is an excitatory amino acid and increases the activation of NMDA receptors in the brain.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie

http://bonniegr.com

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Congrats! Bonnie.......it is so good to see your work receiving the academic recognition that it deserves! You have helped so many of us both directly and indirectly.....thank you!

 

***A question on amino acids....I notice some people are beginnig to supplement with a Multi-amino acid supplement....which i would think is not a good thing as it is my understanding that some of the aa's are contra-indicated in TS.

Could you (or one of the other experts) remind us again as to which Amino Acids are NOT GOOD in TS.

 

Thanks....and all the best with your continued research :)

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HI Bonnie,

Is Magnesium Glycinate with the ingredients of cellulose, stearic acid, and Mag Stearate considered taurine free?

Thank you!

I have given the above to my son dx with tic disorder and I have noticed irritatability..........I give it along with his Calcium Citrate....Kal Brand.

 

Happy trails!

Mustang Carole

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear Mustang Carole,

 

I doubt if the magnesium glycinate contains taurine. I try to stay away from magnesium stearate and stearic acid in supplements in which a high dose is necessary, though. At low doses stearic acid/stearate is not a problem, but some studies show that in higher doses, immunity can be impaired. Stearic acid or stearate is added solely for lubrication of the product going through the pill making machinery for the ease of production and Douglas laboratories has eliminated this from my ts-PLUS CONTROL and ts-PLUS Mag Taurate products.

 

Magnesium glycinate should be a good alternative to magnesium taurate, however.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

http://bonniegr.com

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Hi Bonnie, Great to hear that someone is researching alternative therapies. I may have to try some of your magnesium supplements.

I must tell you that my daughters and I (among many others) have successfully reduced our TS tics by eliminating certain additives from our diet. The worst triggers for us are Artificial colors (Red #40, Yellow #5, etc.) and Artificial flavors (including Vanillin, etc.) I wish someone would research the link between those additives and tics. I would love to see more people use alternative therapies for treatment of TS, rather than all those neuro-meds.

Keep up the great work!!

Jeff

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear Chemar,

 

Thanks! The amino acids I would avoid in TS are aspartate, glutamate, tyrosine and phenylalanine. I would be very careful with tryptophan also (if it is available in your area). There may be others...

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

http://bonniegr.com

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear Chemar,

 

I don't know how to edit my reply (if that is possible) but I want to make sure that I am clear that I am talking about avoiding supplementing with certain amino acids and not about avoiding what we get in our normal diets - except of course MSG and aspartame avoidance is important in not getting too much glutamate, aspartate and phenylalanine in our diets.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

http://bonniegr.com

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear Jeff,

 

I agree with you about the red dye #40 especially! I have written about this and other things on my ts-PLUS Diet page http://bonniegr.com/ts-PLUS%20Diet.htm on my website. Maybe someday this will also get researched. I hope that others in the scientific community will take up this line of research as I have since it would take me many, many years to explore everything that I would like to.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

http://bonniegr.com

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Guest Guest_Chemar

Thanks for the info Bonnie

 

I so agree about the red40, as well as the other nasty artificial colors and sweeteners etc.

 

Bonnie, when you say to avoid supplemental tryptophan...I understand it is banned by the FDA isnt it......but how about the 5HTP. My son takes 50mg pf that per day and it has had very positive results in reducing his very bothersome OCD. He has been on it (under physician recommendation) for almost 2 years now. I know it should not be used with any other seratonin stimulating substances like the SSRI's.....my son is thankfully totally pharmaceutical free now.

Anyway, do you have any input re the 5HTP?

 

thanks

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Guest Bonnie Grimalid

Dear Chemar,

 

5-HTP is not tryptophan as far as it's effects on the kynurenine pathway goes. Tryptophan ingestion in high doses will actually cause the liver to degrade more tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway creating more kynurenine (already high in TS and known to cause tic-like behavior in animals). Tryptophan is still banned (I believe) in the US because of an impurity that causes eosinophilia myalgia syndrome, a painful irreversible condition.

 

5-HTP was found to contain the same impurity a few years ago in the U.S. in 6 popular brands which was uncovered by the 20-20 news show. I know that some manufacturing labs guarantee that this impurity has been tested for and found to be free of this impurity, but I don't know how widespread this impurity is today. I haven't heard of any problems with 5-HTP and eosinophilia myalgia. I have heard that it takes alot of 5-HTP to cross the blood-brain barrier and that usually this high dose causes nausea and is not well tolerated.

 

If you are happy with 5-HTP, then that is the important thing in my opinion. You are using it responsibly and not combining it with other serotonin enhancers.

 

BTW, my loved one adds pure inositol to ts-PLUS CONTROL to help his OCD with good results. This is based on the research by Benjamin and Fux and other independent studies.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

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Bonnie- Hope you can answer this. I have tried your product before on my daughter, but this was before I found drastic changes in my daughter's tic by removing artificial colors/preservatives from her diet. I went to an Environmental Doctor for guidance who indicated that your nutritional supplement was good (her remark was that it does not contain copper which was a good thing) however, at the end of the visit she felt like my child's tic is related to metal toxicity and leaky gut (she had MMR reaction at 13 months)and recommends cleansing the gut using Nyastatin and also recommended nutritional supplementation in the following: Coromega omega-3 fish oil supplement (contains orange flavor- I am scared to try her on it since it contains flavor), Co-enzyme Q-10, Biomin (all of the ingredients in this are aspartate), taurine and carnitine as amino acids, calcium, coenzyme B vitamin, zinc citrate, immune 26(have no idea what is in this product), and a chewable digestion product. Wanted your input. Do you see anything contraindicative to your research in the proposed nutritional supplements. I still have your product too and am considering just using those. Also, what do you think of the "leaky gut theory due to metal toxicity?" Thank you. lherbert

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Guest Bonnie Grimaldi

Dear lherbert,

 

There is no doubt that toxic metals will increase small intestinal permeability (leaky gut). The trick is to get an accurate diagnosis using good clinical practices. I would not put my money in practitioners who use "dark field microscopy" in the office or hair analysis by any lab to diagnose this condition. I would make sure that lab tests are sent to CAP certified laboratories. To do a search to check if a lab is CAP certified go to: http://www.cap.org/labs/lp/lapsearch.cfm I know that some CAP certified labs do hair analysis, but even these labs may have highly unreliable hair analysis results. Heavy metals can be determined in the urine and blood: http://www.labcorp.com/datasets/labcorp/ht...no/bm005600.htm

 

As far as yeast goes, leaky gut can also result from a food *allergy* which could theoretically include yeast and this can be determined by an allergy skin or blood test. There are alot of articles on this phenomenon. I don't agree with, however, the premise that in individuals with normally functioning immune systems, that yeast can overgrow the intestine causing a leaky gut and spill into the blood. In all my years in Hematology in the clinical laboratory looking at blood smears from even immunocompromised patients, there has never been yeast visibly present there. If yeast would be seen in the blood, it would probably be fatal. Even after antibiotic use, the intestine will recolonize the good bacteria with time, but probiotic use can help and may be necessary. A stool culture will show if an overabundance of yeast colonies are present, but again a CAP certified lab must be used. Yeast will overgrow any culture plate if incubated long enough, so strict guidelines must be followed in the lab.

 

If yeast overgrowth is found by a CAP certified lab, then I would ask why? Recent antibiotic use is the most common reason, I believe. If this is not the case, then I would start questioning why the immune system is not working properly. Basically, though, I would only start Nystatin if a stool culture determines that there is an over abundance of yeast in the intestine. But, Nystatin may not be necessary if probiotics are used in a healthy individual. Perhaps, the physician is giving Nystatin just in case, but I'm not fond of unnecessary meds...

 

As far as supplements go, if you have qualms about an additive as a possible sensitivity, then I wouldn't use it. There are other products that you can use. As you may know, I don't advocate aspartate forms of minerals due to its potential excitatory effect on the brain when stimulants are not advised especially in neurological disorders. The other supplements sound fine, but I would want to know what was in the immune 26 and research it first.

 

The bottom line in getting medical advice is to always research it first very carefully.

 

Warm regards,

Bonnie Grimaldi

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Thank you for your reply and valuable input. I have another question. In your practice of hematology, did you have any red blood cells that you examined that were "lemon shaped/tear shaped" in nature and if so, what was your interpretation of the possible meaning of this. I was told by my environmental physician that this could be gastrointestinal disturbance. Just wondering if there could be any other possible explanation. Also, what is your meaning of "dark field microscopy." Thank you. lherbert

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