Useful Links ...

ARL Pathology - Functional Liver Detoxification Profile - This ARL Pathology document is the best outline of our detoxification system that I have found.

Genova Diagnostics - Detoxification Profile - This is the equivalent information from Genova Diagnostics (previously known as Great Smokies Diagnostic Labs).

Thorne Alternative Medicine Review Article - the information in this article from the Thorne Alternative Medical Review is extremely detailed and requires a better medical knowledge than I have to understand fully.

Wright University Gulf War Research - This article from Wright University School of Medicine describes the work that has been done there showing that there are genetic causes for Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).

Inheritance and Drug Response - An article in the New England Journal of Medicine that discusses the genetics behind our detoxification system and how that effects the way that we metabolise drugs.

CFS is Heart Failure Secondary to Mitochondrial Malfunction - This article by Dr Sarah Myhill sets out how poor mitochondrial function can lead to chronic fatigue.

Acumen ATP Profile - This is the test that Dr John McLaren Howard, in conjunction with Dr Myhill, developed when he was at Biolab to test mitochondrial function. Unfortunately, at the moment, there doesn't seem to be a description of the test on the Biolab web site and there is only limited information in the Biolab Lab Guide (PDF).

Acumen Translocator Protein Studies - A test that Dr John McLaren Howard developed when he was at Biolab that can provide more in depth information about some problems mitochondrial function. Unfortunately, at the moment, there doesn't seem to be a description of the test on the Biolab web site and there is only limited information in the Biolab Lab Guide (PDF).

Effect of Fragrances on Mitochondrial Function - This article abstract describes some research that shows that fragrances can damage mitochondrial function.

BodyBio - This is the company set up by Dr Patricia Kane who has done a lot of research into phospholipids (amongst other things) and who developed the Phospholipid Exchange Therapy (PLX). The article on Fatty Acid Red Cell Analysis describes the test used to determine whether PLX is appropriate.

Detoxification of Biotoxins in Chronic Neurotoxic Syndromes - This article describes the theory behind Phospholipid Exchange Therapy and discusses the problems that can be treated using it.

Short Phospholipid Exchange Therapy Description - my description of PLX.

BlackSpy's discussion of Phospholipid Exchange Therapy - a discussion of PLX by BlackSpy, another patient, on his wide ranging Health-Spy web site.

Kennedy Krieger Institute Genetics Laboratories - This is the lab that does the actual fatty acid analysis that is used as the input to Fatty Acid Red Cell Analysis developed by BodyBio. The test is done by the Peroxisomal Diseases Laboratory. There is more information on the main Kennedy Krieger Institute web site, in particular in the information on each of the Genetics Laboratory faculty - Ann Moser, Steven Steinberg, RO Jones, Gerald Raymond and Hugo Moser.

Lipid Replacement Technology - This therapy, which is promoted by Nutritional Therapeutics, Inc., uses oral phospholipids and so seems to be similar to what I effectively did using Seriphos and lecithin.

It has been discussed in the following articles on the ImmuneSupport.com web site:

as well as in a range of articles reproduced in the Science section of the Nutritional Therapeutics web site.

It's not something that I have tried, and I don't know anyone that has used it, but it looks like it is worth considering.

Dr Kaslow's Pyroluria page - a good opening description of pyroluria.

Ben Hamilton's Pyroluria pages - a web site set up by someone with pyroluria. He has a wiki as well with lots of additional information including a list of labs that can test for kryptopyrroles.

Alternative Mental Health Information on Pyroluria - this article sets out a number of supplements to try and to avoid if you have pyroluria.

Biochemical Treatment of Mental Illness and Behavior Disorders - an introduction to pyroluria within a mental health context.

Zinc and Manganese in the Schizophrenias - an article by Carl C. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., M.D. and Scott LaMola, B.S. which mentions pyroluria and kryptopyrroles in several places. While not directly relating to pyroluria, there are a range of articles discussing the orthomolecular approach here.

Chronic Neurotoxins - this web site discusses biotoxin induced illness, including diagnosis using the Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test and treatment using cholestyramine (brand name Questran). Note that I used colestipol (brand name Colestid) rather than Questran as Colestid is available without flavouring (only one excipient) whereas Questran is only available in flavoured form.

The following PubMed articles discuss toxic myopathy:

These pages provide some information that I found useful when investigating whether or not to have some genetic testing done.

NLM Human Genome Resources - Lots of detailed information about genetics. The Gene Database is particularly useful since it includes a description of what each gene does. For example, to find out about CYP2E1, a gene that is involved in our detoxification systems, enter "CYP2E1" in the "for" box and click on "Go". Then search through the results for the result for Homo sapiens and click on its link.

GeneCards - This site will overload you with information but is good because it lets you find out how many SNPs have been discovered for each gene. This is very useful when investigating commercial tests since they usually only test for a very small numbers of SNPs and this way you can find out how many they are ignoring. Of course, if the SNPs included in a test have been carefully chosen then the test may be very useful, but it can also be misleading since it can suggest that there aren't any problems, when actually they just haven't looked for the problem that you have.

To use the site to find the numbers of SNPs on a gene, enter the gene name (e.g. CYP2E1) in the Search box, click on the "Symbol only" selection and then click "Go". This will generate a results page like this one for CYP2E1. To see the SNPs, use the "Services" drop down box to select "SNPs" and the page will show the information.