Getting to the Root of Glutathione Depletion?

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Columns - Phoenix Rising

Phoenix Rising - Cort Johnson's Column

...Presenting complex chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) research in a way we can all understand.

Cort Johnson publishes the free Phoenix Rising newsletter and runs the website of the same name. An ME/CFS sufferer himself, since 2005 he has used his keen intellect to follow the latest developments in ME/CFS research and treatment and translate the often complicated concepts into language that the layman can understand. An active advocate Cort has been participating vigorously in the Campaign for a Fair Name to get CFS recognized as ME/CFS.

For more information visit Phoenix Rising: A Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009:

Getting to the Root of Glutathione Depletion? – The Methylation Proctocol

by Cort Johnson

(Research from the IACFS/ME Conference 2009)

Treatment Study of Methylation Cycle Support. Neil Nathan and Richard Van Konynenburg.

Rich Von Konynenburg has asserted for about ten years that the depletion of glutathione – the master detoxifier in the body – is at the heart of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). As he dug deeper into the subject he realized that his original idea – providing patients with glutathione enhancing supplements - was too limited and he began to look 'upstream' at more fundamental factors. Two years ago the glutathione problem had turned into a ‘methylation cycle’ problem. The methylation cycle controls how much glutathione is available to the cell.

In 2007 Rich created, using Dr. Yasko’s complex methylation program for autism as a foundation, the ‘Simple Methylation Treatment Program’ for ME/CFS . One of the benefits of the program was that it utilized relatively inexpensive supplements. Dr. Neil Nathan MD liked what he saw and agreed to use 30 of his patients to test out Rich’s theory and this lead to the first study examining the efficacy of this protocol in this disease.

The study found significant gains in many measures of the methlyation panel including glutathione levels. They didn’t reach normal levels but they were approaching them and the authors suggested that continued treatment may bring them up to normal. Seventy-one percent of patients reported ‘improvement’. They assessed themselves on a scale of one to ten; average energy level was up 50% (from 4-6), sleep up 20% (4.6-6.4), pain better by 30% (4.3-5.8), etc. Ninety-five percent reported reduced symptoms with an average number of symptoms falling by half.

The average patient wasn’t healthy (six on a scale of ten) with average start levels at out about 4 or 5 but they did receive significant benefits.

The Simple Methylation Protocol Explained

The Theory Behind the Protocol

Read more at Phoenix Rising

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