The primary way that salicylates are removed is via glucuronidation. [1] When this pathway is unable to remove the excess salicylates, the salicylates will bind to glutathione. [1] So it is important to support both your glucuronidation pathway and your glutathione levels.

An overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine will interfere with your glucuronidation pathway. These bacteria can secrete an enzyme that breaks down glucuronidation products. (These bacteria will often also interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12, which is important for your glutathione levels.) The primary symptom of a bacterial overgrowth is bloating after a meal. So, if bloating is one of your symptoms, this may be the reason you are salicylate sensitive.

There are quite a few ways to help get rid of this bacterial overgrowth, and you can read about them in a free ebook available at http://www.healthyawareness.com/forum/default.asp?b=43 The information is contained in the seventh ebook about fibromyalgia. (People with fibromyalgia usually have a severe overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.) So, I won’t go into that topic here.

What I do want to suggest is that a supplement called calcium-d-glucarate may be of particular use in this situation. Calcium-d-glucarate inhibits an enzyme produced by bacteria that breaks apart glucuronidation products. Therefore, this supplement counters the effect these intestinal bacteria have on your glucuronidation pathway.

If you try Calcium-d-glucarate, start with a very small amount and gradually build up to the recommended three pills taken three times per day with meals. The reason that you want to start slowly, is that glucuronication also removes phenolics like estrogen. A quick fluctuation in estrogen may set off a migraine. I spoke with one person with Lyme who was so sensitive to the calcium-d-glucarate that she had to start with just a tenth of one pill and gradually build up to the full amount. She felt a lot better once she was up to the full amount. (I’ve also tried this supplement but didn’t notice much except I felt a little bit healthier. ) A precaution : If you are on drugs with phenolic compounds, then the calcium-d-glucarate will improve your drug clearance, so you may need an adjustment of your dose. Talk to your doctor.

Improving your other liver pathways may take a load off of your glucuronidation pathway. So, it may be wise to consider supplements of support products for the other pathways as well. (Things like taurine, glycine, glutathione, TMG and sulfates.) It may also be helpful to avoid excess bioflavonoids (phenolics) and food colorings. There is even “Sarah’s Diet” to consider, which is a diet of white food -- devoid of colors. However, you might not have to go overboard on this diet. Many people find that they are sensitive to only one set of colors and may easily be able to tolerate the color green for instance.

As for supporting glutathione levels. Those with mercury poisoning often find that a nasal spray of methylcobalamin (New Beginnings brand) will help raise glutathione levels. Folinic acid is also sometimes employed in this situation.

1. Reference - There is a nicely written explanation of aspirin / salicylate toxicity by Franklin A. Ahrens in his book on Pharmacology.
http://books.google.com/books?id=JgtQHQY7VJQC&pg=PA173&lpg=PA173&dq=salicylates+glucuronidation&source=web&ots=2nbyWqapPx&sig=S-Rz-sAi1KhwtQ-202yDr_ijc98&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPA173,M1

Paraphrasing what he had to say: Salicylates make the body more acidic. They also bind to glutathione. The primary way that they are removed is via glucuronidation. Cats are particularly vulnerable to salicylate poisoning because their glucuronidation ability is so weak.

More golden delicious it is then!

Teddy

PS: Is this an interesting coincidence or not? Most of the people with fibromyalgia have a bacterial overgrowth in their small intestine. One of the treatments that helps some of them is taking guaifenesin and avoiding all salicylates.

Hi Lindy,

Being new to your forum, I’m not aware of the general attitude of your group. So, yes, I was a little bit concerned that people might think that all they had to do was eat apples. Although food is of number one importance, you can’t get as much calcium-d-glucarate from food as you can get from a supplement. The only way to really test out this idea is to try the supplement.

I know that there are hundreds of supplements available, and all of them have their own special appeal. My personal experience has been that only about one in ten supplements was really something special for my needs. This low percentage of success seems like a big waste of money. However, I continue to try things because I’m so very pleased with those one in ten occasional great results. As for getting a person’s hopes up, well, one’s hopes or curiosity has to be up enough to continue to try things. To guide us in our choices, we have logic, research, peer experiences, reasonable precautions, physicians and a bit of divine intervention or perhaps luck.

The reaction you could get from calcium-d-glucarate would range from very strong to something you would hardly notice, as in the two contrasting examples that I gave. I would suspect a strong reaction if you happened to have a particular overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine that was breaking apart this glucuronidation bond. A minor change in your health might occur if there weren’t that many bacteria creating that enzyme that breaks this bond.

If you happen to have intestinal symptoms, especially bloating, and if you suspect that your body is having trouble getting rid of salicylates, then it seems logical that the problem might be an overgrowth of certain bacteria. It isn’t the only possible explanation. It is just a conjecture. Even if true, it probably isn’t the whole story --- just a step in the right direction.

This bacterial overgrowth isn’t the only possible explanation. Yeast can certainly be part of the problem because they make the strong estrogen called estradiol. They also make PGE2 which increases the body’s production of estrogen.

I strongly suspect that Teddy has a yeast overgrowth because of her sensitivity to MSG. That is very common in people who have yeast overgrowth. This sensitivity to MSG is probably due to yeast depleting P5P (the active form of B6). (Yeast not only deplete P5P, but they deplete alpha keto-glutaric acid, which is needed to create P5P from regular B6.) Teddy, if you are sensitive to MSG, then I suggest that you avoid regular B6 and take a small amount of P5P spaced throughout the day. This may rid you of your sensitivity to MSG.

A little about myself --- I don’t have salicylate sensitivity. I’m fairly healthy. However, I used to have a significant problem with yeast overgrowth in my intestines. I had many food allergies and way too many migraines. I had no energy and significant brain fog. I’ve been fortunate to overcome most of that.

A dozen or more years ago, I started looking at what other people were saying about yeast overgrowth / dysbiosis on the internet and I became a regular at a yeast discussion forum. www.healthyawareness.com

I saw that there was a need for a compendium of information on how to get rid of Candida. So, with people’s explicit permission, I grouped their comments together under different topics and created seven health forum books. They are available for free at http://www.healthyawareness.com/forum/default.asp?b=43 They cover the topics of Candida, autism, fibromyalgia, hormones, and diet. The books are documented with references, there is an index, and the books have been checked over by an MD. So, although nothing is ever perfect, the books should be fairly reliable. They at least should provide an outline of the topics that need to be addressed when one has dysbiosis / Candida.

If you think your only problem is yeast, you really have to broaden your perspective. The problem is so very much more than just "killing yeast." So the books cover a lot more than that. For instance, if you want to learn about the different types of pancreatic enzymes, you will find that in book 2 in the chapter on the digestive system. If you want to learn about people’s experiences with calcium-d-glucurate, or liver-gallbladder flushes, you would check the liver chapter in book 1. The PST enzyme is covered in the fifth book. Bacterial overgrowth is covered in book 7.

By the way, since you mentioned a concern about a cirrhotic liver, glycine is one of the things that will help get rid it. In order to get rid of a cirrhotic liver, you also need to get rid of a leaky gut, avoid omega-6 oils and get some clean saturated fat in your diet. (Organic butter comes readily to mind.) If you have a cirrhotic liver, you will probably be low on T3 thyroid, so that should be addressed as well.

My best to you, Polly

Hi Polly. Thanks for the info. I hope your around later when I'm in my research mode so I can pick your brain and benefit from your research. Right now, I haven't been in research mode, just enjoying my summer vacation. Just wanted to chime in and say, "Interesting...... hi, and thanks."

Hi Polly

Thanks for explaining to me what P5P was. I havent had time to read the articles but I will certainly get round to reading them tomorrow evening. Thanks for sharing this with us all.

Take care
Teddy

I cannot tolerate calcium d-glucarate, possibly because I am allergic to corn products.

"What Is The Source?

Calcium-d-Glucarate is derived from cornstarch and
glucose. (United States Patent Nos. 4,845,123; 5,364,644;
5,561,160. European Patent No. 0,528,950.)"

http://www.purecaps.com/PDF/pi/Calcium_d_Glucarate.pdf

Hi Lindy
Thanks for reviving that thread - especially useful was the tip to start with really low doses (yet another supp that needs to be started low and worked up!). I agree with you about the zinc - It certainly seems to help me as well.
Kind Regards
Marie

Lizz, can you send me the site where it is said that histidine can help sulphoxidation, please ? :D
i know that sulfite oxidase/cysteine dioxygenase are histidine-iron contaigning enzymes, but i have found no studies (but searched a lot) saying that L-histidine supplementation would result in better sulfoxidation ! If you did, then it could be amazingly interresting !!

Why do you think you react to epsom salt ? lacking histidine ? epsom salt actually don't need to be oxidized because they are already oxidized. Actually, sulfate is the oxidized form of sulfite (the non toxic form). you can't react to sulfate, unless you have bacteria that convert sulfate back to sulfur (sulfite, sulfide).

Rereading this thread, wouldn't it seem that finding supplements to help us feel better is only putting a bandage on our problem? Polly seems to be of the opinion that yeast is the cause of low glutation levels. Of course, the main problem would be sugar, sugar, sugar. But I also think I am susceptible to yeast beacause of low stomach acid which would be genetically handed down. I think I need to start drinking beer. I read somewhere that the yeast in beer competes with candida.