Porphyria—How Modern Chemicals Trigger the Vampire Disease

© copyright Hart Brent

The mystery illnesses of the 20^th century, such as Gulf War Syndrome and MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), have their basis in a biochemical glitch—lost ability to construct a porphyrin ring, an 8-enzyme process. Porphyrins are a group of nitrogen-containing organic compounds forming the foundation structure for respiratory pigments in animals (hemoglobin) and plants (chlorophyll) and enzymes. The symptoms exhibited by vampires—sun sensitivity, severe anemia abated only by consuming whole porphyrin rings (i.e. blood)—can be triggered today by 3,750 commercially available medications, pesticides, or household chemicals. Brain scans show similarities between ADHD, depression, MCS, and Gulf War Syndrome.

Luckily, a modern source of porphyrin rings is chlorophyll, an improvement

over the vampire’s option of fresh red blood.

Heme=Porphyrin complexed with iron in center

Chlorophyll=Porphyrin complexed with magnesium

The Madness of King George III, of recent movie fame, was porphyria in action (acute intermittent prophyria), probably triggered by lead poisoning. Europe experienced a porphyria epidemic 1888-90 with introduction of the drug sulphonal. Subsequent epidemics of porphyria followed the marketing of barbiturates and sulfa drugs. Infections like mycobacteria or hepatitis C, or malnutrition/fasting can also trigger porphyria. Other common triggers are exposure to paints, formaldehyde, glycol ethers, dioxins or metal dusts and fumes.

A porphyrin ring looks like this:

Porphyrin ring + iron = heme

Porphyrin rings are made in every cell in the body. Major sites of heme synthesis are red blood cells, liver, and blood forming cells in the marrow. Forty percent of total body heme is used for building P450 enzymes found in the liver, gut, kidneys, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, placenta.

Porphyrin rings within heme are used in 7 key areas in the body:

1. hemoglobin that allows red cells to bind & transport oxygen:

the porphyrin rings appear below as the 4 flattened red discs;

the iron complexed to the prophyrin ring gives the red coloration

2. myoglobin that allows muscles to bind oxygen:

the heme portion that contains porphyrin rings is the red disc in the center

3. P450 enzymes that detox xenobiotics (chemicals & drugs)

metabolize steroid hormones

metabolize fatty acids

synthesize prostaglandins

4. cytochromes of the electron transport chain for energy production:

heme group of cytochrome c = atom of iron enclosed in prophyrin ring		3D structure of cytochrome c with heme group in red		cytochrome c as electron carrier of electron transport chain

5. peroxidase & calalase enzymes that activate and de-activate H202

6. corrin ring system of B12 – critical vitamin to nervous system and for DNA synthesis

7. tryptophan pyrolase enzyme that helps to produce serotonin needed for sleep and sense of well-being.

During a porphyria attack, the body is unable to assemble prophyrin rings or heme, so the individual develops deficiencies of hemoglobin, cytochromes and enzymes seen above that require a prophyrin ring. As should be evident, this is a very complex, whole body syndrome. A porphyria attack is usually transient (unless genetic in origin) and can involve multiple, unrelated organs and/or systems anywhere in the body.

Look for symptoms on checklist (from June 1996 issue of Our Toxic Times):

Eighty percent of my clients show signs of transient porphrinopathies. Porphyria is probably the most under-diagnosed health problem today. CNS and GI symptoms are the most common. This is because the first committed precursor in the porphyrin enzyme chain is ALA (aminolevulinic acid) which is readily taken up by the brain.

ALA		porphyrin ring precursor		porphyrin ring

When ALA is readily taken up by the brain, it interacts with inhaled chemicals triggering:

The gut gets involved when neurogenic inflammation triggers: (1) mast cells lining the gut or (2) occurs in parts of the brain controlling GI function or (3) when partially constructed porphyrin rings dump into the gut and trigger substance P, causing pain.

Symptoms are caused not by high or toxic levels of chemicals but by the metabolic effects triggered by the exposure even to low levels of chemicals. The body thinks it needs more porphyrin rings in order to construct cytochrome P450 enzymes to breakdown the incoming chemicals, pushing porphyrin synthesis into overdrive and raising levels of ALA, from the first committed enzyme step. As seen below, the elevated ALA sets off a self-perpetuating loop that can inflame neurogenic inflammation described above. This is the link shared by porphyria and attention/learning disorders. See ADHD article.

Chemicals via noseinto brain		permeability blood brain barrier	]
			]
neurogenic inflammation			] self
			perpetuating loop
porphyrin ring production		ALA	]

Tests for porphyria include blood, urine, stool and cerebral spinal fluid analysis for porphyrin ring precursors, including ALA. The problem with testing is that between symptomatic attacks (exposures) levels of heme precursors excretion are lower and can even normalize with time.

Metals:

Solvents:

trichloroethylene

gasoline

diesel exhaust fumes

fresh paints

Pesticides:

Lindane

2-4-D

diazinon

Organochlorides:

PVC

Dioxin

PCBs

Drugs:

Birth control pills

Barbituates

Phenobarbital (anti-seizure medication)

Sulfa drugs

Household chemicals:

Room air fresheners

Perfumes/colognes

Deodorants

Fabric softeners

Most soaps and shampoos

Detergents

Bleach

Adhesives

Hair sprays

New fabrics

New carpets

Fresh newspapers and magazines

To stop an acute attack: