Hi scrappypoo :)

That is an interesting thought provoking question.

According to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroluria

Pyroluria, or malvaria (from the term mauve factor), is the metabolic condition when a person has too many pyrroles in the urine. It is relatively common, but not widely known despite having been discovered several decades ago. Kryptopyrrole is a by-product of hemoglobin synthesis.

The pyrroles bind to vitamin B6 and thence to zinc. Then it is eliminated with the urine, potentially causing a deficiency of vitamin B6 and zinc. Pyrolurics may also become deficient in arachidonic acid. These deficiencies can cause mental and physical problems. Leukonychia is a symptom of pyroluria, caused by zinc deficiency. Not all people with pyroluria develop deficiencies, as pyroluria manifests itself at different strengths in different individuals, and a pyroluric with a diet containing enough B6 and zinc to offset low-level pyrolurism may remain symptomless.

Pyroluria is often found in people with ADHD, schizophrenia, autism, alcoholism, bipolar disorder and depression. The ability for an individual to suffer from pyroluria is believed to have a high degree of genetic origin, with the condition known to run in families. Severity usually waxes and wanes with the level of stress being experienced by the sufferer. Some individuals with pyroluric tendencies may come within the normal range in their test results at times when their pyrolurism has ebbed.

Detection of pyroluria is performed with a test for the quantities of a type of pyrrole present in urine. If present, the condition is usually then treated by supplementing appropriate levels of vitamin B6, zinc, manganese and Evening Primrose Oil. Antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E may also be supplemented as oxidative stresses are believed to influence the severity of the condition. In addition, vitamin B3 supplementation may be considered because the synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3) from the amino acid tryptophan is dependent upon the availability of vitamin B6, so a deficiency in B3 could arise from vitamin B6 deficiency.

Laboratories which test for pyroluria:

Bio-Center Laboratory (Wichita, KS, USA), Biolab Medical Unit (London, UK), Direct Healthcare Access, Inc. (Mount Prospect, IL, USA), Great Plains Laboratory (Lenexa, KS, USA), Klinisch Ecologisch Allergie Centrum (Weert, Netherlands), S.A.F.E. Analytical Laboratories (Gold Coast, Australia), Vitamin Diagnostics (New Jersey, USA)
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External links:

* Pyroluria Wiki
http://hamilton.id.au/pyroluria/pmwiki/pmwiki.php
* Dr. Kaslow - Pyroluria
http://drkaslow.com/html/pyroluria.html
* Nutritional Healing - Pyroluria
http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/content/articles-content.php?...

Chemical characteristics and nutritional treatment.
Common neurotransmitter imbalances Low serotonin
Beneficial supplements Vitamin B6, zinc, manganese and evening primrose oil
Potentially harmful supplements Histidine, copper and omega-3 fatty acids
Time to restore balance with treatment 1-2 months

Pyroluria incidence in different subgroups.
Schizophrenia 27%
Depression 20%
Autism 20%
Bipolar Disorder 18%
General population 10%

Common emotional and physical characteristics of pyroluria.
Sensitivities Bright light and loud noises
Social manner Histrionic (dramatic)
Anxiety tendencies High anxiety
Sleep Deprivation Yes
Mood Mood swings and emotional outbursts
Skin Dry and pale
Inability to eat breakfast and/or morning nausea Yes
Frequent headaches Yes
Body fat distribution Abnormal
White spots on finger nails Yes
Little or no dream recall Yes
Poor short term memory Yes
Frequent infections Yes
Dental health Poor dental enamel
Mood response to SSRI anti-depressants Positive
Body Odor and/or sweet acetone breath Yes
Ability to cope with stress Poor
Hair tendencies Thin, prematurely gray and light
Tendency for skin problems High
Tendency for anemia High
Digestion Often poor
Appetite Low
Preference for spicy or heavily flavored foods Yes
Significant growth after age 16 or stunting of growth Yes
Much higher capability & alertness in the evening, compared to mornings Yes
Dominant symptoms when psychosis present Mixed

Articles:

* Pyroluria: Hidden Cause of Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Depression, and Anxiety Symptoms by Woody McGinnis, M.D.
* Commentary on Nutritional Treatment of Mental Disorders: Pyrrole Disorder by Willam Walsh, Ph.D.
* Pyroluria by Carl C. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., M.D.
* Pyroluria by Jeremy E. Kaslow, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.A.A.I.
* The Analyst: Pyroluria

Laboratories which test for pyroluria:

* Bio-Center Laboratory (Wichita, KS, USA)
* Biolab Medical Unit (London, UK)
* Direct Healthcare Access, Inc. (Mount Prospect, IL, USA)
* Great Plains Laboratory (Lenexa, KS, USA)
* Klinisch Ecologisch Allergie Centrum (Weert, Netherlands)
* S.A.F.E. Analytical Laboratories (Gold Coast, Australia)
* Vitamin Diagnostics (New Jersey, USA)

Related research in chronological order:

* The Relationship Between an Unknown Factor (US) in the Urine of Subjects and HOD Test Results. J Neuropsychiatry 2:363-368, 1961. (by Abram Hoffer MD, PhD & Humphry Osmond, M.D.)
* The Presence of Unidentified Substances in the Urine of Psychiatric Patients 2:331-362, 1961 (by Abram Hoffer M.D, PhD, et al)
* The Presence of Malvaria in Some Mentally Retarded Children. Amer J Ment Def 67:730-732, 1963. (by Abram Hoffer M.D, PhD, et al)
* Malvaria: A New Psychiatric Disease. Acta Psychiat Scand 39:335-366, 1963. (by Abram Hoffer MD, PhD & Humphry Osmond, M.D.)
* Malvaria and the Law. Psychoso-matics, 7:303-310, 1966. (by Abram Hoffer M.D, PhD, et al)
* Mauve spot and schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 125(6):849-851, 1968.
* Biochemical relationship between kryptopyrrole (mauve factor and trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid schizophrenia odor). Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1973 (by Carl Pfeiffer MD, PhD, et al.)
* Studies on the occurrence of the mauve factor in schizophrenia [article in Polish]. Psychiat. Pol., 7(2):153-9, 1973.
* Treatment of pyroluric schizophrenia (malvaria) with large doses of pyridoxine and a dietary supplement of zinc. J. Orthomolecular Psychiatry3(4):292 1974 (by Carl Pfeiffer PhD, MD & Arthur Sohler PhD)
* A rapid screening test for pyroluria; useful in distinguishing a schizophrenic subpopulation. J. Orthomolecular Psychiatry 1974 3(4):273 (by Arthur Sohler PhD)
* Neurological and behavioral toxicity of kryptopyrrole in the rat., Pharmacol Biochem Behav 3(2):243-50 1975
* Zinc and Manganese in the Schizophrenias. J. Orthomolecular Psychiatry 12(3):215 1983 (by Carl Pfeiffer PhD, MD and Scott LaMola, BS)
* A new prostaglandin disturbance syndrome in schizophrenia: delta-6-pyroluria., Med Hypotheses 19(4):333-8 1986
* Pyroluria – Zinc and B6 deficiencies. Int Clin Nutr Rev 1988 (by Carl Pfeiffer MD, PhD, et al.)
* The Discovery of Kryptopyrrole and its Importance in Diagnosis of Biochemical Imbalances in Schizophrenia and in Criminal Behavior J. Orthomolecular Medicine 10(1):3 1995 (by Abram Hoffer M.D, PhD)
* Fatty Acid Profiles of Schizophrenic Phenotypes, 91st AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo San Diego, California 2000 (by William Walsh PhD of the Pfeiffer Treatment Center)
* Urinary Pyrrole (Mauve Factor): Metric for Oxidative Stress in Behavioral Disorders, presented to the Linus Pauling Institute, 2003 (by Woody R. McGinnis MD)

Blake Graham, BSc (Honours), AACNEM
Clinical Nutritionist
Perth, Western Australia
Phone/Email: See Contact page
*Non-Perth residents may enquire about phone consultations.

I don't have pyroluria, but thougt you might find these articles interesting. The are from Safe Harbor which is a great source of information about alternative mental health.

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/pyroluria.htm

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/walshMP.htm#Py

Found this: //www.curezone.org/forums/m.asp?f=27&i=3284

interesting!

I just got officially diagnosed and tested from the Carl Pfeiffer Treatment Center. My level was 58. 10-20 is borderline, anything over is high. I had MANY Symptoms. Not only do I have Pyroluria, I have low histamine levels and Copper Toxicity. My hair copper levels aparently put me in the 99th percentile.

I knew something was wrong with me. I lost my brother 2 years ago. I became extremely stressed and paranoid. Had personality changes. Basically went a little crazy and insane. My memory went to sh*t, although it has always been poor. I became extremely sensitive to light, sound, touch. My sense of taste diminished and I became annorexic. I started to think I was on my deathbed spending most of my time in bed, fatigued, suicidally depressed, withering away.

Everyone thought it was in my head, and I was just a F'd up hypochodriac. I knew better. I began experimenting with various supplements. The first nutrient I took that helped a lot and put me in the right direction was zinc. I then began an obsessive, integrative study to find what was most likely going on. I concluded actually exactly what I am diagnosed with, began self-treating a few weeks before I went to the center. I noticed nearly immediate improvements all across the board.

That was two months ago. I'm now mostly better, but still have bad days. I'm looking forward to the future, save the possibility of global economic collapse or depression, and think I might be mostly recovered within 90 days. Here's a list of the vitamins I take daily



-66mg p5p/b6
-500mg vitamin e
-3.5g vitamin c
-3g niacin
100mg zinc picolinate
100mg b-complex
2g molecularly distilled fish oil
2.1g borage oil
100mcg selenium

Peace

Hi scrappypoo,
I received my pyrrole test results 17 days ago, i was confirmed pyrroluric with levels at 52. Ive been taking high dose zinc, b6 and b7 customised capsules now for 2 and a half weeks. I noticed some subtle changes after a week in my energy, and now in the second week ive started to notice other shifts and changes, so subtle hard to put into words, but im going to start documenting more thoroughly.
I cant tell when you posted this question, have you done your test now, what were your results??