It’s a bit tricky to say (pie-roll-you-ria – make it easier?), but over 10% of the population are affected by this condition. Pyroluria has been linked to anxiety, depression, poor concentration, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, emotional outburst (no matter how much you try and hold it in!), skin conditions like acne and eczema, joint pain, poor circulation and frequent colds and flus. Identifying if you have this condition is important as it significantly changes the way that health is managed and the way your body uses nutrients.
What is pyroluria?
It is a biochemical imbalance that stops your body from producing haemoglobin properly. Haemoglobin is the protein that is found in your red blood cells and functions to transports oxygen and nutrients around your body while removing toxins from your other tissues. People who have Pyroluria are not able to excrete a metabolite made during haemoglobin production called hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL), also known as a pyrrole. Pyrroles bind to specific nutrients and prevent your body from using them. If you body doesn’t have access to these nutrients, it can’t do what it is supposed to and we end up trying to function in a constant state of deficiency.
What exactly are Pyrroles?
Pyrroles are chemicals that act as nerve poisons, disturbing the messages that your brain and nervous system create. When your cells come into contact with a pyrrole, they get damaged. Normally our cells repair this damage; however the systems and processes that fix the damaged cells are largely dependent on the nutrients that you will be deficient in. It then becomes a vicious cycle, where even though you need more nutrients, your capacity to absorb and utilize them is constantly being challenged.
Signs and Symptoms of Pyroluria
- Mental Health Conditions (Addictions, Depression, Bi-polar, Anxiety, Mood Swings, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia)
- Emotional outbursts, Tantrums, Panic Attacks, Desire to withdraw or be alone, low tolerance to stress.
- Learning difficulties (ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, poor concentration, poor memory recall and comprehension, inability to thin clearly and ‘Brain fog’)
- Digestive Complaints (Abdominal pain, nausea, unresolved bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, can’t stomach breakfast or not hungry at breakfast time, general lack of appetite)
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders
- Hormonal Imbalances (PCOS, PMS, heavy periods, painful periods, difficulty falling pregnant, irregular cycles, low libido, hormonal weight gain)
- Skin Conditions (Acne, eczema)
- Joint Pain, creaking joints and stiff joints
- Intolerances (to certain foods, alcohol (eg: feel drunk really easily), feel bloated on eating)
- Poor circulation (cold hands and feet, tingling or pins and needles)
- Prone to anaemia or iron deficiency (or can’t get iron levels up with supplementation)
- Immune system dysfunction (repeat infections, long recovery from illness, easily pick up colds and flus)
What causes Pyroluria?
We’re still not entirely sure, but there are a number of factors usually at play. You may have one or a combination of these factors that influence the development of pyroluria.
- Genetics (it is very common for pyroluria to run through families)
- Stress or emotional trauma (things have never been ‘quite right’ since a traumatic or stressful event)
- Leaky gut syndrome (caused from food intolerances, over consumption of antibiotics, gut infections (like Bali Belly or other food poisoning from other countries), Candida overgrowth or frequent bouts of ‘gastro’)
- Frequent infections or stress on your immune system
- Heavy metal toxicity – especially copper (long use of the Pill or other birth control, use of a copper IUD, water travelling through copper pipes, industrial exposure etc).
- Alcohol, smoking or drugs
How is Pyroluria treated?
Once you have been tested and we have the results, Rebecca will work with you to create a customised naturopathic prescription to restore and correct your deficiencies. This is going to be different for everyone and is influenced by your individual needs. The good news though is that pyroluria is completely treatable.
Get tested!
If you are curious as to whether you may have pyroluria, a simple urine test can let us know for sure. To request your test, please get in touch with Rebecca today and she can arrange this for you.
