About 2 months ago i took a genetic test through Dr. Amy Yasko. I thought it might help me understand how Chronic Fatigue is being caused in me and maybe would lead me to some new treatments. I had been reading messages on the co-cure forum by Dr. Rich Van Kronyenburg about the methylation cycle block theory. In his posts and other papers he had talked about Dr. Yasko’s test as a way to understand how your methylation cycle is functioning and what you need to take to get it functioning normally. These tests were orginally developed for kids with autism, but have more recently been applied to other diseases like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and parkinsons. I talked more about why i took the test and how i learned about it here. I finally got my genetic test results yesterday, and am pretty having a hard time understanding them. They came on a cd-rom that contained an 80 page pdf file with information about all of the mutations and how they can cause different malfinctions in these cycles.
Here is the 1st image of the genes that were tested:
This image alone wont mean anything unless you have read the literature, the book and watched the 2 dvds that came with the test. It can be pretty intimidating and is especially hard to understand if you have difficulty concentrating. I have to rewatch the dvds and look through the book again before i really know what these results mean.
Here is a bar graph showing what my main problems are:
This bar graph shows that i have a deletion of the ACE gene which is involved in breaking down the hormone aldosterone. Deletions in the ACE would cause increased activity in the enzymes that convert angiotensin I to angiotensin II. This would lead to increases in the hormone Aldosterone. Aldosterone and the ACE gene are a part of the stress systems of the body and could explain why i have low cortisol, dhea, and testosterone (not positive). High Aldosterone can cause elevated excretion of potassium relative to sodium. The lab interperetation by Dr. Yasko recommends using progesterone cream to decrease the effects of aldosterone. It also recommends taking her vitamins called anxiety support and aggression support to treat the ACE deletion.
My second main issue is with the SUOX Gene. This enzyme is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. It also impairs the bodies ability to detox ammonia and sulfur byproducts. People who have this mutation have lower levels of Molybdenum and Magnesium. (Ive had my mineral levels tested and i do have low molybdenum and magnesium)
For the Suox issue the lab interperetation suggests that I take NAC, Curcumin, B6, Sam-E, and Glutathione. I do already take nac, b6, and glutathione. They are some of the vitamins i take that help me the most.
The last main issue that my lab test showed was a problem with the MTHFRC677t Gene. This mutation would cause my body to have a problem converting homocystine to methionine. Which is interesting because on my most recent lab tests with my other doctor, my labs showed high levels of homocystine. For this she recommended Folic Acid, B12, and Tmg. This is exactly what my primary doctor told me to try for my high homocystine levels.
This diagram show the Ace Deletion and the Suox mutation:
This last image shows how the MTHFR C Mutation is affecting my methylation cycle. It causes increased levels of homocystine because it impairs the ability to change methionine into homocystine.
Great website — nice and clean, easy to read (even with brain fog!)
I’m curious about your quote where you say “High Aldosterone can cause elevated excretion of potassium relative to sodium.”
I’m confused…I thought that aldosterone was the hormone that helped regulate the sodium/potassium balance? I have exact opposite — very low sodium, and high potassium, with the resulting low blood pressure, etc. It’s that low sodium common with PWC’s that leads to low blood volume, fainting, etc..
So do you know if this means that progesterone cream would be a no-no for me?
Also…roughly…how much did the Yasko Panel cost?
Thanks so much again for your well-organized blog!
Dan
hi thanks for the comment . I pretty much quoted that directly from dr. yaskos book.
I do have the the light headedness and fainting problems too. I just ordered some of the supplements that were recommended, including the progesterone cream. So ill see if that helps or not.
I read the book and watched the dvds that came with the test.
So this is what im starting with to try:
progesterone cream
hyrox form of B12 (different form that i need because i have certain mutations)
Folapro – a form of folic acid that wont cause me to have high homocystine.
charcoal flush – for ammonia
Im gonna try these pills one by one, because from experience i just go by what makes me feel better and not onlly on what lab tests tell me.
I will post updates soon
With the SUOX issue, low molybdenum and magesium, shouldn’t you add molybdenum and magnesium to your protocol?
i plan on adding those soon, ive already taken them before so i wanted to try the new supplements first. I got my supplements and Ive been taking the charcoal, hydrox b12, and the folapro. I already seem to notice a clearer head and improved sleep. But i think ive gotta take them for a while to really see i they are going to help in the long run
The way aldosterone works is to keep sodium from leaving the body, so this would increase sodium in the body in comparison with potassium, because the potassium would not be protected and would continue to be excreted from the body at the prior rate. Slower excretion of sodium, same excretion of potassium = higher sodium, as compared to potassium.
Roughly, what was the cost of this panel of generic testing?
the cost is kindof expensive. $700 for the test $400 extra for the review. Fortunately the supplements that it reccomended for me are the cheaper ones
Are you seeing any results yet?
Dan
p.s. Also…Rich’s last name doesn’t have an “r” in it… it’s Van Konyenburg…
actually im having rich look over my lab tests and yasko results, im sending the stuff out today, so hopefully ill get some more ideas about this. Im having some posative results, clearer head, and ive been able to do more things, but i still feel pretty sick alot. Hopefully ill get a better idea of what to take and waht to avoid. I had a pretty hard time understanding the yasko test, so hopefully this will clear it up for me.
It has been a few months since you posted about your treatment, was wondering what the final results were. thank you very much for your post…..sno
I had to have rich interperet my test results, because i could really understand what i needed to do. But rich said that i need to be on the simplified treatment. So right now im taking folapro,hydrox b12,l-methinone, and phosphatidyl serine complex.
Its actually helping, but i wanted to wait a while when i knew for sure and write a post about it. It seems like im slowly improving every day, but i dont know if this is going to make me completely better or just improve some symptoms. So i wanted to wait and see.
Heres a link to the simplified protcol that rich made up:
http://www.chronicfatiguetreatments.com/wordpress/treatments/yasko-protocol-simplified-approach-for-chronic-fatigue/
Thanks for the quick response….keep us informed….fingers crossed for you…..sno
Wondering how things are going with the treatment. If things have changed in either way maybe you could give us an update. Like a before and after(1-10) rating for some of your symptoms?
Have the supplements you’ve been taking changed at all?
Also did you try to get insurance to cover any of Yasko testing?
Wondering if you could maybe give us some background on other treatments you’ve tried.
Thanks,
~Aaron
disregard the last question about other treatments youve tried as I didn’t know that you had so much about your personal experiences on this site.
~Aaron
Just wondering how you’re doing on the Yasko/Rich protocol?
Would love to hear an update. (My brain fog is so bad I completely forgot that I posted here over a year ago!) FRUSTRATING!
Thanks,
Dan
How are you doing on the Yasko protocol? Updates? Side affects?
hi,
thanks for sharing this info. however, i want to caution you about sharing genetic info widely and identifying yourself as it could be used by the insurance industry to exclude you in the future. perhaps, i’m just paranoid.
also, i thought you’d appeciate this link to a genetic testing company started by Sergey Brin, a google cofounder. https://www.23andme.com/gen101/
ALL–
Try high RAW VEG FOODS diet with nuts and seeds, vegan , CRON, nuts, fish, omega 3 , DHA, NAC, curcumin, B-12, 3000 D per day—AMERICANS ARE ALL UNDER-NOURISHED and OVER-FED and lack D—especially dark skinned people.
AVOID DAIRY and meat see notmilk.com , see mcdougall.com (sp?) a vegan doctor site who writes books etc.