Comprehensive Guide to Managing Autism - 17

Tums Anyone?

Many medical men, who should know better, recommend Tums™ as a source of calcium. While the calcium in Tums™ will neutralize acid, the form used will not be assimilated and utilized in any meaningful amount, so it cannot be effectively used as a source of calcium supplementation. 

A deficiency of HCl sometimes manifests as “stomach problems”—bloating, fullness, burping, heartburn, and reflux. Most people grab a Tums™, or Pepcid™ AC, or Tagamet™. That makes the matter of digestion and utilization worse, and reduces bile production, even though it may relieve the symptoms. What is probably needed is more acid not less! The symptoms are the same!

Tagamet™ is a dangerous drug in combination with anticoagulants and theophylline (asthma drugs), anticonvulsants, antifungals, and heart drugs such as calcium antagonists and quinidines. Both Tagamet™ and Prilosec™ reduce effectiveness of antifungal drugs such as Nizoral™. In fact, all these HCl inhibitors encourage candida and bacterial overgrowth by reducing HCl. 

Many are now being told that Pepcid™ is helping autistic. Pepcid™, Tagamet™, and other H2 blockers do not diminish histamine; rather, they block the action of histamine on H2 receptors. In 40 mg to 100 mg doses in adults, Pepcid™ has improved eye contact, reduced social withdrawal, and improved speech in schizophrenics. Children may metabolize these drugs more quickly than adults, and need a higher dose per body weight noted Dr. L. A. Linday, MD, and Pediatrician. Dr. Linday postulates that the similarity between schizophrenia and autism indicates Pepcid™ may benefit some autistic in the manner it does schizophrenics. She says histamine as a neurotransmitter is inhibitory in its action, and inhibits the social and speech areas of the brain. Using Pepcid™ “Frees Up” these areas, and enables restoring of speech and social skills. The dose she uses is quite high, and should not be attempted except under close supervision of your doctor. Because they are “antihistamines”, they would probably have some beneficial effect on some symptoms, possibly by making more histamine available to H1 receptors. Others say that histamine receptor stimulation in the brain facilitates the release of excitatory neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and glutamate. This effect is seen more from stimulation of H1 receptors, not H2 receptors, which are the receptors Pepcid™ blocks. 

A Pharmacist friend, a specialist in drug rehabilitation, has this to say in reply to my question “One doc you recall is using high doses of Pepcid! What would you suggest to increase speech?” 

“Stay away from xenobiotics (chemicals not natural to the body). Natural Eugregorics or gregariants like SAMe, methycobalamin (B₁₂), adapton (extract of deep sea, cold water fish garum amoricum), DHA/fish oils and cofactors, Pyritinol or piracetam which are essentially analogues of thiamine and pyroglutamate are harmless and of course the coenzyme forms of B-vitamins. Pyroglutamate plus TMG is a great combination for BBB uptake of glycine and enhancement of the cholinergic system needed for verbal memory. Methionine and calcium or antifolates may be of help where there is a histadelia (too much histamine), and even copper supplementation with niacin and Ester C. Avoid vanadium. Perform niacin flush test if in doubt, and then take appropriate action to influence ceruloplasmin and histaminase. Lithium will improve verbal ability if histamine is high by reducing effects of sodium excess and aid of repolarization. Stay away from folic acid if histadelic—even a high protein meal containing small amounts along with histidine can result in withdrawal. Gotu Kola is good verbalizer if liver function is not impaired. The phytonutrient Bacopin is another good loquacient, but again it puts pressure on detox. Generally, I prefer to take the brakes off rather than increase the gas and so your GI support and chelation would be my first line of attack. Lipofuscin digesters like centrophenoxine, and cerebrovasodilators like hydergine and vincamine have been shown to have efficacy in withdrawn states and social anxiety. Fried liver and onions for breakfast believe it or not works wonders. Hyperbaric oxygen is another belter.”—Simon Galloway.  

Water is the best antihistamine known, and the amino acid methionine detoxifies excess histamine. Make sure you and your children are drinking one-half your body weight in ounces of pure water each day. Water—not fluids (that’s doctor talk). Water—not juices or coffee, or tea, or soft drinks. These are all diuretics, and further dehydrate the body—drinking them requires one to drink still more water! This dehydration increases the allergic responses due to the fact that a thirsty cell releases histamine—that irritates and swells mucus membranes and can cause pain anywhere in the body. Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, MD, in his book, “The Body's Many Cries for Water”, states passionately that he has cured asthma and all gastrointestinal diseases in over 3000 cases with nothing but water—and a little salt taken on the tongue after drinking a glass of water. 

Dehydration causes all cells to release histamine. Histamine increases the output of stomach acid, and the severity of reflux! Heartburn may be a signal of water shortage in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a major thirst signal of the human body. The use of antacids or tablet medications in the treatment of this pain does not correct dehydration, and the body continues to suffer as a result of its water shortage. Treating with antacids and pill medications will, in time, produce inflammation of the stomach and duodenum, hiatal hernia, ulceration, and eventually cancers in the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and pancreas—Dr. Jon Brooks, MD. 

More importantly, as regards Pepcid™, and other H2 blockers, they not only reduce HCl and the “intrinsic factor” produced by the stomach, but they act on H2 receptors throughout the system. They seem to have secondary, side effects that have been reported very beneficial in alleviating autistic symptoms. However, giving these to a child who makes too little hydrochloric acid would further reduce digestion and assimilation to a dangerous degree. This would affect not only assimilation of vitamins A, C, and B-complex, but protein and most minerals, especially zinc that is necessary to HCl production. It would surely cause a vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, causing growth problems, because the same cells of the stomach that produce hydrochloric acid produce the “intrinsic factor” necessary to absorption of vitamin B₁₂. Prilosec™ specifically drains the body of vitamin B₁₂, and Pepcid™ depletes calcium, folic acid, and vitamins D and K. Tagamet™ and Zantac™ deplete calcium, folic acid, iron, zinc, and the vitamins B₁₂ and D. If these drugs are used, these nutrients must be supplemented at higher rates than the minimal amounts recommended (RDI-RDA). In addition, they reduce digestion of certain foods, and the tough more fibrous parts, along with hair, rug fibers, and other inedibles may eventually cause a Bezoar that can block the digestive tract (impaction) requiring surgical removal! If you insist on using these dangerous drugs, you must supplement the enzyme cellulase. H2 blockers also block Phase I (cytochrome p450) liver enzymes creating a potentially damaging buildup of toxins as well as natural substances, including fatty acids, estrogen, steroids, Prostaglandins, body alcohols, retinoic acid (vitamin A), glycine, and certain drugs. If using an H2 blocker, it would be unwise to supplement DMG/TMG. 

An interesting report is that Zantac™ and Prilosec™ have relieved both nighttime reflux and sleep apnea! Gastroesophageal reflux is often associated with apnea, and is believed to cause (or worsen) apnea either directly by causing aspiration of milk or by sending a signal to the brain to stop breathing when the milk is coming back up. Further information indicates that some of these drugs block the receptors for some time, so it should not be necessary to take them every day. This from a Mom: “It takes Clayton about 2 weeks to regress if he has no Prevacid™, we give it at about the 9th day off, and we give it for about 2 days, sometimes 3. Prevacid™ (and Prilosec™—WSL) keeps the proton pump that inhibits the acid production blocked or stopped for nine days according to the pharmacy book.” 

To produce HCl in the stomach, a hydrogen ion in the parietal cell must be exchanged for a potassium ion from the stomach. In the stomach, the hydrogen ion then combines with a chloride ion to produce the acid. Prevacid™ and Prilosec™, and proton pump inhibitors stop this exchange, and totally stop HCl production. A lack of potassium or chloride will have the same effect. A zinc-containing enzyme controls it all, so these three minerals are vital to HCl production. The absence of an adequate supply of potassium salts gives rise to a diminution of the hydrogen chloride production. The production of hydrogen chloride falls short and the condition known as hypochlorhydria supervenes. The progressiveness of this metabolic disorder is apparent for sooner or later there is a total suppression of the production of hydrogen chloride and the condition know as achlorhydria becomes manifest. This deficiency in HCl production may be temporary or permanent in character, and may be brought about by one or more predisposing factors such as malnutrition, focal infection, chronic poisoning, exposure, fatigue, and shock. Hydrochloric acid secretion may be completely SUPPRESSED by emotion or worry. Many with autism are highly anxious.  

It is interesting to note that within two hours of the injection of hydrogen chloride intravenously, 32% of the white cells were showing pronounced phagocytic activity and engulfing microorganisms. Twenty-four hours after the injection phagocytic activity showed that 69% of the white cells were in phagocytic activity. When hydrochloric acid is injected into the body in very dilute, physiologic amounts that do not damage the red cells visibly, the white blood cell systems increase their activity, the blood pH returns to normal regardless of whether it is too acid or too alkaline, and the number of white cells increase. Autism is a disease of the immune function, and absence of HCl can affect that function significantly! HCl and EDTA have both been used with DMSO to get these substances in the blood stream without the usual shots. DMSO can usually be obtained in health food stores and Vet Suppliers. Diluted with 15% to 50% sterile water some treat themselves. 

Good health and the presence of absolute immunity depend on the existence of a normal production of hydrochloric acid, and upon its presence in the bloodstream and other fluids of the body. When the HCl production falls short, and a progressive diminution takes place, we find a loss of absolute immunity, a decreasing degree of tissue susceptibility, an imbalance of blood chemistry, and poor digestion and assimilation. This is the starting point of general ill health and malnutrition. It is a logical assumption that a lack of sufficient minerals in the daily diet must of necessity give rise to a deficiency in the hydrochloric acid production, and a lack of HCl will produce a disastrous lack of necessary minerals! 

As indicated above, hydrochloric acid is necessary to digestion and utilization of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Acidity is also the trigger for secretin release in the duodenum, and that accounts for the release of bicarbonate of soda and pancreatic enzymes, and indirectly for the release of fat digesting bile. Now why would you want to interfere with that life-giving process when these children are suffering symptoms that can best be described as starvation? Nevertheless, I know of one case where Prilosec™, but not Pepcid™, has given dramatic behavioral improvement, with prompt regression when it is removed. It seems it is not the reduction of HCl that is helping, but rather a beneficial “side effect” of Prilosec™, unless Prilosec™, in usual dosage, is doing what it takes large doses of Pepcid™ to accomplish in blocking of histamine in the speech and social behavior areas of the brain. 

A related thing we adults do. We have a bit of stomach distress or reflux so we grab a Pepcid™ AC, or Tums™. It stops the symptoms of stomach distress, but so would additional hydrochloric acid! Which would improve our digestion? About 80% of those grabbing a Tums™/Pepcid™ are actually deficient in digestive acid, and thus starving themselves all the more when they grab that alkalizer. (O, the power of advertising!) Of course Pepcid™ is not an alkalizer. However, it hinders the stomach from producing acid. If one is, in fact, producing too much HCl, that may be a good thing, but, as I’ve indicated, most have too little HCl. The symptoms of too much or too little are the same! This may be because absence of HCl has allowed creation of large amounts of lactic and other acids due to the resultant putrefactive processes due to stagnation of gastric contents. It is interesting to note that Dr. Jeff Bradstreet has said that 90% of his autistic patients are blood Type A. It has also been noted that Blood Type A people are apt to be deficient of hydrochloric acid, and are apt to be the ones with vaccine problems!  

Make sure that you use these H2 blockers and antacids only under direction of your doctor who has checked the child’s hydrochloric acid production. Ask for the Heidelberg test. That involves swallowing a small radio that broadcasts on various frequencies depending on the strength of the stomach acid. If you find that one of these drugs produces benefits for your child by blocking the action of histamine, make sure his stomach is producing enough HCl to digest the food properly. That will probably necessitate supplementing hydrochloric acid as suggested above. 

There may be an advantage in taking Pepcid™ or Prilosec™ for those autistics who do make too much acid and have an ulcer or gastritis. That would stop the gastric distress caused by an over-acid stomach and allow healing of the lesion. Find out if that is a fact before using these drugs for they stop the production of hydrochloric acid and “intrinsic factor” the stomach produces. They destroy a vital digestive process. Nevertheless, one mother writes that her son’s HCl levels were normal while taking Pepcid™. The child that makes too much acid would probably also show signs of low blood sugar. 

Occasionally, the stomach produces strong acid at night, when the stomach is empty, causing reflux and pain and sleeplessness. Remember the 70% that showed reflux with symptoms of wakefulness with irritability or crying, pressing of the lower abdomen, and diarrhea? A Tums™ or a 1/2-teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda should work wonders. Be careful not to over alkalize the child by too large or too frequent dosing with soda. Drink more water before depending on these dangerous drugs. Check the saliva pH. It should be in the range 6.4 to 7.4 pH when not eating.