Treatment Options for Mercury/Metal Toxicity in Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities: 

Consensus Position Paper

 

 

 

February 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUTISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE

4182 Adams Avenue

San Diego, California 92116

 

www.AutismResearchInstitute.com

 

 

ã Autism Research Institute 2005

General Disclaimer

 

This monograph is not intended as medical advice. Its intention is solely informational and educational. Please consult a qualified medical or health professional if you wish to pursue the ideas presented.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is a complete and accurate representation of a consensus opinion of the listed contributors. However, neither the authors, contributors not the sponsoring organization, The Autism Research Institute, is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures and suggestions contained in this monograph are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a qualified physician and obtaining medical supervision as to any activity, procedure or suggestion that might affect your health. Neither the authors, nor contributors, nor the sponsoring organization shall be liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this monograph.

—The Consensus Position Paper—

 

This consensus position paper represents the current views of the undersigned clinicians and researchers.  The consensus process was initiated at a conference convened for this purpose by the Autism Research Institute on September 29-30, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. The participants continued their discussions by telephone, fax, e-mail and, in some cases, in-person discussions. Following is the January 30, 2005 version of the Autism Research Institute’s Consensus Report on Mercury Detoxification in Autism. 

 

As of March 16, 2005, we have received 33 endorsements from reviewers who attended the Autism Research Institute’s September 2004 Think-Tank on mercury detoxification in autism. 

 

No one is more aware than the undersigned that this document represents merely a beginning step in our long-term efforts to solve an exceedingly difficult problem.  We have much to learn. 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

(in preparation)

 

 

 

 

 

February 8, 2005

INTRODUCTION TO THE 2005 UPDATE OF

THE MERCURY DETOXIFICATION CONSENSUS REPORT

 

In recent years there has been a great deal of controversy regarding the possible role of mercury as a causal agent in the current worldwide epidemic of autism.  While the scientific and legal issues will not be settled for some time, there are many autistic children who need help now.

 

The Autism Research Institute has been evaluating various biomedical treatments of autism since 1967.  One approach has been simply to have parents rate the effectiveness of each of the biomedical treatments they have tried.  Over 23,000 parents have responded to our questionnaires.  Of the 77 biomedical interventions rated for efficacy by parents (see www.AutismResearchInstitute.com, select Parent Ratings of Treatments), mercury detoxification received a far higher rating than any drug, supplement, or special diet.  Mercury detoxification was rated helpful by 73% of parents, with the gluten/casein-free diet coming in second with 63%.  A remarkable and encouraging finding that must not be ignored!

 

The Autism Research Institute convened our first mercury detoxification Think-Tank in February 2001, in Dallas Texas, in response to the need for information on how best to treat mercury toxicity.  The resulting Consensus Report published in May, 2001, has been widely distributed in hard copy and on the Autism Research Institute website.

 

A second mercury detoxification Think-Tank was held in Los Angeles in September 2004 to consider recent advances in detoxification technology.  This report presents the findings of that Think-Tank.

 

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the participants in our Los Angeles Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) “Think-Tank” on mercury detoxification, whose experience and expertise are expressed in this report.  Special thanks to Professor Jim Adams, Ph.D. for his superb work compiling and coordinating this 2005 Consensus Report on Mercury Detoxification for Autistic Children.

                       

                                                                        Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Director

                                                                        Autism Research Institute

 

Treatment Options for Mercury/Metal Toxicity in Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities:  Consensus Position Paper

 

Purpose

During the last several years, there has been growing clinical and scientific evidence that most children with autism suffer from mercury/metal toxicity.  Furthermore, there have been many reports from physicians and parents that removal of mercury and other toxic metals can be very beneficial to children with autism, sometimes resulting in a major decrease in autistic symptoms.  A wide variety of detoxifying agents and protocols have been used, and the purpose of this paper is to discuss the pros and cons of the different treatments available.  Overall, our consensus position is that removal of mercury and other toxic metals is one of the most beneficial treatments for autism and related disorders.  More research is needed, but effective treatments are available now.  Each child is an individual, so this report presents general guidelines rather than specific recommendations.

 

Evidence of Mercury Toxicity in Children with Autism

There is extensive evidence that many children with autism suffer from mercury toxicity.  Briefly, the evidence shows that children with autism have low levels of glutathione and cysteine (the pre-cursor to glutathione), which is the major pathway for removal of toxic metals like mercury.  The children also often had excessive use of oral antibiotics, which greatly inhibits excretion of mercury.  Due to their limited ability to excrete mercury, they have low levels in baby hair (an excretory tissue), high levels in baby teeth, and higher excretion when given DMSA compared to controls.  The symptoms of autism are consistent with that of mercury toxicity.  The epidemiology studies are mixed, but several published studies show a strong link between autism and thimerosal in vaccines.  Overall, it appears that most children with autism suffer from mercury toxicity, and may potentially benefit from detoxification therapy.  (See Appendix A for more details on mercury toxicity, and see Appendix B for more details on the strong evidence of mercury toxicity in children with autism).

 

 

Testing for Mercury/Metal Toxicity

 

There are several tests that can be considered for testing for mercury toxicity.  We think that provocation testing and possibly antibody testing are the best methods, but sometimes repeated detoxification therapy is needed before significant excretion occurs.  Blood, hair, and unprovoked urine are generally NOT good ways to test for infantile exposure to mercury, which is when we believe the primary exposure occurred.  Other possible ways to test for mercury toxicity are described in Appendix C.

 

Blood:  Most physicians are used to testing for the presence of lead in the blood.  Most lead exposures involve a chronic ongoing exposure, so this is a reasonable method for testing for lead, even though lead has only a short half-life in the blood.  However, it is NOT a good method for testing for past exposures, since mercury and other metals have only a short half-life (weeks) in the blood.

 

Hair and Urine:  Hair and urine are measures of the body’s excretion of toxic metals, which is affected by both the body burden and the body’s glutathione level (which controls excretion).  Hair grows at a rate of 1 inch per 1-2 months, so the length of hair determines what time period it is averaging over.  Urine is a measure of recent exposure, usually during the last few days.  Glutathione levels are often low in autism, resulting in lower excretion ability, so a decreased glutathione level can mask a high body burden.  In practice, hair and unprovoked urine are usually NOT good methods to test for mercury/metal toxicity in autism.

 

Provocation Test:  The most conclusive method to test for mercury/metal toxicity is the use of detoxification agents, followed by a collection of urine or stool depending on the mode of excretion.  This test tells you two important facts:  1) the metal was present in the body, and 2) it demonstrates that the detoxification agent can remove it. 

One major limitation of these tests is that the reference range for the urine or stool generally involves a comparison to people who are NOT taking a detoxification agent, so that even a normal person would tend to have a high result.  Thus, an experienced clinician needs to interpret the results carefully.  (One exception is a DMSA test for children, for which limited data exists – see below).

Another limitation is that low doses of the detoxification agents may fail to increase excretion significantly.  It is not fully understood, but it appears that the first part of the dose may be neutralized by the body, so higher doses may be needed for provocation testing vs. long-term treatment.

One complexity of provocation tests is that the detoxification agent may preferentially bind to one metal first, so excretion of that metal may hide the presence of other metals.  Mercury can be tightly bound to body tissue, and it may not be removed until significant amounts of other toxic metals have been removed.

It is suggested that a baseline urine sample be collected, followed by the provoked sample the next day at the same time of day.  This allows one to directly compare the effects of the provocation with the unprovoked urine.  Comparing with the unprovoked urine also helps if the person has abnormal creatinine levels, as the test is usually reported as a ratio of toxics to creatinine.  Creatinine is often found to be marginal in the urine of autistics, and low creatinine can skew urine analyte results to high levels.  So, also take note of creatinine levels if the laboratory results include ratioing to creatinine.

 

Some typical provocation tests include:

• Oral DMSA (9-dose):  Dosage of 10 mg/kg-dose, 3x/day, for 3 days.  Just before administering the last dose, void the bladder, and then collect all urine for the next 8-10 hours.  This test has the advantage that Bradstreet et al.[1] have established a reference range for typical children, based on a study of 18 typical children vs. 221 children with autism.  Using Doctor’s Data Laboratory, they reported levels of 1.29 +/- 1.54 mcg Hg/g-creatinine, 15.0 +/- 9 mcg Pb/g-creatinine, and 0.46 mcg Cd/g-creatinine in typical children given DMSA.  Children with autism had, on average, 3x higher levels of Hg excretion.

• Oral DMSA (single dose):  Dosage of 20-25 mg/kg-dose, 1x.  Void bladder and then administer DMSA, and collect all urine for 6-10 hours.  (Do not use only 10 mg/kg, as a study by Adams et al. found no major difference between 15 children with autism vs. 15 controls).  Some physicians do not recommend this higher single dose due to concerns about adverse reactions, and prefer the series of lower doses mentioned previously.
• Rectal DMSA (single dose):  25mg / kg of body weight as a single bolus dose with urine collection beginning the next morning in potty trained children and through the night with pediatric urine collection bags in those children who aren’t. Collection time varies between 12-24 hours depending on the physician’s preference and family logistics

DMPS Challenges:  Several DAN! physicians have experience with DMPS provocation challenges and find them to be useful, whereas other DAN! physicians do not use them.  For those who support the use of DMPS, the following are the suggested dosages for single dose challenges:

• Oral DMPS (single dose):  5-10 mg/kg, single dose, followed by a 6-12 hour urine collection.  Children may be at the lower dosage range, and adults may be at the higher dosage range, depending on their physician’s recommendation.
• IV DMPS (single dose):  Dosage of 3-5 mg/kg, followed by a 6-8 hour urine collection.
• Transdermal DMPS (single dose):  Dosage of 3 mg/kg, followed by a 12-24 hour urine collection. 
• Rectal DMPS (single dose):  10 mg/kg, with the suppository retained at least 30-45 minutes, followed by a 8-12 hour urine collection.

There are informal reports that co-administration of glutathione with DMPS may increase urinary excretion of toxic metals, although this is not certain yet. 

 

One of the most common laboratories for testing urinary levels of toxic and essential minerals is Doctor’s Data Laboratory, 170 W Roosevelt Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185 Phone (800) 323-2784; 708 231-3649.

 

Testing for Antibodies Against Metals and Their Binding Proteins

In the field of immunology it is well-known that metals can bind to different amino acids and become antigenic. Metals either oxidize proteins or form stable protein-metal chelate complexes by undergoing multi-point binding to several amino acid chains. Based on these chemical reactions, metals can persist for years in the body and continuously activate T-cells through specific alteration of self-protein. [2] [3]

These alterations of self-proteins by metals or other chemicals may result in antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) production against the haptenic chemicals; for example, mercury, cobalt and nickel, and self-proteins such as hemoglobin and human serum albumin.  Detection of IgG, IgM or IgA antibodies against these haptenic chemicals indicates chronic exposure to low levels of environmental metals and possible autoimmune response. [4]

In addition, it is documented that two different nucleoproteins, fibrillarin and chromatin, are targets for metals which induce production of autoantibodies in human. [5] 

Based on these findings it is possible to measure and document antibodies against mercury and the mercury-binding proteins fibrillarin and chromatin in individuals with chemical exposure to metals.

Antibodies against mercury, fibrillarin and chromatin occur in 5-10% of controls, but in 30-50% of children with autism.[6]  0.5 mL of serum is typically needed for performing assays of mercury, fibrillarin and chromatin antibodies.  One lab that offers these tests is Immunosciences (www.immuno-sci-lab.com).

 

 

Pre-Detoxification Treatment

 

Prior to beginning detoxification therapy, it is important to first address several issues, including reduction of toxic exposure, improvement of nutritional status, normalization of glutathione levels, treatment of intestinal dysbiosis, and baseline kidney/liver function and Complete Blood Count (CBC). 

 

1)  Reduction of Toxic Exposure:  Since the goal of detoxification is to lower toxic body burden, it is important to first reduce exposure to toxic metals as much as possible.  This includes:

• Avoidance of mercury-silver dental amalgams, which are the major source of mercury in most Americans.  If a child has mercury amalgams, they may need to be carefully removed prior to beginning detoxification therapy.  Removal should only be done by an expert dentist trained in safe removal of amalgams, using high-vacuum suction and other safety measures, and even those measures can result in a temporary increase in mercury exposure.
• Avoidance of fish and some shellfish, especially the largest fish (shark, swordfish, tuna), which are highest in mercury.  (Purified fish oil is allowed, as that contains important essential fatty acids and does not contain significant amounts of mercury.  The safest oils are those that have also been tested for PCB’s and other fat-soluble toxins).
• Purified water:  have it tested by your local water company, or use reverse osmosis to remove all the toxic (and sadly the essential) minerals
• Organic foods (preferred) or extensive washing of the surfaces of fruits and vegetables.
• Use only thimerosal-free vaccines.

 

2)  Nutritional Status:  Most children with autism have a need for increased amounts of vitamins, minerals, and some amino acids.  Zinc is of especial concern, as it is usually low in autism.  Some detoxification agents can remove essential minerals, so additional minerals will be needed.  Anti-oxidant therapy is important to reduce oxidative stress and to raise glutathione levels.  Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, zinc, and selenium are especially needed, in addition to a broad-spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement.  Copper should be avoided in most cases, since that is usually high.  Nutrient supplementation is discussed in more detail later in this report, and also in Biomedical Assessment Options for Children with Autism by Pangborn J and Baker SM.

 

3)  Glutathione:  Glutathione plays many important roles in the body, including binding to and eliminating toxic metals. Plasma glutathione levels are typically 50% lower in children with autism, so it is important to normalize them prior to beginning detoxification.  Otherwise, it is like bailing a leaky ship; you can bail out water (toxins), but they will leak back in if the “leaks” (lack of glutathione) are not fixed.  Normally, glutathione concentrations are much higher inside cells, so it is best to measure levels inside erythrocytes (red blood cells).  Glutathione levels can be increased in several ways, including:

a)  transdermal, subcutaneous or IV glutathione.  A new lipoceutical form looks promising.  It is unclear if oral administration is effective in raising plasma glutathione levels.

b) a study by James et al.[7] found that 800 mcg of folinic acid and 1000 mg of TMG partially raised levels of glutathione in children with autism, and the addition of subcutaneous injections of methyl-B12 (75 mcg/kg, 2x/week) normalized glutathione levels.  Note that the dosage of methyl-B12 was suggested by Dr. J. Neubrander, based on injecting it into the adipose tissue of the buttocks. (Note that Dr. Neubrander now recommends a dosage of 64.5 mcg/kg every three days)[8]  The addition of vitamin B6 (a necessary co-factor) is likely to raise levels further.  The addition of methionine may be helpful, but it should be done with extreme caution after methyl-B12 has been given to prevent negative reactions.⁸ 

c) Vitamin C:  a study by C. Johnston[9] of college students found that the addition of 500 mg/day of vitamin C raised glutathione levels 50%.  Raising the vitamin C to 1000 mg had no additional benefit.

 

4)  Gut Dysbiosis:  At least 50% of children with autism suffer from constipation and/or diarrhea, and a study by Rosseneu[10] found that 95% of those children had extremely high levels of E. Coli and often other bacteria that produce high levels of endotoxins.  Yeast dysbiosis may also be a concern.  Some detoxification treatments can cause or exacerbate bacteria/yeast dysbiosis, either directly by providing food to them, or by causing excretion of toxic metals into the gut.  This appears to especially be a problem for oral alpha lipoic acid and NAC, sometimes is a problem for oral DMSA, somewhat less of a problem for oral DMPS, and perhaps rarely a problem for transdermal DMPS.  See Appendix D for a more detailed discussion.

 

5)  Monitoring Liver/Kidney/CBC before and during Detoxification

It is important to check kidney function (BUN, creatinine) and liver function (SGOT, SGPT, GGT, ALT, AST) prior to using some detoxifiers, and it is important to continue to monitor liver and kidney function.  Similarly, it is important to check Complete Blood Count (CBC) including platelet count prior detoxification, as some detoxifiers can adversely affect liver/kidney function, platelet count, and lymphocytes. This is discussed in more detail below.

 

 

 

Detoxification Options

 

Detoxification should only be considered after the issues discussed above in the Pre-Detoxification section have been addressed to the degree possible.  (More information is available in Biomedical Assessment Options for Children with Autism and Related Problems, by Pangborn, J and Baker, SM, published by the Autism Research Institute.)

 

There are many different agents for detoxification of metals, and some agents can be administered in different ways (IV, oral, rectal suppository, transdermal).  The three major ones we will discuss include DMSA, DMPS, and TTFD.  In determining which agent(s) to consider, one needs to consider its efficacy, toxicity, possible removal of essential minerals, effect on gut dysbiosis, legal status, and clinical experience.

 

Option 1:  DMSA: 

Legal Status:  DMSA in the oral form is approved by the FDA for treating lead poisoning in children (as young as one year of age) who have lead levels ≥ 45µg/1OOml blood.  Like any approved drug, physicians can prescribe it for “off-label” uses such as treating other types of metal toxicity.  It is also available as an “over-the-counter” supplement, but we strongly recommend only taking it under the supervision of a knowledgeable physician.

 

Efficacy:  DMSA has been demonstrated to be able to bind and remove a wide range of toxic metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic, tin, nickel, and antimony.  Animal studies have demonstrated that DMSA can effectively lower the level of mercury in the kidney and many other tissues, but does not seem to be able to go intracellularly or to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.  Several studies have shown it does not lower the level in the brain of animals.

 

Absorption/Excretion:  When DMSA is taken orally, about 20% is absorbed, and blood levels peak in 2-4 hours.[11]  Excretion is much slower, with a half-life of approximately 2 days.[12]  DMSA is primarily excreted in the urine, mostly as DMSA-cysteine disulfide.¹¹

 

Testing Prior to and During Use of DMSA: 

• Since DMSA is primarily excreted in the urine, it is important to monitor kidney function every 2-3 months. 
• Long-term use of DMSA can cause bone-marrow suppression, so it is important to monitor the Complete Blood Count (CBC) and platelet count. 
• DMSA can cause liver damage, it is important to monitor liver transaminases (ALT, AST, GGT). 
• DMSA is known to approximately double excretion of zinc, so zinc levels should be monitored before and during treatment, since zinc is often low in autism, and zinc should be supplemented if necessary to maintain normal levels.  If levels remain low after initial supplementation, unusually high levels of zinc (50-100 mg) may be needed.
• DMSA increases excretion of Cu.¹²  Cu is normally high in autism, so this is usually beneficial, but Cu levels should be monitored prior to and during treatment. 
• DMSA does not affect excretion of iron, calcium or magnesium.¹²

 

Forms of DMSA: 

Oral:  The oral form is most commonly used.  It appears that oral absorption is approximately 22%.¹¹  The limitation of this form is that it causes a worsening of GI symptoms in about 10-20% of autistic children, probably because the unabsorbed DMSA can be consumed by intestinal yeast/bacteria. 

 

Intravenous:  The FDA has not approved IV DMSA, and there is no peer-reviewed scientific study of the IV form of DMSA.

Rectal:  There is only limited experience with the use of rectal suppositories.  They seem to offer the advantage of the oral form (slower absorption), but with less chance of aggravating intestinal dysbiosis.  This form is not approved by the FDA, but may be compounded by a pharmacist upon authorization by a physician.

If used as a rectal suppository, the same administration schedule can be used; however due to bowel frequency thrice daily dosing can present problems as the suppositories should be retained for 30-45 minutes. It is possible to dose rectal DMSA once the child has fallen asleep in some children.

Dosing for detoxification between challenges is also influenced by patient specifics. Many parents dose 10 mg/kg per suppository three times daily following the 3 /11 cycle; however, single daily dosing is anecdotally well tolerated and may be a better balance for the child that moves his or her bowels more than once daily.

Additionally, rectal suppositories can not contain much more than 500 mg of DMSA and thus for larger children the dosing regime may need to be adjusted. As with any rectally administered medication, there exists the possibility of a rash. Resolution has been seen using “Bag balm”.

Recommended Administration:

DMSA should be given in oral doses of no more than 10 mg/kg/dose, and no more than 30 mg/kg/day with a maximum dose of 500 mg/dose (1500 mg/day maximum). Exceeding these limits has been associated with a significantly high­er incidence of side effects and toxicity. Most physicians recommend dosing every 8 hours, but a few prefer more frequent dosing (but the same daily dose).

Typical treatment periods are 3 days, followed by 11 days off, which makes for a convenient 2-week cycle with dosing typically from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.  These cycles can be  continued for several months until urinary excretion is decreased to near the reference range.

 

If used as a rectal suppository, the dosage should be 25 mg/kg, 1x/day, for 3 days on, 11 days off.

 

 

Safety Issues: 

DMSA slightly increases the excretion of zinc and copper, so those levels should be monitored, and zinc should be supplemented during therapy.

The Physicians Desk Reference reports the following side-effects when using DMSA for 19 days continuously:  gastrointestinal upset in about 12% of patients, body aches (5%), increases in serum transaminases (4%), sore throat/cough (4%), rashes (3%), drowsiness (1%), eye/ear irritation (1%).  Prolonged use can cause elevations in liver enzymes and bone marrow suppression in less than 1% of cases. 

However, when using DMSA on a 3 day on, 11 day off schedule, the chance of these side effects is usually less.   If these symptoms become serious enough, reducing the dose will usually make the symptoms tol­er­able. Occasionally, patients develop a maculopapular rash during treatment; this should not to be confused with an allergic reaction[13]. Some autistic children are reported to ex­per­ience a transient regression in language and behavior during and shortly after treatment. Reducing the dose may also make these symptoms less bothersome. Clinical experience suggests that most children who experience regression at the start of therapy will have less regression with each subsequent cycle of treatment.

 

Serious side effects of DMSA are extremely rare and include allergic reaction, toxic epi­der­mal necrolysis (TEN) and erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)[1]. Po­ten­ti­ally dangerous neutropenia and thrombocytopenia may also occur[14]. While reducing the dose may reduce the severity of the neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, truly dangerous re­ductions in cell count are a contraindication to continued therapy without a compelling rea­son to do so. Obviously, allergic reaction, TEN and Stevens-Johnson syndrome are ab­so­lute contraindications to continued therapy.

 

 

Benefits:  Many DAN! physicians have reported good improvements with DMSA, although the improvements are sometimes accompanied by gut problems. Reported benefits include rapid progression of language ability, improved social interaction, improved eye contact, and decreased self-stimulatory behaviors (“stimming”). Children with motor problems have experienced significant improvement in both strength and coordination.

 

There was an open-label study of the use of DMSA on 152 autistic patients by A. Holmes.[15] It involved the same dosage proposed in this study (10 mg/kg for 3 days, then 11 days off) for at least 6 months.  Alpha lipoic acid was added in month 3 onward to enhance excretion.  In the youngest group (age 1-5, n=66), they found:

       No improvement: 10%

       Slight improvement: 15%

       Moderate improvement: 39%

       Marked improvement: 36%

Definitions:

n       None

n       Slight: now speaking in 1-2 word phrases, able to express wants and needs verbally,  not conversational.

n       Moderate: improved but not normal;    obvious language delay but using sentences, answers questions.

n       Marked: Mainstreamed into regular education; minimal or no language delay, normal social interaction and eye contact.

 

The benefits were generally less for the older children and teens.  Several other physicians (Cave, Bradstreet, El-Dahr, others????) have reported similar results.

 

Anti-Oxidant Benefit:  DMSA is also a potent anti-oxidant,  and it could be that part of the benefit of DMSA is due to its anti-oxidant function.  A recent study by James et al.⁷ found that children with autism had a much higher ratio of oxidized:reduced glutathione, a study by Chauan et al[16] found increased lipid peroxidation, and a paper by McGinnis[17] discusses oxidative stress in autism in more detail.  Overall, it appears that oxidative stress is an important issue in autism, so the anti-oxidant effect of DMSA may be important.

 

 

Option 2:  DMPS: 

Legal Status:  DMPS is not an FDA-approved medication. Physicians may have it individually compounded for their patients by a pharmacist, but should inform their patients of its experimental status in the US, and have a full disclosure/informed consent document in the medical chart of each patient using DMPS. It is widely available in Europe as a prescription medication, and in Germany it is available over-the-counter.  In the US, physicians can ask a pharmacist to compound it for an individual patient.

 

Efficacy:  DMPS is an effective chelator, especially for mercury, and also for lead, cadmium, silver, tin, and arsenic.  Many animal studies have demonstrated that it can lower the level of mercury in the kidneys and most other organs.  A recent animal study by Pinegree et al. [18] demonstrated that repeated use of it could slowly lower the level of methylmercury in the brain, but had little effect on inorganic mercury. (Pinegree’s study found that DMPS can initially increase the level of mercury in the brain if the body burden is high, presumably by transporting it from the body into the brain, and that could be related to transitory side effects before repeated use eventually decreases the level in the brain.)

 

Metabolism/Excretion:  DMPS is rapidly metabolized in the body into an altered (disulfide) form. DMPS is primarily excreted in the urine (84% of an IV dose was excreted in the urine after 96 hours).[19]  When given IV, of the DMPS that was excreted, 12% was excreted as the parent drug (DMPS), and 88% was excreted as the disulfide.  The parent drug was excreted rapidly (half-life of 1.8 hours), but the disulfide was excreted much slower, so that the elimination of total DMPS had a half-life of 20 hours.  Mercury excretion correlated well with urinary excretion of both the parent drug and the total DMPS.

If taken orally, the half-life for excretion is 4.4 hours for the unaltered DMPS, and 9.6 hours for the altered DMPS.[20]  (The half-life is shorter for the oral form presumably because oral ingestion requires passage through the liver where it is metabolized).  Mercury excretion correlated very strongly (0.92) with excretion of the unaltered DMPS, and peaked at about 2 hours after ingestion.

The half-life for transdermal applications is unknown, but it is probably somewhat longer than for the IV form.

 

Testing Prior to Use: 

The following testing is recommended prior to use of DMPS:

·        Complete Blood Count (CBC) including platelets

·        Full blood chemistry panel including liver transaminases

Some physicians also suggest the following tests:

·        Red Blood Cell (RBC) minerals

·        Serum copper and plasma zinc levels (DMPS can decrease those)

·        Iron test

 

Patients need to continue monitoring CBC, liver function and mineral depletion every 2-3 months during treatment.

 

Forms of DMPS: 

Oral:  It appears that oral absorption is approximately 39%, much higher than for DMSA.¹⁹  The oral form seems to be less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems than DMSA, presumably because much lower dosages are used and more is absorbed, leaving very little DMPS available to gut bacteria/yeast.  It can be compounded into a suspension for children who do not swallow capsules.  Children on DMPS sometimes complain of abdominal discomfort and/or cramping, especially with the oral form.

 

Intravenous:  The IV form is less likely to result in exacerbation of gastrointestinal dysbiosis.  Several DAN! physicians have found IV DMPS safe and effective for treating children with autism.  However, most DAN! physicians are not experienced with the use of IV DMPS, so more experience and research is needed before it can be recommended for general use.

 

Transdermal:  There have been recent reports by Buttar [21]  and other physicians regarding the benefit of transdermal use of DMPS.  This is claimed to be an easy, non-invasive form of detoxification that appears to have a lower incidence of gastrointestinal side-effects (such as pathogen overgrowth) than the oral form.  Some physicians have stated that roughly one-third of children with this treatment will temporarily have worsening behaviors after the first month of treatment, usually lasting a month or so before improving.  There are several compounded formulations available, and the relative merits of the different formulations are unclear at the present time.

 

 

Recommended Administration:

Oral:  Typical dosages are 1-2 mg/kg, 3x/day, for a total dose of 3-5 mg/kg-day.  Typical treatment periods are 3 days, followed by 11 days off, which makes for a convenient 2-week cycle with dosing typically from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.  These cycles can be continued for several months until urinary excretion is decreased to near the reference range.

 

Transdermal:  Typical dosages are 1.5 mg/kg, every other day.  If adverse effects occur, the dosage can be lowered to 1 mg/kg, or discontinued if the adverse effects are serious.  Some physicians recommend only giving mineral supplements (at twice the normal dose) on the days when no DMPS is administered, to optimize the efficacy of the DMPS and to reduce loss of essential minerals. 

Typical treatment duration may last from several months up to a year.

 

Rectal:  Typical dosages are 10 mg/kg, 1x/day, for 3 days on, 11 days off.

 

Safety Issues: 

The following excerpt is taken from the package insert of Heyl’s Dimaval (DMPS):

 

“Occasionally, patients may develop chills, fever, or cutaneous reactions, presumably of an allergic nature such as itching or rashes (exanthema), which usually are reversible once the treatment is stopped.  Severe allergic dermatological reactions (e.g. erythema exudativum multiforme, Stevens-Johnson’s syndrome) have been described in a few isolated cases.

Particularly when used over a long period of time, DMPS may influence the body’s mineral balance, especially that of the elements zinc and copper.

The administration of DMPS mobilizes the ingested mercury in the body.  In a few cases this may trigger the clinical symptoms of mercury poisoning.

Sickness or vomiting rarely appear after ingestion of Dimaval (DMPS).

In some cases an increase in the level of transaminases may occur.”

 

So, it is important to monitor zinc and copper levels, and to supplement zinc and possibly copper if they are low.

 

Benefits:

Several DAN! physicians and others have reported on the benefits of DMPS in both oral and transdermal forms.  Most notable benefits of the transdermal form are reported for social and language areas.  It appears to be more effective at excreting mercury than DMSA.  Buttar has reported (in an unpublished study) ²¹ that 19 of 31 patients using transdermal DMPS with glutathione for over a year, in addition to other therapies such as restrictive diet, nutrients, mineral supplements, and anti-pathogen treatments, had a complete loss of autistic symptoms. 

 

 

Option 3:  TTFD (Thiamine Tetrahydrofurfuryl Disulfide) 

 

Legal Status:  TTFD is not approved by the FDA. Physicians may have it compounded for individual patients by a compounding pharmacist.  The FDA has granted D. Lonsdale Investigational New Drug (IND) approval for the investigational use of oral TTFD. 

 

Efficacy:   TTFD is an open thiazolium ring disulfide derivative of thiamin. At the cell membrane it is reduced and the thiazolium ring closes within the cell to provide free thiamin. The prosthetic mercaptan is left outside the cell, becomes bound to albumin and may have a weak chelating action on SH-reactive metals (SHRM). The main action of TTFD is due to the phosphorylation of the intracellular free thiamin to form thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) and thiamin triphosphate (TTP), thus catalyzing energy metabolism. Animal studies have shown that TTFD causes excretion of SHRM via the bile and urine. When administered in conjunction with thiol chelators the urinary concentration of these metals is greater than with either agent given alone.

In a pilot study, [22] 8 of 10 ASD children improved clinically when treated with TTFD suppositories and some of them had a significant increase in urinary SHRMs.

 

Testing prior to use:   TPP deficiency is revealed by testing erythrocyte transketolase activity (TKA) and the effect of adding TPP to the reaction (TPPE). The test is not a necessity to using TTFD as therapy. In a pilot study, only two of ten ASD children were TPP deficient at outset, and it did not predict response.²²  This test gives no information on TTP deficiency, a presently unknown contributing factor. Call 1-888-WSTLAKE for laboratory information on TKA.

 

Forms of TTFD:

            Oral forms of TTFD should preferably be enteric-coated tablets, presently unavailable in the U.S. It can be compounded and given by mouth in capsules, by rectal suppository or transdermally. The extremely bad taste of powdered TTFD prevents oral administration to young children should the capsule be opened for this purpose.

 

Recommended Administration:

            Fifty milligrams (50 mg) given one or two times a day can be administered indefinitely since it represents an efficient method of providing vitamin B1. There is no set time for determination of treatment.

 

TTFD with Glutathione:  There have been recent reports that the benefits of TTFD are increased with the simultaneous administration of transdermal glutathione.  This also tends to significantly increase the odor of the TTFD.

 

Safety:

            TTFD has an exceptional safety record. No toxicity has been reported, even at much higher doses than used therapeutically in human subjects. Studies have shown that it does not harm the embryo when given in high doses to a pregnant animal. Rectal suppositories may give rise to perianal irritation, relieved quickly by discontinuation of use. Transdermal application may cause a rash or irritation at the site. This can be obviated usually by rotating the site of application. It is thought that this is due to the excipients in the preparation rather than a direct effect of TTFD. A “skunklike” odor arises in some patients treated with either the rectal or transdermal forms of TTFD. No odor is associated with oral administration. This odor often gradually diminishes as treatment continues and is thought to be related to metabolism associated with the prosthetic mercaptan and possibly excretion of toxic metals. This prosthetic group has been well studied and is not associated with any toxicity.

 

Benefits:

            Many DAN! physicians have reported clinically observed improvement in their ASD patients using TTFD, mainly in the transdermal form. Initial worsening of symptoms sometimes occurs, as it does with other nutrients given to ASD children, and may be followed by improvement with persistence. The only published study is that of Lonsdale et al (1). Urine studies before and after TTFD treatment showed increased concentration of SHRM in some of the subjects and this has been confirmed in unpublished observations by others.