Jason’s parents brought him to my clinic because of violent behavior. (I am not using anyone’s real name.) Several suspensions from school alerted his parents there may be a problem. But it was his punching a hole in the wall of his bedroom that led to the call to me. Lisa’s anxiety became so debilitating that she didn’t want to leave her house. By the time she called to make an appointment, she had confined herself to only her room and the adjoining bathroom. Clark’s sudden mood swings correlated with depression and not knowing what he wanted to do with his life. Though very smart and done well in school, Clark was currently underemployed. His mom convinced him to see me. We sent pyroluria test kits to all three of these patients, and I knew the results would be positive.

While depression, anxiety, oppositional defiance disorder (ODD), and reactive attachment disorder (RAD) may arise from different causes, pyroluria should be ruled out as the cause of these and other mental health problems. Testing is easy to do at home. The lab sends a pyroluria test kit; the sample is collected and sent back to the lab. After Jason’s mom called, we had results within two weeks, and I developed a treatment plan of vitamins and minerals ready for Jason.

“He’s a different kid,” his mom reported to me after the first follow-up appointment. “Had I known that treatment was so simple, I would have called you much sooner!”

Jason is not unusual. I have treated hundreds of people with pyroluria over the last seven years with great success. A pyroluria test kit is inexpensive and easy to do. Pyrrole supplements cost little and are simple to take. If that is the only imbalance in the body, we see changes in the person within a month.

What is Pyroluria?

What exactly is pyroluria? Confusion abounds as to how to explain pyroluria or Pyrrole Disorder. Other names include Mauve Factor and Kryptopyroluria. Many doctors do not recognize the clinical significance of pyrrole disorder. Though I didn’t learn about it in medical school, I can assure you that pyroluria is real.

Kryptopyrroles seem to appear under conditions of oxidative stress in the body. The body produces an unusable form of the part of the red blood cell that holds the oxygen, called a heme-ring. This molecule, harmless in most people, will deplete the body of nutrients such as zinc, vitamin B6, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in others. People who have pyroluria be in normal range for these nutrients in their blood tests but still have symptoms. What are some of the symptoms? The chart below shows the effects of pyrrole disorder. You only have to have two or three to be positive. Oddly, there isn’t always a correlation between symptoms and amount of pyrroles. I have seen patients with extremely high numbers but few signs and patients with lots of symptoms and a low kryptopyrrole result. Over the course of the next could of articles, I’ll explain why that is. Suffice to say, pyroluria can affect different parts of the body in different ways.

Why would oxidative stress lead to the creation of kryptopyrroles? The short answer is we don’t know. There are many different theories, but the one I like the best is trauma. Early childhood trauma seems to be a commonality of people with this condition. Pyrrole disorder and oxidative stress, in general, seems to be a physiologic response to emotional or physical trauma. Jason’s parents adopted him as a baby. Early childhood wounding contributed to his behavior. Pyroluria may be a clue to mind-body connections; the bridge between the trauma that one experiences when younger and the physical symptoms that occur later in life. A diagnosis doesn’t mean that psychotherapy is unnecessary, but it can make it more successful.

Pyrrole supplements make a huge difference in the patients who have pyroluria. Treatment plans are inexpensive and easy to follow. While the number of pills can be daunting, most people find it effortless to integrate the task into their day. And the results are extraordinary. Lisa’s anxiety abated so she could continue her life again. Jason finished high school and responded to the new counselor his parents arranged. Clark’s mood swings disappeared with pyrrole treatment, and his motivation returned. “I feel that I have my son back,” his mother said to me. “He’s calm, funny, and is starting to have direction in his life again. He’s doing great!”

You too can get help. If you or a loved one has some of the symptoms listed, call or email us today. We will be happy to send out a pyroluria test kit and consult about the results, which we can do via an online doctor consultation. Pyrrole supplements can be life-changing. We’d be happy to help facilitate moving you into a happier place.

Though the patients mentioned in this article had an easy time with treatment, not everyone does. The next article will discuss some of the pitfalls of self-treatment.