Do you often find it difficult to handle stress? Or do you tend to become explosive when you get angry? This behaviour could be a sign of underlying conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, or a lesser-known condition called pyrrole disorder.
What is pyrrole disorder?
Pyrrole disorder or pyroluria, manifests when a person experiences stress, causing the body to overproduce a substance called pyrroles or hydroxyhaemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL). HPL binds to important nutrients like vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc, essential for producing the calming neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. Consequently, individuals with pyrrole disorder may struggle to relax, experience mood swings, and suffer from anxiety or depression. Also, low zinc levels can lead to high copper levels, resulting in agitation and tantrum-like behaviour.
What are the signs and symptoms of pyrrole disorder?
Symptoms of pyrrole disorder include poor stress tolerance, low mood, sensitivity to lights, odours, and sounds, irritability, mood swings, inner tension, poor mental focus, pain in the spleen area, white spots on fingernails, morning nausea, low appetite in the morning, poor dream recall, skin complaints, and IBS.
Pyrrole disorder is not an isolated condition. It is associated with a range of mental health conditions such as addictions, ADHD, bipolar disorder, aggression, depression, schizophrenia, gut imbalances, adrenal disorders, and liver and gallbladder issues. Moreover, 60% of mental health patients may have a methylation disorder (a DNA test may be useful).
Treatment for pyrrole disorder
Managing pyrrole disorder involves a holistic nutritional approach and long-term vitamin B6 and zinc supplementation to suppress HPL and alleviate symptoms. A urine test can determine pyrrole levels to help determine the appropriate nutrient dosages. It may also be useful to measure serum copper levels and zinc levels. In some cases, I would recommend testing for heavy metals as well.
To support your neurotransmitters, focus on consuming a diet rich in quality protein and healthy fats. These provide the necessary building blocks for synthesing brain neurotransmitters and maintaining healthy nerve function.
To find out more about treatment or to book in a consultation contact Elizabeth.
