Cognitive Effects and Dietary Restrictions May Soon Ease for PKU Sufferers

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http://www.naturalnews.com/026277.html

 

 Natural supplements may be in the works that could help people with

phenylketonuria (PKU) live a better life. Children born with PKU are lacking an

enzyme necessary to process the amino acid phenylalanine. As a result, they are

at risk for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and cognitive problems. One group of

scientists is looking for a way to produce this enzyme as a supplement, while

other research is delving into the connection between phenylalanine and another

amino acid, tyrosine. Both studies may result in supplements that would lessen

symptoms of the disorder and strengthen outcomes for its sufferers.

Scientists at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia have identified a

plant source of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), the enzyme missing in people

with PKU. This enzyme breaks down phenylalanine into trans-cinnamic acid and

ammonia, making it no longer a threat to people with the disorder. To find a

commercial source of PAL, the researchers studied various members of the Poaceae

family, a large group of plants that includes wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats,

sorghum, and turf grasses.

They identified a corn cultivar, Japanese striped corn, with very high levels of

PAL activity in seedling and root tissues. The roots of this cultivar are

intensely colored by the presence of high levels of anthocyanins. Due to the

coloration from anthocyanins, the scientists characterized the root tissues as

" robust " . In fact, they were robust enough to retain 90% of their PAL activity

even after being freeze-dried and after a 15 week storage period.

It is not unusual for plants to have PAL activity and anthocyanins. However, the

high levels of PAL from these cultivars coupled with their ability to remain

stable make them a unique and viable option for use in therapeutic supplement

form.

Meanwhile, researcher Sharman, Ph.D. at Queen University of Technology

in Ontario is delving into the possibility that low levels of another amino

acid, tyrosine, may increase the risk of low dopamine in the brain, and may be

associated with some of the effects of PKU such as ADHD and possibly cognitive

impairment, anxiety and depression.

If it turns out that low levels of tyrosine combined with high levels of

phenylalanine are responsible for the persistent problems associated with PKU,

tyrosine therapy may mean that children born with the disease have no greater

risk of developing cognitive problems than children born without it.

" This is a link we want to take further, and my study will take a direct

inventory of biochemical functions of children with PKU over seven years, to see

the differences in the effects of having high levels of phenylalanine in

combination with low levels of tyrosine, " Dr. Sharman said in a recent press

release.

PKU used to cause severe brain damage, and any damage was irreversible. Babies

are now screened at birth so that they can immediately be placed on special low

phenylalanine diets if they are found to have the disorder. However, research

into the condition has stopped short of completely curing the cognitive

impairments of suffers.

" It would be the icing on the cake, really, to ensure that people with PKU can

reach their full potential, " she said.

The diet required by a person with PKU is highly restrictive and often difficult

to follow. Because some phenylalanine is needed for normal growth, and too much

of it can cause cognitive damage, the diet follows a very narrow road. High

protein foods, such as meats, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, dried beans,

and peas must be avoided. Instead, measured amounts of cereals, starches,

fruits, and vegetables along with a milk substitute are recommended. Special

phenylalanine formulas are available for all age groups.

For children with PKU and their families, following the diet is burdensome and

isolating. Children often feel as though they cannot really be a part of a peer

group because their dietary restrictions forever separate them.

For women with PKU who are of child bearing age, close adherence to the low

phenylalanine diet and phenylalanine monitoring are recommended prior to

conception and throughout pregnancy. The risk of spontaneous abortion, mental

retardation, microcephaly, and/or congenital heart disease is high if the

mother's phenylalanine levels are poorly controlled.

For more information see:

McInnis S et al, The ornamental variety, Japanese striped corn, contains high

anthocyanin levels and PAL specific activity: establishing the potential for

development of an oral therapeutic, Plant Cell Reports, March, 2009.

http://insciences.org/article.php?a...

http://www.medhelp.org/lib/pku.htm

About the author

Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal

finance, a breast cancer survivor using " alternative " treatments, a born

existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural.

 

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport