AboutGlen Aukerman, M.D. Expertise As a Senior Editorial Board Member of Natural Standard.com, Founder and Medical Director for an academic medical center, I have experience in the entire field so would be comfortable with all content.
Experience 40 years, plus Founder and Medical Director for The Ohio State University Center for Integrative Medicine.
Organizations ABHM, AMA, AAFP, ACPM
Publications JAMA, ABFP,
Education/Credentials See my other listing
Boarded in Holistic Medicine, ABHM
Senior Editorial Board Member of Natural Standard.com
Awards and Honors Best Doctor in America 2004-present
Past/Present Clients See patients from all states in the US plus several countries in the world, most recent patient came from Singapore, others from European Union countries and Russian provinces, Somalia, Eritria
Ive been diagnosed with "ehlers danlos syndrome - type 3-hypermobility"
The hallmarks of this is: poor wound healing, easily bruised, fragile, elastic skin. Also chronic joint pain as a result of the connective tissue being lax, fragile and "hypermobile". Also muscle tension occurs.
There is no cure, but non steroid pain killers and some low level tricyclic antidepressants to combat the pain are suggested.
What are the natural alternatives to these ? (as taking pain killers long term would cause stomach problems)
Many Thanks!
David
Answer The world peer reviewed medical literature has 2250 articles on ehlers danlos syndrome.
These are the 10 articles on nutrient approaches which we use at the www.medcialcenter.osu.edu/go/integrative;
Radiats Biol Radioecol. 2006 Jul-Aug;46(4):389-92. Related Articles:
1. [Unsolved problems of human cell defence against radiation]
Zasukhina GD.
The complex of human cell defence systems against gamma-radiation was investigated: DNA repair, antiradical system, GST-family M1 and T1, radioadaptive response. Were compared in repair-deficient cells the action of natural (carlic extract) and synthetic (crown-compound) antimutagens. New approach related to the detection of the activity of different defence systems is developing. It helps to estimate the individual sensitivity to mutagens.
2: Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(2):279-83.
A novel therapeutic strategy for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome based on nutritional supplements.Mantle D, Wilkins RM, Preedy V.Pharma Nord (UK), Telford Court, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 2DB, UK. pharma.nord4@btconnect.com
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a rare disorder, comprising a group of related inherited disorders of connective tissue, resulting from underlying abnormalities in the synthesis and metabolism of collagen. This proposal is specifically concerned with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome classic type (formerly Types I-III), which is characterized by joint hypermobility and susceptibility to injury/arthritis, skin and vascular problems (including easy bruising, bleeding, varicose veins and poor tissue healing), cardiac mitral valve prolapse, musculo-skeletal problems (myopathy, myalgia, spinal scoliosis, osteoporosis), and susceptibility to periodontitis. No treatment is currently available for this disorder. The novel aspect of this proposal is based on: (i) increasing scientific evidence that nutrition may be a major factor in the pathogenesis of many disorders once thought to result from defective genes alone; (ii) the recognition that many of the symptoms associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are also characteristic of nutritional deficiencies; (iii) the synergistic action within the body of appropriate combinations of nutritional supplements in promoting normal tissue function. We therefore hypothesize that the symptoms associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may be successfully alleviated using a specific (and potentially synergistic) combination of nutritional supplements, comprising calcium, carnitine, coenzyme Q(10), glucosamine, magnesium, methyl sulphonyl methane, pycnogenol, silica, vitamin C, and vitamin K, at dosages which have previously been demonstrated to be effective against the above symptoms in other disorders.
3: Periodontol 2000. 2001;26:92-112. Influences of systemic diseases on periodontitis in children and adolescents.Meyle J, Gonzáles JR. Department of Periodontology, Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund und Kieferheilkunde, Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Systemic diseases affecting the host response as primary immunodeficiencies or secondary defects caused by lack of nutrients or changes in the local tissues are very often accompanied by early-onset prepubertal periodontitis. Local treatment in combination with systemic antibiotics may in milder forms improve the situation, but in many cases the success is questionable and premature loss of teeth occurs. Since the genetic basis of many of the diseases has been identified, future developments permit the correction of at least some of these defects by gene therapy.
4: Aust N Z J Surg. 2000 Sep;70(9):684-6. Pizza and perforations: a case of type IV Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Fahrer CN, Zitoun O, Shanahan EA.Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
5: Vopr Med Khim. 1991 Mar-Apr;37(2):66-9. [Excretion of pyridinoline with urine in children with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Marfan's syndrome and the effect of beta blocker and complex vitamin therapy on it][Article in Russian]Prozorovskaia NN, Kozlov EA, Luk'ianov SV, Rudakov SS, Prozorovskiĭ VN, Del'vig AA.
Excretion of pyridinoline and polypeptide-bound hydroxyproline with urine was studied in 27 children with hereditary impairment of connective tissue. At the same time, effects of beta-adrenoblocking agents and vitamin complex, prescribed during preoperation period before thoracoplasty in hereditary chest deformation, were investigated. Clinical efficiency of the treatment depended distinctly on the initial value of ratios pyridinoline/creatinine and polypeptide-bound hydroxyproline/creatinine. Total positive effect of the therapeutic course, considering also echocardiographic examination and postoperational complications, was observed in 44% of patients with Ehlers-Dunlop syndrome and in 75% of patients with Marfan syndrome.
6: Vopr Med Khim. 1988 Sep-Oct;34(5):99-104. [Effect of therapy with beta-adrenoblockers and vitamin complexes on indices of oxyproline excretion in various hereditary connective tissue diseases][Article in Russian]ozorovskaia NN, Glinianaia SV, Gerashchenko LP, Rudakov SS, Solonichenko VG.
Excretion of hydroxyproline with urine was studied in 16 children (5-14 years old) with Marphan-Like syndrome and Marphan, Ehlers-Dunlos and Larson syndromes after therapy involving propranolol and a complex of vitamins (ascorbic acid, riboflavin and pyridoxine) and recommended on the basis of echocardiographic analyses. The therapeutic course appears to cause quantitative and qualitative correction of collagen and apparently of elastin fibrilles development. Depending on initial patterns of hydroxyproline excretion and the syndrome form the correction could be complete or partial, while positive effect of the treatment was stable or provisional. The data obtained suggest that the complex treatment developed might be applied as a preoperative therapy of the patients with Marphan-like syndrome as well as with syndromes of Marphan and Ehlers-Dunlos before thoracoplastics caused by hereditary chest deformation and by impairments of cardiovascular system.
7: J Med Genet. 1986 Apr;23(2):99-106. Of mice and men, metals and mutations.Danks DM.
Several mutations affecting the transport of copper and zinc in humans and in mice have been discovered over the last 15 years, joining the long known disturbance of copper transport in Wilson's disease. Menkes' disease (classical and mild variant forms) and X linked Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type IX, X linked cutis laxa) have features in common with one another and with the brindled (Mobr) and blotchy (Moblo) mouse mutants, respectively. There may be one allelic series of mutants in each species or two loci may be involved in each. The toxic milk mutant (tx) in the mouse may be homologous to Wilson's disease in man. The defect of intestinal absorption of zinc in acrodermatitis enteropathica has no homologue yet in the mouse. However, the lethal milk (lm) mutant in the mouse may be homologous to a condition of zinc deficiency described in a few breastfed, low birth weight infants. Many more genetic defects of transport of copper and of zinc may await discovery. Conversely, these mutants are valuable in elucidating the normal processes of copper and zinc transport.
8: Vopr Pitan. 1984 Jan-Feb;(1):12-7. [Lysine in human nutrition (biochemical aspects)][Article in Russian]Okunev VN, Golin'ko ON.
9: J Clin Invest. 1970 Aug;49(8):1497-509. Variations in human urinary O-hydroxylysyl glycoside levels and their relationship to collagen metabolism.Segrest JP, Cunningham LW.
Two O-hydroxylysyl glycosides, Hyl-Gal-Glc and Hyl-Gal, have been isolated from normal human urine and shown to be identical to two glycosides isolated from alkaline hydrolysates of collagen. A relatively sample and reproducible analytical procedure has been devised to measure the levels of these glycosides in human urine. By the use of this procedure it was shown that a normal diet has only a small effect on 24-hr urinary excretion levels of these glycosides indicating an endogenous origin. Urinary glycoside levels appear to be highest in children, roughly paralleling collagen turnover as indicated by urinary hydroxyproline levels. Collagen turnover equivalents calculated from urinary hydroxylysyl glycoside levels were found to be significantly larger than collagen turnover equivalents calculated from urinary hydroxyproline levels. This suggests that urinary glycosides are more quantitative indicators of collagen metabolism than urinary hydroxyproline.The ratio of Hyl-Gal-Glc to Hyl-Gal was measured in urines of diseased as well as normal individuals and a bimodal distribution was found. Alkaline hydrolysates of different human connective tissue collagens showed that only bone collagen, of the collagens examined, had a low ratio of Hyl-Gal-Glc to Hyl-Gal compared to human urine. Other collagens examined had higher ratios than found in human urine. On the basis of these results it is postulated that the bimodal distribution of glycoside ratios represents two populations of collagen turnover, the lower ratio population having a high bone collagen turnover, the lower ratio population having a high bone collagen turnover relative to the second population. Examination of the types of subjects making up the two populations supports this hypothesis. These data suggest that urinary O-hydroxylysyl glycoside excretion, in addition to providing a more quantitative estimate of collagen turnover than urinary hydroxyproline, may prove to be of value as a specific means of studying the metabolism of bone collagen.
10: Expos Annu Biochim Med. 1963;24:165-80. ELASTASE AND ITS INHIBITORS.HALL DA.
At the OSU Center for Integrative Medicine we do an extensive intake to arrive at a personalized approach to define those elements most likely to work by eliminating those not related to the human genome and the cytokines causing this condition to express in its most severe forms, see cytokine search below.
1.Okamoto O, Fujiwara S. Dermatopontin, a novel player in the biology of the extracellular matrix.Connect Tissue Res. 2006;47(4):177-89.
2:Wang WM, Lee S, Steiglitz BM, Scott IC, Lebares CC, Allen ML, Brenner MC, Takahara K, Greenspan DS.
Transforming growth factor-beta induces secretion of activated ADAMTS-2. A procollagen III N-proteinase.
J Biol Chem. 2003 May 23;278(21):19549-57.
3:Sakai LY, Byers PH, Ramirez F. A report on the 3rd Workshop on Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue.
Matrix Biol. 2002 Jan;21(1):7-13.
4:Wu J, Utani A, Endo H, Shinkai H. Deficiency of the decorin core protein in the variant form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome with chronic skin ulcer.J Dermatol Sci. 2001 Oct;27(2):95-103.
5:Marian AJ. On genetics, inflammation, and abdominal aortic aneurysm: can single nucleotide polymorphisms predict the outcome? Circulation.2001May 8;103(18):2222-4.
6:Podesta A, Crivellari R, Dottori V, Parodi E, Passerone G. Anaemia, osteogenesis imperfecta and valve diseases. The preoperative treatment with epoetin-alpha to increase haematocrit and haemoglobin levels in patients with high risk of perioperative bleeding.Minerva Cardioangiol. 2000 Oct;48(10):323-7. English, Italian.
7:Makedonov GP, Tskhovrebova LV, Semiachkina AN, Zasukhina GD. [A defense mechanism of human cells in the radioadaptive response and antimutagenic activity of interferon has common paths]Genetika. 2000 Mar;36(3):393-8. Russian.
8:von den Driesch P, Mielke V, Simon M Jr, Staib G, Tacke J, Sterry W. ["Granulomatous slack skin"--cutaneous elastolytic lymphoma]Hautarzt. 1994 Dec;45(12):861-5. Review. German.
9:Ferbert A, Biniek R, Kindler J, Maurin N. Myoclonus and tremor induced acutely by administration of tumor necrosis factor in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Mov Disord. 1993 Apr;8(2):232-3. No abstract available.
