Expert: Tanya Zilberter, PhD - 8/5/2005

Question
Dr. Zilberter:
Do you recommend that people supplement their diet with glyconutritionals such as mannose, the so called missing saccharide that can result in the "carbohydrate deficient glycoprotein syndrome"?

Thank you.
Deanna


Answer
Dear Deanna,

CDGS, "carbohydrate deficient glycoprotein syndrome" or rather syndroms since there are types II, III, IV, and Ia and Ib. It is a very rare and very severe group of genetic diseases with sipmtoms including, but not limited to, psychomotor retardation in childhood, mental retardation, impaired movement coordination, underdevelopment of the brain, etc. So you can imagine that any treatment should be advised by doctors. They are mostly try to ease and compensate the devastating consequences of the impairments.

This syndrom is characterized by not missing certain carbohydrate(s) but having a 'wrong' carbohydrate type attached to the  certain proteins in body tissues including liver and blood.

As to the supplementation one's diet by glyconutrients, e.g. mannose, their most common use is for cleasing the body and enhancing the immune system though neurophysiological date showed its important role in cell membrane functioning.

Indeed, oral mannose supplementation is recommended for the syndroms sufferers: "These results establish the feasibility of using mannose as a potential therapeutic dietary supplement (nutraceutical) to treat CDGS patients..." See the link below for reference:

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ap/mm/1997/00000060/00000002/art02568;jses...

Hope this helps,

Tanya Zilberter, PhD
tanya@infotonic.net