From the Gut with love

Armed for Battle - The Arsenic Files Part 4

Disclaimer: We are not medical doctors. Nothing in this article constitutes medical advise. This article is intended for entertainment purposes only. If you are experiencing health issues please contact your qualified medical provider.

Covid exhibits many of the symptoms and clinical markers of a combination of poison (arsine, other arsenic forms and heavy metals) and amplifying radiation. The therapeutic picture is far from simple. In this article we will look at how zinc, sulphur and phosphorus functions are affected by arsenic, and how addition of these in the diet may help the body function in this hostile environment. We will talk about other essential nutrients in a following article.

Food groups have natural balances of most essential nutrients, and are delivered in a form that is easily absorbed by the body with minimal work. Many opt to take supplements but it is difficult to find the correct balance of nutrients this way. Not all supplements are created equal. Holistic practitioners and doctors may advise supplementing however, which will be weighed carefully against a patient’s clinical picture. They may also be able to recommend reliable sources for these.

Gluing the pieces together

Zinc cannot be stored in the body. This means we need a constant trace supply of it. It is involved with hundreds of enzymes (the worker bees of the body) and proteins (building blocks). A staggering 10% of human protein is bound to zinc. A deficiency of zinc causes a wide range of symptoms, one of which is the loss of taste and smell! This video talks about zinc deficiency in the body, in crops and livestock, including the effects of glyphosate.

Zinc, a key component in cell growth and replication, plays a vital role in preventing abnormal cell growth. Zinc is a bit like the glue that knits the blueprint of the cell together. It forms the joins (ligands) in our DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid) and in other parts of the cell. It has as role in regulating gene expression. This means that our DNA code is repeated in a new cell in exactly the correct way and is kept in line when zinc is present.

Zinc ties parts of the DNA double helix - Image: DNACentre dot com

RNA enzyme chains are the molecules that carry out all the instructions provided in the DNA blueprint. If any of the zinc ties in both DNA and RNA are broken, the blueprint code or the copied code can also become broken or altered.

Arsenic can damage both of these in ‘infected’ cells. Different forms of arsenic can join cysteine molecules found in protein chains in both DNA and RNA. Cysteine is one of the molecules zinc attaches to, to keep order. When arsenic enters the cell it will bind to anything containing sulphur. Cysteine molecules have sulphur atoms. If the body does not have enough dietary zinc, all these zinc structures altered by arsenic, cannot repair. Function is lost and mutations occur.

When we looked at the effects of Covid and radiation we noticed that there were three identical DNA features in both. One was called gamma-H2AX, an antibody produced when there is a double strand break in DNA. That means both backbones of the DNA double helix are broken. It is possible that radiation energised arsenic, attached to cysteine molecules, which oscillated (spun/shook) and broke the double helix chain. The good news is that zinc can fix double strand breaks in DNA and likely also single and double stranded RNA by forming new ‘ligands’.

The Mercenary at the Gate

Imagine each of our cells is a big ball shaped city, that has ports dotted around all over it. Some ports import and export metals (ligand and voltage gated channels), some import and export water, some do other trade. As goods (eg energy) are produced, bi-products are created. To keep trade flowing well, the ports must let raw materials and goods in and out in a steady fashion or trade starts to get backlogs, raw materials run out, or there is a run on resources and everything is stolen out of the ports. At each of those ports there are different guards that allow visitors in and out of our cell shaped city.

Now at the port that allows metals in and out, the guards include zinc. They don’t only stand at the gate but they patrol up and down in the blood and plasma as well. As we know, zinc binds to cysteine and histidine, and arsenic quite fancies the sulphur in cysteine, so can easily seize control of the metal gate. So now we have a mercenary in charge of the metals import and export gate. He is a pretty lazy mercenary at that, so lets other mercenaries (arsenic and other toxic elements) pillage and steal from the cell city. All the sodium, potassium, calcium and chloride and other ions that our zinc guard had been so careful to keep balanced, start flowing in and out uncontrollably. The cell cities now have mercenaries making a dirty mess, the borders are leaky and there is general chaos inside and out.

Again, if we have plenty of replacement zinc guards in our diet, this mercenary will be quickly booted out and normal function of the port can resume.

Of many different functions, zinc is also involved in the correct signalling pathways in the nervous system. Altered pathways have been found in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In multiple schlerosis zinc levels were reduced in plasma but increased in spinal fluid . Scientists have concluded local alterations in zinc in the nervous system, can affect the severity of MS and other neurological diseases.

What foods contain good amounts of Zinc? Meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, nuts, dairy, eggs, some vegetables including potatoes, whole grains and dark chocolate However, there are a few things that reduce absorption of zinc. Casein from milk, cheese and other dairy products can reduce absorption, as can phytates in grains, corn and rice. So where we replace zinc in the diet, keeping these food groups separate from zinc rich meals may help absorption. Foods rich in amino acids (anything providing ready protein) and organic acids including acetic and ascorbic acids (vinegars, fruit acids and citrus) can help absorption of zinc.

The backbone of life itself

An essential nutrient that works to create DNA, RNA, energy in the cell and other compounds in the body is phosporus. It usually appears in our bodies in the form of phosphate. These phosphates are the backbone of DNA and RNA. Without it the strands of building blocks would not hold together. It is also used in the creation of cell membranes. Phosphate containing CoEnzyme A appears in three different positions in the citric acid cycle. Without it cellular energy production would not happen. This paper details how phosphate is included in the energy cycle and how arsenate (pentavalent arsenic V) can interrupt that process.

Scientists know that arsenate (trivalent arsenic III) can take over the position of phosphate in these crucial roles, but were undecided on whether replacement with arsenic would affect cell or organism function. A number of studies have been done to see if phosphate can be replaced by arsenic without loosing the ability to function. Recent conclusions are that one particular bacterium really does prefer phosphate. We will get on to some surprising findings about bacteria in the next article.

Phosphate in the DNA backbone does not seem very threatened by arsenic. This may be because arsenate (V) is quickly broken down in to arsenite (III) by the liver. However, arsenate can break down ribosomes by replacing phosphate molecules. As ribosomes are in charge of RNA copying, invasion by arsenate can stop cells functioning, duplicating or growing correctly, causing a vast number of diseases. Like damage made directly to RNA and DNA, these changes can also lead to cancer as detailed in ‘When ribosomes go bad: diseases of ribosome biogenesis.’

According to another paper, phosphorus intake, present in protein-based diets, can cause an overload, stressing the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Apparently causing calcification of the arteries and kidney tubules. However, it may, in the case of arsenic poisoning, be possible that serum phosphorus levels are only high enough to cause damage because of their rude displacement by arsenic from ribosomes, (acetyl) CoEnzyme A and other phosphorus containing compounds.

A fussy gut

Bacteria in the small intestine produce phosphate containing vitamin B12 which helps control how the gut works. It is strongly connected with the gut/brain health connection and is used for bone, heart, nerve and cellular health. We must eat dietary B12 for these other functions. Arsenate can replace the phosphate in this molecule.

In this study on mice, supplementing phosphorus, reduced liver damage caused by arsenic. There are very few studies on resolving arsenic-induced phosphorus depletion/displacement in humans. Phosphorus is present in most whole foods but in greater quantities in chicken, turkey, pork, organ meats, seafood, dairy, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, nuts, wholegrains, quinoa/amaranth, beans/lentils and soy. Again phosphorus rich carbohydrates can partially block zinc absorption.

The gut/brain axis controls physical and mental health

The body’s digestive system is very sophisticated. It doesn’t just let anything through. There are various channels, similar to the gated channels above, which are tightly controlled. If the phosphorus balance in the blood stream is out, the nervous system will send a message to these gates to say ‘sorry no more phosphorus please’. The selection systems for nutrients in the gut are called the ‘enteroendocrine nutrient sensing pathways’

Excess phosphorus in the blood may be cause by release from compounds by arsenic in the tissues, or the gates in the gut are damaged by more mercenaries causing ‘leaky gut syndrome’.

Fire and Brimstone

Historical references associate sulphur with hell. It was known as the burning stone and the representation of ‘Sol’ (sun) on earth. It is flammable at high temperatures and very difficult to extinguish once it ignites. The psychologist Carl Jung likened it to a firey compulsion in the human psyche, which overrides ‘conscious will’ and ‘reason’.

Sulphur is an essential element that makes part of amino acids cystine, cysteine and methionine. It is also arsenic’s best friend, being found naturally bound together in geology. Sulphur also binds with lead, mercury and other heavy metals if available.

Arsenic forms a stable or ‘covalent’ bond with sulphur, which means it does not loosen it’s grip easily. Often, when we are looking at illnesses, if sulphur containing cysteine molecules are a target, arsenic may well be hanging around. Heparin, heparan sulphate, insulin, chondroitin (bones & cartilage), thiamin, biotin, S-adenosyl methionine, glutathione and many other functional molecules contain cysteine.

Clotting

Heparan sulphate and heparin both work with antithrombin (III) and other compounds to control blood clotting in the body. Heparan sulphate, a molecule with 6 sulphur atoms, regulates clotting and growth of blood vessels in early life with other functions. This may well tie in with the Sonic Hedgehog pathway reactivation talked about in the last article.

Heparin (naturally produced but also a pharmaceutical drug) is produced by connective tissue mast cells and carries 4 sulphur atoms. It works by activating antithrombin, this stops clot-forming fibrin, either by reducing the amount of thrombin available in the blood or blocking it entirely. Attachment of arsenic to heparin or heparan sulphate, can destroy function leading to too much blood clotting or haemorrhage.

Sulphur fires digestion

Insulin has a double chain of atoms tied with two pairs of sulphur-containing cysteine molecules, plus another pair. They hold insulin chains together, controlling signals for glucose uptake. If arsenic attaches to the sulphur, it can stop effective signalling and possibly separate to the two insulin chains. This interference can lead to diabetes type 1 for which there is apparently no cure and likely also plays a role in type 2.

Thiamin molecules contain one sulphur atom. Thiamin is used for glucose metabolism. Extreme deficiency contributes to encephalopathy, dry or wet beriberi with cardiac and other symptoms. Beri Beri has also been associated with arsenic poisoning, polio and scurvy. We can store small amounts in the liver but mostly get it from our diets. Deficiency symptoms are non specific but include symptoms also on the arsenic poisoning list. Neurotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy in relation to the thiamin/arsenic connection has also been seen. Sources rich in thiamin are flax, sunflower and hemp seeds, pistachio and pine nuts, wheat germ/bran, fish, pork, peas, beans and soya.

Biotin includes one sulphur atom and helps digestion of carbohydrates to create glucose (glucogenesis). It also helps process fatty acids. If arsenic attaches to biotin it makes it harder for the body to make energy. The list of symptoms of deficiency is lengthy, reflecting other symptoms caused by the attachment of arsenic to other essential sulphur containing molecules.

How to hide something on the internet.

The most fascinating part about this analysis of the building blocks of life is that as soon as the Covid label is pinned to anything, the internet is then flooded with articles about how Covid attaches to x, y or z molecule, or has this or that symptom. What better way of hiding what is really going on?! So, when we were looking at ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) the only things spewed out by search engines were Covid ‘Virus’ related. So to get to the real articles we had to put in exclusions of -coronavirus -covid and -SARS to eliminate these in searches.

Luckily it worked. We found that ACE2 , the one that is supposedly the target of Covid, the pathway that regulates thermogenesis (production of body heat to keep us alive) and energy metabolism, actually contains no fewer than eight cysteine residues. This means ACE2 is super rich in sulphur. Of course, knowing what we know now, eight sulphur molecules is rich pickings for arsenic. Arsenic again interrupts the creation of energy and heat in the body.

Stubbornly stuck

The key question is, does eating more food with sulphur actually help deal with this unwanted guest? Well yes and no. If you eat sulphur containing foods and the arsenic is already being processed by the liver, it might be that we can bind some of it during the metabolism of that food. The problem is that sulphur forms a strong bond with arsenic which is difficult to break. If the makeup of a cell is altered so that it cannot die correctly as per Arsenic files 3, then the arsenic stays put until such time as the cell is forced to die (phagocytosis through fasting or triggered detoxification) or something else even more juicy comes along.

It seems that arsenic bonds to free cysteine, before it becomes protein in the cells. That means in theory, if we have enough sulphur in our diet, arsenic may bond to that instead. It is taking a bit of a gamble and doesn’t solve getting arsenic containing cysteine out of cellular structures.

In the antidote to Lewisite, the arsenic compound created during the war, was BAL, British anti Lewisite or Dimercaprol. Researchers found compounds containing dithiols, or two sulphur atoms, could strongly attract arsenic. However, in experiments BAL seemed to increase the arsenic content in the brains of rabbits.

The above paper also looked at dithiols in nature. Lipoic acid and alpha lipoic acid, are able to cross the blood brain barrier and are also efficient cleansers of arsenic from the blood and cells. It binds tightly with albumin, two liver enzymes, thioredoxin reductase and glutathione reductase (glutathione is a sulphur based detoxifying agent), and also removes arsenic from collagen.

Wholefoods containing lipoic acid contained in organ meats (liver, kidneys, heart), and chlorophyll-containing foods like spinach (highest lipoic acid of all foods), broccoli, green peas. It is also found in tomatoes and in surprisingly high amounts in potatoes.

One other very interesting finding in the ‘sulphur attracts arsenic story’ is Suramin. Some whistleblowers said it was modelled on Scotch Pine needles. Suramin has six sulphur/hydrogen groups and can be administered in the vein and has a long list of side effects. It is used to treat African River Blindness and African Sleeping Sickness, the later of which was ironically treated with an arsenic compound and killed one in ten of the people treated. It looks nothing like compounds in Scotch Pine. Pine bark does however contain alpha lipoic acid. It may or may not be in the needles.

It seems these key nutrients – Zinc, Sulphur, Phosphorous – play a significant role in how our bodies deal with the onslaught of the metalloid arsenic and other heavy metals. We will be looking shortly drugs that seem designed to help remove toxins. We will also take a look at more elements intrinsically connected with the larger arsenic picture.

Thank you to my co-researcher Sebastien Powell for his role in the intensive work required to link these threads together.