25/05/2022
A hidden cause of anxiety – pyroluria.
I see many clients with anxiety, and one of the hidden underlying causing is often pyroluria. This is a condition in which individuals have high levels of pyrroles in their body. These pyrroles (which are a product of haemoglobin synthesis) bind to zinc and vitamin B6 before being excreted in the urine. The result is….
…a chronic deficiency of zinc and vitamin B6. Deficiencies of these vital nutrients can lead to a wide range of mental health conditions including anxiety, OCD, depression and poor stress tolerance.
There are a range of symptoms associated with pyroluria including: fatigue, poor dream recall, white spots on fingernails, poor appetite (especially in the morning), sensitivity to lights and sounds, hypoglycaemia, frequent infections, joint stiffness, skin problems and nervous exhaustion.
If I suspect a client has pyroluria based on their medical history and symptoms, I recommend they carry out a simple urine test which detects the level of kryptopyrroles in the urine. If it’s positive we focus on diet changes, so that the diet is high in zinc and vitamin B6 rich foods, as well as supplementation. I’ve found that for some clients these protocols can turn around not just anxiety, but also other aspects of their health, and they find a new calmer, healthier normal.
One of the many reason why I love combining nutrition and yoga is because our biology affects our psychology and our psychology affects our biology.
DM me if pyroluria resonates with you and you want to find out more.