Greetings!

I have corresponded with MrsD quite often in the vitamin B12 thread of the peripheral neuropathy forum, but have a general question for overall supplementation related to what's known as "pyroluria." It's controversial, but I do believe there is a connection here...

Pyroluria is the body's "self-induced deficiency" of zinc and B6!

While I have not been tested (through the urine test one can order without a doctor), I have recently noticed SIGNIFICANT improvement in many of my symptoms with a zinc supplement and recently a B6 supplement in the form of P-5-P. This might also explain my recent relief with higher-than-usual dosings of niacinamide (niacin production relies not only on tryptophan, but other cofactors, possibly zinc and B6?).

My overall question is, how does one go about safely taking zinc, B6? I read that too much zinc for too long can affect copper. I purposefully got the Jarrow brand "Zinc Balance" which contains a 15-to-1 ratio of zinc to copper, but then I read it's not good to take zinc and copper at the same time? I also take a multivitamin/multimineral from Jarrow (it's really really good by the way, their "1-to-3" formula) that also contains a small amount of copper. I also take 50mg of the P-5-P, and get some "regular B6" (the pyridoxine HCL) in the Jarrow formula. Should I periodically ask a doctor to check my copper levels? Will they just think I'm nuts since no doctor I know of will even regard this as serious, even though I'm seeing good results? What about other supplements, or is starting with just zinc/B6 good enough? (I read that other things can be affected, such as manganese, magnesium, vitamin E, Omega 6, and possibly others that I'm forgetting). I'm currently getting all these other vitamins and minerals in my Jarrow multi (this is a very good multi vitamin and mineral in my humble opinion), with the exception of Omega 6 (which I am thinking of finding a better fish oil supplement with an Omega 3 & 6 combo formula to supplement this). Hopefully this will get me feeling back to normal in no time.

Any thoughts? Here is a good article I found with regards to this condition:

http://planetthrive.com/2010/04/hpuk...me-and-autism/

Thanks!

Jason