Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Speech Issues and the Glutathione Component


I've been wondering about my son's glutathione levels lately. We had run out of glutathione cream, and hadn't reordered it to try to see if it actually did anything positive for Caleb. He was off it for about 3 weeks, and his speech progressively got worse, less defined, less spontaneous. Finally, I had some old Kirkman's glutathione, and I put some on my son to see if we could find something to improve his speech. Truly, within 20 minutes, his speech was much clearer and spontaneous. I then decided I needed to up the glutathione to twice a day if it is helping that much. That's where we're at now. I'm upping it to twice daily to see if improvements are noted.


You know, if it ends up helping, what's to prevent me from putting it on 3 times, then 4 times a day, etc. It got me thinking about how to raise glutathione. I know that vitamin C and N-A-C (n-acetyl-cysteine) both are supposed to be precursers to glutathione. But, since Caleb does NOT do well on vitamin C, I'll have to try the NAC. Also, I know that a new study came out (I'll have to see if I can find it for the website) about how chelation with DMSA raises glutathione for weeks by just one round. So.....until I start the NAC, I'm doing another round of chelation for which Caleb already seems happier at least. Is it the glutathione from the DMSA or something else??? I also know about the glutathione IV's, but it just isn't practical for us since the nearest DAN is over 3 hours away.


As I sit here researching glutathione, I see that whey in milk is a precurser. Now that is not possible with most autistics, since a strict GFCF is key. However, my son is actually on milk products, just not straight milk, and not a lot per day. Wheat has always been his major "no-no", not so much milk. One day last summer during a post-tball celebration, after allowing my son to have an icecream cone, he acted so normal and was playing tag with the other t-ball kids. I wondered what could this be. I now wonder if it didn't have something to do with glutathione. Not quite sure I want to increase his milk intake, but I'll have to think some more about it. Now if I could get my hands on that raw milk.....!


For now it will be glut. cream, try NAC, and more regular chelation. Hopefully, it will improve speech!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! Just wondering how the NAC went? My son also cannot tolerate vitamin C and our DAN has recommended NAC to raise glutathione levels....thanks.

Jen B said...

Thanks for asking! You know...the NAC seems sometimes helpful and othertimes either no improvement or worsening in behavior. It is often how it is for my son. What works great once, or every now and then, just doesn't fit the equation forever or even in a pattern. I just don't know if his glutathione levels are always low. It's a puzzle I'm still working on figuring out. Wish I could be more help! I would say...try it and see what happens, but also be willing to pull it on days where it doesn't show improvement.

garlandofgrace said...
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Unknown said...

Hey I started with the NAC cream and also change his diet to gluten free and started given cod oil he start speaking more an behave better