First, I am NOT a medical professional. I am best described as a mathematician, a librarian and statistician.  I know how to shove numbers around, I know how to research, I know how to painfully logical. Anything on this site should be discussed with a medical professional before doing.

On my last post, a reader asked a stack of questions — these are my  thoughts on them.

Holy moly, I have so many questions! I have diagnosed RA and AS but none of the prescriptions they have ever given me over the years have done anything. This site has been much better at reducing symptoms and pain with suggestions.

Thank you for sharing that this site has benefited you.

Anyway, I’m currently taking Biotin, Kelp, Choline w Inositol (and two eggs and almonds everyday), 5HTP, Selenium, Zinc, GABA, Whey, Magnesium w B6, Quercetin w Resveratrol, Ashwaganda, Spezzata, COQ10, flaxseed… have been since March before this Ubiome in April. It’s now July. I’m wondering if I should stop taking some things? So many things here are extremely high! I just ordered N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine, now I’m thinking I better not take it?

The endProducts is just 1/2 of a balance: there are consumers and there are producers.  Low B12 production combined with Low B12 consumption may result in normal B12 levels. Think of a married couple with low earning but a frugal life style — they may have an excellent credit rating! Attempting to work on consumers is on my to-do list.

Perhaps I should add b-12 and pomegranate to the regimen? I’m not sure what 2,3-Butanediol and Formic acid is, or Phenylacetic acid. How would I or should I bother to try and raise those levels?

My thoughts comes from being the son of a farmer, you can have a good looking crop driving by in a car. You get the best crop when the soil has all of the nutrients needed by the crops. I view that having adequate levels of these end products will help to rebalance the microbiome — after all, how can some of the weak healthy bacteria retake your gut when it is starving or on low-rations?

Next, Wikipedia is your friend.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylacetic_acid “found predominantly in fruits….and used as an antimicrobial.  “
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3-Butanediol  ” It is found naturally in cocoa butter, in the roots of Ruta graveolens, sweet corn, and in rotten mussels. ” (skip the rotten mussels please!)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic_acid   “A major use of formic acid is as a preservative and antibacterial agent in livestock feed.”

A second friend can be Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Doing a site search with google:
site:www.botanic.cam.ac.uk formic acid

find that Formic Acid is in Urtica dioica (stinging nettle). This may be purchased as a supplement.

Not being a medical professional, I cannot answer the question “Perhaps I should add b-12 and pomegranate to the regimen?“.  I can suggest that experiments are good if you keep good records. Experiments are better, when you share the results.

Is it good to have low Trimethylamine?

Again over to wikipedia as a starting point, Trimethylamine” In humans, it is synthesized exclusively by gut microbiota from dietary nutrients such as choline and carnitine” I could find no literature dealing with low levels, very high levels (usually associated with a DNA defect) is associated with fish odor syndrome.

What the heck is Propionate and Phloroglucinol and how would I ever lower that if that’s even needed to be lowered? A quick search shows some studies that say it’s beneficial to have high.

Again, to wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propionate “Propionate is observed to be among the most common short-chain fatty acids produced by human gut microbiota in response to indigestible carbohydrates (fiber) in the diet.^[2]” so to reduce, cut back carbohydrates seems reasonable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phloroglucinol  “The bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens produces phloroglucinol, phloroglucinol carboxylic acid and diacetylphloroglucinol.^[14]… It is also used as a treatment for gallstones, spasmodic pain and other related gastrointestinal disorders.^[15][16]“

So, the question arises, do you want to reduce it? If you  do, see this page on modifiers of pseudomonas.

My worst symptoms are brain fog of doom, lack of focus, concentration, and understanding words when spoken. Weird anger. Horrible fatigue. Bad depression. Swollen joints are the worst pain in my hands. Those are the main concerns and are a bit better than without these things but still debilitating.

My initial impression is that a SPECT scan has a 80% probability of showing hypoperfusion in the brain (i.e. low/slow penetration of blood into the brain tissue). There are multiple possible causes:

• Build up of fibrin fragments — there are fibinolytics (fibrin disolvers)
• Vascular constrictions — there are vascular dilators (my own usual is flushing niacin)
• High blood viscosity — slow moving blood, think of oil versus water, I recall Alpha Lipoic Acid is one non-prescription supplement that can help with this.
• Inflammation
• etc

Again, by law, I can only suggestions/topics to discuss with your licensed medical professional.

Sorry about all the questions!! But I would love some answers!

This is an education post to facilitate discussing this approach with your medical professionals. It is not medical advice for the treatment of any medical condition. Always consult with your medical professional before doing any  changes of diet, supplements or activity. Some items cites may interfere with prescription medicines.