Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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Ever heard of Sulfur Oxidation problems? My well-known Osteopath has not and doesn't appear inclined to do any research on her own. (Her treatments have not helped me so far, 4 months in).So now, Dr. Google has diagnosed me and I am thinking of buying in.

Although I believe my tummy troubles started with a over the top dose of the antibiotic Levequin (thanks mother in law!), my symptoms really hit the fan when I started paleo (I was mostly vegetarian SAD:mac and cheese/toast for 5 years before). I started eating tons of meat, tons of greens, and tons of broccoli, onions, garlic, etc. (Basically a ton of sulfur rich foods).Basically I have leaky gut, leading to food intolerances, leading to gas/bloating/constipation/rumbly stomach/inflammation/joint pain from hell). Yes, I have been tested for damn near everything and tried everything from probitiocs (good bye 1K$) to autohemotherapy to acupuncture and much more.

So why on earth do I think I am having a poor sulfur oxidation problem? (often confused with sulfite intolerance). I have an allergy to sulfa drugs, a hair test showed sky high levels of sulfur, and not eating the high sulfur foods (except meat..which apparently comes with all the necessary stuff to make the oxidation process go well) had been the very first improvement I have seen in 3 years. (0 inflammation, for the first time I can touch my ribs and stomach without pain, 50% less on other symptoms).

So why not just stick with it and let the results speak for themselves? Sulfur, unlike gluten, is necessary and healthy. By avoiding those foods I could risk further health complications. Any feedback would be great!! Thanks!!

Here is a link to the foods I have been not eating at all. Here is a link to more information on the issue.

Here are the two tests I want to take: Not sure which one to choose for finding out if I have this issue. Test 1 and Test 2

edited Jul 14 2011 at 20:26

asked Jul 14 2011 at 19:21

Senneth
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	@Senneth, its seems like your determination will work out the best solution for you (hopefully some of the folks will help too!) Hang in there, sounds like you are doing something right, follow your intuition!! Great you are seeing some improvement!!! – Kelly Jul 14 2011 at 20:11
	I am so so determined! Thanks Kelly! – Senneth Jul 14 2011 at 20:27
	Just in case anyone follows up on this, I had a homocysteine blood test and my levels were normal! So no sulfur intolerance! It might be that I had a food allergy to one of the foods I limited on this trial (like coffee, leafy greens, brocc/cali, or even onions/garlic), which provided a bit of improvement for about a month. – Senneth Aug 3 2011 at 22:37

The Quilt · Answer 1 · 2011-07-14 23:25:37Z UTC

Sulfur intolerance is a misnomer. Most with this issue have a problem with foods with a high level of free thiol groups. It also tends to walk hand and hand with Hg toxicity and Selenium deficiency and severe thyroid dysfunction.

The thiol groups allow the Hg to become free in vivo and cause the symptoms. The food does not have to have high sulfur levels to cause this. The most common causes of this in the USA are coffee and chocolate in my experience.

The diagnosis is suspected in those with high Mercury levels. Chelation is the best treatment for this.

We used to have an easy screening test called a plasma cysteine test but it is no longer available to my knowledge. So now you have to do a sulfur exclusion test. Pain in the ass too. In the old days when plasma cysteine was up we would just put you on glutamine and glycine supplements and this would convert the cysteine to glutathione in vivo and it worked real well.

The real reason this is a big issue for paleo folks is many of the foods advocated in paleo 1.0 books have to be eliminated due to the sulfur intolerance. For example, and milk of any kind, kale, sauerkraut, artichokes, eggs, cream, turmeric, spinach, whey, garlic broccoli, cauliflower, onions and all cheeses of any sort.

Kinda sucks.

Good Luck.

Tyson · Answer 2 · 2011-10-23 10:19:27Z UTC

I've been suffering the same symptoms for years, you may need to get rid of (or reduce) the sulphur reducing bacteria in the large intestine/colon. Try Bismuth Subsalicylate [Kaopectate doesn't have added aluminium like Pepto-Bismol], while you continue on your low thiol diet. Make sure you supplement with the molybdenum, it's required for Sulfite Oxidase, try the liquid form: Ammonium Molybdate.

Jaime Walsh · Answer 3 · 2012-06-27 05:40:08Z UTC

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Have you ever been tested for a CBS mutation or a SUOX mutation? Both can cause your body to not tolerate sulfur, it breaks it down to sulfite and sulfates and causes more ammonia in your body.

answered Jun 27 at 5:40

Jaime Walsh
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Joseph · Answer 4 · 2012-11-26 22:17:48Z UTC

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I have similar issues as you do, but mine started with a dose of Cipro (same family as Levaquin). It is possible that these drugs somehow alter our ability to process sulfur(?).

answered Nov 26 at 22:17

Joseph
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Chris · Answer 5 · 2013-01-04 21:24:17Z UTC

I suffer from a sulfur intolerance as well casusing me extreme gas bloating and very bad skin out breaks. I am fairly convinced that this is due to an overgrowth of sulfate reducing bacteria in my intestines like Tyson mentioned.

I am at the point where I am considering a fecal transplant to reconsitute the flora in my intestine.

cheri · Answer 6 · 2013-04-24 23:10:48Z UTC

Hey....Please contact me! Your story has touched me and I want to talk to you about the levaquin that you took. HAve you ever come across the FB Groups Fluoroquinolone Toxicity? Email me at cherbabe78@gmail.com. I've been suffering ever since taking Cipro, and there are thousands of people together with support groups to help each other. Levaquin, along with cipro, are devestating drugs. I am also just starting out the low sulfer diet, after working with a new doctor regarding Genetic Mutations. He started us on the low sulfer diet and are working to get our genetic mutations working again. IF you have a CBS pathway malfunction, sulur isn't tolerated.

Hans · Answer 7 · 2013-05-06 13:19:39Z UTC

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I think your problem is related to an epigenetic mutation in You methylation pathways. Test for MTHFR at spectra cell labs The genes are called 1298 and 677.

answered May 6 at 13:19

Hans
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Sulfur Intolerance (AKA Poor Sulfur Oxidation) -ever heard of it?

7 Answers