Urinary Porphyrin Profile

Theory of Urinary Porphyrin Profile

Younger children, in general, have much higher porphyrin values than older children [Shaw2008].

A small percentage (2.8 %) of patients on the autistic spectrum screened by The Great Plains Laboratory showed abnormal porphyrin results. The chelation challenge test is probably a more effective way to screen for heavy metal toxicity [Shaw2008].

Uroporphyrins (UP)

• High levels have been associated with As and Pb exposure [GP2008], [Fowler1978  🕮 ]
• High levels have been associated with Porphyria cutanea tarda [GP2008], [Doss2000  🕮 ]
• High levels are associated with acute intermittent porphyria and porphyria variegate [GP2008], [Doss2000  🕮 ], [Elder1972  🕮 ]

Heptacarboxyporphyrin (7-CP)

• High levels have been associated with Porphyria cutanea tarda [GP2008], [Doss2000  🕮 ]

Hexacarboxyporphyrin (6-CP)

• High levels have been found in Autistic children [GP2008], [Nataf2006  🕮 ]

Pentacarboxyporphyrin (5-CP)

• High levels have been found in Autistic children [GP2008], [Nataf2006  🕮 ]
• High levels have been associated with Hg exposure [GP2008], [Woods1991  🕮 ], [Woods1993  🕮 ], [Woods1996  🕮 ]
• High levels are suggestive of Aluminum exposure [GP2008], [Nasiadek2001  🕮 ]

Precoproporphyrin (PreCP)

• High levels have been found in Autistic children [GP2008], [Nataf2006  🕮 ]
• High levels have been associated with Hg exposure [GP2008], [Woods1991  🕮 ], [Woods1993  🕮 ], [Woods1996  🕮 ]
• According to Doctor's Data, "precoproporphyrin ... elutes after pentacarboxyporphyrin and before coproporphyrins I. [It] has yet to be characterized ... [but] appears to be elevated in Hg-exposed individuals."

Coproporphyrins I, III (CP)

• High levels have been found in Autistic children [GP2008] [Nataf2006  🕮 ]
• High levels have been associated with Hg exposure [GP2008], [Woods1991  🕮 ], [Woods1993  🕮 ], [Woods1996  🕮 ]
• High levels have been associated with As and Pb exposure [GP2008], [Fowler1978  🕮 ]
• High levels are associated with acute intermittent porphyria and porphyria variegate [GP2008], [Doss2000  🕮 ], [Elder1972  🕮 ]

Creatinine

Precoproporphyrins

• Not included in Great Plains Laboratory test results, these are thought to be spurious [Shaw2008].

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References regarding Urinary Porphyrin Profile

      [Doss2000]   Doss MO, Kuhnel A, Gross U. Alcohol and porphyrin metabolism. Alcohol Alcohol. 2000 Mar-Apr;35(2):109-25. PMID: 10787385

      [Elder1972]   Elder GH, Gray CH, Nicholson DC. The porphyrias: a review. J Clin Pathol. 1972 Dec;25(12):1013-33. PMID: 4570617

      [FMU]   Functional Medicine University. Lecture Notes. Full text: https://www.functionalmedicine.net/cmd.php?af=885901

[Sponsored Advertisement] I have taken this program and I highly recommend it to all health-care providers - Orville R. Weyrich, Jr PhD NMD.

      [Fowler1978]   Fowler BA, Mahaffey KR. Interactions among lead, cadmium, and arsenic in relation to porphyrin excretion patterns. Environ Health Perspect. 1978 Aug;25:87-90. PMID: 720307

      [GP2008]   Great Plains Laboratory, William Shaw, Lori Knowles, Kurt Woeller. Physician Practitioner Training (Autism) Lecture Notes and Documentation. Tempe, AZ (8/23/2008 - 8/24/2008). Full text: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com

      [Nasiadek2001]   Nasiadek M, Chmielnicka J, Subdys J. Analysis of urinary porphyrins in rats exposed to aluminum and iron. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2001 Jan;48(1):11-7. PMID: 11161672

      [Nataf2006]   Nataf R, Skorupka C, Amet L, Lam A, Springbett A, Lathe R. Porphyrinuria in childhood autistic disorder: implications for environmental toxicity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2006 Jul 15;214(2):99-108. PMID: 16782144

      [Shaw2008]   William Shaw. Biological Treatments for Autism & PDD, Third Edition. Sunflower Pub (2008). Amazon

      [Woods1991]   Authors. Woods JS, Bowers MA, Davis HA. Urinary porphyrin profiles as biomarkers of trace metal exposure and toxicity: studies on urinary porphyrin excretion patterns in rats during prolonged exposure to methyl mercury. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1991 Sep 15;110(3):464-76. PMID: 1949014

      [Woods1993]   Woods JS, Martin MD, Naleway CA, Echeverria D. Urinary porphyrin profiles as a biomarker of mercury exposure: studies on dentists with occupational exposure to mercury vapor. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1993 Oct-Nov;40(2-3):235-46. PMID: 8230299

      [Woods1996]   Woods JS. Altered porphyrin metabolism as a biomarker of mercury exposure and toxicity. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1996 Feb;74(2):210-5. PMID: 8723034

Unless specifically noted above, references used in the construction of this web page include the following:

[FMU] Lecture notes from Functional Medicine University.

[SCNM] Lecture notes from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.

[UT] Lecture notes from the University of Tennessee graduate programs in Chemistry, Microbiology, and Biochemistry.