This time, I didn’t see the stark, immediate gains I did last time. By day 10 of the meds (last day), my SIBO symptoms had only improved a little.

A further history of high-functioning adults carrying this SHANK3 variant revealed that many had lifelong diets high in zinc-laden foods, such as oysters and organ meats. Genomics allows for the identification of individuals for preventative and therapeutic effects. For example, individuals with SHANK3 variants would benefit from a higher zinc intake starting at birth or even prenatally if a parent has a known variant. There are no targeted pharmaceutical interventions available for children with SHANK3 variants. As illustrated in the provided cases, utilizing readily available supplements that are generally regarded as safe (GRAS), including natural products, vitamins, lifestyle, and dietary changes, to target SHANK3 and other underlying identified genomic factors, can allow clinicians to help children currently suffering from symptoms. Meanwhile, more specific, molecularly targeted interventions can be explored and developed via traditional pharmaceutical pathways. A small residual amount of damage will remain after each injury, and each new injury leaves residual damage upon the prior injury in a process referred to as cumulative brain injury. The abnormal neurological functioning from cumulative brain injury can occur slowly over time and or rapidly depending on the intensity of the brain injury. Damage to different portions of the brain will result in different outward symptoms such as ADHD, chronic anxiety or gait abnormalities. Changing your diet to a cleaner one is very helpful and can give you great gains, but those gains eventually plateau because diet alone doesn’t solve the root issue, which is a bacterial imbalance. Rather than working directly to increase levels of SHANK3 protein or affect stability, oxytocin is one such molecule that appears to work on downstream pathways such as long-term potentiation [ 35]. Increasing long-term potentiation (LTP) in multiple areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, has been shown to stimulate dendrite maturation and connectivity [ 36]. Decreased dendrite maturation is one of the possible downstream issues in individuals with SHANK3 deficiencies [ 9]. Due to its effects on LTP and its differential expression in the brain, oxytocin was also shown to decrease LTP-mediated pain hypersensitivity, often seen in individuals with ASD [ 36, 37].

Possible Uses

It’s all just been a little (ok, a lot!) overwhelming. I went from being what I thought was “healthy” to being diagnosed with 7 chronic conditions within a year following my Lyme disease diagnosis. I completely understand your frustration! This variant is suggested to increase TCN1 expression, which is associated with lower vitamin B12 levels. This is due to TCN1 carrying 80–90% of serum B12, with the rest being carried by TCN2 to the brain and other organs. Upregulation of TCN1 lowers the B12 available for TCN2 [ 59]. I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Nemechek’s opinion that the vast majority of supplements are a waste of money. With little to no regulation, the supplement industry can be extremely dishonest and scammy.

Don’t let the title fool you, this protocol is for so much more than autism. The Governing Principles Behind Dr. Nemechek’s ProtocolAround Day 5 of taking the antibiotics for SIBO, I noticed a significant decrease in bloating. Now, I’m about 3 weeks post-Rifaximin, and I have little to no bloating anymore. IL1B is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in early development. Additionally, IL1B stimulates other pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL6, and can cross the blood-brain barrier, which can result in alterations of neuroendocrine function.