Posted by TENA/MERMIE on 7/29/2007, 12:58 am, in reply to "Re: CFIDS#10" burning sensations, numbness, and pain and weakness which would be greatly exacerbated by standing for only a few These symptoms were progressive until I began weekly supplements of ******* 4000mcg tablets of vitamin B12 ( smaller doses were ineffective) My response to the B12 was dramatic with a very rapid improvement in *******I found however, that if I did not take the B12 weekly I would This continued for several months when I then found I could discontinue Vitamin B12 blood tests which were not done until after I began B12 *********This led to the suggestion that I was malabsorbing B12, however a The reasons for these observations have never been determined. However, since toxins produce their toxic effects by disrupting normal In view of the ability of ciguatera to destroy nerve tissue, it is indeed *********Futhermore, various neurological disorders have been linked to a Ciguatera Prevention There is however, a home test kit available for those consumers who wish The cost of this five test kit though, $AUD120.00, would seem to preclude Since it is has been demonstrated that ciguatoxins may be absorbed Ciguatera may be caused by some 400 different species of tropical reef However, the idea that ciguatera is merely a tropical disease which is Tropical fish are marketed throughout the world and some species, like In Australia for instance, there have been numerous outbreaks of ciguatera The species of fish which may cause ciguatera include those listed below http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm and search for ciguatera under topic search. Spanish mackerel Some fish, such as red bass ( bohar snapper ) and paddletail, may be Although it is often considered that so called pelagic fish ( ie. fish Certain commercially important species from the tuna and mackerel family These include both skipjack tuna and dog tooth tuna as well as the various Even pelagic fish like tuna may frequent coastal areas during certain Skipjack tuna in particular, is a well known cause of ciguatera poisoning This is extremely important since the dark fleshed skipjack is by far the This compares to 32% for yellow fin tuna and 6% for albacore tuna Although the white fleshed albacore, and also the yellow fin, neither of *******It should be noted however, that the species of choice for 'white' canned tuna is albacore tuna while the darker fleshed forms of canned tuna may contain skipjack, The implications of all this for the fish consumer are clear. Since it is impossible to say where a given fish has been, or where its As has been aptly noted, "any fish living in the sea may be a potential Having said this however, it is clear that the risk of ciguatera may be Although I would otherwise suggest that fish is by far the best form of This is especially true for those who have become sensitised to
These symptoms included
minutes.
vitality and well being and a more gradual improvement in the neurological
symptoms.
relapse.
the B12 with no repercussions.
supplements, revealed that my B12 levels were in the low end of the normal
range, even less than 24 hours after taking the vitamin.
subsequent vitamin B12 absorption test was normal.
metabolic pathways, it would not surprise if there was some kind of interaction
between ciguatoxins and vitamin B12.
interesting to note that high doses of methylcobalamin, the active form of
vitamin B12, has recently been shown to stimulate regeneration of damaged nerve
tissue
deficiency of methylcobalamin
Since ciguatoxins are unaffected by cooking or processing of food and
contaminated fish is not detectable by appearance, taste, or smell prevention
of this disorder can only be achieved by avoiding contaminated fish .
to reduce the risk of ciguatera by testing the fish before it is consumed
its use for routine testing.
directly through the skin the possibility of contracting ciguatera as a result
of the repeated handling of the organs of ciguatoxic fish should also be borne
in mind. According to Codella ( pers. comm. ), a marine biologist, strict
hygiene should be exercised to prevent the possibility of this type of
occurrence.
fish around the world , and, in theory at least, the avoidance of these species
will considerably lower the risk of falling victim to ciguatera.
confined to an area between 35šN and 35šS of the equator is no longer tenable.
skipjack tuna and dolphin fishmay also migrate considerable distances.
poisoning in Sydney, 63 people being affected in one outbreak and even as far
south as Melbourne
For a more comprehensive list of species go to
Dog tooth tuna
Skipjack tuna
Pacific kingfish
Barracuda
Trigger fish
Jacks
Snapper(Lutjanidae)
Various species of cod or groper
Sea bass
Reef shark
Moray eel
Coral trout
Dolphin fish
Trevally
Sea perch
Parrotfish
Surgeon fish
Yellowtail
Mullet
Pigeye shark
Of these fish, large carnivorous reef inhabiting fish such as the
barracuda are generally considered the most toxic species ) although pelagic
fish like the Spanish mackerel seem to cause the most outbreaks of ciguatera
banned from sale in some localities
which prefer the open sea ) are free from the risk of ciguatera, this is not
necessarily true
for instance, are known conveyors of ciguatera, so much so in fact, that in
Queensland, 65% of ciguatera cases are caused by pelagic fish such as mackerel
species of mackerel
seasons or when breeding
(
most commercially important species of tuna in the world, comprising 50% of the
total world tuna trade in 1999
which are a known cause of ciguatera, are the preferred species for the canning
industry the use of skipjack for canning has been blamed for ciguatera poisoning
resulting from the consumption of canned tuna.
yellowfin, or bluefin
dietary victims have been, it is impossible to guarantee the absolute safety of
a particular fish.
vector of ciguatoxin
minimised by selecting a suitable species of fish.
animal protein for those who require it, after having had ciguatera for more
than 12 months I am now compelled to conclude that the consumption of any fish
is simply not worth the risk.
ciguatoxins.
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