In this week’s Q&A, I focused on modified citrus pectin for detoxification, vitamin D and PTH in autoimmunity, and why food sensitivity testing can be so challenging. We also covered gut healing protocols, the problems with plant based protein powders, and my personal experience with LifeWave patches.
As always, this is for general education. It’s not medical advice. I’m not practicing medicine via Q&A.
Here’s what we covered…
Modified Citrus Pectin for Heavy Metal Detox
Modified citrus pectin isn’t something I use frequently in the practice. Our standard protocols are producing excellent results, so I haven’t found the need to incorporate it routinely. That said, I think it’s a solid product for certain patients, and combining it with mineral balancing could enhance outcomes. The specifics of who would benefit most and exactly how to implement it are still being worked out.
Vitamin D, PTH, and Magnesium Relationships
Here’s the key concept. Higher doses of vitamin D drive parathyroid hormone down, and PTH serves as a better marker of vitamin D activity than serum levels alone. This matters because your serum vitamin D number doesn’t tell the whole story about how well vitamin D is actually functioning in your body.
I’ve adopted this approach from Cicero Coimbra, MD PhD, creator of the Coimbra protocol, who pioneered using PTH to guide high dose vitamin D therapy. We’re now applying this same principle in our autoimmunity program. While I like to see vitamin D around 50 in most patients, I’m using significantly higher doses for autoimmune cases. With these patients, I’m not concerned if serum vitamin D gets very elevated. Instead, I’m tracking patient progress and watching what happens with PTH.
There’s an important complication though. PTH can be elevated for reasons other than low vitamin D activity, particularly other micronutrient deficiencies. My solution is comprehensive. I review exactly what patients eat every single day to understand their nutritional intake. Then I layer in minerals and vitamins based on lab findings, covering all the potential deficiencies that could interfere with using PTH as a vitamin D marker. I’m looking at serum levels of magnesium, copper, and zinc, plus hair mineral analysis for a complete picture. The goal is optimizing all micronutrients simultaneously, then using vitamin D to push PTH to whatever level is needed to address the disease process.
Food Sensitivity and Allergy Testing
Food sensitivity and allergy testing is challenging, and I want to address why. Patients routinely test positive for foods, eliminate them, and don’t see dramatic improvements. There are two main reasons this happens. First, the food may not have been significantly impacting how they felt despite the positive test. Second, and this is critical, they likely didn’t fully eliminate it because it was hiding in additives and ingredients they weren’t aware of.
Corn, soy, wheat, and dairy are everywhere. Truly eliminating these requires cooking from scratch at home with single ingredients. That means picking individual spices off the rack rather than using spice blends, and building soups from base ingredients rather than opening a premade mix. It’s considerably more work, but the outcomes are dramatically better. I don’t want anyone making the mistake of thinking they’re not reactive to a food just because elimination didn’t help. Contamination you weren’t aware of is often the real problem.
For very sick patients seeking significant progress, I recommend meticulous avoidance of positive test foods through home cooking with single ingredients. How important is this? It depends on your goals. Healthier patients are less likely to notice major improvements from avoidance. Sicker patients tend to see more profound results. It becomes a personal decision about how much you want to get better versus how much work you’re willing to put in. But understand this: if you’re a patient and I recommend avoiding something and you don’t, we may make zero progress. We could be sitting together months later, spinning our wheels with no traction. These reactions are that powerful.
I’ve also seen the opposite. Some patients have had 90 percent of their problems resolved by following their test results. Listen to my podcast with Sina McCullough if you haven’t already. She’s a biochemistry PhD who nearly died from treatment resistant rheumatoid arthritis. Within days of an allergy test revealing her triggers, she was up and gardening. And yes, she was reacting to healthy foods. We now use the MRT test and are getting excellent results with it.
Supporting Gut Healing
My standard operating procedure starts with personalized supplementation protocols and X 39 patches. I use the X 39 for just about everything. From there, I add Dr. Stillman’s detox powder and vitamin C. Digestive enzymes are non-negotiable in every case. When serious gut issues are already present, I’ll incorporate bitters and a product called GI Restore.
Protein Powders and Mineral Balance
I’ve learned to completely avoid plant proteins. They’re typically very high in copper, which disrupts both zinc and B6 metabolism. My standard protocol includes zinc for virtually every patient, rarely using less than 30 milligrams daily in adults. This is foundational to everything I do. Without adequate zinc, patients fall behind on their zinc stores and develop problems with heavy metal accumulation, copper accumulation, and a cascade of other issues. Zinc must be balanced based on hair mineral ratios and other minerals, though I won’t get into all those details here.
The copper issue is why I don’t trust plant proteins. While people often talk about soy’s potential for hormone disruption due to phytoestrogens, I’m honestly not sure how significant that is. What I do know is that I see elevated copper in the hair of patients taking plant based proteins, and I want nothing to do with it. The highest copper level I’ve ever seen in the practice was from a patient consuming large quantities of protein bars with plant based protein. If I had to choose a protein bar, I’d go with meat based options like those from Epic Provisions. No commercial relationship there, just my preference.
This is exactly why Dr. Stillman’s Vitality Plus multivitamin multimineral is formulated with high doses of B6 and zinc but zero copper. Patients need the B6 and zinc because copper is actively destroying those nutrients. When you give people adequate B6 and zinc, remarkable things happen. Individual results vary, but that’s been my consistent observation.
Heavy Metal Detox Products
I don’t have personal experience with Quicksilver’s intestinal metal detox product. That said, Chris Shade who founded Quicksilver and formulates all their products went through a severe mercury toxicity experience. I’d love to have him on the podcast to discuss it, but we haven’t coordinated schedules yet. Given his background, I’m confident his product is excellent.
My approach uses Dr. Stillman’s detox powder, digestive enzymes with bile acids, and minerals that help eliminate toxins. Bile acids are particularly effective at removing various toxins from the gut, which is one reason they’re part of every protocol. I’ll add binders when needed. For someone dealing with high mercury burden who wants to try the Quicksilver product, I think it makes complete sense and wouldn’t expect any problems. Whether I’d replace activated charcoal or clay based binders with it would depend entirely on the individual clinical situation.
LifeWave Patches for Health, Energy, Longevity, and Detox
I always start with the X39. The results I’ve seen with this patch are remarkable, which is reflected in what it did for LifeWave as a company. It transformed them from an obscure operation with quality products into the fastest growing company of its kind globally. I’ll use the X39 for nearly any health concern because the outcomes have made me passionate about both the product and the company.
When starting with the X39, commit to as long a trial period as you’re comfortable with financially. Many people try it for just a few months, but there’s also a common pattern of trying it while maintaining poor diet and lifestyle habits. Without adequate minerals and vitamins, your body can’t utilize the patch’s energy effectively. This is exactly why I created the 14 day reset.
It outlines all the dietary and lifestyle foundations needed to get optimal results from the patches.
Without proper minerals and hydration, the patches will either underwhelm you or trigger detox reactions. I want people using them for months, following the company’s rule of thumb of one month for every decade of life. So at 40 years old, that’s four months minimum before deciding whether the patches work for you.
Beyond the X39, my recommendations vary by goal. For energy, I add Energy Enhancer patches or X49, or both together. Athletes consistently report dramatically improved energy, stamina, and endurance with the X39 and X49 combination, which is why it’s sold as a performance bundle. For longevity, I use Alavita regularly.
For detoxification, I combine Aeon and glutathione patches. Patients with severe autoimmunity or significant toxic burden, which are often the same people, get X39, glutathione, and Aeon together. Listen to my friend Ashley’s third podcast episode for her experience using this stack to recover from living in a water damaged moldy home. She had excellent results, and this combination has emerged from numerous detoxification cases in my practice.
My personal daily protocol includes X39, X49, Alavita, and Aeon. I’m not actively detoxing but optimizing for energy, longevity, and performance. That’s been my consistent regimen for months now.
Final Thoughts
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Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
Executive Summary
Modified Citrus Pectin can aid in detoxification for some patients.
Vitamin D activity may be better reflected in PTH levels than serum vitamin D levels.
Food sensitivity testing can yield false positives; careful elimination is crucial.
Gut healing requires a combination of personalized supplements and dietary changes.
Testing for gut health can be costly; sometimes, supplements yield better results without testing.
Soy may impact hormones, but copper toxicity from plant proteins is a significant concern.
High doses of vitamin D can be beneficial for patients with autoimmune conditions.
LifeWave patches, especially X39, are effective for energy and longevity.
Individual results vary; personalized approaches are essential in treatment.
Documenting patient outcomes is vital for assessing treatment effectiveness.
