Elevations in Nitrates in CFS - What It Could Mean As Biomarker!

A recent study has shown that nitrates increase significantly after exercise in CFS patients. Typically, nitrate elevations rise during inflammation. Outside sources of nitrates usually come from food sources. According to Wipedia - Nitrate toxicosis occurs through the metabolism of nitrate to ammonia in humans and if nitrates in CFS are significantly elevated this may stress the nitrate detoxification system.....

"In vivo conversion of nitrates to nitrites significantly enhances nitrates' toxic potency. The major metabolic pathway for nitrate is conversion to nitrite, and then to ammonia. Approximately 5%–10% of the total nitrate intake is converted to nitrite by bacteria in the saliva, stomach, and small intestine." (ATSDR) Thus, the production of elevated levels of nitrates could lead to elevations in ammonia. Ammonia has been implicated in diseases including autism and augment complications associated with metabolic defects.

As many of you know I have written extensively about ammonia and hyperammonemia in these conditions. Recently it has been demonstrated that odors through a protein CRF acts on the pathway NO/cGMP. This pathway has a number or responsibilities including activation downstream proteins as well as regulating blood flow and behavior. As I am sure you know, alterations in blood flow have been associated with CFS. This pathway is disrupted by high levels of ammonia - it has significant influence on a number of health conditions and also
behavior.

HEIRS H&H

Source: Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM)
Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity
What Is the Biological Fate of Nitrate?
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/nitrate/no3biologic_fate.html

Suárez, A., Guillamo, E., Roig, T., Blázquez, A., Alegre, J., Bermúdez, J., Ventura, J. L. L., García-Quintana, A. M. M., Comella, A., Segura, R., and Javierre, C. (2010). Nitric oxide metabolite production during exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study. Journal of women's health (2002).
http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/7192750