PROTOMORPHOGEN (PMG) THERAPY
At Atrium Health Services
From the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s in the United States seemed to enjoy something of a renaissance in natural healing. Drs. B. J. Palmer (chiropractic), William Garner Sutherland (cranial manipulation), Major Bertrand De Jarnette (Sacro Occipital Technic -SOT® Methods of Healing) and Andrew Taylor Still (osteopathy) all pioneered insights into the healing processes of the human body. Drs. Weston Price, Francis Marion Pottenger and Royal Lee were some of the major developers of concepts in nutritional therapies that have endured to this day.
The Price Pottenger Foundation and Standard Process Inc. continue to disseminate information and products based on these nutritional geniuses. Another formidable health pioneer was Dr. Major Bertrand De Jarnette, founder of Sacro Occipital Technic (SOT®).
In one of his 134 books, Occipital Fiber Nutrition, Dr. De Jarnette delineated an excellent distinction between nutritional therapy and vitaminology. Much of the nutritional information and techniques utilized today would fall under Dr. De Jarnette’s vitaminology category. Often chemical substances or combinations of nutritional ingredients are used to compensate for deficiencies. Theoretically based formulations of specific nutrients are claimed to have specific healing effects. At other times individual ingredients are used in high concentrations to stimulate a particular biochemical pathway. For example, Vitamin C is essential in certain steps of the body’s immune response; therefore, megadoses of Vitamin C may be used to stimulate an immune response. Some other nutritional therapies use products to augment or facilitate the body’s own natural healing process.
In addition certain foods have been noted to have specific healing effects. All of the aforementioned researchers cited the healing effects of proper diet and whole foods. Anyone interested in health and healing would reap great benefits by becoming thoroughly acquainted with whole foods healing and the writings of each of these acclaimed physicians.
Standard Process Inc. formulates nutritional products in accordance with the principles and understanding developed by Dr. Royal Lee. One of Dr. Lee’s numerous innovations was to develop a line of therapeutic agents that he called “Protomorphogens” (PMG’s). Through Dr. Lee’s dedication to understanding the powers of nutritional healing, he developed the theory that specific protein chains are capable of encouraging certain healing processes in the body. Specifically, Dr. Lee extracted intact DNA from the nucleus of certain animal tissues. His first extract was that of heart tissue. The product that resulted is called Cardiotrophin PMG.
Dr. Lee had to invent the machinery capable of extracting the intact DNA chains without destroying them. This patented process is still used today and is unique to Standard Process. It is interesting to note that some 50+ years later, modern-day medical scientists have become interested in the same fundamental concepts. This is the rationale behind genetic engineering. If certain DNA strands can be incorporated into the corn plant it may then have the ability to boost immunity of the person eating the genetically-engineered corn.
Lee concluded that many such compounds can already be found in nature as long as they are extracted in their intact and pure form. Therefore, when a person has a problem related to a specific organ function, ingestion of the appropriate protomorphogen made from that particular gland or organ may be useful in facilitating that individual’s self- healing and self-regenerating capacity. Practitioners and patients utilizing these products have often reported favorable results for more than 75 years. Protomorphogens are available only through licensed healthcare professionals. PMG’s are usually in tablet form and are taken orally as a nutritional supplement.
Protomorphology and Autoimmune Dysfunction
Dr. Lee also theorized many decades ago that one of the major causes of human ailments is autoimmune dysfunction. He theorized that the same protomorphogens used to revitalize organs and tissues could also be utilized to identify and treat autoimmune conditions. The physiology demonstrating the benefits of Dr. Lee’s theories was not available for some 50+ years. Even when he did not understand the exact mechanism, Dr. Lee knew his theories should work. The fact that scientific research is uncovering some of the underlying mechanisms that may explain why Dr. Lee’s theories and protocols are often effective lends credence to his research conclusions of many decades ago.
In the early days of genetics, it was generally accepted that when a cell divides, it makes an absolute perfect replica of itself. Later it was realized that if we are stressed, for example, we do not have all the proper nutrients and raw materials available, or possibly due to a host of unidentified factors, cellular replication in humans may not be as perfect as we had once thought. As the body is producing its replacement cells, it will place a high priority on getting the job done in a timely fashion even if this means slight imperfections are produced because the right nutrients are not available or because of physiological stress, the cell will be replicated anyway. The resulting newly-created cell may have imperfections that may in turn alter that cell’s function or may be simply a “cosmetic” imperfection on the outside surface of the cell.
Not too long ago, another key ingredient of autoimmune dysfunction was discovered: the immune response cells float through the bloodstream. Recently it was found that the immune system identifies the differences between foreign invaders and its own body parts by touch. In other words, the immune cells touch the cellular membrane of everything that they come into contact with and compare that touch to the body’s unique blueprint. By this process of recognition, the immune system deciphers between its own body parts and foreign invaders.
If a foreign invader is identified, an immune response is enacted. If the immune cell identifies another cell as “self”, then no action is taken. However, if there is a sick, ailing, malnourished or stressed organ, it may not have had all of the resources to reproduce perfect cellular membranes. The immune system may therefore identify the sick organ as not quite part of its own body. The sick organ is not so different as to require a huge immune response such as a cold, flu or an infected cut, but it may warrant at least some intervention. In such circumstances, the immune system mounts a response against the healthy organ in order to help “clean up” the debris it identifies through its touch identification process. This is not a full-scale attack on the sick organ but instead a partial immune response in an attempt to rid the body of the defective materials as identified by the immune bodies. The result, however, is added stress to the already ailing organ or tissue.
Several points of clarification are in order. This is not a full-blown immune attack as we see in some circumstances such as a cold, influenza or a pus-filled skin infection. The results are often vague, unidentifiable or generalized complaints. Secondly, it should also be realized that this is not the fault of an overactive immune system. These circumstances do not warrant the use of immune suppressors or inhibitors. Too often the immune system is blamed for these kinds of problems when it is actually just doing its job.
The Use of P.M.G.’s in Subclinical Autoimmune Dysfunction
Realizing the potential value of Protomorphogens (P.M.G.) in the treatment of subclinical autoimmune dysfunction, Dr. Lee formulated a specific protocol in an attempt to identify and treat such circumstances. The diagnostic test for autoimmune dysfunction is to observe the response to the ingestion of the protomorphogen. If an individual is suffering from some degree of subclinical autoimmune dysfunction, the PMG’s will tend to have a specific collection of possible responses.
Simply put, upon the ingestion of PMG’s the person with an autoimmune dysfunction will either 1) tend to feel better, 2) tend to feel worse or 3) have a delayed response. On those rare occasions when the response is significantly delayed, the person may require a long-term administration of PMG’s in order to elicit the healing response. However, a great majority of the time, within a very few days to a week, an observable response will be experienced.
The ideal response is that the individual consuming the proper P.M.G. will simply feel better. Should this occur, the strategy is to simply keep taking the Protomorphogens. PMG’s for this purpose are best taken on an empty stomach. This allows for the specific DNA chains contained in the protomorphogen to be absorbed into the bloodstream intact without being broken down by the digestive system. DNA or protein structures of PMGs can be broken down by an active digestive process in the stomach, pancreas, etc. By taking these products on an empty stomach, there is not enough material to elicit the typical digestive response. Therefore, the supplements are transported to the gut intact and may be absorbed into the bloodstream and then migrate to the organ intact without being altered.
The typical test is to take two of the PMG’s on an empty stomach, three times a day between meals. One effective strategy is to take two upon waking and two at bedtime. The other two can be taken sometime during the day without direct ingestion of other foods. The standard rule is to ingest Protomorphogens at least two hours after eating or at least one-half hour prior to eating.
If after a few days or even after the first dose, if indeed you feel an improvement in energy, well-being or your specific complaints, then it is appropriate to continue ingesting the PMG on an ongoing basis. The current opinion is that a treatment of six months to two years should be considered. The exact length of the therapeutic intervention should be discussed with your physician and is dependent upon many factors, including your response and the severity of the condition.
If indeed a positive response is realized, the physician will often recommend that a patient take five to six PMGs first thing in the morning on a routine basis instead of two tablets three times a day between meals. This is simply because most individuals are not disciplined enough to maintain this regime for an extended period of time. I personally have never been successful at the two tablets three-times-a-day regimented program. The exact specifics of your dosage of course should be monitored individually dependent upon your response. Occasionally some individuals do not optimally respond to the five-to-six-tablets-in-the-morning routine. Some individuals must adhere to the two tablets three times a day between meals for optimum benefits. Fortunately this is rare, but the exact dosage and regimen must be determined on an individual basis.
The current theory is that if you indeed feel better from taking a Protomorphogens, it is because the PMG in the gut is found by the immune system cells circulating the bloodstream seeking out the target malformed cells. Because the human intestinal system has a profuse blood supply, many of the immune cells will find the Protomorphogens in the gut. The Protomorphogens resembles the target ailing organ or gland sufficiently that some of the immune response that has previously been attempting to clean up the debris of the ailing organ will be distracted to the Protomorphogens in the gut. This distraction of the immune response takes a load off the weakened organ or tissue, and the response experienced by the patient is to simply feel better.
When such a response occurs, it is typically fairly obvious. Most of the time, such a positive response is experienced within three days. Sometimes it may take somewhat longer. If this occurs, then continued therapy by ingestion of the Protomorphogens is indicated.
Depending on the circumstances, the patient and physician may also decide to feed the ailing organ with specific nutrition in order to assist the rebuilding of the organ, assuring ultimate recovery. This strategy represents a twofold approach: de-stressing the organ by utilizing the PMG between meals and rebuilding the organ by taking other nutritional complexes with meals. For example with adrenal dysfunction Drenatrophin PMG is taken between meals while Drenamin is taken with meals.
The other response to the therapeutic trial of a P.M.G. is that the patient feels somehow worse. The literature often describes this experience as a “histamine” type response, that is itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing kind of allergic response. In my experience, this is not the most common of responses to the more severe autoimmune dysfunction.
Simply put, in a more severe subclinical autoimmune condition the patient feels worse by taking the PMG. Luckily, this effect is typically limited to five to ten minutes in length. Therefore, the patient does not need to experience prolonged discomfort in order to identify the autoimmune condition. The practitioner should be aware, however, that in some extreme cases or sensitive individuals, more prolonged exacerbations are possible. This should not present a deterrent to this form of therapy, but alert one to the need for developing an individualized dosage regime.
The initial trial is identical: two tablets are taken three times a day between meals for the first three days. In my experience, the responses are as different as there are individuals. Some people may feel mood changes or fatigue. Others may feel the classic histamine response, sort of like an allergy. Others may experience an exacerbation of whatever symptoms have been their main concern. This may include anything conceivable dependent upon the individual’s health history.
Sometimes these responses are not evidenced until the third day of the Protomorphogens trial. Therefore, it is important to continue through the three-day process if you did not experience adverse effect earlier. If one experiences any adverse effects from the ingestion of Protomorphogens, there are two major strategies that can be engaged.
In the literature it is often recommended that one simply “tough out” the negative response to the Protomorphogens ingestion. This is not in any way harmful and over time is therapeutic. The body will simply become strong enough that the histamine response is not an issue. However, there is luckily a much simpler solution.
The “negative” response to the ingestion of a Protomorphogens is because the liver is suddenly responsible for breaking down more of the toxic byproducts of the positive effects of the Protomorphogens. Histamines are released and can make the patient feel bad. This “reaction” can be alleviated quite simply by the ingestion of another Standard Process product called Antronex.
Antronex is based upon a 20th Century discovery in Japan of Yakitron, which is an active ingredient that facilitates certain functions of the liver. It allows this organ to break down the histamine reactions more efficiently, therefore alleviating the symptoms. There is no reason to experience the symptomatic reactions to the Protomorphogen therapy. The solution is to simply take equal numbers of the Antronex along with the Protomorphogens. In very rare cases, more Antronex may be needed to nullify any of the unpleasant reactive symptoms to the PMG without compromising the positive effects. This variation in dosage must be identified on an as-needed and individual basis.
As previously described, when the more extreme autoimmune dysfunction is identified and PMG therapy is used to treat such an issue, the target organ may be supplemented at mealtime by the appropriate nutritional complexes.
Identification of Specific Autoimmune Dysfunction
The identification of the appropriate target organ in a situation of autoimmune dysfunction is occasionally fairly obvious but usually a bit mysterious. The function of various organs and glands are extremely intimate and interdependent in the normal human physiological system. Therefore, almost any dysfunction can literally cause almost any symptom. The best of physicians trained in the study of Protomorphology often can narrow down a patient’s dysfunction to three to five systems. This still requires a “trial and error” kind of process in an attempt to identify the major target dysfunctional system.
Protomorphology can be an amazing and effective way of treating symptoms of disease and/or promoting health or well-being. The physicians at Atrium Health Services are pioneers in the use of Protomorphology. Consult with any one of the qualified practitioners to determine whether or not you are a candidate for treatment of subclinical autoimmune dysfunction or health enhancement through Protomorphology.
Joseph F Unger Jr DC, FICS
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