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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject: Is anyone using Ambrotose?
This product has been recommended to me. I have not bought it yet because it is expensive. I was told about it by a Chiropractor and he indicated that I should be supplementing with this because I improved cell-to-cell communication. The Companies specific claim is, "Ambrotose complex, Mannatech's unique patent - pending glyconutrient, is a blend of specific plant-derived carbohydrates that contain monosaccharides necessary for cell-to-cell communication and glycosylation which is essential for hormone and energy production."
I don't know anyone with MS who is taking it. Are you? Kim
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:54 pm Post subject: Ambrotose
I was diagnosed in Jan 05 w/ MS. I started on Tysabri before they pulled it off te market. Now I take Rebif and have been since April. Just last week I started taking Ambrotose as a daily suppliment. The only major change that I have noticed so far is that I have more energy. Only time will tell if this will help with my MS. I do have a dear friend who has diabetis who has not had feeling in her feet for 2 years. She started taking it the same time I did and now has feeling in her feet again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I belive that Ambrotose may do just what Mannatech says it will " help the body heal its self" I will keep updateing as I keep taking Ambrotose - good or bad or indifferent. But everything I have read, watched, heard has been good. I'm looking forward to see what happens.
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:59 pm Post subject: Ambrotose suggested for me, too
My massage therapist suggested Ambrotose for me, too, repeating the things you both have noted about their marketing. I think I'll give it a try - my symptoms are minimal (numbness, tingling, weariness, occasional wee limp) but without a diagnosis and a feeling like my neurologist is too conservative, I am in the mood for alternatives that aren't too crazy or expensive.
Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if anyone had tried it.
Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 392 Location: Northern Virginia
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: Worker Bee Needs Direction
Ambrotose is a product that is made and marketed by Mannatech, Inc. They are, interestingly enough a public company and if I google them, a lot of hits pop up. I'm going to google and read stuff about them this weekend.
One of the hits that pops up is from the Rocky Mountain MS Center which has a PowerPoint online that is unclear about Ambrotose. The Ambrotose company, Mannatech says " This nutritional supplement provides raw materials for the body to use to promote optimal cellular communication.* It is a glyconutritional, a blend of specific plant saccharides that provides support for the immune system. These saccharides are necessary for the body's creation of glycoforms, the structures on cell surfaces used to "talk" to other cells." The MS Center's info says that some of the stuff in Ambrotose has been found to possess potent immune stimulating activity.
So perhaps this stuff is not good since the problem of MS is an overly stimulated immune system. I want to sort this out, as best as I can. Cellular communication sounds good, sstimulating the immune system sounds bad.
I'm an MS Fiance. My bride-to-be wants to try Ambrotose. If you can help me to understand all the info, I'll be very happy to dig and ask, then dig somemore. For now, does anyone have more info about this stuff?
napay
Last edited by notasperfectasyou on Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:14 am; edited 3 times in total
Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 392 Location: Northern Virginia
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:27 pm Post subject: A Layman's Review of Glyconutrients
9/29/2007 - Woah! Apparently N-Acetyl Glucosamine just might be really good for folks with MS. I'm now neutral on this, but leaving the lost below intact until the end. I'm sure there will be more coming out soon.
11/06/2007 - Double Woah!! Kim's now taken this stuff (NAG) for a month. We think her walking is worse like a low grade exaserbation. we're going to stop taking the NAG and see what happens.
After making the last post about Ambrotose and getting no responses, I started my own “layman’s” review of whatever information I could find about the stuff. So I’ll start out by saying, I’m an MS Fiancé and not a doctor. See your doctor for medical advice, yada, yada, yada.
The first thing I learned about Ambrotose is that it’s part of a class of products called Glyconutrients. I found an interesting article on the web by Dr. Ralph Moss. Although the article is framed in the context of Ambrotose and Glyconutients and Cancer, it provides a lot of basic information about what Ambrotose is. Here is the link to the entire article - Cancer Decisions - Dr. Ralph Moss Newsletter. The key ingredients in Glyconutrients are 8 sugars: xylose, fucose, galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid. The links for the 8 sugars send you to a website called glyconutrientsreference.com. I e-mailed the site to ask them how is the site is sponsored. The reply I got was that the site is not sponsored but they do run ads, some of which are for Ambrotose. I also asked if the site was run by a company or a non-profit and where they get their information from. I did not get a reply to those questions. I did find a little bit more information at the Berkeley Wellness website. The key thing I’ve noticed so far is that the claims that are made on behalf of Glyconutients pertain to how they enhance the immune system.
Looking back at the glyconutrientsreference.com site again, I thought it would be good to review what some of the claims are as they relate to the immune system. I looked up Lupus, Fibromyalgia and of course Multiple Sclerosis. I noticed that in the explanation of the benefit for Lupus included the following,
Quote:
“When glyconutrients empower the immune system, it can more readily identify and destroy what doesn't belong in the body, reinforcing the body's identity and restoring health. For people with lupus, glyconutrients boost the rate, speed, magnitude and precision of macrophage function, boosting their ability to identify and destroy tumour cells, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses.”
Similarly the explanation of the benefit for Fibromyalgia included the following,
Quote:
“Studies of people with fibromyalgia have shown that their natural killer cells and other key immune cells are not functional, and an accelerated form of programmed cell death occurs, and the immune cells can not kill invading organisms with their normal effectiveness. Glyconutrients help the body fight off these invasions by supporting the immune system. Glyconutrients generate antioxidants and improve the functioning of the key immune cells, including macrophages and natural killer cells, which tend to be depressed in this illness.”
As I read this I’m hearing that one of the benefits of Glyconutrients is that they strengthen the immune system, with a particular emphasis on Macrophages. When I read the sites explanation of how Glyconutrients are beneficial for Multiple Sclerosis, there is no mention of the above references effects on Macrophages. The site mentions that myelin contains galactose and it also mentions that cells need glyconutrients to communicate with each other. While I cannot evaluate what is mentioned, it is clear that that there is no mention of Macrophages in relation to Multiple Sclerosis and that Macrophages are mentioned receiving the benefit of improved functioning in the discussion of Lupus and Fibromyalgia.
Now if any of that was not clear, here’s one more claim about Macrophages and Glyconutrients. Again, these are claims without scientific validation. My point right now is that, if anything, Glyconutrients are supposed to boost the immune system and the functions of Macrophages. So what are Macrophages? Here’s a definition from Medicinenet. The important thing is that Macrophages are part of the problem not the solution. Here’s a plain English explanation from the ThisisMS site. A more medical sounding explanation would read like this:
Quote:
“Whatever the cause, the disease begins when a T cell is activated and recognizes the proteins along the myelin sheath. Once the T cell is activated it is able to pass through the brain blood barrier. In the brain the T cell stimulates the response of monocytes/macrophages by releasing INF-. The antigen in the illustration being presented by the T cell and the signaling between the two cells leads to an attack on the oligodendrocytes of the myelin sheath. The oligondendrocytes form the myelin sheath by wrapping their cytoplasmic extensions around the axon, the same way fingers wrap around a pencil when you grasp one in the palm of your hand. Macrophage/monocyte damages the oligendrocytes by release of antimicrobial chemicals. Leading to the demyelination of the axon.”
“White blood cells originate from the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. Two types of white blood cells are relevant to MS: larger cells known as macrophages (Greek for "big eaters") and smaller cells called lymphocytes.
Macrophages, also known as "scavenger cells," clean up areas by surrounding and consuming debris -- in this case, myelin. Macrophages secrete proteases, and these can destroy myelin. Macrophages also produce prostaglandins, some of which promote inflammation and immune functions, while others suppress the same functions. Additionally, macrophages secrete free oxygen radicals. These can also significantly affect immune functions by promoting inflammation and cell destruction.”
So, in closing, I doubt that these Glyconutrient products are good for folks who have MS. I hope that this post might spark a debate here on the site. After all I’m just one person like you who’s trying to figure this puzzle out. While I can’t know that the claims that these products enhance the immune functions are correct, I am confident that such claims fly counter to anything that would benefit someone with Multiple Sclerosis. napay
Other similar posts on my road to understanding MS:
Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:47 pm Post subject: Ambrotose - glyconutrients work!!!!
As I Promised back in Sept, Iam updating my findings on Ambrotose & glyconutrients. I have been taking glyconutrients since Sept 05 & I was skeptical at first. I recently (May 06) had my annual MRI & the results brought tears to my eyes… Wonderful tears of JOY! The results showed improvement in my condition. The Rebif that I am currently taking is only supposed to maybe, hopefully, possibly keep the MS from getting worse, NOT help me get better. I have NO doubt that it is the glyconutrients that my body so desperately needed that helped me. So I am on a Mission you might say to tell everyone I know & love about Mannatech & spread the word about glyconutrients & the positive benefits they have to offer.
Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 6:14 am Post subject: for BK and napay
BK: awesome news! wonder how this ties into the insulin theory floating around this board.
napay: i know it's been quite some time since you posted this, and your thoughts on immunomodulation may be different at this stage, but i think i have seen you refer to an overactive immune system in ms on several occasions. just wanted to let you know that my understanding is that in ms the immune systems is dysfunctional in a few ways including that it does not have brakes. so, if you are careful about your selection of immune system booster, and study the way in which it affects the immune system, you can get more confidence regarding a decision than just rejecting a 'booster' out of hand. i am taking LOTS of vitamin D to give my body the materials it needs to make brakes for the immune system. i also felt quite comfortable taking echinacea recently, since it enhances natural killer cell activity, which can be a good thing, since a drop in natural killer cells has been shown to precede relapse (see article link below). but you can't take echinacea all the time so i thought heck, let's see what nutrition does for the immune system, and it turns out vitamin d is a bidirectional immunomodulator that can boost good immune system function and dampen bad immune system function (http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/vit_0265.shtml)
J Neuroimmunol. 1998 Jun 15;86(2):123-33.
A role for natural killer cells in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.
in the case of glyconutrients/macrophages/ms, i will try to look into it further when i have more time. maybe the way it affects macrophages is actually good for ms, particularly in light of bk's anecdotal contribution.
Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 392 Location: Northern Virginia
Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 9:33 am Post subject: Bigkid and Jimmy - opps - hope I can fix the last post.
I'm continuously open to revisiting any topic and this will be one of them. It's all about time. I do have a day job. But this weekend I'm going to sit down and read a lot about Dendritic cells. I'm preparing my 102 post. After that, I want to revisit Ambertose, and review Vitamin D. But, in my effort to document, double check and learn ---- I do move slow. Maybe this is partiallly why it takes so long to do medical research!
Either one of you could help by finding out more about "What exactly is the physiological effect of glyconutrients on the body"? Meaning, I think it's great that you feel better, but is there a biologically logical reason for it. I'm completely open to reversing my conclusions (see my Vitamin C post). I think I'm a few weeks away from completing my 102 post, then I will jump back to these issues.
Also, It's looking more and more like we're going to switch from Avonex to Copxone/Novantrone. I've got a list of 8 questions into the Neuro and I'm waiting for him to answer them. ciao, napay _________________ My Starting Point
Understanding MS 101: Doctor Talk and People Talk
Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 3:05 pm Post subject: something on glyconutrients
hey look, glyconutrients enhance natural killer cell activity too! and if they help your bod kill candida albicans, well hell yea that's awesome too. i was working that angle with acidophilus and oregano, but those two work against each other so there's timing to worry about. [update: no they don't work against each other}
okay i'm working on developing some more search terms like monosaccharides etc, will keep u posted nap.
Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1998 Jul-Sep;33(3):280-7.
The in vitro immunomodulatory effects of glyconutrients on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
See DM, Cimoch P, Chou S, Chang J, Tilles J.
University of California, Irvine, Department of Medicine, Orange 92668, USA.
In humans, eight monosaccharides are required for the synthesis of glycoproteins. Dietary supplements that supply these crucial sugars are known as glyconutrients. A glyconutrient compound was added to Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) isolated from normal controls and patients with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a disease associated with immune dysregulation. The in vitro immunomodulatory effects were investigated. Cell surface expression of the glycoproteins CD5, CD8, and CD11a were significantly lower in patients with CFS compared to normal controls. Addition of glyconutrient homogenate to PBMC from patients with CFS stimulated with phytohemagglutinin significantly increased the expression of each glycoprotein. Furthermore, natural killer (NK) cell function was reduced in CFS patients. The glyconutrient preparation significantly enhanced NK cell activity versus human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6)-infected H9 cells in an 8 h 51Cr release assay compared to placebo for PBMC from patients with CFS (p< .01). Finally, apoptosis was significantly higher in patients with CFS. The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly decreased in PBMC from patients with CFS that had been incubated for 48 h with glyconutrients. Thus, glyconutrients improved abnormal immune parameters in vitro in patients with CFS.
Int J Immunopharmacol. 2000 Apr;22(4):299-308.
Effects of a glyconutrient on macrophage functions.
Lefkowitz DL, Stuart R, Gnade BT, Roberts E, Lefkowitz SS.
Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA.
Previous studies have shown that mannosylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) enhances the respiratory burst (RB), phagocytosis, and killing of Candida albicans and Escherichia coli by resident murine peritoneal macrophages (Mphi). Upregulation of the above Mphi functions was associated with the binding of mBSA to the macrophage mannose receptor. The present study was done to determine if certain glyconutrients could stimulate Mphi functions in a similar manner. Resident peritoneal murine Mphi collected from C57BL/6 mice were exposed to the glyconutrients for 10 and 60 min. The RB was measured using chemiluminescence. Both phagocytosis and killing were measured after incubation with each of the following microorganisms: Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The percent phagocytosis and killing were determined using fluorescence microscopy. Results indicated that certain glyconutrients, caused a dose and time dependent effect on Mphi-induced killing of all three microorganisms.
Last edited by jimmylegs on Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:39 am; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:40 pm Post subject: ambrotose
i have been taking ambrotose for almost three months and i am not giving up hope. i do have more energy so far. my left side of body is still weak so i walk with cane and still fall occassionally cause that left foot does not always come with me, especially if in a hurry and i forget about it. there has been nothing in 8 yeats that has given me hope like this ambrotose. i felt different overnight! i just hope my condition continues to improve. not sure if the ambrotose is healing leasions or if more energy is responsible for any more strength.
i have been taking ambrotose for six months. i stopped taking my therapy end of december 06 at which time i started increasing my ambrotose doseage significantly. went to neurolgost march 07 and complained symptoms were worse. he recommended chemo to calm down my immune system. it occured to me then that the Ambrotose was for immune support. I DO NOT RECOMMEND AMBROTOSE FOR ANYONE WITH MS. It made my symptoms worse. I stopped it immediately and slowly my body is returning to the pre-ambrotose state. I am not losing balance and falling as much, and so many others symptoms have calmed down. I had to find out for myself. they at mannatech don't, not recommend it for anyone they just want to SELL SELL AND MAKE MORE MONEY! Heck i was beginning to think my MS was very progressive in nature.
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:32 am Post subject: Re: Is anyone using Ambrotose
Res,
Thanks for coming back and sharing your experience with this follow-up. It's good to hear that you're doing better after stopping the Ambrotose. Your experience with Ambrotose highlights the fact that folks with autoimmune diseases such as MS need to be especially careful with supplements.
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject: About Mannatech
I see a lot of posts with people trying to figure out exactly what Ambrotose does. Well if you're looking at all of Mannatech's products Ambrotose is a cell communication product, it gives the cells the nutrients(glyconutrients) they need to function properly(communicate) among other functions. We normally get these nutrients from everyday food and other things as well but because of the toxins in our environment and the green harvesting and preservatives in our foods we no longer get all the nutrients our body needs. Which is why They also have other products, AO is a high grade anitoxidant product they have that helps your body deal with toxins and free radicals we may come into throughout our day, they also have a food grade multivitamin(a few different types) that your body actually uses as food instead of chemically created vitamins that you get from the store. There is also pills for your endochrine system called Plus that work for your sleep, energy, mood etc. The Ambrotose isn't a immune booster it's more of an immune regulator, and even for autoimmune diseases Ambrotose works great because it helps to get your cells communicating properly which is the problem with auto immune diseases because if your cells can't communicate it's a better safe then sorry situation your cells will kill off good or bad cells if they can't communicate to find out what the cell actually is. There is a lot more to these products then just this, but I can post to any other questions asked if I can answer them or I will find out the info for you. Also to let people know it is a natural health product you need to take enough to notice a difference it is not a medication or meant to cure anything. Though it is meant to give your body what it needs to help heal itself.
Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 392 Location: Northern Virginia
Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 8:37 am Post subject: Re: About Mannatech
Garry wrote:
I see a lot of posts with people trying to figure out exactly what Ambrotose does. Well if you're looking at all of Mannatech's products Ambrotose is a cell communication product, it gives the cells the nutrients(glyconutrients) they need to function properly(communicate) among other functions. We normally get these nutrients from everyday food and other things as well but because of the toxins in our environment and the green harvesting and preservatives in our foods we no longer get all the nutrients our body needs. Which is why They also have other products, AO is a high grade anitoxidant product they have that helps your body deal with toxins and free radicals we may come into throughout our day, they also have a food grade multivitamin(a few different types) that your body actually uses as food instead of chemically created vitamins that you get from the store. There is also pills for your endochrine system called Plus that work for your sleep, energy, mood etc. The Ambrotose isn't a immune booster it's more of an immune regulator, and even for autoimmune diseases Ambrotose works great because it helps to get your cells communicating properly which is the problem with auto immune diseases because if your cells can't communicate it's a better safe then sorry situation your cells will kill off good or bad cells if they can't communicate to find out what the cell actually is. There is a lot more to these products then just this, but I can post to any other questions asked if I can answer them or I will find out the info for you. Also to let people know it is a natural health product you need to take enough to notice a difference it is not a medication or meant to cure anything. Though it is meant to give your body what it needs to help heal itself.
Garry,
Welcome to the boards. I agree that cells need to communicate. In MS the issue is which cells are communicating to which other ones. Can you elaborate on which cells Ambrotose achieves this with and by what cellular mechanisim this occurs? This is complex stuff, but is the crux of the issue.
napay _________________ My Starting Point
Understanding MS 101: Doctor Talk and People Talk
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