I have placed this section near the end of this book as I felt it was critical for anyone interested in this topic to have first read all of the literature supporting the use of nucleotide blends for a wide range of health conditions. I felt that it was important for you to understand by this point that nucleotide blends can have a positive effect on health and that some of the more specific benefits may be related to the relative balance of the four bases that are present as well as the length of the various segments of nucleotides. This is based on research over a wide span of time by others working in the field, and described in previous sections of this book. The take home message from the volume of work in this field is that depending on the ratio of bases, the length of the nucleotide sequence and other less well defined factors that nucleotide blends are able to make a difference for an extremely wide range of health conditions as detailed in Chapter 7.

Furthermore, nucleotides and nucleotide blends can be found in nature, in foods, as medical foods, as homeopathic drugs, and biotechnology products. The range of forms in which nucleotides are found, as well as the breadth of health conditions they impact underscores their broad applicability.

I have chosen to use RNA foods as the source of my nucleotide blends for the Yasko protocol. The foods with the highest proportion of nucleotide content include organ meats and yeast. While organ meats are a rich source of nucleotides, these could be problematic for those who are vegetarians. Conversely, extracting nucleotides from yeast should be an acceptable starting source for individuals regardless of their dietary leanings. Just as the extraction of olive oil from olives leaves no intact olives in the final clear liquid, similarly the extraction of nucleotides from yeast leaves no intact yeast in the final product. Iodine is obtained from seaweed by destroying the seaweed by heating it to ash so that the iodide molecules can be extracted. Combining these two extraction concepts, HHI uses nucleotides that are extracted from yeast using high heat, leaving no intact yeast molecules in the clear final product. Since yeast are more complex organisms than olives or seaweed (used in the examples above) the extraction process is also more involved. First the yeast is destroyed with heat, followed by several treatments with different enzymes, so that all that is left are the ribonucleotide bases and no vestiges of yeast at all.

Those using the Yasko protocol tend to have one of more of the health conditions described in Chapters 6 and thus should benefit from the use of nucleotide blends. In addition, Most of those who contact me about this program have problems with the immune system, the GI tract or fatigue. Where nucleotides are critical components of energy transfer (such as ATP) and mitochondrial energy pathways (NADH, FAD as part of riboflavin, and Coenzyme A), the need for nucleotides is a consistent factor for those looking to support energy in their systems, particularly those individuals under chronic stress.

Perhaps one of the greatest positive impacts of nucleotides is on cells that need to be replenished on a regular basis. This would include those with health issues related to the gut and intestinal tract, those with immune system issues, those looking to repair injury. The rapidly growing cells of the immune system cannot fulfill the vast need for nucleotides from natural synthesis within the body and thus need additional dietary support. A series of articles from the University of Texas (Kulkarni, 1989; Rudolph, 1986; Van Buren, 1983) systematically illustrate the role of nucleotides in proper immune function. “Early studies using diets free of preformed nucleotides confirmed their role in immune function; the absence of nucleotides produced significant reductions in host immune responses, including downregulation of T cell function and antigen stimulation.” The absence of nucleotide support has also been reported to influence the level of the Helper T cell population and function; these Helper T cells are important in modulating the immune response to vaccination/antigens. This would support the observations of many using this program that have imbalances in antibody titers, and either a lack of proper immune responses or excessive immune responses to challenges with antigens. Additional research has elucidated a role for nucleotides in the differentiation of lymphocytes as well as their proliferation, aiding in a balanced and more optimal immune response. (Rudolph 1990). “Dietary nucleotides have been shown to have important effects on several components of the immune system: they may enhance intestinal absorption of iron; they affect lipoprotein and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism; they may alter intestinal flora; and they have been demonstrated to have trophic effects on the intestinal mucosa and liver in several experimental situations. Clinical studies have shown nucleotide supplementation of infant formula reduces the incidence of diarrheal episodes” (Cosgrove, 1998).

As well as having less than optimal immune systems, virtually all of the individuals using my protocol also have imbalances in the SNPs that are part of the nutritional pathway that I call the Methylation Cycle (see other books by Dr.Yasko that explain the Methylation Cycle). Nucleotides themselves not only have a range of positive health benefits but the production of nucleotides themselves is also part of the Methylation Cycle. As described earlier in this book, the body has a huge requirement for nucleotides on a continual basis. Especially in situations where new cells have to be made to address damage to the body, to the gut lining, to support the immune system the demand for nucleotides is massive. Diverting resources from the Methylation Cycle in order to produce nucleotides can be a problem for those with imbalances in their Methylation Cycles.

A goal of the program I designed is to optimize Methylation Cycle function, in spite of known SNPs in this pathway. So aside from the health benefits of nucleotides themselves, the addition of nucleotide blends may prevent the diversion of the Methylation Cycle toward the formation of more nucleotides. Simply put, eating nucleotides as food may take the pressure of the system to need to produce its own enormous need for nucleotides.

While in theory you could simply eat yeast, it would then require that your body break down the molecules in order to extract the nucleotides. Where part of the reason to add nucleotides is to take the pressure off or your own system to produce nucleotides, simply eating yeast would still require that your system use energy to be able to access the nucleotides.

In addition, as earlier sections of this book described, using more specific combinations or nucleotide bases has advantages over using the total mixture that would be obtained from merely eating yeast. Many of you likely take specific omega fats, such as DHA, or a very specific ratio of omega 3,6,9. While you could just eat nuts to get a range of omega fats, there are decided advantages to choosing to take a DHA supplement rather than hoping you will get enough omega 3 from the snack you are eating. This is similar to choosing to use nucleotide blends extracted from yeast rather than eating yeast as a source of total nucleotides.

The combinations of nucleotides that HHI uses in their nucleotide foods are proprietary. However all are simply A, C,G,U in varying amounts. For almost two decades HHI has been supplying nucleotide blends for overall health and wellbeing. The positive effects of specific blends have been reported by the thousands of individuals using these products over time. I do not feel it is appropriate to list testimonials regarding the use of these nucleotide blends. The purpose of this book is informational, and the choice to use HHI nucleotide blends is an individual one. As always, I suggest working in conjunction with your own doctor, making supplement and nutritional choices with your doctor.