David, this is WHY initial tests are often inaccurate (the Western Blot measures HEALTHY antibodies):"The levels of antibodies (immunoglobulins) decrease in experimental animals (mice, rats and hamster) by up to 60% when the supply of magnesium is significant reduced.
There is a direct correlation between magnesium deficiencies in rats and reduced immune defense against allergic reactions and cancers, in particular leukaemia and lymphomas."
http://www.1stvitality.co.uk/az/magnesium/
The above website has changed, so go to this pubmed abstract instead:
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1975 Mar;148(3):620-4.
The effect of magnesium deficiency in mice on serum immunoglobulin concentrations and antibody plaque-forming cells.
Elin RJ.
Therefore, magnesium deficiency has profound immunosuppressive capabilities in mice by significantly reducing the number of antibody synthesizing cells and serum immunoglobulin concentrations.
PMID: 1093189 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Our own antibodies are not "perfect" fighters against Bb, why?
Characterization of the physiological requirements for the bactericidal effects of a monoclonal antibody to OspB of Borrelia burgdorferi by confocal microscopy.
The bactericidal effect of Fab-CB2 is not dependent on the induction of spirochetal proteases but IS dependent on the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+.
Supplementation of Ca2(+)- and Mg2(+)-free medium with these cations ***restored the bactericidal effects of Fab-CB2.
The mechanism by which a Fab fragment of an antibody destroys a bacterium directly may represent a novel form of antibody-organism interaction.
PMID: 9125579
There are pics on the internet of antibodies. Think: stalk of broccoli. The fab portion (damaged) is at the top. This prevents it from doing its intended job.
TNF alpha, a proinflammatory cytokine, TH1 pathway...goes thru the roof 'cause one of its jobs is to rid the body of imperfect antibodies:
6. ``After noticing that exposure to the naturally occurring compound TNF-alpha (Tumor Necrosis
Factor-alpha) killed malfunctioning immune cells...''
www.diabetesincontrol.com/issue166/item1.shtml
The cancer doctors at the Romanian hospital discovered that the level of Mg drops very significantly, very fast in this disease. This is disasterous. This bug is very, very toxic.
We have to restore the balance fast with very large amts. (IV doses) of Mg.
Here's a REALLY good patent:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=6,248,368.WKU.&OS=PN/6,248,368&RS=PN/6,248,368
[This message has been edited by Marnie (edited 14 February 2005).]