'Vampires' may have been real people with this blood disorder

A newly discovered genetic mutation triggers erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). This discovery illuminates a novel biological mechanism potentially responsible for stories of 'vampires' and identifies a potential therapeutic target for treating EPP.

Source: 'Vampires' may have been real people with this blood disorder

A medical reason to confirm the long held legend of vampires? Yes, it looks that way.

A clinical cause for nocturnal blood drinking?

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), the most common kind of porphyria to occur in childhood, causes people's skin to become very sensitive to light. Prolonged exposure to sunshine can cause painful, disfiguring blisters.

"People with EPP are chronically anemic, which makes them feel very tired and look very pale with increased photosensitivity because they can't come out in the daylight," says Barry Paw MD, PhD, of the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. "Even on a cloudy day, there's enough ultraviolet light to cause blistering and disfigurement of the exposed body parts, ears and nose."

Staying indoors during the day and receiving blood transfusions containing sufficient heme levels can help alleviate some of the disorder's symptoms. In ancient times, drinking animal blood and emerging only at night may have achieved a similar effect -- adding further fuel to the legend of vampires.

So, perhaps this could be the reason for that legend. Ancient people wouldn't understand the clinical underpinnings of disease, and would very likely use religion to explain the non-typical behavior of sufferers of this disease. This makes me wonder if any studies have been done in areas where the legends were strongest, to determine of any of the population could be victims of this genetic disease?

Some genetic pathways leading to build-up of protoporphyrin IX have already been described, but many cases of EPP remain unexplained. By performing deep gene sequencing on members of a family from Northern France with EPP of a previously unknown genetic signature, Paw's team discovered a novel mutation of the gene CLPX, which plays a role in mitochondrial protein folding.

Very cool research to be sure.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Ha, I have to show this to my ex. She comes from a long line of evil blood sucking Bi####S.

I have never doubted their existence.

thanks for the article, weve known this for a long time that this could have been a reason....


It truly must have been a horrible disorder to deal with

a reply to: Krakatoa

kind of harsh to have a group of people put a wooden stake through your heart while you sleep because of this.

raw human blood when exposed to the digestive track turns into what looks like coffee grounds.

that's a long haul from blood transfusions.

Awww , come on . How would anyone know they were suffering from this disease enough to know how to self-help so to speak...?
Simple questions are always the best. If the answer isnt there , doesnt matter the expertise level of anyone.
I call BS.

a reply to: Gothmog

I suppose the same way your body craves certain foods when its deficient..........

.....Devils advocate and all that......

originally posted by: lordcomac
raw human blood when exposed to the digestive track turns into what looks like coffee grounds.

that's a long haul from blood transfusions.

True, but provided the blood was rich in iron, it would remedy the anemia.

originally posted by: Gothmog
Awww , come on . How would anyone know they were suffering from this disease enough to know how to self-help so to speak...?
Simple questions are always the best. If the answer isnt there , doesnt matter the expertise level of anyone.
I call BS.

Yeah, you're right. It's not like people with undiagnosed diabetes consume copious amounts of fruit juice and other sugary beverages to replace the sugar that is being flushed out of their bodies. /sarcasm.

Yea its strange but often the body seems to just "know". There's also the time tested trial and error especially, when one is suffering. They may begin to look beyond the means of orthodoxy for a solution.

I have two daughters with EPP genetics, but only one has severe reactions to the sun. I only have one copy, it is not in an active position. I have the HMBS but that only effects me negatively if I take the wrong meds or eat a lot of certain foods, mostly veggies cause a problem. So I am more of a Werewolf

You just have to watch what you eat with these blood disorders. Actually, I naturally avoided most of the trigger foods, but now that I started to listen to nutrition professionals, I wound up triggering some side effects occasionally. I have figured it out pretty much now, I can eat these foods in moderation, but on the low side and not every day.

Just an inconvenience.

Very little sulfur based goitrogens like the cruciferous veggies. No soy, and only moderate onions and garlic. No turmeric.

originally posted by: Dudemo5

originally posted by: Gothmog
Awww , come on . How would anyone know they were suffering from this disease enough to know how to self-help so to speak...?
Simple questions are always the best. If the answer isnt there , doesnt matter the expertise level of anyone.
I call BS.

Yeah, you're right. It's not like people with undiagnosed diabetes consume copious amounts of fruit juice and other sugary beverages to replace the sugar that is being flushed out of their bodies. /sarcasm.

WTH?
Go get some rest and come back .

originally posted by: Dudemo5

originally posted by: lordcomac
raw human blood when exposed to the digestive track turns into what looks like coffee grounds.

that's a long haul from blood transfusions.

True, but provided the blood was rich in iron, it would remedy the anemia.

With certain porphyrias, the hemoglobin does not form right, leaving partially built porphyrins in the bloodstream which collect by the skin or in organs. Iron doesn't help, it just makes you get real dark bags under your eyes. I get those a lot, I like foods naturally high in iron, but still have the low blood production issues. Too much iron in the wrong places is not good for people. Kids vitamins usually do not contain much if any iron, it can cause them harm.

originally posted by: choos
a reply to: Krakatoa

kind of harsh to have a group of people put a wooden stake through your heart while you sleep because of this.

Such is the disease of the human race known as 'fearing that which you don't understand.'

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: Dudemo5

originally posted by: Gothmog
Awww , come on . How would anyone know they were suffering from this disease enough to know how to self-help so to speak...?
Simple questions are always the best. If the answer isnt there , doesnt matter the expertise level of anyone.
I call BS.

Yeah, you're right. It's not like people with undiagnosed diabetes consume copious amounts of fruit juice and other sugary beverages to replace the sugar that is being flushed out of their bodies. /sarcasm.

WTH?
Go get some rest and come back .

Don't be lame.

You argued that people wouldn't have known enough about their condition to self-medicate.

But I can tell you from personal experience, and doctors can verify this regarding the population at large, that the body will drive a person to consume certain things to compensate for deficiencies even if they don't know they are sick.

For example, people with anemia may develop pica (the desire to eat non-food items, like DIRT.)

The example I gave was diabetes. It doesn't matter if you KNOW you have diabetes or not. One of the first signs that a person is diabetic is excessive thirst, particularly of sugary beverages.

I would wake up at all hours of the night to have another glass of orange juice. And let me tell you, that stuff tasted like the most glorious concoction on earth.

Now that I am on insulin, I do not crave sugary drinks in ridiculous quantities anymore.

It is certainly within the realm of known physiological processes for a person to crave bloody meat if they suffer from this particular condition.

I read something last year about porphyria, the vampire legend, and their connections with the royal family. I'll see if I can remember where I saw it, it would fit right in on this thread.

I think it's certain that it's part of the puzzle that is vampirism. This combined with lore, mythology and religion.

It's medically known and commonly known that anemic people have craving. Mentioned here and already, yes, pica is tragic.

Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency

Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency may include brittle nails, swelling or soreness of the tongue, cracks in the sides of the mouth, an enlarged spleen, and frequent infections.

People who have iron-deficiency anemia may have an unusual craving for nonfood items, such as ice, dirt, paint, or starch. This craving is called pica (PI-ka or PE-ka).

Source

Found it (PDF). Quite a detailed discussion, and looks at an apparent cover-up of the case of a member of the royal family who was found to be suffering from porphyria in the 1970s but died in a plane crash before he became disfigured by the disease.

Ted bullpit

Vampires are Italian and EU government officials, especially Italian presidents, and prime ministers, who used to lead a hunt for children in the balkans. (they couldn't fight against grown up Yugoslvs) They would go together with Nazi Alpini battallions carrying Wolves with them, to chase down and hunt children.

They put these children in cages and bring them to Italy for organ transfer to the Vampire political class. That's because due to Eugenics, the Italian political monsters, constantly need replacement parts for their rotting corpses.

The current political class in Italy is in fact maintained alive by their military handlers, who in case of missed organ procurement would lead them to death.

A prominent example is D'Alema who is notorious for getting children's liver as a meal. He always liked children liver for lunch !