Your Child Has Explosive Anger: Could it Be Pyrroles?
Explosive anger outbursts, sensitive to loud noises and tags on clothes...these are some of the symptoms that can be explained by excess pyrroles in the urine.
Join naturopath Kristie Folkes as she details what pyrroles are, the most common symptoms, testing and treatment.
Covered in This Episode
00:45 Meet Kristie Folkes: Naturopath with 20 Years of Experience
In this episode, Toni chats with ReMed naturopath Kristie Folkes, who has over two decades of experience supporting families and children. Kristie shares her journey into naturopathy, her training at Southern Cross University, and how motherhood deepened her appreciation for natural medicine. Her passion for supporting families—particularly those navigating chronic health and behavioural conditions—shines through as she reflects on her clinical experience.
2:19 Understanding Polyuria: Symptoms and Controversies
Kristie unpacks the complex and sometimes controversial condition known as pyroluria (or “pyroles”). She explains what pyroles are, how they relate to red blood cell production, and why they may cause neuroinflammation in certain individuals. The discussion dives into how zinc and B6 imbalances contribute to symptoms and why the zinc-to-copper ratio plays such a crucial role in mental health. Kristie highlights hallmark symptoms of pyroluria, such as heightened sensitivity to noise, light, and clothing tags, emotional reactivity, and dreamless sleep. She also touches on the ongoing debate within the medical community around testing validity and whether pyroluria is truly genetic or triggered by environmental factors.
8:33 Testing and Treatment for Pyroluria
Toni and Kristie explore the challenges of testing for pyroluria, including the instability of urine samples and the limitations of current methods. Kristie outlines her preferred clinical approach—using a combination of blood markers such as zinc, copper, ceruloplasmin, and histamine levels—to build a comprehensive picture. She details her treatment process, which includes nutrient therapy with zinc, B6, magnesium, and vitamin A, and emphasises the importance of personalised, compounded formulations based on symptom presentation and pathology.
18:12 Family-Centered Approach to Naturopathy
Kristie speaks to her unique philosophy of family-centered care, especially in cases where a child presents with behavioural or chronic health concerns. She often sees overlapping symptoms of pyroluria among parents or siblings and emphasises the importance of supporting the whole family unit. The conversation expands to include other common conditions Kristie works with, including PANS, OCD, ADHD, autism, and methylation imbalances. She encourages parents to trust their instincts and seek professional support if their child’s symptoms don’t align with more well-known diagnoses. Kristie also highlights the importance of blood sugar regulation in children with neuroinflammation and advises against self-prescribing zinc or B6 without guidance, as improper dosing can do more harm than good.
Resources and Links
Book with ReMed Naturopath, Kristie: Kristie has over 20 years of experience working as naturopath and has found her passion in treating the mental health of adults, children and sometimes the entire family. Kristie’s main area of work is in children’s behavioural issues including PANS, defiance disorders, OCD and eating disorders, whilst also supporting parents.Kristie utilises functional testing in genetics and stool analysis to gain valuable information informing her of the underlying cause of symptoms to address the symptoms and not just accept things as they are.
