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Q: My elderly patients are experiencing dark purple bruises or blood leakages just below the surface of the skin on hands and arms. I have tried to correlate this with side effects of medications, to no avail. The ugly splotches are not painful. We have found blood pressure to be naturally low in many of these patients with no medications to address hypertension. Any ideas? The appearance of the splotches is preceded by a itching sensation. The only correlation we have found is the application of farm chemicals in the area.

Jan Barton Hamilton, Ph.D., Registered Dietitian Certified Nutrition Specialist, American College of Nutrition Nutritional Biomedicine, Pres. and CEO Box 8458 Aspen, Co. 81612

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A1: Bruising is normally related to skin and blood vessel wall fragility. But you can't "spot weld" cellular health. Those patients need comprehensive hormone replacement,especially thyroid. Have to get the skin/vascular cells to start making collagen,elastin,glycoamino glycans etc again. Very same principle as with wrinkles. Restoring normal DNA transcription is fundamental to restoring the body's ability to repair itself normally. Hormones program DNA transcription. Protein intake is a concern in the elderly as this is the primary substrate for tissue infrastructure. Liquid,free amino acid supplementation can augment protein intake. Basic nutrients should be available and HCl levels should be assessed to make sure everything is absorbed. Inflammation promotes the catabolic process. Get them on the BALi diet or something similar. Body has innate intelligence for healing.

Roby Mitchell M.D.(Dr Fitt)
<http://www.drfitt.com>

A2: Jan:

I would treat the condition as subclinical Scurvy, probably exhibiting signs of capillary fragility around the ankles and easily bleeding gums as well. I recommend Standard Process Cataplex A-C-P, three tablets chewed for a minute or so before swallowing; take them at least twice a day for 6 months. Additionally, half a dozen or more red grapes twice a day provides the natural Vitamin C complex Royal Lee claims is the real Vitamin. It's the synergy of ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids, P factors, J factors, enzymes and minerals that clears up Scurvy symptoms (and CVD as well). Progress is very slow in the elderly ... at least three months for obvious progress. Have them stay on the red grapes permanently.

Kit Cain, ND
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

A3: Most of the bruising I have seen with the elderly is due to capillary fragility which I have used Vitamin C with bioflavonoids and rutin which are called Vitamin P factors by Standard Process. These support the vascular system and will stop that problem in two weeks or more. I have used Cataplex C successfully with several of my elderly clients all eliminating the problem.

Donna Mitchell, MLT(ASCP), NDS

A4: You might have them try using Whole Food Vit. C Standard Process has helped a number of my patients. If the Vit. C does not work Standard Process also has a product called Cyruta Plus Dr Ron DC

A5: I would strongly consider vitamin C deficiency. Is she also constipated? If so, high dose Vitamin C may help both conditions Trupti Gokani Functional Neurology http://www.nswellness.com

A6: Sounds like capillary fragility... may be worse on anticoagulants and/or in the presence of diabetes.
Regards,

David P. Ponsonby

A7: The purple spots, blood leakages under the thinning elderly skin, is caused by capillary fragility. This is easily remedied by taking bioflavonoids.

Marit Braemer, CNP

A8: Jan:
These are ecchymoses from sub-epidermal bleeding from fragile blood vessels or impaired clotting mechanisms. Chemicals can be involved. Coumadin is a good example of a chemical that affects clotting mechanisms. Others can act similarly.
Feed them 4-5 grams of citrus bioflavonoids daily to help vascular integrity. If clotting is disrupted, you'll need to find the cause.

Ralph A. Miranda, MF, FACAM

A9; Many elderly patients are deficient in Vitamin C...and that deficiency can cause bruising sometimes.
Thea Fournier, CN, LLC
North Andover, MA

A10: Histamine causes vascular permeability and bruising so that could be the cause since it is preceded by itching.
Mary Ann Block, DO

A11: Recent evidence is shown that those with the most pronounced bruises are on various forms of pain killers, aspirin, etc. which could cause a rupturing of the blood vessels beneath the skin. Thought I better get this new information to everyone.
Cheers,
Jan

A12: Janeway's nodes?
Ed thornton

A13: bioflavanoids to stregthen the capillaries and digestive enzymes to dissolve the blood. Blueberry is specific for the blood vessels of the eye and brain. Old people need lots of digestive enzymes but then again so do the young ones too!

Thanks for post ! Bruises in elderly people frequently occur because their skin has become thinner with age. The tissues that support the underlying blood vessels have become more fragile.