AMMONIA TOXICITY - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Updated: 4 days ago
Ammonia was a big deal for me. I could even smell it, and it really affected my head. Yucca root helped me tremendously, and when my ammonia issues were at their worst, my doctor also had me use L-ornithine. Here are ideas that have helped me and our group members, plus what research says so far.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
Want to learn what ammonia is and how it can affect people with Lyme? Read my AMMONIA education post:
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START WITH YOUR DOCTOR
- Ask your doctor about an ammonia blood test, drawn after at least 4 hours without eating.
- Liver disease is the most common cause of high ammonia, but there are others. Your doctor can help find yours.
- If ammonia is high, ask about prescription options. Dr. Richard Horowitz lists lactulose and rifaximin among the ways ammonia can be lowered.
My lab tests post (ammonia is the first topic):
WHAT LYME DOCTORS SAY
- Dr. Richard Horowitz wrote in 2018 that several of his patients with memory and thinking problems had high ammonia without serious liver disease. He felt methylation, mitochondrial or gut bacteria problems may play a part, and said this still needs study. In 2025 he again listed liver problems with high ammonia among things that can add to memory and focus problems.
- Dr. Susan Marra, a Lyme-literate naturopathic doctor, wrote in 2025 that she believes most patients whose Lyme and coinfections affect the brain and nerves have ammonia building up in the brain. She recommends lowering it with herbal supplements, diet changes and detox support (doctor's view, not yet studied).
- Dr. Bill Rawls has written that ammonia from bacterial die-off or gut imbalances like SIBO and candida may add to brain fog, and he mentions yucca root to help lower it.
- You may read that the Lyme bacteria make ammonia. This has not been confirmed in people. A 2022 lab and mouse study found the Lyme bacteria did not break down arginine, one way some bacteria release ammonia, so this idea still needs study.
MY FAVORITE
YUCCA ROOT (not yucca stalk)
This worked great for me. I took it with my other binders, and my doctor had me increase it when my head symptoms came back.
Research: in farm animals, yucca extract lowers the ammonia that comes from their waste, partly by slowing an enzyme that makes ammonia (animal studies, human studies still needed).
Learn more and find products here:
Buy here (NOW Foods Yucca 500 mg: yucca root concentrate):
L-ORNITHINE / LOLA (L-ornithine L-aspartate)
My doctor added this for me when my ammonia was severe. LOLA helps the body turn ammonia into urea and glutamine.
Research: in people with cirrhosis (serious liver scarring), a 2024 review of 6 trials found LOLA helped reverse mild brain changes, though ammonia did not drop more than with placebo or no treatment. A 2025 review of 12 trials found LOLA given by IV plus lactulose beat lactulose alone and lowered ammonia (human trials in liver disease, not Lyme).
Learn more and find products here:
Buy here (Allergy Research Group L-Ornithine-L-Aspartate: L-ornithine L-aspartate powder):
OTHER IDEAS DR. HOROWITZ MENTIONS
ZINC
Dr. Horowitz found low zinc in 18% of his patients and felt it could affect ammonia.
Research: in people with cirrhosis, adding zinc to lactulose improved some thinking-test scores in small studies, but did not clearly lower ammonia more than lactulose alone (human studies in liver disease).
Ask your doctor how much is right for you. Large doses of zinc can lower copper.
Learn more and find products here:
PROBIOTICS
Dr. Horowitz lists probiotics as one way ammonia levels can be lowered.
Research: a 2026 review of 5 small trials in people with cirrhosis found probiotics and lactulose worked about the same for mild brain changes and ammonia, and probiotics had fewer side effects (human trials in liver disease).
Learn more and find products here:
MENTIONED MOST IN OUR GROUPS
ZEOLITE
A binder. A 2019 review describes zeolite holding onto ammonia in the gut, but the authors say its use for ammonia in people still needs more study.
Learn more and find products here:
NAC
An antioxidant that helps the body make glutathione. In a mouse study, NAC helped protect brain cell energy when ammonia was high (animal study, human studies still needed).
Learn more and find products here:
BENTONITE
A clay binder.
Learn more and find products here:
CHLORELLA
A binder made from algae.
Learn more and find products here:
L-GLUTAMINE
Please talk with your doctor first. The body breaks glutamine down into ammonia, and doctors use a glutamine drink as a test of how well people with liver disease handle ammonia.
Learn more about binders and find products here:
FOOD AND DAILY HABITS
- Please don't cut back on protein on your own. Liver experts advise people with liver disease not to cut protein, even when ammonia affects the brain.
- Stay regular. Liver experts note constipation is a common trigger for ammonia problems in people with liver disease.
Learn more and find products here:
BEFORE YOU START
The yucca label says it is for adults only. Check with your doctor first if you are pregnant or nursing, take medication, or have a medical condition.
WHEN TO GET HELP RIGHT AWAY
Very high ammonia can harm the brain. Get medical help right away for sudden confusion, not knowing the time or where you are, being very sleepy or hard to wake, seizures, or new trouble walking or talking.
MY EXPERIENCE
Ammonia was a big deal for me, and I could even smell it. Yucca root is my favorite and helped me tremendously. When my ammonia issues were at their worst, my doctor also had me use L-ornithine.
RELATED POSTS
BRAIN FOG - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
HEAD PAIN / HEAD PRESSURE - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS (and EDUCATION)
LIVER SUPPORT - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
PubMed, Ammonia in liver disease (2026)
PubMed, Probiotics vs. lactulose (2026)
PubMed, Nutrition in cirrhosis (2026)
PubMed, Yucca extract in farm animals (2026)
PubMed, LOLA plus lactulose (2025)
PubMed, Zinc plus lactulose (2025)
Dr. Susan Marra, Ammonia in tick-borne disease (2025)
LymeDisease.org, Dr. Horowitz, Medical Detective No. 5 (2025)
PubMed, LOLA in cirrhosis (2024)
MedlinePlus, Ammonia levels (2023)
PubMed, Arginine and Lyme bacteria (2022)
Memorial Sloan Kettering, Zinc (2022)
PubMed, NAC and high ammonia in mice (2020, older source, still worth reading)
PubMed, Glutamine challenge test (2020, older source, still worth reading)
Dr. Bill Rawls, Lyme brain (2020, older source, still worth reading)
PubMed, Zeolite (2019, older source, still worth reading)
Dr. Richard Horowitz, MSIDS model (2018, older source, still worth reading)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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