Fibromyalgia and My Weight Loss Journey 

by Jackson Larkin 

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2016 with my biggest symptom being chronic back pain. At this point I weighed nearly 400 pounds. I did not fully understand the true cause of my pain and inability to lose weight, but my whole world was about to change. 

The following are the steps and lifestyle changes I implemented to achieve healthy weight loss and a fitness focused life:

1. Low Copper Food Diet 

2. Intracellular Testing to see deficiencies and balance hormones

3. VARS Glutathione and Copper Balance to balance copper levels 

4. SOD Booster to manage muscle recovery pain 

5. Intermittent fasting to focus on proper foods to eat

6. Consistent exercise 

I was part of the early patent studies for Copper Balance, a metallothionein support supplement from Physician Designed. As discussed here, metallothioneins are specialized proteins that move copper and zinc around in the body and assist copper to enter cells. Those with fibromyalgia, like myself, have dysfunctional metallothioneins based on a few genetic errors. So, my body has never been able to process copper properly. Unfortunately, this was the tipping point of my body being able to run efficiently. 

Pain meds were not an option as my kidneys and liver were already under too much stress. I was doing the right things, trying to be active and eating many leafy greens and superfoods, but little did I know, that was only worsening my condition.  

I would be active and workout during the week, and then my back would be sore for days or weeks after, never fully able to recover. I lost motivation time and time again and it only made me more depressed and more anxious as time went on. 

Then the superfoods. The wonderful ‘superfoods’ are densely packed fruits and veggies full of good vitamins, minerals and other key building blocks but all are very high in copper. 

Avocados have been a staple in my diet for decades as I grew up picking them from my grandfather’s tree in his backyard. Later in life I served a church mission in Mexico where we ate avocados almost daily. Avocados, guacamole, the food I craved but my body hated. It simply wasn’t equipped to handle them. 

Purser Protocol for Fibromyalgia

Then Dan Purser MD had a few peculiar discussions with naturopaths about copper metallothioneins being dysfunctional and this leading to pain in fibromyalgia patients. Finally, it was all starting to click. Because of the genetic errors I have, I will never be able to fully process copper on my own. 

Then came Copper Balance and the Low Copper Diet. 

Noticing the patterns, Dr. Purser quickly realized that the first step for any of his fibromyalgia patients is to check blood serum levels and compare them to intracellular levels of copper. The NCC formula determines how much unbound excess copper you have in your blood. 

My bloodwork showed that I did indeed have nearly toxic levels of copper in my blood and also major deficiencies of both copper and zinc in my cells. Now that we had identified the true cause of my fibromyalgia, it was time to make it manageable. 

The first step of this unique treatment was to start a Low Copper Diet discussed on Facebook and on Dr. Purser’s site. The idea is to temporarily remove foods and supplements from your diet that are high in copper to allow your body to process the copper it already has. Essentially you need to detox from copper. While it may sound extreme, think of it like this. If steel is left in water for too long, it begins to rust. It’s rusting because it’s been over exposed to water causing the metal to be damaged. Your body has been over exposed to copper and cannot figure out what to do with it. So to properly reset, your body needs to cleanse itself of copper and function properly, the way it was meant to. 

I switched to a paleo diet. Eating high protein, avoiding carbohydrate rich foods and anything high in copper. Within days I started to feel like a new person. I had forgotten what it felt like to wake up and not be in pain. My pain was already dissipating. 

Supplements Make All The Difference

Now comes the use of Copper Balance. Copper Balance is a simple blend of amino acids, minerals, and B vitamins that are the ideal supporting substances for healthy metallothioneins, the proteins that move copper and zinc around in the blood. This allows these dysfunctional proteins to become FUNCTIONAL!

But why does this matter? When these specialized copper scavenging proteins are optimized, they get right to work and take copper from the blood and move them to the cells that will use it. 

This was my missing link! In the trial, I was taking 6+ capsules of Copper Balance daily. A normal dose is 2-4 capsules a day, but more gave me just the boost I needed. After a couple weeks of taking high doses of Copper Balance, a full dose of VARS Glutathione, and staying away from high copper and inflammatory foods, my life was finally changing for the good!

VARS Glutathione was incredibly important for this detox process as well. Glutathione, the master antioxidant and detoxifying agent in the body, is a critical supporting molecule to metallothioneins. Glutathione not only gave me energy, it also helped lower the excess copper in the blood.

Consistency is Key

I stuck to this diet and slowly increased the intensity of my daily walks. I was changing both body and mind and people began to notice. My anxiety and depression were becoming manageable. I felt healthier than ever, and more importantly, I felt HAPPIER than ever. 

Then 2020 hit, the pandemic swept the world and shut down gyms everywhere. 

Consistency was no longer something me or the rest of the world knew. I slipped back into hurtful habits and working out was no longer something I looked forward to. I started gaining weight I thought I would never see again and it felt like all the progress I made was disappearing. I needed to find a way to stop myself from backsliding completely. 

Not willing to wait any longer, in January 2021 I bought my own treadmill so I would have no excuse not to walk. At this point I was walking 4+ miles every morning, ever increasing my speed and incline.I was steadily getting back to where I was before the pandemic. I was steadily getting back to the person I knew I could be. 

At this point I had a very keen sense of what copper rich foods I could tolerate and which I should still avoid. I could even eat avocados a few times a week again with no pain! 

I was becoming more active. This also meant I was becoming more social. I was happy to go on canyon walks, help people move, and just go out and spend time with people. It had been nearly a decade since I felt strong enough to do this. And the best part was that I didn’t have the chronic pain I suffered with for years! 

Continual use of VARS Glutathione and Copper Balance was absolutely critical for maintaining this lack of pain. 

Nearing the last part of 2021 I decided I to take things to another level. I was ready to dial in my food intake and start intermittent fasting. At the same time, our first version of Serum X was almost ready for market. 

Take It To The Next Level - Fasting

Intermittent fasting has been a game changer for my weight loss. So while I may not do it by the book, I found what works best for me. Fasting makes you lose fat, not just burn it with exercise. Instead of eating 3 full meals everyday, I only eat 2. After 8pm I try not to eat anything until after 12pm the next day. Cutting bread and sweets out almost entirely has also been very good for me. I started with a paleo diet, but a shift to an anti-inflammatory diet has been the most beneficial to me. Sugar is extremely inflammatory to certain genetics. 

Low intensity cardio in a fasted state does burn more fat. Important to note, weight lifting and other high intensity workouts are best during unfasted times. 

Now, my secret weapon during 2022 was Serum X Topical Pain Relief gel. Now we use SOD Booster Supplement.

My overarching problem with fibromyalgia has always been muscle pain, tightness, and soreness. I could never recover even from simple exercises. Serum X allowed me to calm my muscles and allow them to recover faster. Watch a video about how Serum X does this here.

As of 2024, numerous other SOD based products have become available through PhysicianDesigned.com. VARS SOD, Rejuve, and Soothe.

During all this time my mental health had been adjusting. As I was able to do more, I began to push myself more, both physically and mentally. I took on more responsibilities with work, I opted to go out and do physically demanding work and activities. I began to realize the changes I make in my life make me free to pursue the things I really want to do. 

Ready for Weight Lifting

By August 2022 I knew I was ready for weight lifting. My sister Bailey had prepared for and competed in a bodybuilding competition in April of 2022 and this inspired me to want to get into building muscle and shaping my body. 

It’d been a long time coming, but I started to hit the gym every afternoon with Bailey and her husband Justace, a fireman paramedic. Both are extremely fit and were and always inspired me, and here I was training with them daily. They were shocked how quickly I picked up weight lifting and proper technique. I was blown away by how capable I was right out the gate! 

I write this in January of 2023 and I can tell you I love exercising every single day. 4+ miles on a high incline and speed every morning before work, and every evening I hit the gym to weight train. I have a weekly program to hit all areas of the body, and I can say, the progress has been completely astounding.

I’m not yet to my ideal body, but that doesn’t even matter to me. I feel amazing every day. I feel more energized than ever before in my life. I am physically more capable than ever before. My mind is strong and as I have taken on leadership roles in our companies, I handle the stress and anxiety of business better than ever. 

I am not one to brag about myself, but because I know what it’s like to feel so low for years on end, I can say there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Consistently working towards a fit and healthy lifestyle, utilizing the amazing tools we have available, you can transform yourself and live a happy and healthy life. If I can do it, literally anyone can! 

To recap, the main tools I utilized are: 

1. Low Copper Food Diet 

2. Intracellular Testing to see deficiencies and balance hormones

3. VARS Glutathione and Copper Balance to balance copper levels 

4. SOD Products to manage muscle recovery pain 

5. Intermittent fasting to focus on proper foods to eat

6. Consistent exercise 

Following these simple steps has completely changed my life, allowing me to live the way I always wanted to. I promise making these changes can transform your life as well. 

Start Your Transformation Today!

The Purser Method® works. You can take these steps as well, and we’re here to help all along the way. Schedule an appointment with our in-house trainer/nutritionist and see what you can do to get started. Supreme quality of life is achievable for all.

†Jackson Larkin is the Head of Operations of PND (Physician Designed). He has worked alongside Dan Purser MD for over 12 years in the medical practice, and has worked with Dan Purser in the development of numerous nutraceutical products.