It’s very important to be aware that natural therapies can be just as powerful as a prescription drug and should be taken seriously. Before engaging in these types of therapies, I encourage you to always do your homework, work with a provider who has extensive knowledge in amino acid therapy and have a thorough understanding of all that is involved and all possible outcomes. Each system in the body is interconnected. When you try to jump start one system and other systems are not functioning as they should, it can result in something totally unexpected and actually result in the exact opposite effect.
Refer to the chart to discover ways in which you can improve the production and functioning of your neurotransmitters.
Things To Note
Regular exercise – but not too strenuous or excessive. Excessive exercise can actually deplete neurotransmitters, so exercise should be mild.
Practice mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, communing with nature and other spiritually fulfilling activities like prayer, yoga, daily walks, humor, art, music, making love, nurturing relationships, writing and public service.
Amino Acid Therapy – Once extensive neurotransmitter depletion has occurred it is sometimes difficult to replenish them through diet and lifestyle changes alone. Many practitioners prescribe amino acid supplements that may include GABA, tryptophan, tyrosine, glutamine, DPA, DLPA, l-theanine or 5-HTP, depending on what your symptoms are. GABA, l-theanine and glutamine increase your GABA, tryptophan and 5-HTP increase your serotonin levels, DPA or DLPA increase endorphins and tyrosine increases your norepinephrine and dopamine. A balanced amino acid supplement is often required as well along with their specific cofactors. Amino acids are the building blocks for neurotransmitters. The amino acids are usually taken in conjunction with a variety of other vitamins and minerals because they work together and need each other to make the brain function as it should. For example, pyridoxal-5-phosphate is needed for the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.
For example 5-HTP increases cortisol, which can be detrimental to someone who has adrenal issues. Glutamine suppresses cortisol and increases glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter. This can be detrimental to someone with adrenal exhaustion and someone who has excitatory neurotransmitters that are too high and experiencing anxiety. Personally, I had very bad experiences with both 5-HTP and glutamine, as well as a product called l-theanine, which increases GABA, because they crashed my adrenals and overstimulated by excitatory neurotransmitters, which resulted in an exacerbation of a variety of symptoms and provoked new symptoms I didn’t even have prior to taking them. They all worked in the opposite direction for me and were counterproductive. I hear regularly from other people who have had similar experiences. This doesn’t mean it will happen to you, but it does mean you should be aware and cautious.
Common prescription drugs on the market that are used for depression, anxiety, Parkinson’s, hyperactivity, OCD, etc., work by altering the neurotransmitters in the brain; when you hear a disorder described as a “chemical imbalance” the chemicals they are referring to are neurotransmitters. However, the problem with prescription drugs is that in the long run they actually make the problem worse. They deplete the neurotransmitters even more and create even more imbalance. Amino acids give the body what it’s missing naturally. They heal and restore balance to the neurotransmitters.
Sometimes it may be impossible to keep neurotransmitters in balance without ongoing supplementation. As we learned earlier, environmental toxins, stress, Candida, diet, etc., all have a negative effect on and deplete neurotransmitters; and some of these factors, like environmental toxins or excessive stress, may be out of our control and continually throw our neurotransmitters out of balance. If the neurotransmitter deficiency is the result of genetics, it may be necessary to continue to replenish them through amino acid supplements as well.
HOWEVER, DO NOT attempt to self-medicate. Start with diet and clean up your act, before resorting to supplements. Get yourself tested!!!
Source: Holistic Help.net
