Common Energy Problems, Mood Disorders, and Depression
Why it happens and how they can be naturally and effectively treated
BY JOSEPH REGAN, M.S.
Energy problems, mood disorders and depression have become increasingly prevalent in today’s society. With stressful situations such as the state of the economy, war, and the pressure of our busy lives, some individuals will turn to medications like Prozac, or use food, alcohol, smoking, and recreational drugs to compensate.
The truth is, how you feel is governed by certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These brain chemicals are thousands of times stronger than street drugs, even heroin. Your body needs them or health deteriorates. When these chemicals are depleted, the body sends out a strong command that is bound to break a person’s will power. The individual will seek out a drug-like food or alcohol to fulfill the natural brain chemicals that are missing. Depression, anxiety, irritability, tension, grief and cravings are all manifestations of the natural brain chemicals that are used up. These brain chemicals are essential for calming, stimulating and mood enhancing.
Something along the way has interfered with the systems that produce these feel-good brain chemicals. Genes have a big part in the emotional balance of an individual. That is why some people are more emotionally balanced than others. Parents can transfer emotional traits. Prolonged stress can deplete natural sedatives, stimulants, and pain relievers. If you have inherited low levels of neurotransmitters to begin with, this puts individual in a major deficit. Eventually your brain is incapable of keeping up with the demand to maintain balance. The habitual use of drug-like foods, alcohol or drugs (including medications) will inhibit the natural production of these brain chemicals. These substances can block your brain from receiving these essential chemicals, as receptor sites on the cells become desensitized to the chemicals. This develops a vicious cycle that produces the need to fill these emotional and psychological voids.
This is where diet plays into the scenario. Perhaps you are eating too little protein, and the diet is probably high in refined sugar and flours. The brain relies on amino acids which are broken down from the protein you ingest. Amino acids are what make these mood enhancing chemicals. There are at least twenty-two amino acids contained in protein foods. High-protein foods, such as eggs, beef, chicken, and fish contain all twenty-two amino acids, including the nine that are considered essential amino acids. Other foods, such as grains, and beans have some but not all of the nine essential amino acids. So, they need to be combined appropriately to provide a complete protein (rice and beans). Studies confirm that animal foods have higher bioavailability of all essential nutrients, not only amino acids.
If you are not ingesting enough protein, you will be unable to make these natural brain neurotransmitters. There are four brain chemicals – neurotransmitters that affect mood:
1. Dopamine/norepinephrine: Natural energizer
2. GABA (gamma amino butyric acid): Natural sedative
3. Endorphin: Natural pain killer
4. Serotonin: Natural mood stabilizer, sleep promoter, and mind focusing chemical
For the purpose of this article, the emphasis will be on dopamine/norepinephrine and GABA. You will learn the safe, natural approach on raising these neurotransmitters and how they can positively affect depression, energy problems, and anxiety.
The amino acid L-Tyrosine can be used effectively to raise the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, our natural energy chemical. L-Tyrosine can be used in the morning and afternoon, before meals, to raise the levels. The typical starting dose is 500 milligrams. If that doesn’t do the trick, increase your next dose by 500 milligrams to 1,000 mg. Continue to increase by 500 milligrams until you feel energized and alert, but do not exceed 2,000 milligrams per dose. To counteract tension, anxiety, and chronic muscle tension, GABA can be used at the smallest dose: 100 mg. If you chronically over eat sweets and starches, more than likely you are deficient in GABA. GABA should not be used in the morning, since it may make you too relaxed to drive. Products containing two other calming amino acids, taurine and glycine, would be an effective combination. If an individual has endured prolonged or acute emotional pain, DL-Phenylalanine at 100-500 milligrams along with 500 mg of Glutamine to alleviate emotional pain can be helpful. If a person does not respond to L-Tyrosine, or perhaps makes them too jittery, DL-Phenylalanine is more appropriate for this particular brain chemistry. DL-Phenylalanine should be taken upon rising, at midmorning, and at mid-afternoon.
Restoring the depleted brain neurotransmitters may sound complicated, but in fact it is very easy. Biochemists have isolated the key amino acids, so you can add the specific ones that may be deficient. These isolated amino acids are referred to as “free form” amino acids and are instantly bioavailable (predigested). Hundreds of studies from Harvard, MIT, and other great research hubs have confirmed the validity of these specific amino acids to increase the necessary brain neurotransmitters to help eliminate energy problems, mood disorders and depression.
L-Tyrosine produces thyroid hormones and testosterone as well as norepinephrine. L-Tyrosine goes to work in minutes to perk you up. GABA has ability to soak up excess adrenaline from the day to help relax and induce sleep. GABA can drain the tension out of stressed muscles. GABA even soothes seizure activity in the brain. Before you go seek out dangerous drugs like Prozac and Ambien, ponder this: the human body is not deficient in synthetic, man-made drugs. It is deficient in amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
