Part 1
This is the first of four articles that will go over the natural treatment of insomnia, anxiety and depression. We are not suggesting that anyone discontinue their drugs—especially if they are working. But since drugs address symptoms and not the cause of a problem, we can use the information provided by a successful drug therapy to learn about source of the problem. Using natural health care, we can then fix the infrastructure of the body and with a little luck, alleviate the symptom.
The official view of Heath Ledger’s death was that he overdosed on prescription medication. It is sad, but not all that unusual. About 100,000 people die each year from medication that is properly prescribed and taken.
Of course when you see the story in the media, the issue seems to be that he simply took too much of his prescription medication—and that was the problem. You no doubt have heard the story of this poor guy suffering from anxiety, depression and insomnia. He had been given a number of prescription medications, but they didn’t seem to work.
The definition of insanity is to persist in a behavior and expect a different result. I am not talking about Mr. Ledger here, but his doctors. Persisting in treating a problem with drugs, when the therapy clearly is not working is not a very good strategy. Perhaps if they thought about some of the basic chemistry they learned in medical school and applied natural therapy, they may have been more effective in treating this man. We are going to discuss some approaches that can help some people suffering from depression, anxiety or insomnia; but we are not claiming any special insight to Mr. Ledger’s specific case.
Let’s talk about serotonin and norepinepherine. These two items are neurotransmitters—chemicals that make the nervous system work. Most antidepressant medication work to make more neurotransmitter available. Some work on serotonin, some work on norepinepherine and some work on both.
The two neurotransmitters on which antidepressant drugs act are norepinephrine and serotonin. The newer drugs prevent reuptake (recycling) of the neurotransmitters, keeping them in the synapse longer. Patients who need norepinephrine tend to sleep a lot, cry, stay in bed and can’t function. Patients needing serotonin tend to be angry or agitated. They don’t sleep well.
Ask whether the patient sleeps well or not. If not, then he or she needs serotonin. If he or she sleeps all of the time, norepinephrine is needed. Consider the pathways for the neurotransmitter production to help you determine the patient’s need.
Norepinephrine:
Fe, Niacin, Folate B6 Vit C, Cu
Tyrosine -> l-Dopa -> Dopamine -> Norepinephrine
Serotonin:
Fe, NAD, folate B6
Tryptophan -> 5-hydroxy tryptophan -> Serotonin
Supporting the Norepinepherine Pathway:1. Tyrosine: A patient who is not getting enough tyrosine cannot make enough norepinephrine. Here are some things to consider.
· Take tyrosine: If you take a single amino acid like tyrosine, it is generally a good idea to take a general amino acid supplement .
· Digestion: Pepsin is needed to cleave protein bonds involving tyrosine. The patient may need hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin (or possibly a pancreatic enzyme containing protease). You may check and see if this patient is getting enough protein. Frequently people who do not digest protein very well eat a lot of refined carbohydrates. Also, this is a patient who belches, has gas in general. Other common symptoms are nails that break easily and not a large desire for meat. If the amino acid is not available, the person cannot make the neurotransmitter. Often people have had a lot of antibiotic therapy, and that messes with their digestion.
· Avoid refined carbohydrates: Insulin takes tyrosine into the cells and out of circulation. Eating refined carbohydrates or foods with a high glycemic index will increase insulin production. Also, a highly refined diet can cause dysbiosis.
· Dysbiosis: Overgrowth of improper bowel flora can destroy tyrosine, turning it into a toxic substance and reducing the amount of tyrosine available for neurotransmitter production. A urinary indican test may indicate that tryptophan or tyrosine are being coverted to indole. Improper flora can also interfere with absorption of other nutrients. They can produce ammonia, which affects brain function and can lead to anxiety and depression.
2. Iron: Iron is necessary for the conversion of tyrosine to l-dopa. Make sure that the patient is not taking too much copper, zinc or molybdenum. You can conduct the zinc taste test. Copper can be tested by measuring the amount in red blood cells (RBCs). You can also check serum ferritin. Don’t just give iron without testing.
3. Niacin: Niacin is necessary for conversion of tyrosine to l-dopa. A patient who eats a highly refined diet is likely to be deficient in niacin and other B vitamins.
4. Folic Acid: Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables. This is a very common deficiency. Women who need folic acid may have had an irregular Pap smear (noncancerous). On a complete blood count (CBC) the RBC and white blood cell (WBC) count may be low-normal; the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) will be more than 90, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) will be more than 37 and the percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) may be low. Testing for segmented neutrophils will also help you determine if the patient needs folic acid. Generally, it is a good idea to give this with B12
5. Vitamin B6: B6 is necessary for the conversion of l-dopa to dopamine. Patients who need B6 tend to not remember their dreams and may react severely to monosodium glutamate . Women with menstrual irregularities related to excess estrogen may need extra B6 (excess estrogen destroys B6).
6. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is necessary for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. You can do the lingual ascorbic acid test to get an idea whether the patient needs vitamin C.
7. Copper: Copper is necessary for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. You can test for red cell copper levels.
Supporting the Serotonin Pathway
1. Tryptophan: A patient who is not getting enough tryptophan can’t make enough serotonin. Here are some strategies to help increase tryptophan.
· Take tryptophan: Oops, tryptophan is illegal in the US. You can, however, take 5-hydroxy tryptophan (notice that it’s the second step in the pathway. When taking an amino acid, it’s a good idea to take a general amino acid supplement.
· Digestion: Adequate HCl production and pancreatic enzyme production is necessary to digest protein and obtain tryptophan from food sources.
· Dysbiosis: Inappropriate bowel flora may break down tryptophan and produce toxic byproducts. A urinary indican test may indicate that tryptophan or tyrosine are being converted to indole. Improper flora can also interfere with absorption of other nutrients. They can produce ammonia which affects brain function and can lead to anxiety and depression.
2. Iron: Iron is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan. Make sure that the patient is not taking too much copper, zinc or molybdenum. You can conduct the zinc taste test. Copper can be tested by measuring the amount in RBCs. You can also check serum ferritin. Don’t just give iron without testing.
3. Niacin: Niacin is necessary for conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan. A patient who eats a highly refined diet is likely to be deficient in niacin and other B vitamins.
4. Folic Acid: Folic acid is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan and is found in green leafy vegetables. This is a very common deficiency. Women who need folic acid may have had an irregular Pap smear (noncancerous). On a CBC (complete blood count), the RBC (red blood cell count) and WBC (white blood cell count) may be low-normal; the MCV will be more than 90, the MCH will be more than 37 and the percentage of PMNs may be low. Testing for segmented neutrophils will also help you determine if the patient needs folic acid. Generally, it is a good idea to give this with B12
5. Vitamin B6 (B6 Phosphate): B6 phosphate is necessary for the conversion of 5-hydroxy tryptophan to serotonin. Patients who need B6 tend to not remember their dreams and may react severely to MSG. Women with menstrual irregularities related to excess estrogen may need extra B6 (excess estrogen destroys B6).
6. Get the Patient off Aspartame: Aspartame is a serotonin inhibitor. Ironic, since aspartame is a “diet” product, yet it suppresses the neurotransmitter that has to do with satiety. In fact, one way to help bring carbohydrate cravings under control is to get your patient off this product.
Also, there is a lot of research to show that exercise increases neurotransmitter activity—especially serotonin. In some studies, it has even outperformed the drugs.
Part 1
This is the first of four articles that will go over the natural treatment of insomnia, anxiety and depression. We are not suggesting that anyone discontinue their drugs—especially if they are working. But since drugs address symptoms and not the cause of a problem, we can use the information provided by a successful drug therapy to learn about source of the problem. Using natural health care, we can then fix the infrastructure of the body and with a little luck, alleviate the symptom.
The official view of Heath Ledger’s death was that he overdosed on prescription medication. It is sad, but not all that unusual. About 100,000 people die each year from medication that is properly prescribed and taken.
Of course when you see the story in the media, the issue seems to be that he simply took too much of his prescription medication—and that was the problem. You no doubt have heard the story of this poor guy suffering from anxiety, depression and insomnia. He had been given a number of prescription medications, but they didn’t seem to work.
The definition of insanity is to persist in a behavior and expect a different result. I am not talking about Mr. Ledger here, but his doctors. Persisting in treating a problem with drugs, when the therapy clearly is not working is not a very good strategy. Perhaps if they thought about some of the basic chemistry they learned in medical school and applied natural therapy, they may have been more effective in treating this man. We are going to discuss some approaches that can help some people suffering from depression, anxiety or insomnia; but we are not claiming any special insight to Mr. Ledger’s specific case.
Let’s talk about serotonin and norepinepherine. These two items are neurotransmitters—chemicals that make the nervous system work. Most antidepressant medication work to make more neurotransmitter available. Some work on serotonin, some work on norepinepherine and some work on both.
The two neurotransmitters on which antidepressant drugs act are norepinephrine and serotonin. The newer drugs prevent reuptake (recycling) of the neurotransmitters, keeping them in the synapse longer. Patients who need norepinephrine tend to sleep a lot, cry, stay in bed and can’t function. Patients needing serotonin tend to be angry or agitated. They don’t sleep well.
Ask whether the patient sleeps well or not. If not, then he or she needs serotonin. If he or she sleeps all of the time, norepinephrine is needed. Consider the pathways for the neurotransmitter production to help you determine the patient’s need.
Norepinephrine:
Fe, Niacin, Folate B6 Vit C, Cu
Tyrosine -> l-Dopa -> Dopamine -> Norepinephrine
Serotonin:
Fe, NAD, folate B6
Tryptophan -> 5-hydroxy tryptophan -> Serotonin
Supporting the Norepinepherine Pathway:1. Tyrosine: A patient who is not getting enough tyrosine cannot make enough norepinephrine. Here are some things to consider.
· Take tyrosine: If you take a single amino acid like tyrosine, it is generally a good idea to take a general amino acid supplement .
· Digestion: Pepsin is needed to cleave protein bonds involving tyrosine. The patient may need hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin (or possibly a pancreatic enzyme containing protease). You may check and see if this patient is getting enough protein. Frequently people who do not digest protein very well eat a lot of refined carbohydrates. Also, this is a patient who belches, has gas in general. Other common symptoms are nails that break easily and not a large desire for meat. If the amino acid is not available, the person cannot make the neurotransmitter. Often people have had a lot of antibiotic therapy, and that messes with their digestion.
· Avoid refined carbohydrates: Insulin takes tyrosine into the cells and out of circulation. Eating refined carbohydrates or foods with a high glycemic index will increase insulin production. Also, a highly refined diet can cause dysbiosis.
· Dysbiosis: Overgrowth of improper bowel flora can destroy tyrosine, turning it into a toxic substance and reducing the amount of tyrosine available for neurotransmitter production. A urinary indican test may indicate that tryptophan or tyrosine are being coverted to indole. Improper flora can also interfere with absorption of other nutrients. They can produce ammonia, which affects brain function and can lead to anxiety and depression.
2. Iron: Iron is necessary for the conversion of tyrosine to l-dopa. Make sure that the patient is not taking too much copper, zinc or molybdenum. You can conduct the zinc taste test. Copper can be tested by measuring the amount in red blood cells (RBCs). You can also check serum ferritin. Don’t just give iron without testing.
3. Niacin: Niacin is necessary for conversion of tyrosine to l-dopa. A patient who eats a highly refined diet is likely to be deficient in niacin and other B vitamins.
4. Folic Acid: Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables. This is a very common deficiency. Women who need folic acid may have had an irregular Pap smear (noncancerous). On a complete blood count (CBC) the RBC and white blood cell (WBC) count may be low-normal; the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) will be more than 90, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) will be more than 37 and the percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) may be low. Testing for segmented neutrophils will also help you determine if the patient needs folic acid. Generally, it is a good idea to give this with B12
5. Vitamin B6: B6 is necessary for the conversion of l-dopa to dopamine. Patients who need B6 tend to not remember their dreams and may react severely to monosodium glutamate . Women with menstrual irregularities related to excess estrogen may need extra B6 (excess estrogen destroys B6).
6. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is necessary for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. You can do the lingual ascorbic acid test to get an idea whether the patient needs vitamin C.
7. Copper: Copper is necessary for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. You can test for red cell copper levels.
Supporting the Serotonin Pathway
1. Tryptophan: A patient who is not getting enough tryptophan can’t make enough serotonin. Here are some strategies to help increase tryptophan.
· Take tryptophan: Oops, tryptophan is illegal in the US. You can, however, take 5-hydroxy tryptophan (notice that it’s the second step in the pathway. When taking an amino acid, it’s a good idea to take a general amino acid supplement.
· Digestion: Adequate HCl production and pancreatic enzyme production is necessary to digest protein and obtain tryptophan from food sources.
· Dysbiosis: Inappropriate bowel flora may break down tryptophan and produce toxic byproducts. A urinary indican test may indicate that tryptophan or tyrosine are being converted to indole. Improper flora can also interfere with absorption of other nutrients. They can produce ammonia which affects brain function and can lead to anxiety and depression.
2. Iron: Iron is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan. Make sure that the patient is not taking too much copper, zinc or molybdenum. You can conduct the zinc taste test. Copper can be tested by measuring the amount in RBCs. You can also check serum ferritin. Don’t just give iron without testing.
3. Niacin: Niacin is necessary for conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan. A patient who eats a highly refined diet is likely to be deficient in niacin and other B vitamins.
4. Folic Acid: Folic acid is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxy tryptophan and is found in green leafy vegetables. This is a very common deficiency. Women who need folic acid may have had an irregular Pap smear (noncancerous). On a CBC (complete blood count), the RBC (red blood cell count) and WBC (white blood cell count) may be low-normal; the MCV will be more than 90, the MCH will be more than 37 and the percentage of PMNs may be low. Testing for segmented neutrophils will also help you determine if the patient needs folic acid. Generally, it is a good idea to give this with B12
5. Vitamin B6 (B6 Phosphate): B6 phosphate is necessary for the conversion of 5-hydroxy tryptophan to serotonin. Patients who need B6 tend to not remember their dreams and may react severely to MSG. Women with menstrual irregularities related to excess estrogen may need extra B6 (excess estrogen destroys B6).
6. Get the Patient off Aspartame: Aspartame is a serotonin inhibitor. Ironic, since aspartame is a “diet” product, yet it suppresses the neurotransmitter that has to do with satiety. In fact, one way to help bring carbohydrate cravings under control is to get your patient off this product.
Also, there is a lot of research to show that exercise increases neurotransmitter activity—especially serotonin. In some studies, it has even outperformed the drugs.