The Brain Center
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Over half of all diseases are self-inflicted. Negative food effects on brain function are often ignored in neurology and psychiatry. Major diseases originate from eating too much of the wrong food and damage is done to many organs simultaneously. There are a host of clues that link the food supply to daily brain dysfunction symptoms that most people have, to mental illness and to neurological diseases. We suggest that a prudent person suffering early brain-dysfunction symptoms would be wise to pursue vigorous, thorough diet revision at the earliest opportunity. Drugs bought on the street and in pharmacies that target the brain are used excessively and inappropriately adding to increasing numbers of disturbed and dysfunctional people. Because some brain dysfunction compromises judgment, learning and motivation, family members, friends and professional advisors often have to initiate diet revision and provide the right direction and support. eBooks All our books can be downloaded as eBooks See eBooks for more information. |
Serotonin is similar to catecholamines. It is made from the amino acid, tryptophan. Serotonin is converted to melatonin in the pineal gland. Tryptophan, derived from food, is transported to the brain to make the neurotransmitter serotonin. At the appropriate place inside a brain cell, two enzymes and vitamin B6 transform tryptophan to serotonin. Serotonin is then transferred to the sending end of the neuron (the terminal bouton of the axon), where it is used as a molecular messenger to carry information across the synapse to the receiving neuron. The serotonin synthesis equation is: STEP 1. Tryptophan----> 5-Hydroxytryptophan STEP 2. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5HT)----> Serotonin via enzyme 5HT-Decarboxylase Serotonin production is sensitive to the supply of tryptophan in the diet. The effects of serotonin were first observed in the digestive tract where it causes contractions of the smooth muscle. Serotonin is released from blood platelets and elevates blood pressure. Serotonin circuits arise from the brain stem arousal complex and reach into all areas of the brain. Increased serotonin circuit activity tends to activate abnormal behaviors. Too little serotonin is associated with sleep disturbances, loss of appetite and depression. Some antidepressant drugs increase serotonin activity and these drugs tend to decrease appetite. Drugs which block serotonin tend to increase appetite. Many years ago, I was studying the neurochemistry of indoleamines and made this diagram to summarize the inter-relationships of the nutrient amino acid, trytophan with the vitamin, nicotinic acid with the neurotransmitter, serotonin with the hallucinogen, dimethyltryptamine, with the hormone, melatonin. The diagram shows how one nutrient, tryptophan, can be changed in a number of chemicals with surprisingly divergent roles in the body.
Theories have linked the ingestion of foods containing tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine with mood changes. Clues to the amino-acid-neurotransmitter relationships were studied by Richard Wurtman and his associates at MIT. They showed, for example,
that the uptake of tryptophan was enhanced by
sugar and decreased by competition with other
amino acids. Judith Wurtman suggested that
serotonin deficiency caused depression and was
helped by eating high carbohydrate foods
(increasing tryptophan intake). According to
Wurtman, food-induced changes in energy and mood
can be explained by the effect of foods on
neurotransmitter levels. She suggested choosing
foods on the basis of their content of principle
amino acids and carbohydrate/protein ratios.
Tryptophan uptake in the brain is enhanced if it
is ingested alone along with sugar and not with
other competing amino acids. Drugs that increase serotonin levels have differing effects; fenfluramine, for example, was marketed for many years as an appetite suppressant. Much publicity was given to Redux or “Fen Phen”, the combination of two old weight loss drugs, fenfluramine and phentermine in the early to mid 90’s. Physicians, diet centers and clinics advocated the use of this drug combination as a panacea for weight loss. However, Redux caused pulmonary hypertension and heart valve defects in human subjects and brain damage in animals. The antidepressant drug, Prozac increases serotonin activity. Its main action is to increase serotonin transmission in the brain by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitter. Increased serotonin activity in appetite regulating regions of the brain are associated with decreased appetite. Prozac, however, is not always well-tolerated and may cause agitation, aggression and suicidal impulses in some people. Meridia (sibutramine) is a weight loss drug, similar to Prozac and was originally developed as an antidepressant. Meridia has been linked to deaths from cardiovascular causes. The drug was first withdrawn in Italy and fell under scrutiny in other countries. Sibutramine increases blood pressure, heart rate and may cause arrhythmias. Sibutramine should not be taken with other antidepressants because of the risk of increased norepinephrine and serotonin levels. Favorable pre-marketing studies showed modest weight loss benefits and the manufacturer claimed that sibutramine was a “safe and effective drug.” More recent data suggests that its modest benefits are not significant in light of potentially serious adverse effects. All Alpha Nutrition books, eBooks and Starter packs are ordered online. We ship through the Post Office to all destinations in Canada, Continental USA, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US Military. US $ Formula Prices Lower than Canadian Prices, depending on the daily dollar exchange rate. Alpha Nutrition ® is a registered trademark and a division of Environmed Research Inc., Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada. In business since 1984. Online since 1995. |
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