FX Supplements asks Registered Mental Health Nurse, Nutritionist & Advanced Nutrient Therapy Specialist Anita Walsh ( through the Walsh Research Institute in the USA) about the potential benefits of EAA (essential amino acids) and mental health. Anita has a BSc (Hons), AWRIP, Dip NT, Dip SN, RMHN and is a mNTOI. She is clinical nutritionist at The Nadura Clinic and runs the F.E.B.S (Functional Epigenetic & Biochemical Screen) programme as well as her work at the internationally renowned Ros Glas Recovery.
When someone mentions protein or amino acids, we automatically think about sports and muscle repair but are we overlooking one of their most fundamental functions?
As with all aspects of the human body, we require certain nutrients and macronutrients to run these functions. An example of this is energy production- requiring certain macronutrients (fats and sugars) as the fundamental basis with micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) as the catalysts to drive this process.
It’s easy to get caught up on sports performance and muscle repair but are we overlooking our mental health as a means of enhancing our overall performance?
As we know, there are many factors that affects our mental health including inflammation, epigenetics and genetics to a degree, however with such a progression in research we seem to forget that the basics of our neurotransmitter production is in fact from our amino acids that we consume. We know that amino acid absorption is dependent on adequate digestion which in the 21st century digestive health is one of the main areas that suffers due to high stress levels and poor overall dietary intake and microbiome dysbiosis. Amino acids are the building blocks of our neurotransmitters- serotonin require tryptophan, dopamine requires tyrosine and GABA requiring glutamine. Supplements containing amino acids have also been found to reduce symptoms, as they are converted to neurotransmitters which in turn alleviate depression and other mental health problems.
Review Nutritional therapies for mental disorders.
Lakhan SE, Vieira KF
Nutr J. 2008 Jan 21; 7():2.
These neurotransmitters are what allow us to feel happy, content, relaxed and provide us with good sleep. With so many factors affecting our digestion and absorption of these amino acids in our foods, a very simple means of ensuring adequate levels of these vital building blocks is
Body-health Perfect amino, supplying the perfect composition of essential amino acids with 99% absorption and no waste for our kidneys or liver to process. Before we look at the more complex process of mental health symptoms including inflammation, methylation and biochemical disorders, make sure you are in fact nourished and amino acid replenished. Don’t over complicate- simplify and nourish your nervous system with the most researched, highest performing doctor designed amino acid in the globe.
We now revert back to Dr. David Minkoffs article Amino “Acids are the Basis of Almost ALL Neurotransmitters”
Most people know amino acids as the fundamental units of protein.
But they are also the basis for 7 of the 8 primary neurotransmitters, including: dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, histamine, GABAand glutamate.
Each of these is derived from a single amino acid with simple modifications with enzymes. This is usually done by adding a hydroxyl group (OH) or taking off a carboxyl group (COOH).
| Amino Acid/NT | Add OH | Remove COOH | Neurotransmitter |
| Phenylalanine | ✔ | Tyrosine | |
| Tyrosine | ✔ | ✔ | Dopamine |
| Dopamine | ✔ | Norepinephrine | |
| Norepinephrine | + methyl group | Epinephrine | |
| Tryptophan | ✔ | ✔ | Serotonin |
| Histidine | ✔ | Histamine | |
| Glutamine | – amino group | Glutamate | |
| Glutamate | ✔ | GABA |
Neurotransmitters are a highly regulated part of biology. Their production, absorption, and breakdown have many checks and balances in the body. This means just taking an amino acid won’t immediately boost your intelligence or mood or “reward”.
This is why you can’t “get high” from an amino acid. They are more fundamental than some pharmaceutical that overdrives your brain into an altered state.They can, however, protect you in the long term from the effects of depletion. And one study even suggests the “overproduction” of neurotransmitters is likely when you have an abundance of the amino acid precursors [1].
This means you may, in fact, be able to “stockpile” neurotransmitters.
Having enough of the right amino acids ready to go for the right moment can:
To put it simply, the right amino acids give you the biological foundation to be at your best, every moment of your day, regardless of what happens.
One of the biggest problems with dietary sources of amino acids has to do with their amino acid utilisation. Most animal sources only use roughly 35% of their total amino acid content to actually build useful biological compounds. The rest goes to making energy and waste.So even if you eat a healthy diet, you can end up deficient in some of the amino aids you need to cover all your neurotransmitter needs while building up a healthy “stockpile”
You can see how the body can create almost all of the most important neurotransmitters from just a few amino acids: Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Histidine, and Glutamine. And what’s even more compelling is that histidine and glutamine can actually be made from other essential amino acids. This means that only using essential amino acids, your body can produce all of the neurotransmitters it needs.
Plus, when you get essential amino acids all delivered in the right ratio, you can get 99% utilisation. This means virtually zero waste while you cover all of your body’s amino acid needs. Not just for neurotransmitters, but also for muscle building, detoxification, gut lining, and even joint tissue.
It is impossible to underestimate the importance of amino acids –– and neurotransmitters are just one more reason you shouldn’t guess with your health.
Please see link below to the full article by Dr. Minkoff https://www.bodyhealth.com/blogs/news/truth-about-neurotransmitters-amino-acids-are-key-to-peak-mental-performance?_pos=1&_sid=b47da2450&_ss=r
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