Tag Archives: Tryptophan

Restoring Dopamine and Serotonin Levels after Opioid Abuse

January 19, 2015

How to Naturally Increase Dopamine and Serotonin Depleted By Opioid Abuse

SerotoninOpiates are fancied for their euphoric feelings; they affect the normal production of brain chemicals. At the beginning they may induce a sudden hike in the production of feel good brain chemicals, however when you have used the drugs for some time they will lead to depletion in the levels of the brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. In the brain the production of neurotransmitter happens naturally without intervention of any other drug. These basic neurotransmitters include; dopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine. The body also produces other chemicals known as endorphins which work as the body’s own opiates functioning to fight pain naturally.

These neurotransmitters have specific functions that they accomplish in the body. Each function is important and works in conjunction with the functions of the other neurotransmitters to make life what it ought to be. These functions are; Serotonin regulates sleep and appetite, Acetylcholine for processing information and memory, GABA acts as your calming neurotransmitter while dopamine is the feel good chemical, plays an important role in mood, energy, attitude, motivation.

When you use these drugs of pleasure thy hike the levels of dopamine in the brain beyond the accepted levels. This will force the brain to find a means by which to suppress the production of the neurotransmitter that has been hiked by drug use. naturally, the production of dopamine will be reduced by the brain after sensing that the hike in the levels of dopamine is caused by factors out of the body, therefore when a person who has been using drugs stops using them, the levels of dopamine and serotonin will be too low below the normal levels and this beckons such feelings of depression, anxiety, nervousness and lack of interest in everything.

Some natural ways to increase dopamine after opiates use

Healthy Eating– good nutrition goes a long way in increasing the levels of serotonin and dopamine. you can eat the following foods to help you in this noble cause; foods rich in carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains, whole grain pasta, rice, broccoli, spinach, lettuce among other healthy foods. Eating fat processed foods will do the opposite. You may also eat sweet foods like chocolate, only a couple squares of good quality chocolate with a high percentage of Cocoa in it can raise these chemicals. Serotonin is naturally occurring in foods like pineapples, bananas, nuts and plums. You can also get an adequate supply of B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin C because these vitamins play a role in transmitting brain chemicals. Spicy foods like chili peppers and jalapenos. The heat triggers the release of endorphins, so the spicier the better. You may get help from a nutritionist who may give you a list of foods that may be of benefit.

Meditation- through meditation the fatigue in the nervous system is mitigated and so their performance is enhanced. Doing meditation right helps in production of serotonin and endorphins at required levels. At AWAREmed Dr. Dalal Akoury will help you achieve this.

Herbal supplements – Some herbs like St John’s Wort, 5-HTP and L Tyrosine can all increase serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thus easing withdrawal symptoms and shortening withdrawal duration after use of opiates.

Exercise – The benefits of exercise has been echoed by many doctors. It has been applauded as one of the best natural ways to produce serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. However, vigorous exercise is recommended over light exercise that most people seem to enjoy. This is because the stronger the physical demand you place on your body, the greater the release of endorphins. You should try weight training and high and low intensity exercises. Hit the gym and reap big.

Music – Music is good for emotional relief and energy. A person who is suffering from opiate withdrawal symptoms is more sensitive to touch and sound. Listening to good music can help his body to get the brain chemicals work again and boost his moods. Even with different tastes music therapy offers a natural relief from opiate withdrawal.

Sex – sex is helps in boosting the endorphins. A long session can dramatically increase endorphins. When you’re in withdrawal sex can be a very nice escape.

Acupuncture – acupuncture increases circulation and stimulates the release of endorphins. If you haven’t looked into acupuncture while in withdrawal you might want to try it out, it can be very helpful during healing.

Massage – During a massage the release of endorphins get stimulated. Massaging your own scalp and shower massager’s can provide an affordable alternative to expensive treatments. Massage therapy has been used for centuries to help heal certain diseases and its application here may really help you.

SerotoninLaughter – Laughter is a good way to release endorphins naturally. By Watching a good comedy movie or have a laugh with friends you will stimulate the release endorphins which are helpful in the long run.

Sunlight – bright light increases the production of Serotonin in the body. Basking in the sunlight can absolutely improve your mood and also soothe muscle aches. In case there is no sunshine you may use tanning beds which may also help greatly.

There might be other ways of improving the production of these crucial neurotransmitters in the body. But these natural ways above are simple and inexpensive and so can apply to anyone. The bottom line is that by boosting the production of these neurotransmitters you will make it easier for yourself to recover from opiate addiction. However, these problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

How to Naturally Increase Dopamine and Serotonin Depleted By Opioid Abuse

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Are there any Remedies for Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment?

August 12, 2014

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

What is serotonin?

This is a chemical which acts as a neurotransmitter. It helps in relays of signals from one region of the brain to the other. Serotonin is normally created from a biochemical conversion process in which it combines tryptophan, a protein component, with tryptophan hydroxylase which is a chemical reactor. When combined together they form 55-hydroxyltryptamine (5-HT), the substance which is also referred to as serotonin. This compound is sometimes considered to be a hormone, though looking at its functionality it actually reassembles a neurotransmitter.

Where does serotonin originate?

Serotonin is normally manufactured in the brain and in the intestines. It can be found in platelets and the central nervous system though majority of them are found in the gastrointestinal tract. It is important to note that serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barriers and hence the serotonin that is used in the brain must be produced from within the brain.

serotonin syndrome

Serotonin is believed to be an important chemical that plays role in the body psychological functions such as mood and social behavior, sleep, memory, sexual desire among many others.

What causes serotonin syndrome?

This is a potentially serious drug interaction which occurs due to excessive accumulation of serotonin in the brain. This condition usually occurs when a given medication is started or increased. In most cases it occurs when two medications are taken together.

Normally, serotonin is produced by mind to help in regulation of activities such as digestion, blood flow, breathing and body temperatures. Medication that is normally prescribed to the addicted persons especially those intended to treat depression, pains, headache etc. if taken together they have been proven to cause this condition. Due to these side effects, we need to use more friendly methods in the treatment of addiction as well as when restoring serotonin.

What are the natural remedies for serotonin syndrome?

The natural ways of increasing the levels of serotonin and hence causing balance and treating the symptoms of serotonin can be achieved naturally by use of supplements. There are a number of supplements which through researches have been proven to work effectively in the increasing of serotonin levels in the body. Let’s now look at some of these supplements:-

  • 5-HTP – our bodies manufactures 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) from tryptophan and then converts it into serotonin. A supplement of this compound can be taken directly into the body in the form of 5-HTP. This supplement is absorbed into the body easily and is able to cross the blood-brain barriers unlike serotonin, and where after crossing the barriers it gets converted into serotonin. 5-HTP has been confirmed clinically to have stronger serotonin support than the other related compound, (L-tryptophan). It can therefore be very effective in the treatment of sleep disorders, depression as well as eating and panic disorders.

How is it taken? This supplement works best when taken while the stomach is empty between 3:00 – 4:00pm and again during bedtime. The dose should be started at low, preferably at 50mg and then gradually increased with time, until the point that is most appropriate.

  • L-Tryptophan – this is an amino acid which is required by the body in the process of synthesizing serotonin. Conversion of L-tryptophan to serotonin is a two-step process and in the process, 5-HTP is synthesized as an intermediate step. When L-tryptophan is used as a supplement, it enhances the synthesis of serotonin and also increases the levels of serotonin in the body. This supplement is generally considered to be gentle on the body than 5-HTP. It has been therefore used in the treatment of un-depressed, healthy people to be able to process information in a more positive way.

serotonin syndrome

How is it administered? Since this is a more light supplement than 5-HTP, its dosage is higher than that of 5-HTP. For optimum dosage, 3000 to 6000mg of the supplement is recommended per day. Just like with 5-HTP, the supplement best works when taken while the stomach is empty and thus it should be taken when one has not taken food for the previous one or two hours. The dosage can be incremented but this change must be gradual starting from a low dose.

  • SAM-e – this refers to S-edenosyl methionine, which is produced from amino acids. It is present in all the body cells and it is an essential component in many reactions. One of these reactions in which it is required is in the synthesis of serotonin. This supplement has been used for over 30years in the treatment of depression.
  • Saint John’s Wort – this is a natural medication which is obtained from an extract of the plant know as Saint John’s Wort. The extracts of this plant are known to exert their anti-depressant actions through inhibition of the reuptake of serotonin as well as norepinephrine and dopamine. This makes more of neurotransmitters available in the brain. This play an important role in the well-being of the person.

How is it administered? Just like the other supplements it works better when taken with the stomach empty. The optimal dosage rate per day is 600 – 1200mg, of the standardized herbal extract which contains around 0.3% hypericin.

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

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Supplements To Aid You In Recovery From Addiction And Remain Healthy

August 3, 2014

Supplements To Aid You In Recovery From Addiction And Remain Healthy

What are supplements?

addiction supplementsSupplements are substances that are considered vital in the body but they are currently insufficient or unavailable hence need to add them to the body. These substances are intended to cure a given disease or condition naturally by providing the body with the ingredients that it requires in fighting the disease or condition. In this article, we will look at some critical supplements which enable the body to fight addiction and heal from the damage cause by the addiction.

  • DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA): DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA): this is an essential amino acid which our bodies cannot produce and thus they must come from our diets of from DL-supplement. It is a depression fighting mixture made from two forms of amino acid, phenylalanine. One of its components, L-Portion has dopamine and nor-epinephrine which are essential in bolstering of moods. The D-portions of the compound is made in the labs and it appears to block the nervous system enzyme which amplifies the pain signal. This is why this supplement can be useful in the treatment of pain and mild depression. DPLA has been proven to be able to improve the mental awareness.it can also increase endorphin and encephalin levels by inhibiting the enzyme enkephalinase that breaks them down.
  • L-Tyrosine: This is another important amino acid which is used in the synthesis of structural proteins. Tyrosine is manufactured from another amino acid called phenylalanine. One of the reasons why tyrosine is considered to be among the most important amino acids is because it is used in the production of neurotransmitter. Some scientists have also argued that tyrosine directly affects the brain. This amino acid is also known to be responsible as a pigment imparting agent for the human skin.

Where can we get this amino acid from? Tyrosine is readily available in foods such as dairy products, meat, eggs, fish and oats. Apart from the dietary source the amino acid can be found as a supplement especially for people who cannot get it directly from the foods.

 

The health advantage of tyrosine is that it has been proven to reduce depression, mood disorders, among other diseases. Tyrosine also is used by the body to create chemical messengers which paly role in the alertness of an individual. Tyrosine also works to increase the production of enkephalins, which are peptides which have potent painkilling effects and also
protects falling dopamine levels.

  • L-Glycine: this is an amino acid which is not considered essential since the body can naturally manufacture its own L-glycine. Apart from this fact, they can be found in the diets that we take every day. These amino acids are important in a number of ways. They have been confirmed to have anti-inflammatory effects and also they encourage the production of neurotransmitter which is an essential substance in the brain for sending and receiving signals. It has also been successfully used to treat depression and prevention of epileptic seizure.

L-glycine is also known to have soothing effect in the brain and thus it can be used to bring calmness in the brain, and effect that can be harnessed for medicinal value. It also assists in endorphin and enkephalin synthesis.

 

  •  L-Methionine: this is an amino acid which is used to prevent liver damages in acetaminophen poisoning. Methionine helps the liver to detoxify drugs and is also required for the production of enkephalins. It is found in foods but can also be given as a supplement. It plays many critical functions in the cells to avoid liver damage.
  • L-Tryptophan: this is an essential amino acid found in the human body. The body cannot manufacture it, and therefore it must be taken with our diets. It is an important amino acid in the development and functioning of many organs in the body. Once it is absorbed into the body from food, L-tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP and then to Serotonin. Serotonin is an important hormone which is the medium of communication in the nerve system. Do not take tryptophan at the same time as SSRI antidepressants.
  •  Vitamins and Minerals: These are nutrients that we should take in our daily meals. Vitamins and minerals are supported in their own right but also essential cofactors for the above amino acid remedies.
  • Magnesium: this is a nutrient which is very important in our bodies, since it is used in hundreds of biochemical reactions, a factor which makes it crucial for health. Magnesium is calming and nourishing to the nervous system, slightly painkilling, assists regeneration throughout the system and liver detoxification.
  • B-Complex: These are vitamins (The eight B vitamins). They are important in our bodies, since they keep our bodies run like a well-oiled machine. High doses of B complex are protective and regenerative to the nervous system. These vitamins can be gotten from diets like cerials, green leavy vegetables, eggs, chicken, citrus fruits just to mention a few. In case you cannot get these vitamins from the diet, you can also get them as supplement, by taking B Complex supplements. Deficiency in these vitamins can result to symptoms such as anemia, tiredness, depression among others.

 

Supplements To Aid You In Recovery From Addiction And Remain Healthy

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