ProEndorphin: Energy, Mood and Neurotransmitters
Kola Nut in PROENDORPHIN
COLA NUT (kola nut, Cola acuminata) 
The cola nut tree is native to West Africa. It has been traded to other countries since at least the fourteenth century, and today cola nut is exported worldwide. [91] For thousands of years people in Africa have chewed the seeds to enhance mental alertness and fight fatigue. Centuries ago, Arabs traded gold dust for cola nuts before starting out on long treks across the Sahara. [92]
Related to cocoa, cola nut is the source of a stimulant, and contains the methylxanthine alkaloids that occur also in coffee, cocoa, tea, mate, and guarana. Of the 40 known species, Cola acuminata and Cola nitida bear the nuts most readily available in the United States and Europe. Its stimulant effects are its predominant application in the US and Europe. Commission E approves cola nut for conditions of mental and physical fatigue and also as a supportive treatment for depressive states. [93] Cola nut is used in the manufacture of methyl xanthine-based pharmaceuticals to treat conditions such as asthma. Caffeine is sometimes given in conjunction with other analgesics to produce stronger and quicker pain-killing actions. [94] Cola nut is also used in non-pharmaceutical preparations, including cola soft drinks [95] and "high-energy" products such as food bars. The Council of Europe and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved it as a food additive. [92]
Final Discussion
Physical and mental energy, stamina, and a bright outlook are generally the result of optimal nutritional status. There is much evidence supporting the idea that a healthy, balanced diet, exercise, and the proper nutrients promote good health. It is, however, nearly impossible to get all the nutrients you need from whole foods each day. Due to the busy, stressful lifestyle that most Americans live, their meals are not balanced - quite the contrary. Most eat fast food, processed convenience foods and high-fat, highcalorie snacks, all of which are nutrient-depleted. Without the proper maintenance (nutrients), the body cannot function at optimal levels and that leaves us tired, moody, depressed and hungry. We are at the same time a nation of overfed and undernourished people.
Fatigue and exhaustion are the body's way of telling you that enough is enough. It means that the already limited amount of energy stores in your body have been depleted - often by stress. During times of increased stress and greater demands, your body consumes nutrients even more rapidly to meet the biochemical needs of your metabolism. To combat this drain on your systems, specific nutrients and vitamins should be supplied. Deficiencies in any or all essential nutrients can affect all systems of the body, causing myriad health problems, minor and major.
Amino acids are the raw materials for neurotransmitters and other mood-regulating compounds. Evidence supporting supplementation of these nutrients, particularly phenylalanine and tyrosine, have been shown to be as effective as the antidepressant drug, imipramine, in studies. Phenylalanine has also been shown to reduce pain by preserving brain levels of endorphins, the body's natural painkiller. There is substantial research that suggests that inadequate intakes of B vitamins can result in low mood or other depressive conditions. Also, vitamin B 12 has long been used in patients to restore energy
Panax ginseng has been valued in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Ginseng research teams in the US, China, Japan, and Korea have found positive results in mood enhancement, the ability to perform mental tasks, sexual function and reduce fatigue. Ginseng is considered an adaptogen. It seems to be able to increase the body's ability to adapt and adjust, bringing the body back into a healthy, balanced state.
DMAE and inositol are nutrients closely related to B complex vitamins. Both play important roles in cellular communication, particularly within brain cells. Research points to the ability of inositol to act similarly to the SSRIs (antidepressants) in certain neurological conditions, such as depression. Mild stimulants, such as cola nut, are used in medications and are approved as food additives. Moderate amounts have been found to be useful for conditions of mental and physical fatigue.
We have become a society of drugs. Drugs are foreign chemicals not essential to human health and most have adverse side-effects. Patients have come to expect and, at times, even demand drugs for a "quick fix." Natural medicine works in a gradual manner and is consistent with the rhythms of nature. The goal should be balance, in body as well as in mind and spirit. Imbalance in one area is reflected in problems in other areas. Each imbalance should be treated accordingly to alleviate symptoms, and also to treat the underlying problem. Although the response may not be as quick, proper nutrition and supplementation of specific nutrients can give us better long-term health benefits for many individuals. References
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How can I learn more about ProEndorphin?
Learn more about ProEndorphin: My Opinion as a Nutritionist
Learn more about ProEndorphin: My Opinion as a Consumer
Learn more about ProEndorphin: The Niacin Flush
Learn more about ProEndorphin: A Comprehensive Review
Learn more about ProEndorphin: Energy Mood and Neurotransmitters
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: Ginseng
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: DMAE/Deanol
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: Phenylalanine
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: Inositol
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: B Vitamin Complex
Learn more about Nutrients in ProEndorphin: Kola Nut
Learn more about ProEndorphin: References
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