ProEndorphin: Energy, Mood and Neurotransmitters
Webster defines energy as: "Vigor in performance of an action; Vitality; The capacity for action or  accomplishment." Whether at work or play, we need energy to sustain endurance and derive pleasure. Moreover, an enhanced quality of life depends not only on physical energy, but emotional health and mental well-being.
The standard American diet is deficient in many of the nutrients we need to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. What causes these deficiencies? We need only consider the high-sugar, low-fiber, additive-preserved foods that many people consume on a regular basis, combined with the impaired absorption of nutrients that accompanies such poor nutrition. We are at once overfed and under nourished, and a poorly nourished body contains a malnourished brain. Deficiencies in almost any of the vitamins and minerals we need can show up first as emotional or mental symptoms, such as lack of energy, depression, anxiety, or impaired memory and concentration.
Lack of energy and depression can result if brain messengers called neurotransmitters are in short supply. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are the precursors, or raw materials, for neurotransmitters and other mood-regulating compounds. There are three amino acids that are most directly related to mood and depression: phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. Phenylalanine and tyrosine produce the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, and tryptophan is eventually converted to serotonin. Both phenylalanine and tyrosine - which is created in the body from phenylalanine - have been found to be as effective as the anti-depressant drug, imipramine in studies. Phenylalanine has also been shown to reduce pain by preserving brain levels of endorphins, the body's natural painkiller. It is important to take sufficient amounts of amino. acid co factors, such as the vitamin B complex, which your body needs to properly process amino acids.
Our bodies cannot create vitamins, so a well-balanced, supplemented diet is necessary to obtain adequate amounts of these essential nutrients. Vitamins act as catalytic agents in the body, helping to speed up the chemical processes that are vital for both survival and brain function. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is inadequate. These figures are based on the minimal requirements for prevention of severe deficiency disease, rather than on the requirements for optimum health or deficiency correction.
The brain uses vitamin B 1 (thiamine) to help convert glucose, or blood sugar, into fuel, and without it
the brain rapidly runs out of energy. Subclinical deficiencies of vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinimide) can produce agitation and anxiety, as well as mental and physical slowness. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is essential for the creation of neurotransmitters. Studies have found a strong correlation between vitamin B6 deficiency and depression. Shortages can also produce anemia. Because vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is important to red blood cell formation, deficiency leads to an oxygen-transport problem known as pernicious anemia. This disorder can cause mood swings, paranoia, irritability, or mania, eventually followed by appetite loss, dizziness, and weakness. Folic acid, another B vitamin, helps assist in the creation of many neurotransmitters. It is also essential to the production of hemoglobin, the oxygen-bearing substance in red blood cells, so deficiencies often lead to anemia. Studies have shown abnormally low levels of this vitamin in a quarter to a third of all depressed persons. Another symptom is fatigue.
Panax ginseng has a long history of use and a wide range of possible therapeutic applications. Thus
the term "Panax," which is derived from the Latin word panacea meaning "cure all." Panax ginseng helps the body to cope with stress through its effects upon the functioning of the adrenal gland. Research has suggested that ginseng reduces fatigue, increases stamina and produces positive results in mood enhancement. Ginseng is considered to be an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a substance that has the ability to bring the body back into a healthy, balanced state.
DMAE is a chemical compound that is one of the raw materials for the production of the B complex vitamin, choline. DMAE is considered to be a non-essential nutrient since small amounts are produced in the human brain, however, supplementation can increase natural levels of choline. Choline is an important physiological agent that the body is unable to produce on its own. DMAE is believed to work primarily by speeding the production of acetylcholine, a crucial neurotransmitter responsible for carrying messages between brain cells and from the brain to the muscles that control body movements. Inositol is another nutrient closely related to the B complex vitamins. Small amounts are manufactured in the human body and the rest we get from our diet. Because of its roles in cellular communication, inositol is used in several different neurological related conditions. It has been the subject of numerous studies that have shown its positive effects on mood, depression and panic disorder. Some of the research points to the ability of inositol to act similarly to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs in certain neurological conditions, such as depression.
Supplementation of nutrients, such as those mentioned above, can have profound effects on individuals who are deficient. Their properties are proven to relieve stress, restore energy, and elevate mood, all of which promotes an enhanced quality of life. This review presents clinical evidence and general information on these nutrients.
Next: Nutrients in ProEndorphin: Ginseng
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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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