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tryptophan

Tryptophan concentrations and ratios below normal in obese subjects – (05-05-03)

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Tryptophan concentrations and ratios below normal in obese subjects.

As a background, tryptophan crosses the blood-brain barrier and gets converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter used for many purposes included onset of sleep and satiety. In order for tryptophan to cross the BBB effectively, there cannot be much competition from other amino acids.

In this study, the researchers found that plasma tryptophan concentrations are low. The significance of this finding is uncertain at this point, but the addition of 5-HTP supplementation may be a good route to take for obesity.

AJCN — Abstracts: Breum et al. 77 (5): 1112

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Whey protein rich in lactalbumin increases the ratio of plasma tryptophan – (06-06-02)

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Whey protein rich in lactalbumin increases the ratio of plasma tryptophan to the sum of the other large neutral amino acids and improves cognitive performance in stress-vulnerable subjects

Okay…I know the title is a little difficult to swallow, but there are several important concepts here. First a lesson in biochemistry of neurotransmitters… Tryptophan is an amino acid that crosses the blood brain barrier to get converted to serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in mood and satiety. The major class of antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs) increases serotonin’s effects on the brain. However, when tryptophan is absorbed along with a bunch of other large neutral amino acids, passage of tryptophan across the blood brain barrier drops via competition. Hence some of the side effects with those wonderful and safe high protein diets–serotonin depletion from decreased brain tryptophan. Well…this article suggests an alternative method for getting enough tryptophan into the brain in patients under high levels of stress.

AJCN — Abstracts: Markus et al. 75 (6): 1051

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Melatonin in Patients with Reduced REM Sleep Duration – (01-21-04)

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Melatonin in Patients with Reduced REM Sleep Duration: Two Randomized Controlled Trials

I usually hesitate to use melatonin in most cases, and would prefer valerian root and/or snacks high in tryptophan (bananas, sunflower seeds) as a first line approach. I view melatonin as a powerful hormone that has the ability to impact many aspects of physiology. However, in patients on a weird sleep schedule (midnights, travel) I have found it to work very well. Considering how many patients I see that have been given Ambien or some other such drug to sleep, the fact that melatonin induces REM sleep and Ambien doesn’t this should be a no-brainer.

JCEM — Abstracts: Kunz et al. 89 (1): 128 –

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TREATMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE NEUROINFLAMMATION – (12-12-05)

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Treatment of Autoimmune Neuroinflammation with a Synthetic Tryptophan Metabolite

While the biochemistry on this one may be a little deep, this mouse study found that a derivative of tryptophan (not sure why they would need to use a derivative…) was found to shift the immune balance away from autoimmunity which could be a major benefit in many conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Remember that all tryptophan was taken off the market in 1988 due to a contaminant from one single source. Still difficult to find (compare to Tylenol, which was back on the market in days) but 5-HTP is common and gets converted to tryptophan.

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SUNFLOWER SEEDS AND BANANAS ARE GOOD FOR MIGRAINE PATIENTS – (09-29-05)

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Effect of tryptophan depletion on symptoms of motion sickness in migraineurs

It’s just been a month for revelations for me. Never considered the serotonin pathway as playing a role in motion sickness, but this study found that migraine patients depleted of tryptophan (serotonin’s precursor) experienced worse dizziness and nausea. From a natural standpoint, foods like sunflower seeds and bananas are a good source of tryptophan that can make it across the blood brain barrier w/o much competition. Supplemental L-tryptophan or 5 -HTP would have similar effects.

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MELATONIN’S EFFECTS ON DEPRESSION AND THE BRAIN

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For those who are unaware, melatonin is a hormone produced deep in the brain (the pineal gland) and helps to regulate our sleep / wake cycle, among other things.  Sunlight hitting the back of the retina shuts down the production of melatonin, while the onset of nighttime will allow the body to release more melatonin.  So what does this have to do with depression?

We’ve all heard of serotonin and the drugs like Prosac and Paxil and Zoloft that affect serotonin use in the brain.  These are generally used to treat depression, but, in a close review of the studies that have been done, their effectiveness over placebo was minuscule.  Of course, in these same studies, the placebo had a powerful effect on the patient’s depression, meaning that anyone responding to these drugs is probably benefiting from a placebo response and not the drug itself.

Melatonin and serotonin are players along the same pathway; thus, what effects one pathway will influence both hormones.  It is for this reason that there is rising interest in drugs that modify melatonin levels to affect depression.  The drug companies know that these current financial blockbuster drugs, if the curtain is ever pulled back, could fall like a house of cards.  So they are looking elsewhere.

The biochemistry is pretty straightforward; there is only a single step between serotonin and melatonin production in the pineal gland.  The pathway starts with the amino acid tryptophan (or 5-HTP, which is the next compound produced and can be very effective for depression or anxiety).  As would be expected, serotonin levels are higher during the day, but production shifts to melatonin as night falls.

So what does this mean?  It ties in stress, sleep hygiene, anxiety and depression into a biochemical pathway.  Stress levels will lead to a rise in cortisol levels later in the day, making it hard to fall asleep.  Problems sleeping may lead the sufferer to be exposed to bright lights when the body really should be producing more melatonin.  Less melatonin production will interfere with the smooth flow through the biosynthetic pathway, leading to depression.

In addition, melatonin levels have been linked to things like migraines, seizures and cancer.  Rest assured that these conditions will be impacted as well.

The bottom line is that stress management and proper sleep are an integral component of any healthy lifestyle.  Sleep medications do nothing to fix the elevated cortisol, and will likely disrupt the synthesis of melatonin, further throwing off the cycle.  Stress needs to be managed with any number of tools available so that sleep patterns can be restored.

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INFLAMMATION LEADS TO DEPRESSION IN ELDERLY

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Psychological problems seem to be everywhere in today’s society.  The knee jerk reaction is to medicate.  The problem with these drugs is that they really don’t hold up to well against placebo.  As a matter of fact, for the vast majority of patients, they are just plain ineffective.

Before we go into the gist of this article, we need to cover some basic neurochemistry.  There are certain amino acids that our body’s use to convert to neurotransmitters.  The most famous of which is probably tryptophan, which the body uses to convert to serotonin.  Tyrosine gets converted to epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline) in the adrenals as well as dopamine in the dopaminergic cells of the brain.  Using this knowledge, you can actually use supplements containing tryrosine and / or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) to help manage depression or anxiety.

This particular study takes an interesting look at what inflammation does to these amino acids in the elderly.  The enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) breaks down tryptophan, keeping it from being used to make serotonin.  Inflammation seem to speed up this enzyme, breaking down tryptophan before it can be used to produce serotonin and help the brain and our moods function better.

The enzyme guanosine-triphosphate-cyclohydrolase-1 (GTPCH1) is required to produce a compound called BH4, which the body then uses to produce, ultimately, tyrosine and the neurotransmitters noted above.

If all this seems a little too complex for dinner conversation, just remember that inflammation is a major player in much of what goes on in our bodies and brains.  Managing any concern or condition (in this particular case, psychological problems in the elderly) needs to incorporate methods to lower inflammation.

This means a plant based diet.  Lowering of omega-6 fatty acids and increased intakes of omega-3.  It means no processed foods.  Exercise.  Stress management.  The list is almost endless. 

The bottom line is that treatment of any psychological problem needs to encompass the entire body to be the most effective it can be.  Anything short of this is not good medicine.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322310012783