Practical Practitioner

Neurotransmitter disorders can lead to anxiety, depression

I am amazed at the number of individuals on stimulants for attention deficit disorder, anti-depressants for depression, or benzodiazepines for anxiety. Sometimes practitioners are too fast to write a script for a drug rather than go a step further to find the cause of the disorder.

Neurotransmitters (NT’s) are essential chemical messengers that regulate brain, muscle, nerve and organ functions. The most common NTs are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine and GABA. A low level or imbalance of these important chemicals is extremely common in the general public and is due to innumerable lifestyle, environmental, dietary factors & heredity factors. It should also be noted that a small percentage of people have a chronic neurotransmitter disorder that will require pharmaceutical intervention.

People with neurotransmitter deficiency disorders can suffer from one or more of the following conditions: obesity, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, insomnia, attention deficit learning disorders, panic attacks, migraines, PMS, menopausal symptoms, digestive complaints and many more.

The reason that Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) such as Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro, only offer temporary improvement is because they do not increase serotonin levels and in fact deplete reserves of the neurotransmitter. They work by artificially increasing the amount of serotonin in the synapse of the nerve which allows a temporary improvement in the chemical messaging system.

The most effective way to correct a neurotransmitter deficiency is to perform a simple urine test to measure the NT levels. The treatment for optimizing the neurotransmitter is to provide the basic amino acid precursors or building blocks so the body can replenish the inadequate levels. An initial urine test is given then repeated after 6 to 12 weeks of therapy to determine optimal neurotransmitter levels have been obtained.

You may ask how does amino acid therapy increase NT levels. An over the counter amino acid, 5-HTP is converted into serotonin and then melatonin. Phenylalanine is converted into tyrosine, then dopamine, L-Dopa, norepinephrine, and lastly epinephrine.

There are no known side effects associated with the amino acid neurotransmitter therapy. People with depression often find relief not only from depression but also insomnia, fatigue, GI symptoms, chronic pain, PMS, menopausal symptoms, obesity, food cravings, etc.

There are some new and exciting studies being released with regard to L-methylfolate, a highly absorbable form of folic acid which helps to improve memory & attention. Cerefolin NAC is being used to target early memory loss.. Someday, I believe there will be a place for this medical food in the treatment of ADD.

I highly recommend patients with any of the symptoms discussed above to have their neurotransmitter levels evaluated and optimized. Patients should consult with their practitioner before discontinuing their anti-depressant or any other prescribed medication.

Pamela Egan, FNP-C, CDE is a board certified Adult & Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator & Clinical Specialist in Mental Health. She practices in Women’s Health with Kathy Posey, MD & can be reached at 985-867-1700 or www.pamelaegan.com.

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