Neurotransmitters produced and released in the brain and the body are the chemical regulators of mood, pain response, emotions, energy, immune balance, and mental acuity. In the brain, neurotransmitters facilitate transmission of signals between nerves as they cross synapses. Neurotransmitter levels can be measured, then modified with natural interventions, and measured again to evaluate therapeutic response.
In the early years of neurotransmitter discovery, medications became the intervention to help balance mood and emotions such as anxiety and depression. Medications have been a means to helping many individuals balance and regulate mood and emotions with some success. Sadly, a large percent of the population, because of their genetics and individual responses, have failed medications or had significant side effects. The need to provide support for those not responsive to medications has opened up the path for other interventions which have proven also very beneficial for many patients.
One of the leading therapies to provide benefit is high dose amino acid therapy. The amino acid tyrosine can increase the natural production of the excitatory neurotransmitters dopamine, nor-adrenaline, and adrenaline. The amino acid tryptophan converts to serotonin, one of our main inhibitory neurotransmitters for balancing mood and lifting depression. Comprehensive lab sets evaluating neurotransmitter levels are available which can provide baseline and therapeutic results while utilizing natural amino acids, nutrients, and herbs to balance, restore, and optimize neurotransmitter activity.
In addition, neurotransmitters are intertwined with the endocrine and immune system, such that a change or stress event in one will affect the others. Supporting the neurotransmitter system is both a direct and indirect method of supporting the whole body. Conditions in which neurotransmitter testing may be considered or recommended include the following:
- Mood disorders: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder
- Loss of mental focus: ADD, ADHD, brain fog
- Adrenal dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Aggression
- Behavioral disorders
- Addiction and dependency
- Hormone abnormalities
- Loss of appetite control
- Weight gain / weight loss
- Memory impairment
- Migraines
- Cravings
- Low libido
- Sexual dysfunction
Click here to view a Neurotransmitters Sample Report
