Neurotransmitter Balancing, implemented properly: an indispensable clinical tool

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Jan, 2007  by Pam Machemehl Helmly

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Introduction

Identifying and treating neurotransmitter (NT) deficiencies and imbalances represent a vast new frontier in upgrading health care. It's only in the last five years that easy-to-use, accurate, and noninvasive tests for neurotransmitter deficiencies have become available. Yet, such tests are under-utilized, and many practitioners remain unfamiliar with NT treatment. Even though it's relatively new, a number of studies in this burgeoning field confirm its powerful effects. (1-2)

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A recent study of 78 Russian orphans (adopted into the US), conducted by Dr. Karyn Purvis at Texas Christian University, demonstrated treatment efficacy. The children had severe behavioral disorders, triggered in part by NT imbalances, which were identified through urine testing and addressed through supplementation. In the study, the children were divided into two groups. Immediately after initial testing, the treatment group received neurotransmitter support for two months. The control group was tested, but then waited two months before receiving the supplements.

After two months, the treatment group showed significant improvements in both their neurotransmitter test results and in certain tested behaviors including anxiety/depression, thought process, attention problems, and aggressive behavior. "These improvements suggest that amino acid therapy has promise as an intervention for behaviorally disordered children," the researchers concluded. The study findings have been published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Dr. Purvis' research (3) confirms what I've observed in my own work with over 4,200 clients in the last eight years: a significant part of a patient's emotional health is determined by his (or her) brain chemistry. Achieving psychological balance is just one of the countless health benefits attainable through addressing brain chemistry.

NT imbalances cause (and contribute to) an astonishingly wide range of ailments and symptoms, including depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, fatigue, lack of drive, restlessness, anxiety, sleep cycle disorders, migraine headaches, palpitations, immune system suppression, hormonal imbalance, focus issues, memory loss, poor coordination and motor skills, weight gain, food cravings, eating disorders, weight loss, addictions, and chronic pain. Many of these symptoms undermine a patient's ability to comply with health care regimens, making it crucial to address underlying NT issues early on. Yet many clinicians lack the know-how to do so successfully.

As one of the few clinicians with a full-time practice devoted exclusively to this specialty, I've been active in this field since its infancy. I founded my Texas-based online company, Neurogistics, to meet the needs of both clinicians and patients. For testing, we rely on labs that utilize the authentic German assays supported by normative data to ensure accurate results and optimum ranges. Moreover, all protocols we generate are based on an extensive logic I developed and individually fine-tune for each patient to insure that nothing is missed, and our scientific team reviews every protocol.

Neurotransmitter Depletions in Brief

Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that communicate information throughout the brain and body, relaying signals between neurons. Functioning in dynamic balance are two kinds of neurotransmitters: the excitatory (such as norepinephrine), which stimulate, and the inhibitory (such as serotonin), which calm the brain to balance mood. When the excitatory neurotransmitters are overactive, the inhibitory become depleted. By signaling the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, NTs act to regulate cardiac function, breathing, and digestion, along with mood, sleep, concentration, and even weight. When out-of-balance, they can trigger many diverse symptoms, and that's why treating them offers the single most significant improvement in overall patient care. Scientists have estimated that as many as 86% of Americans may experience suboptimal neurotransmitter levels. Stress, poor diet, neurotoxins, genetic predisposition, age, drug use (prescription and recreational), and alcohol and caffeine intake can significantly deplete neurotransmitters levels.

Defining a New Approach

When it comes to balancing brain chemistry, treatment must be based on an accurate analysis rather than guesswork. For example, some practitioners routinely address weight loss and carbohydrate addiction with glutamine supplementation. But without knowing an individual's precise glutamate levels, this can be risky. Glutamine can convert to glutamate, and exacerbate symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and sleep cycle issues. Without NT testing and a comprehensive approach, it's easy to make mistakes.

With over 200 plus neurotransmitters, individualexacerbations to the 200th power can occur. Neither the symptom picture nor the individual numbers alone can tell you exactly how to restore balance. What's more, the relationship and ratios between the neurotransmitter levels is key--not just the levels themselves. Assessing and treating the overall picture is not "plug and play." Successful NT treatment has four cornerstones: