May 2015 - Fusion Health and Wellness

Fine Tuning Your Biochemistry to Suit Your Needs

What do 90% of Americans do first thing when they wake up in the morning? They get out of bed, go downstairs and reach for some coffee or tea. Why? It gives them energy, motivation, focus and transforms them from grumpy, sleepy zombies into happy little worker bees, buzzing about. This is because of caffeine’s effect on their biochemistry.

Caffeine blocks adenosine in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter that causes sleepiness. Caffeine also causes dopamine to be released, which is responsible for the increase in attention, motivation and improved mood, as well as norepinephrine to be released, which makes you alert and energized. Norepinephrine is also why you’ll find yourself on the john half an hour after your first cup.

Photo fred The Oatmeal and DBG Technologies — Photo cred The Oatmeal and DBG Technologies

Caffeine is just one substance that you can use to alter your biochemistry in a favorable fashion. I’d love to help you learn how to do just that, but first you have to agree that you understand that this is just a website, that I’m not a doctor, and that anything you decide to do because of this article should be checked out with your primary care physician first, especially if you’re on prescription meds or have depression, anxiety or any other mental illness. There are no cures presented here, just ways to help you get the most out of life.

Let’s get on with it.

First, we need to understand a few terms and concepts. A neurotransmitter is a molecule used for communication between neurons in your brain and nervous system, and can be either excitatory, inhibitory, or both.

Excitatory neurotransmitters include

dopamine
epinephrine (adrenalin)
norepinephrine
acetylcholine
PEA
glutamate

Inhibitory neurotransmitters include

GABA
serotonin
melatonin
glycine

Your mood, outlook and energy levels are strongly correlated to the exact ratio and proportions of the neurotransmitters that are active in your brain at any given moment. This means that if you can tweak the levels of your neurotransmitters, you can positively steer your mood and outlook as you see fit.

Don’t overdo it, though. The body is always trying to maintain homeostasis, and increasing one neurotransmitter too much leads to its receptors becoming de-sensitized, and eventually even a loss in those receptors – this is how addiction and withdrawal forms.

Increasing dopamine – Results in increased drive and motivation, increased pleasure gotten out of most activities, and improves mood and confidence. You’ll remember this feeling as the first cup of coffee of the day, having sex, eating delicious food, or engaging in any rewarding activity

Beautiful, beautiful dopamine. My favorite neurotransmitter. This is responsible for the buzz or high coming from caffeine, cocaine, adderall and other ADHD meds, as well as the more subtle “high” to be achieved from completing rewarding tasks. Go hike a mountain, and when you reach the summit, drink deep from the springs of dopamine.

There are two methods you want to utilize to enhance dopamine, the first of which is making use of long term supplements and strategies to resensitize and increase dopamine receptors. This will have the net effect of causing you to be more motivated, energetic, confident and focused, as well as receiving more pleasure out of most actives, without having to take any substance. It will also enhance the effects of short-term dopaminergics, making them more effective.

You can simply have a few cups of gynostemma tea, an adaptogenic herb from China, to resensitize your dopamine neurons. Inositol works as well, but I find it easier to simply drink a few cups of tea. On top of this, cut back on activities that deplete dopamine – things like constantly texting, checking Facebook and other social media, drinking too much alcohol or coffee, or any other semi-addictive behavior.

Both intense physical exercise as well as fasting are perhaps the strongest methods to re-sensitize the brain to dopamine, and act as a “reboot” for the brain in general. If you aren’t getting regular exercise we need to sit down and have a serious talk, and I strongly advise fasting at least a full day once a month.

Remember, these are long term strategies, and while you may notice benefits within a week or two, it’s ideally something you’d continue to do throughout life.

You can also use occasional supplements to increase the body’s production of dopamine, in much the same way you can use coffee as a morning or mid-afternoon pick me up. L-Tyrosine has been my go-to dopaminergic substance, as it is easily converted into dopamine within the body.

You can also use DL-Phenylalanine, as some of the Phenylalanine will be converted into L-Tyrosine and thus dopamine, and some of it will be converted into PEA, a feel-good neurotransmitter that some have dubbed the “love chemical”. You can also get hefty doses of PEA and the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide (ananda = bliss in Sanskrit), from cacao, either in powder form or in a very dark chocolate bar. Both are very potent mood-boosting compounds.

Further, dopamine can be converted into epinephrine and norepinephrine, two more neurotransmitters that increase energy and alertness.

Have a serious coffee addiction? Try cutting the amount of coffee you consume in half, and use a bit of L-Tyrosine or Phenylalanine for a synergistic energy boost. Both work well any time you need a pick-me-up or need the extra focus and attention. Use anywhere from 100 to 1000 mg, at once or split evenly in 3 doses throughout the day. Take note that those on prescription MAOIs, those with hypertension or those with Phenylketonuria should not take tyrosine or phenylalanine.

GABA – An increase in GABA results in feeling relaxed and at ease. Prescription anti-anxiety meds act on GABA receptors in the brain. That relaxing feeling you get after drinking a nice glass of wine is due to alcohol releasing GABA within the brain.

GABA, which stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter within the brain. GABA produces a nice relaxed feeling, and is involved in decreasing stress and calming the brain enough to fall asleep.

Increasing GABA is especially useful for those who are stressed or suffer from anxiety. Instead of taking pharmaceutical drugs, why not just try to increase the body’s own production of GABA?

According to this study, performing one hour of yoga resulted in an average of 27% increase in GABA levels, which is huge.

One of the best ways to relieve anxiety is by using ashwagandha, one of my favorite Ayurvedic herbs. It’s been found to a be a potent GABA-mimetic, mimicking the effects of GABA without actually changing brain levels of the neurotransmitter. Perhaps even more beneficial is it’s rejuvenating effect on the brain –

Ashwagandha, its constituents and the metabolites of its constituents promote the growth of nerves after taking it for 7 days… It has anxiolytic effect [relieves anxiety] and improves energy levels and mitochondrial health.

Ashwagandha also has a unique ability to lower the stress hormone cortisol. A 2008 double blind, placebo controlled study showed that, “Over a 60-day period, doses ranging from 125 mg to 500 mg daily of a patented ashwagandha extract (Sensoril®) significantly improved scores on a standardized measurement of stress intensity, and also favorably modulated several biomarkers… Moreover, at the end of the study period subjects that received 500 mg of ashwagandha daily had cortisol levels nearly 30% lower than subjects who took a placebo, and their DHEA-s levels were significantly higher as well.”

I recommend this ashwagandha product, which contains 250 mg of the patented ashwagandha extract Sensoril used in the study above. It’s 10 bucks, you have no excuse.

Another excellent choice for reducing anxiety and inducing a sense of calm is L-Theanine, a rare amino-acid like compound found only in green tea.

The most cliched picture of green tea I could find. — The most cliche picture of green tea I could find

Straight from the LEF website, L-Theanine, “has traditionally been used to enhance relaxation and improve concentration and learning ability (Vuong 2011; Wakabayashi 2011; Nathan 2006).

L-theanine is chemically related to the neurotransmitter glutamate, and binds to glutamate receptors in the brain (Cho 2008). Unlike glutamate, however, which can cause a state called excitotoxicity that can destroy nerve cells, L-theanine protects brain cells against excitotoxicity, calming the nerve networks in the brain (Kakuda 2002; Nagasawa 2004; Di 2010).

L-theanine reduces evidence of anxiety and depression in several different animal models of stress (Yin 2011; Heese 2009). In one animal model, L-theanine led to decreases in nearly all frequencies of brainwave activity, indicating a state of calmness and relaxation (Dimpfel 2007).

In one study, healthy subjects took a soft drink containing green tea enriched with L-theanine while their brainwave power was measured (Dimpfel 2007). Power was initially reduced in all frequencies and areas during the first hour, indicating relaxation. Later changes indicated both an increase in mental performance and a higher degree of relaxation. In this case, L-theanine seemed to produce desirable increases in attention, accompanied by durable relaxation—that means subjects could concentrate better without being distracted by anxiety.

A third trial concluded that L-theanine plays a general role in sustaining attention during a long-term difficult task (Gomez-Ramirez 2009).”

L-Theanine has such wide-ranging and strong effects because it increases brain levels of GABA, Dopamine and Serotonin, as well as having affinities for a few other receptors involved in attention and cognition.

As I commented on in my post about A Few Effective Biohacks, combining L-Theanine with caffeine is a powerful brain boosting combo – all the benefits of increased attention, mood and energy from the caffeine, as well as the neuroprotective and zen-like focus from L-Theanine. Some people recommend a dosage of 2:1 L-theanine to caffeine ratio, but I get better effects from a 1:1 ratio. You can play around with the doses and see what works best for you.

You can supplement with straight L-Theanine, or you can consume matcha green tea, which has high levels of L-Theanine, more caffeine than regular green tea, as well substantially more EGCG, the potent anti-cancer, fat-burning antioxidant.

Serotonin – Serotonin is responsible for feelings of relaxation, as well helping to curb hunger, improve mood and help with sleeping patterns. You know that warm, happy, comfortable feeling you get after eating a large bowl of ice cream or anything sugary? That’s serotonin.

I’m personally not a big fan of trying to increase serotonin. While I like dopamine’s mood- and energy-boosting effects, and GABA is useful for focus or relaxing, serotonin makes me feel dopey and lazy. Everyone’s different however, and many people do benefit from a little boost in serotonin, so I don’t want to leave it out.

Serotonin is the neurotransmitter targeted by most anti-depressants, but considering up to 50% of people don’t respond to these anti-depressants, I wouldn’t be quick to claim serotonin is the “happiness” neurotransmitter. That said, if you’re on anti-depressants or taking any MAOIs, don’t try to supplement with any extra serotonin, and nobody should take huge doses of serotonin supplements (or any other supplements) as it can lead to serotonin syndrome.

The reason sugar leads to a serotonin buzz is because the insulin released from consuming sugar sweeps most other amino acids out of the blood stream, but leaves behind tryptophan. Tryptophan then makes its way to the brain unimpeded by other amino acids, where it is first converted in 5-HTP, and then into 5-HT, or serotonin.

While you can supplement with 5-HTP, I suggest you don’t as there is concern about it affecting the heart, and instead simply eat more carbs or supplement with tryptophan.

Acetylcholine – While being a very important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine doesn’t have much of a “feeling” or affect your mood. It is extremely important for memory and learning, however, and may be involved in creativity.

This is the neurotransmitter you want to focus on if you have a lot of studying to do, if you’re trying to learn something quick, or if you just have bad memory. Many people who use nootropics, or cognitive enhancers, have at least one supplement that tries to increase levels of acetylcholine within the brain.

To increase acetylcholine, you can simply consume more choline – the best food sources are liver (just eat it), eggs, grass-fed milk and cheese products, peanuts and cruciferous veggies. You can also supplement with choline – Alpha GPC is a highly bioavailable source of choline, or you can use Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR), which can increase levels of acetylcholine by donating its acetyl group. ALCAR has a whole host of other benefits as well, including being a potent neural antioxidant, helping the mitochondria to burn fat for energy, and is a strong cognitive enhancer in its own right.

In conclusion, many people are unaware that you can tweak your biochemistry to get an edge in life, or just to help you unwind or handle stressful events calmly. This knowledge can make a huge difference in your life and your ability to get things done.

Supplements Everyone Can Benefit From, Pt. 2

In case you missed it, here’s the first post.

In a perfect world we wouldn’t need to consume supplements – everything would taste like pizza while being super healthy. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Omega 3s – Control inflammation, improve joint function, lower weight, improve heart health, ward off depression and improve the quality of your skin

It’s starting to seem very likely that the root cause of modern day chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis and more, is inflammation.

Inflammation is an important and beneficial process within the human body, helping to heal the body from infection, wounds and other sorts of damage. This is all well and good unless the inflammatory process goes into overdrive, which is all too often the case in today’s world and largely due to overconsumption of Omega-6 fatty acids and consuming too few Omega 3s.

As you can see from the image above, sources of Omega 6 fatty acids, mainly vegetable oils, lead to the production of pro-inflammatory compounds, an excess of which can start to wreak havoc on the body. GLA is an Omega 6 fatty acid that is actually anti-inflammatory (and very beneficial for the skin and hair), but be aware that GLA can be converted first to DGLA and then AA, which is pro-inflammatory, so don’t assume that simply supplementing with foods high in GLA is wholly beneficial. It’s important to note that most restaurants use corn and soy oils for frying and cooking, and that they’re also ubiquitous in processed, packaged food. Further, the majority of meat, eggs and dairy sold in stores and restaurants come from animals fed corn and soy products, so they too are high in Omega 6s. In short, Omega 6 fatty acids are everywhere.

Omega 3 fatty acids, on the other hand, are entirely anti-inflammatory. Some plants such as flax, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds and dark leafy greens are good sources of ALA, which can further be converted into EPA, and then DHA. These all have anti-inflammatory effects.

Meat, dairy and eggs are pro-inflammatory if they are conventionally raised and fed corn and soy based foods – if they’re free-range and grass-fed, they have a much more natural balance of Omega 3s to 6s. Meat, eggs and dairy from grass-fed and pasture-raised animals still contain the inflammatory Omega 6 Arachidonic Acid, but it is balanced out by Omega 3s.

And that’s what’s important – the proper balance between Omega 3s and 6s.

Change in Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratios over Time

Human Population	Ratio	Diet Features
Hunter-gatherers (400,000 to 45,000 years ago)	1:1	Wild plants, animals, and fish
Western cultures at onset of Industrial Revolution (150 years ago)	8.4:1	Greatly increased vegetable oils along with animals raised on cereal grains
Present-day Western cultures (70 years ago)	10.3:1	Increased fats, oils, vegetables, and nuts

Source: Kris-Etherton et al. 2000.

As you can see, our diet consisted of a (likely) 1:1 ratio of Omega 6s to 3s for the majority of our existence. Nowadays most people average 10 times as many pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids in their diet than anti-inflammatory Omega 3s, with some estimates as high as 15:1. Is it really any wonder why we’re seeing such widespread occurrences of inflammation-related diseases?

Omega 3s also improve cardiovascular health and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as ensuring proper nervous system and brain development in infants. There’s also quite a bit of evidence that Omega 3s improve depression, skin conditions and cognition in general.

In order to get back to a healthy balance of Omega 3s to 6s, simply cut out consumption of vegetable oils – check labels on food products for corn, soy, safflower, peanut, sunflower and grapeseed oils, as well as avoiding margarine, mayonnaise and almost every salad dressing out there. Make your own mayonnaise, and use olive oil as the base for your homemade salad dressings. You’d do well to remember that most restaurants cook with these cheap vegetable oils to cut costs and also use them in salad dressings – the occasional serving of french fries won’t kill ya, but it’s something to keep in mind.

At the same time, increase consumption of Omega 3s coming from cold water fatty fish – mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines and cod – and from plant sources such as hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts and leafy greens. As I noted in my post for Vegans and Vegetarians, the plant-based Omega 3 ALA has quite the difficult time converting into DHA within the body, which is critical for proper brain development and warding off depression, so don’t rely on just plants for your Omega 3s. You can also choose to supplement (I do) with a quality cod liver or fish oil supplement, but make sure it’s high quality, is cold-temperature extracted and comes with antioxidants to protect the delicate Omega 3s. Barlean’s makes a fish oil “swirl” that is insanely delicious, and there’s also algae-based DHA is that is vegan friendly.

Iodine – Boost metabolism, improve thyroid function, ensure healthy fetal development, boost energy and motivation, detox at the cellular level and improve endocrine functioning

Iodine is definitely in my top 10 if not top 5 nutrients I wouldn’t want to be without.

Let me start by saying no, you are not getting adequate iodine from your table salt. The potassium iodide added to refined table salt does not come close to the amount needed by the human body, but is just barely enough to prevent goiter. Much of the iodine evaporates during storage, and what little is left when you do consume it has to compete for absorption with the chloride in sodium chloride, or table salt.

The Great Goblin from The Hobbit could use some iodine. — The Great Goblin from The Hobbit could use some iodine, look at that goiter..

Further, while we used to get some iodine from our food, there’s very little left in today’s over-farmed, nutrient-depleted soils, and thus in the foods we eat.

Iodine is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. This is really bad news if you’re trying to lose weight and have ample amounts of energy, as the thyroid is the main gland in the endocrine system responsible for controlling metabolism. No iodine, no thyroid hormones.

Iodine is a type of molecule known as a halogen. Other halogens include fluoride and bromide, both of which interfere with the body’s absorption and utilization of iodine. Bromide is found in most breads and refined grain products, and fluoride is in the majority of the US’s water supply and in most toothpastes. These other halogens fit into the same receptors as iodine would, blocking it from doing it’s job. The good news is that consuming iodine-rich foods is an effective way, and some say only way, to detox excess fluoride and bromide.

According to this article, “Dr. Kenezy Gyula Korhaz states that iodine chelates heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminum and halogens such as fluoride and bromide, thus decreasing their iodine inhibiting effects, especially of the halogens.” Chelation is the process by which a molecule binds to a toxic substance and draws it out of the body.

Iodine is also pretty damn important for the brain and nervous system. The chapter Soils and Iodine Deficiency from the textbook Essentials of Medical Geology (exciting stuff huh?) states

However, while these two diseases are easily recognizable, perhaps the more insidious problem is that iodine deficiency impairs brain development in children even when there is no obvious physical effect. Many researchers have suggested that a relatively low degree of iodine deficiency during fetal development can result in a significant reduction of IQ in children. Indeed it has been suggested that iodine deficiency is the most common preventable cause of mental retardation.

Clearly iodine is of prime importance, not just to fetuses (feti?) but to the neuronal health of everyone.

Iodine is also critical to proper dopamine production and utilization. I talk about dopamine quite a bit because it’s crucial for proper levels of motivation and experiencing pleasure, two things that at least I personally never want to be short on. As I already stated, iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones. If the thyroid isn’t producing enough of these thyroid hormones, the hypothalamus produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn releases thyroid-stimulating hormone as well as prolactin. Prolactin is antagonistic to dopamine, and thus low iodine results in low dopamine, leaving you feeling unmotivated and getting very little pleasure out of life, even in the presence of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Interestingly, this is also the reason guys experience a “refractory period” after sex, and why it’s the best time to cuddle – cuz you’re high on prolactin.

The pineal gland is a tiny endocrine gland located at the base of the brain, shaped like a pine cone the size of a grain of rice. It produces melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep, sets circadian rhythms, and is a powerful antioxidant that is anticancer and promotes neurogenesis. In short, the pineal gland, along with melatonin, are pretty important.

Unfortunately, your pineal gland is likely calcified.

The above is an image of the calcified pineal gland, in a two-day old, no less. The overconsumption of fluoride from water, toothpastes and mouthwashes causes it’s accumulation in the pineal gland. This impairs the pineal gland’s ability to set circadian rhythms and convert serotonin into melatonin. It’s even been found that a calcified pineal gland worsens one’s sense of direction. Again, the only way to detoxify the body from halogens such as fluoride is by consuming adequate amounts of iodine. Some Vitamin K2 will also probably help remove calcium deposits from the pineal gland, but this is just a hunch.

There’s one reliably good source of iodine – seaweeds. Hijiki, kelp, kombu, dulse, nori and others are concentrated sources of nutrients, especially iodine. I simply buy these Kelp flakes and shake them onto most of my meals – a quarter teaspoon provides plenty of iodine and you won’t taste a thing. Most wild-caught seafood also has a fair amount of iodine. Increase your consumption of iodine-rich foods slowly, as some can experience detox symptoms pretty quickly.

If you’re looking for fluoride free toothpaste, I use this brand, but you can also likely find different varieties at your local health food store.

Important note for those with thyroid disorders – if you’re going to be consuming iodine-rich foods, talk to your primary care physician first. Iodine will likely help but may interact with your thyroid medication.

By the way, the fluoride in your water and toothpaste is a waste-product of fertilizer companies, and likely doesn’t even protect your teeth from cavities.

“By recovering by-product fluosilicic acid from fertilizer manufacturing, water and air pollution are minimized, and water authorities have a low-cost source of fluoride available to them.” (Rebecca Hanmer, EPA, 1983)

Bone Broth – Heal your digestive system, improve your skin and hair, detox your liver, bolster your joints, improve your sleep, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system

More a food than supplement, bone broth is one of the best things you could spend time making and consuming. Bone broth is my very top pick for improving your skin and hair, for improving your digestive system, and improving the quality of your joints. On top of this, it boosts your immune system, detoxes your liver, improves sleep and reduces inflammation. Oh yeah, and it’s pretty damn tasty. All this from just boiling some bones in water.

Think that sounds gross? Remember that in France, no kitchen is considered complete with a pot of “stock”, or bone broth, quietly boiling in the corner. Have you had French cuisine? Delicious.

Bone broth is a “hydrophilic colloid” – a substance that attracts and holds different substances, in our case minerals and digestive juices. Because it attracts digestive juices and enzymes, it bolsters out digestive power, making meals easier to digest. It’s also chock full of minerals phosphorus, silicon, calcium and magnesium, in the exact ratios our bodies need, helping to build up our bone tissue.

Bone broth is also extremely rich in easy to absorb collagen, which has numerous benefits within the body. Most importantly, collagen helps to “seal and heal” the mucosal lining of our intestinal tract, a boon for people with Crohn’s disease, leaky gut syndrome as well as your average Joe. As you already know, a properly functioning gut is the foundation of vibrant health.

Collagen is a main component of connective tissues, such as skin, joints and hair. The reason an 18 year old girl has beautiful skin compared to an 80 year old woman is because the 18 year old still has healthy levels of collagen, which helps give skin lift. Why do Asian and French women have such beautiful skin? Both diets use a lot of bone broths or “stock”, which are the base for many of the sauces in these diets. Less collagen means skin is more prone to wrinkles, sagging and cellulite. Don’t want saggy skin, wrinkles or cellulite? Hope you’re consuming some source of collagen.

Collagen is extremely rich in two amino acids that are sorely lacking from the modern diet : glycine and proline. While proline’s main benefit is enhancing “youthful, non-sagging skin”, glycine is necessary for the production of glutathione, our body’s “master antioxidant”. Glutathione

is a powerful antioxidant
has the ability to regenerate other antioxidants – after an antioxidant gets used, it becomes inert, or worse, an oxidant itself
helps to detoxify the liver and kidneys
reduces “photo-aging” of the skin, and reduces build up of melanin
boosts the immune system
helps prevent cancer
attracts and eliminates toxins from the body

Glycine itself helps to detoxify the liver, improves sleep and anxiety, enhances the secretion of digestive juices, helps heal wounds, and is necessary for the synthesis of DNA and RNA.

Bone broth is replete with joint repair substances as well, namely glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). You may know a few of these by name – glucosamine and chondroitan. These are sold in pill form to help relieve pain in the joints of those with rheumatoid arthritis. Another is hyaluronic acid, a popular ingredient in facial creams and skin care products. Hyaluronic acid is one of the best ways to give skin extra lift and smoothness, as well as to help it retain moisture.

Best of all, bone broth is simple to make. Go to your local co-op or health food store and ask the meat department if they have any soup or marrow bones. You can also throw in knuckle and neck bones, as well as chicken feet (wash ’em first) as they’re extremely rich in gelatin. Buy a few pounds of bones and throw them in the crockpot with some water and a tablespoon or two of vinegar, letting them simmer one day for chicken bones or two days for beef bones. At the last hour you can add onions, carrots and celery to give the broth some extra flavor, and then just strain and enjoy.

It may gel up when you put it in the fridge – this is normal and actually a good sign that a lot of collagen has dissolved into the broth.

You can use bone broth as the base for soups, you can drink it with a little salt and pepper (works great for people who do intermittent fasting), or you can boil some of it down to make a delicious reduction. Have a little before or with meals to aid in digestion.

You can buy collagen from grass fed sources, glucosamine and chondroitan, as well as hyaluronic acid, but why spend all that money? Bone broth will cost you $10 tops, and is mighty tasty.