“I just want my brain back.”
That’s a common statement I hear in my office from women in midlife.
And after muscling through perimenopause over the last few years, I couldn’t agree more!
Amino acids are what you get when proteins are broken down into their simplest form, which is why everyone and anyone with a voice in the women’s health space says you need to get in more protein.
Peptides are chains of amino acids, and you’ve no doubt heard me talk about their benefits.
With many influencers touting the benefits of amino acid therapy, it’s likely you’ve seen supplements containing blends of amino acids.
Those are nice supportive options, but the doses in those blends are often not sufficient to restore balance in the body if someone is truly lacking.
What’s interesting about amino acids for mood and emotional support is that there is a quick way to test them out to see if they might benefit you.
The test is called a Neuro-Provocation Test.
You get tryptophan, tyrosine, and acetylcholine in the form of Alpha-GPC powders in small amounts from a powdered supplement company like Bulk Supplements.
A small amount of the powder is placed under the tongue (1/8th tsp), and then you wait 20 minutes to see how you feel.
Any change is noted, and then you move on to the next one and see what happens.
Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin and supports mood, decreases anxiety, and improves sleep.
Tyrosine is the precursor to dopamine, and it supports energy, focus, and mood.
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that helps activate the nervous system and can be useful in cases where someone feels fatigued, apathetic, and slow to respond to life’s stimuli.
If one of them changes how you feel, I recommend testing it further with a one-month trial using a therapeutic dosage (generally between 250-500 mg) and seeing how it goes.
If all goes well take the amino for 90 days then re-evaluate your mood and progress.
In my podcast, episode 616 with Laurie Hammer, we talk about this test and how she evaluates a variety of amino acids in this very way to see how the body responds.
Because your nervous system and heart are intricately connected, I find these amino acids are something worth assessing when creating a holistic plan for cardiovascular health.
Just taking an herb or medication to counter the effects of heart disease isn’t cutting it anymore.
With it becoming harder to avoid the nervous-system-frazzling effects of EMFs and 5G, being dependent on technology to interact in society, and the emotional impact many people are feeling from the state of the world, it truly takes a wholistic approach to support your cardiovascular system these days.
Here’s to supporting your whole body,
Dr. J
PS: Did you watch my workshop with Deanna Hansen on how to relieve neck, upper back and shoulder tension? You don’t want to miss out – check it out HERE!
