NOTICE: On this page you'll find some product links going to my new store. You will need to use the password RMURPH to use the new online VIP store. Please write this down. You only have to do it once and it will remember you after that. Thanks!
Password - RMURPH
(See our supplements related to Anxiety
and Depression here)
Individuals who consult their family
doctor for anxiety and or depression usually receive
a prescription medication. The most often prescribed
antidepressants are in the form of selective
serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) like Prozac,
Effexor, Cymbalta, Paxil, Zoloft, Celex, or Lexapro.
Prescription antidepressants can provide welcomed
relief from the symptoms associated with anxiety and
depression. Millions of Americans have benefited from
taking these medications. And in fact as many as 10%
of the U.S. population has taken one of these
medications. Precription antidepressants sales
reached a total of 37 billion in sales in 2003, which
came out to $9 million more than was spent on
treatments for the heart, arteries and blood
pressure.
Prozac was cleared by the FDA in 1988. By 1994, it had
become the fastest growing prescription drug in America
with sales over $1.2 billion. In one year, 1993,
prescription anti-depressant drug sales grew by almost 20%.
Prescription drugs have helped millions of people overcome
their depression. However, prescription medications are not
effective for everyone. They have side effects that can be
life- threatening. Prozac has been associated with over
1,734 suicide deaths and over 28,000 adverse reactions.
Prescription anti-depressants may cause depression,
addiction, suicidal tendencies, tardive dyskinesia
(involuntary muscle spasms), sexual dysfunction, and
Tardive dementia (senility). These side effects are due to
poor liver function and drug-induced nutritional
deficiencies. Metabolizing these anti-depressants uses up
essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids and may
create nutritional deficiencies. These deficiencies then
lead to further symptoms including depression. The June
1990 Health Letter, published by the Public Citizen Health
Research Group, estimates that muscle tremors, or
akathisia, affect a whopping 15 to 25% of Prozac patients.
Akathisia is a medical term for a condition characterized
by inner tension or anxiety that drives or compels
afflicted individuals to move their bodies.
(See our supplements related to Anxiety
and Depression here)
Prescription
anti-depressants attempt to increase the brains efficiency
in using adequate amounts of neurotransmitters. Prozac is
classified as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
(SSRI). Other SSRI's include Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro.
These medications inhibit the destruction of serotonin.
This allows more time for more serotonin to circulate in
the brain. But no one has a Prozac or SSRI deficiency. A
serotonin deficiency, yes. But is prescription medication
always necessary? Using SSRI's is similar to using a
gasoline additive in an empty gasoline tank. Most
individuals with mood disorders have been running on fumes
(low serotonin or other neurotransmitters) for years. A
gasoline additive isn't going to help. Some individuals do
notice an improvement for a period of time but then their
nutritional deficiencies begin to rob them of what little
serotonin they have left. Once their serotonin is used up
they are left to try yet another anti-depressant. Is it any
wonder these individuals are depressed? There is a better
way. Why not just correct the nutritional deficiencies? Why
not pour gasoline into the tank? Forget the gasoline
additive. Let's just fill the tank back up with serotonin.
Nutritional
Deficiencies
Medical science has now determined that
how we feel is largely controlled by the foods we eat and
how well these building blocks are converted into brain
transmitting chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that control our
moods. You may remember that chains of essential and
non-essential amino acids make up proteins. Many of these
amino acids are converted into neurotransmitters. The brain
needs adequate amounts of protein and their amino acids for
the production of neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters
include serotonin, dopamine, gamma amino butyric acid
(GABA), and norepinepherine.
(See our supplements related to Anxiety
and Depression here)
Orthomolecular Medicine
A group of
progressive-minded physicians helped pioneer a new way of
treating mental disorders. In 1968, Nobel Prize-winner
Linus Pauling, Ph.D., originated the term "orthomolecular"
to describe an approach to medicine that uses naturally
occurring substances normally present in the body. "Ortho"
means correct or normal, and orthomolecular physicians
recognize that, in many cases of physiological and
psychological disorders, health can be reestablished by
properly correcting, or normalizing, the balance of
vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other similar
substances within the body.
Amino Acids and Orthomolecular Medicine
Most individuals who consult their medical doctor for mood disorders are placed on prescription medications. Many of these anti-depressants are in the form of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI). These drugs (Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, and Zoloft) are supposed to help the brain be more efficient at using the serotonin it produces. And, as I've already stated, it is analogous to a gasoline additive to help your car get more mileage out of the gasoline in your tank. Unfortunately, many of these individuals don't have any serotonin in their tanks and they are running on fumes. Since their brain isn't making serotonin, an additive isn't going to help.
Where do the neurotransmitters come from?
Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that help relay electrical messages from one nerve cell to another. Neurotransmitters are produced from the amino acids in the foods we eat. Amino acids join together in different patterns to form a protein. Eating a protein-rich food allows us to replenish our ongoing demand for the essential amino acids. Half of the amino acids are essential. This means our bodies can't manufacture them and we must get them from the foods we eat (protein). Certain amino acids, along with vitamins (B6, B3, C) and minerals (magnesium), produce the neurotransmitters. The amino acid Tryptophan turns into serotonin. The amino acid phenylalanine turns into epinephrine. Amino acids are the raw nutrients needed to manufacture the neurotransmitters which regulate our moods.
(See our supplements related to Anxiety and Depression here)
What do neurotransmitters do?
Neurotransmitters help regulate pain, reduce anxiety, promote happiness, initiate deep sleep, boost energy, and mental clarity. The neurotransmitters that cause excitatory reactions are known as catecholamines. Catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinepherine (adrenaline) are derived from the amino acid phenylalanine. Inhibitory or relaxing neurotransmitters include serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).The neurotransmitter serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan. GABA is produced from the amino aid glutamine.
Correcting the cause of mood disorders.
No one is born with a Prozac deficiency. However, people can develop a serotonin deficiency. Using a SSRI doesn't correct the cause. If someone is out of gas (serotonin), why would you use a gasoline additive (SSRI)? Why not fill the tank (brain) up with gas (serotonin) instead? I've been using amino acid replacement therapy for several years and have found this approach to be far superior to using prescription medicines (in most cases) for treating mild to moderate mood disorders. I've treated thousands of patients with mood disorder. I've found very few problems with mixing amino acid therapy with prescription anti-depressants. However, you may wish to work with a health-care professional familiar with orthomolecular or amino acid therapy.
Helpful related links
NOTICE: On this page you'll find some product links going to my new store. You will need to use the password RMURPH to use the new online VIP store. Please write this down. You only have to do it once and it will remember you after that. Thanks!
Password - RMURPH
BRAIN FUNCTION
QUESTIONNAIRE The brain function questionnaire allows
you to see if you’re low in certain neurotransmitters
(serotoninin, norepinephrine, etc) and which amino acids
you need.
GET THE ANXIETY JUMPSTART PACKAGE
HERE
GET THE DEPRESSION JUMPSTART PACKAGE
HERE
Read More
About Depression in my past newsletters
"Warning, Your Antidepressant Drug May Be
Your Problem: Antidepressants Are No Better Than a Sugar
Pill"
"Mood Disorders and Orthomolecular
Medicine"
"The Depressing Truth About
Antidepressants"
If you'd like to know more
about our office or protocols please feel free to give us a
call (M-F, 8-4 PM CST) Toll free 1-888-884-9577. Please
visit our site www.treatingandbeating.com. For more information
about Dr. Murphree please click
here
(See our supplements related to Anxiety
and Depression here)