Neurotransmitters are chemicals that relay messages between nerve cells throughout the body. Think of them as chemical messengers that the nervous system uses to communicate with the rest of the body. They affect everything from muscle coordination and mental state to blood flow, including mood, pain transmission, blood vessel constriction, insomnia and hormone production. People with low or borderline levels of neurotransmitters area at special risk for developing disease and/or disorders caused by or associated with neurotransmitter dysfunction (Marty Hinz, MD is the originator of the material - more information is available at www.NeuroAssist.com).

Neurotransmitters are built in the body from amino acids with the assistance of vitamins and minerals known as "cofactors". If the body does not take in enough of the amino acids, vitamins, or minerals to build neurotransmitters a deficiency state exists which over time will lead to the development of diseases and illnesses caused by or associated with low levels of neurotransmitters. In today' day and age, it is quite rare that we take in all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids that we require for optimal neurotransmitter balance.

The neurotransmitters that are most involved with depressive disorders are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine belong to a group called the catecholamines). Many people with depression have very low levels of serotonin. Serotonin is responsible for elevating the mood, regulating the appetite as well as serving to control body temperature. In addition, the balance between serotonin and the catecholamine system is crucial to long term health. For instance, those with an over-secretion of the catecholamines or depletion in serotonin relative to the catecholamines may exhibit anxiety and or inability to concentrate. Therefore, not only is it important to increase the levels of deficient neurotransmitters, it is also important to maintain balance between them.

Drugs and Neurotransmitter Balance
Many medications cause the depletion of neurotransmitters. Drugs such as phentermine and amphetamines cause neurotransmitters to be excreted into the synapse between nerve cells causing the 'high' typically associated with these medications. However, the body quickly degrades these neurotransmitters, leading to depletion over time.

Other medications that block the reuptake of neurotransmitters, such as SSRIs, SNRIs, etc., also cause increased synaptic levels of neurotransmitters which are soon degraded by the body. This is often the reason why the dosage of certain reuptake inhibitors (such as Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, etc.) need to be increased over time to achieve the desired effect or a medication that once 'worked' for a patient no longer seems to work and another medication must be used to achieve the desired effect. The drugs are causing the depletion of neurotransmitters over time, so more and more drugs must be used to compensate. (Click here for a listing of Drugs that Deplete Neurotransmitters). This does nothing to address the root cause of the imbalance, namely neurotransmitter deficiency.

In addition, drugs and heavy metals can cause damage to the nerves themselves, called neurotoxicity. This is permanent damage; drugs that simply redistribute neurotransmitters cannot maintain optimal neurotransmitter levels in these cases. However, supplying the body with the correct blend of amino acids and cofactors often can allow the remaining healthy nerve cells to make up for the loss due to neurotoxicity.

See www.NeuroAssist.com and www.chknutrition.com for more information about neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter dysfunction.

At the neurochemical and physiological level, neurotransmitters are extremely important. These substances carry impulses between nerve cells. The substance that processes the neurotransmitter called serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan. The consumption of tryptophan increases the amount of serotonin made by the brain. Thus, eating complex carbohydrates, which raise the level of tryptophan in the brain (thereby increasing serotonin production), has a calming effect. High-protein foods, on the other hand, promote the production of dopamine and norepinephrine, which promote alertness.