We work with a lot of people that experience symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including migraines, depression, anxiety, insomnia, addiction, OCD, ADD/ADHD, cravings, trichotillomania, restless leg syndrome and Parkinson’s disease; before finding us, some of these people experiment with taking various amounts of different amino acids, including 5-HTP, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, DL-phenylalanine, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and L-theanine. Some people see a benefit with these experimental doses, but most experience no or negative effects, especially if they take only one amino acid, such as L-tryptophan or 5-HTP. In addition, it is likely that all of these people will cause further imbalance over time, as it is nearly impossible to determine the exact right dosing of amino acids that each person needs without proper testing and guidance.
Why Proper Balance is So Important
Most people that experiment with amino acids, including many healthcare providers, inadvertently make the underlying problem worse over time. This occurs because there are many biochemical interactions that occur during the production and metabolism of serotonin and dopamine that lead to further imbalance if the precursors to these neurotransmitters are not given in the correct balance. For instance, the production of serotonin from 5-HTP and the production of dopamine from L-tyrosine require the same enzyme. This means that 5-HTP and L-tyrosine compete for the use of this enzyme. Taking an imbalanced amount of one amino acid will inherently cause an imbalance in the resulting neurotransmitters.
For instance, taking only 5-HTP (or too much 5-HTP relative to L-tyrosine) will cause less dopamine to be produced and an overabundance of serotonin. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, nausea, brain fog, loss of libido, decreased concentration and poor focus. These symptoms may occur immediately, or they may develop over many weeks and/or months; however, the end result is that the system is more imbalanced than before the person started taking the imbalanced dosing of amino acids and now has to overcome an even greater deficit to eliminate their ever-increasing list of symptoms.
This is why it is so important to work with a health care professional that is trained in the proper use of amino acid therapy: you have to take properly balanced amino acids when you are attempting to improve neurotransmitter function. If you don’t take the exact right balance of amino acids that your body requires, you will likely create further neurotransmitter imbalance along with additional symptoms. Everybody’s amino acids needs are different; specialized testing is usually required to determine the proper dosing. Working with a trained healthcare professional will expedite this process and help you achieve proper neurotransmitter function as quickly as possible while minimizing side effects.
