Herbal Remedies and Medical Tips

Tyrosine and tryptophan are two molecules that has been suggested that could be “natural” alternatives to antidepressant drugs for treating depression. With the information available so far suggest that there may be evidence that these products have antidepressant effect.

I will try to clear up a widespread misunderstanding. The misconception is that “the tyrosine and tryptophan are products with antidepressant effect.

In which certain ideas behind this misunderstanding:
* Neurotransmitters are molecules that the body uses for nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. Norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin are some of these neurotransmitters.
* Chemicals that get to have more amount of dopamine, norepinephrine and / or serotonin in neurons or in the junction points between neurons (synapses) have antidepressant effect.
* The body makes serotonin from tryptophan that is ingested with food.
* The body produces norepinephrine and dopamine from tyrosine that is ingested with food.

So far, all right. But from here a wrong deduction: If you eat extra contributions of tyrosine and tryptophan will have more amount of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine and, by increasing the amount of these neurotransmitters, improve depression.

Why is an erroneous deduction?
* To our knowledge there is no depression in low levels of neurotransmitters in the blood. Perhaps, though no one knows for sure be wanting neurotransmitters within neurons.
* The body has several mechanisms to increase when various substances in the blood, there is no direct impact on the various organs of the body (and, in particular the brain). In this regard, studies so far suggest that administration of extra amounts of tyrosine and tryptophan not associated with increased levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain.

The fact that by taking more of a precursor substance does not increase the production of this substance must not be strange. The idea is that the body tries not to increase production of anything except if there is lack of something. For example:
* If we have an iron but not anemia, the body produces more and more red blood cells. The body is trying to get rid of the iron as soon as possible by voiding it. Only if you have extra anemia using iron to make more red blood cells.
* Tyrosine, besides being a precursor of norepinephrine and dopamine, is also the precursor of thyroid hormone and melanin (which gives the dark color of the skin). Well, if we take extra doses of tyrosine, as neurons do not produce more neurotransmitters, either the thyroid produces more thyroid hormone or the skin cells produce more melanin (whew!).
* Cholesterol is used to make the cell walls. If we take more cholesterol than we need, the body does not produce extra cells. Just try to get rid of it (and in this case, there are times when it fails and simply builds up dangerously).

With these examples, try to make clear the idea that taking extra doses of a product X on the basis of what appears to be logical, not usually a good argument in medicine.

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