The Lack of Energy Problem
The lack of energy can be traced back to mental fatigue that results from chronic stress – induced release of cortisol. While essential to life, the chronic release of cortisol can be corrosive and lead to decreases in essential neurotransmitters such as 1) serotonin which boosts positive mood and appetite control and 2) dopamine which increases motivation, concentration and pleasure. Persistent bombardment on your brain by cortisol also can result in an unresponsive endocrine thermostat termed the Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis or HP axis. An everyday analogy of this system is an air conditioner thermostat. Thermostats are designed to keep the environment in balance by releasing air at temperatures to bring things back to normal. This process works fine unless the thermostat becomes faulty. In a similar fashion, control of hormone production and release in the human brain is governed by the brain’s HP thermostat’s response to our daily needs. Cortisol can wreck this finely tuned system by rendering the HP axis (thermostat) unresponsive. It is as if your brain says, “I have had enough and I don’t want to hear about it anymore”. Without the HP sending coordinated signals to your endocrine glands, especially the adrenals, you may experience fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
In addition to these effects, we may also experience short term (fuzzy) memory loss – brain fog – that is secondary to the detrimental effects of sustained cortisol levels on those brain cells located in the hippocampal region. The hippocampus contains neurons (memory cells) that store short term memory; however, these cells are easily injured by excess levels of cortisol. This would explain the “Overdone” woman’s or man’s inability to recall names or events, such as where you placed your keys or cell phone.
The Bottom Line
The sequence is that chronic stress = chronic exposure of your brain to cortisol = lowered levels of serotonin and dopamine.
The Good News
Fortunately, the short-term memory storage neurons can be fixed.
What You Can Do
Educate yourself and take action. HPA axis dysfunction must be corrected along with balancing hormones to achieve optimal recovery. So, the lack of energy that is secondary to HPA dysfunction (adrenal fatigue) is primarily due to an imbalance of neurotransmitters that must be corrected by the management of relative nutritional deficiencies (RND) using the protocols listed below. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with your adrenal gland. The “lack of energy” problem then, resides in the biologic thermostat (HPA axis) that instructs the adrenal gland’s release of hormones. Resolution of adrenal fatigue involves taking adrenal glandulars, hormones or hormone replacement, and appropriate lifestyle changes with the addition of particular nutritional remedies discussed below.
Critically, you MUST RESTORE PROPER LEVELS OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN YOUR BRAIN BY CORRECTING THE RELATIVE NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES or RND OF YOUR EVERYDAY DIET.
Describing Relative Nutritional Deficiencies (RND)
Neurotransmitters can only be derived by the metabolization of nutrients via specific, Vitamin B6 dependent, enzymes. Unfortunately, many of us do not ingest adequate amounts of these specific nutrients; this lack has been labeled Relative Nutritional Deficiencies or RND. Persistent RND of neurotransmitter precursors exacerbated by chronic exposure to cortisol eventually can lead to inadequate production of the neurotransmitters mentioned earlier, serotonin and dopamine (also described as monoamine depletion). In a separate communication we have listed symptoms associated with these two common transmitter deficiencies (hyposerotonergic and hypodopamine). In spite of aging, we all seek to be creative, active, happy, energetic, socially engaged and spiritually satisfied. Optimizing neurotransmitters by resolving RND using special FDA approved medical foods is essential for these goals to be realized.
The Solution Starts with Medical Foods
Medical foods are an integral part of a medical RND treatment plan.
Medical Foods are:
- For the management of the unique nutrient needs that result from a specific disease or condition
- Intended for the dietary management of a patient who has other special medically determined nutrient requirements that cannot be achieved by the modification of the normal diet alone
RND Medical Foods Impact by:
- Increasing overall health
- Helping prevent Glutathione-Methylation collapse, thus avoiding some diseases of aging
- Complementing any and all pharmaceutical interventions
Medical Foods requires:
- Being dispensed under supervision of licensed providers and caregivers
Specifics of Our (Updated) Protocols
We use FDA approved medical foods designed to address RND for the management of monoamine depletion. There are three possible protocols whose usage is based upon your response to management of specific conditions (adrenal fatigue, used as a complement to antidepressants, or primarily for mild/moderate reactive depression. Our protocol’s management of RND is based upon the consumption of two medical food products include Replete and Restore and Replete and Restore SANS.
Replete and Restore contains therapeutic doses of:
- L-cysteine
- L-Tyrosine
- Vitamin C
- 5 HTP
- Macuna Pruriens Extract (40% L-Dopa)
- Calcium
- Vitamin B6
- Selenium
- Folate
Replete and Restore SANS contains therapeutic doses of
- L-Tyrosine
- 5-HTP
- Macuna Pruriens (L-dopa)
Protocol Levels
First, Level One is initiated by taking 2 pills, with or without food, of Replete and Restore each morning, noon, evening. Next, Level Two is recommended if the response to Level One is not optimal. Instructions will be provided on how to incorporate Replete and Restore in combination with Replete and Restore SANS, taken with or without food. Third, Level Three is recommended if the response to Level Two is not optimal and instructions will be provided for more aggressive dosing of the two medical food products, taken with or without food. And last, If the response is not optimal at Level Three, then a urine neurotransmitter test will be administered.
What to expect
As you begin this neurotransmitter-replacing protocol, please consider:
- While some might experience complete relief of relative nutritional deficiency symptoms in one week, you need to be prepared for the several weeks of potential care.
- We generally recommend continuing a protocol for at least 3 – 4 months as it may take that length of time for RND symptoms to resolve.
- For others, some relative nutritional deficiency symptoms may require 4 to 6 months of intermittent follow ups which may be accomplished with telemedicine)
- At the start and with any dosing changes, it may take 8 to 10 days for the full amino acid effects to occur although you should experience some (partial) improvement in symptoms within 7-12 days.
- If no improvement has occurred by 12 or so days, we then will adjust the RND treatment protocol.
- When symptoms have resolved, you may wean off slowly or you may stay at the same or a lower dose.
As we know, life stressors (and cortisol release) always are with us, so you may need to resume the protocol periodically, depending on life events you experience.
- Importantly, consequences of missing one or more pills will slightly lower your dosing values of these amino acids and may lead to relapse of relative nutritional deficiency symptoms. If this happens, it likely will require 5 full days until equilibrium is reestablished.
NOTE: Absolute compliance with the protocol is the secret to your success!
Boosting the Protocol Outcomes
There are a couple of things you can do to boost your results. For example, to enhance the production of glutathione while supporting the methylation cycle, we recommend applying the amount of 1 finger segment of our MDMatrix Cream to each side of the neck in the region of the external carotid artery, massaging thoroughly for 45-60 seconds (you can feel the pulsations in your neck region allowing cream application in the correct area). Apply the cream once to twice daily.
Another booster is taking 1-2 capsules of Ultimate Detox twice daily with food. This very potent supplement not only provides favorable hormonal metabolism but will enhance the production of glutathione via the Nrf2 pathway. Glutathione is a key antioxidant used in the production of neurotransmitters. In addition to protecting the brain, Ultimate Detox increases glutathione in the liver, making it one of the most potent liver detoxifiers available.
C.A.N. Precepts
Our carefully designed programs are based on the basic precepts of the C.A.N. protocol: Cleanse, Add and Nourish, as outlined in my book, Avoiding Breast Cancer While Balancing Your Hormones. Based on extensive clinical experience, our nutritional plans:
- Promote weight control
- Help provide detoxification
- Support the gut microbiome
- Boost alkalization
- Reduce chronic inflammation
- Help optimize hormonal balance.
Final Recommendations
In order to amplify the effects of our RND correcting protocols using the medical foods labeled Replete and Restore along with Replete Restore SANS, we recommend that you consider:
- A plant -based diet of vegetables and fruits, avoiding animal products for at least 12 weeks (refer to book -Mastering Diabetes by Cyrus Khambatta and Robby Barbaro).
- Taking Ultimate Detox. Stabilization and Support of the Glutathione-Methylation cycle is achieved by combining our most potent liver support, Ultimate Detox with Replete and Restore.
- A bonus to taking Ultimate Detox is that it helps provide a hormonal environment to combat certain hormonal sensitive cancers.
Questions? Contact Supplements@energyhealth.com
See you at our next visit!