Potentiator for amino acid supplements

I really don't know what I'm talking about, but was wondering if there is some way to boost the effectiveness of an amino acid supplement by adding something instead of increasing the dosage.

I'm also wondering if a tolerance to amino acid supplements can occur.

I have no idea what I'm doing with this stuff. It's hard enough just spelling words like... DL-Phenylal...lilan.. lilaninine.. oh, forget it. I won't even try pronouncing it. I might trip over my tongue.

Any information much appreciated.

Bye bye.

- Ray

While some supplements can be helpful, you need to see if your body is lacking in them to avoid over loading your system.
I am a believer of good nutrition, promoting good health, mentally and physical.
But caution should be taken, some health foods stores try to push many of their products on the public, which some people will take an abundance of vitamins,herbals, and supplements, possibly doing more harm than good.
I know a few people that have gone to nutritionists and had counseling where they designed a "custom" type regimen which really helped them.
I'm wishing you luck with your questions on these supplements. Also, feel free to come here and share with us what you were able to find out about these supplements.
Take care now,
DE

Hello, Darkeyes.

Well, it would be nice if I could afford seeing a nutritionist, but I don't have the resources at the moment.

I will find whatever information I can on the internet.

I'll find out which ones can become toxic at what levels.

Thanks.

- R a y

Hey Ray

The problem is not giving you too much information. And you didn't give enough. What symptoms are you hoping to address? Which effects are you hoping to potentiate? Which amino acids?

DLPA (d-,l-phenylalanine) is what's called a racemate. It a pretty much 50-50 mixture of the two forms of phenylalanine, the one with the right hand twist (the dextro-, or just d-), and the one with the left hand twist (the levo-, or l-).

You know when you're shaking hands, a right hand fits in a right hand, but a left and a right don't work right? Same deal with these aminos. In Her infinite wisdom, or by a flip of the coin (whichever you prefer), Momma Nature has gone left-handed. All the amino acids that go into proteins, neurotransmitters, etc. are left-handed (if they have "handedness" as a characteristic....some aminos don't).

So, "natural" phenylalanine tends to be pure l-phenylalanine. When humans synthesize phenylalanine, we can't control the "handedness" of the product, and we get a racemic mixture, a tumble of lefts and rights that is 50% l- and 50% d- (usually).

So, DLPA is man-made, and it contains d-phenylalanine, which I just said can't be used for proteins or neurotransmitter synthesis. What's up with that? D-amino acids are not rare in food. We just don't utilize them the same as other aminos. D-aminos are abundant in fermented foods, because bacteria/yeast produce them quite readily. 10% of the aminos in beer are dextral. Aged cheese is full of them. It may be part of the reasong we like the taste so much. We want them.

L-phenylalanine is three steps from dopamine. It can be converted to l-tyrosine, which can then be converted to L-DOPA, which can then go on to dopamine. Dopamine can itself then be transformed into noradrenaline (norepinephrine). And further.

D-phenylalanine cannot fit into the enzyme that converts l-phenylalanine into l-tyrosine, so it hits an immediate dead end in this synthetic route. It does, however, fit easily into the enzyme that decarboxylates L-DOPA to dopamine (and other decarboxylases, which the brain has in abundance), so d-phenylalanine gets converted into PEA, phenylethylamine. That's a feel-good chemical all by its lonesome. It's one of the chemicals in chocolate that is supposed to make you feel good.

All these conversions require B-vitamins, some require vitamin C, and the enzymes require minerals for their structure. So, if you're deficient in folate, pyridoxine, niacinamide, ascorbic acid, zinc, or magnesium, you may not be doing these conversions efficiently. I suspect that is what you were looking for when you were asking about boosting the effectiveness.

With respect to tolerance....I don't think that's the right word for what the body does. It's called feedback regulation. In all of these enzyme controlled processes leading to neurotransmitter synthesis, there are biochemical sensor loops that signal just how much "raw material" and how much "product" is going through the system. If you exceed your body's reasonable need for the products, the enzymes will be down-regulated. You can't manipulate everything just as you'd like.

Another thing that occurs is adaptation. On the first dose of a supplement (e.g. DLPA), a fairly profound effect might be noted. That could be because the body is, at that point in time, starving for that raw material. Or, simply has excess capacity available. Along comes this artificial manipulation of blood concentration (e.g. 2000 mg oral dose of DLPA on an empty stomach), and the enzymes simply jump to work. And you get a sudden effect that you chase after every time you take it. The observeable effect diminishes with time, because your body adapts. That doesn't mean nothing's happening. You've adjusted what you sense as "normal".

You're not likely to ever have such a noticeable effect again. You adapt after each dose.

There are reasonable intakes, and then there are ones that exceed the body's capacity to make good use of the nutrient.

Signs of excess intake include irritability, decreased ability to concentrate, and headache.

What I like about nutrient supplementation is that I've come to have a sort of dialogue with my body. I don't take *anything*, not any nutrient, every day. I'm coming to have a sense of how I might enhance my bodily function with nutrient doses. Averaged over periods of a week or two, my intakes are substantial. But I keep my enzymes hungry, so I don't downregulate them.

That's what works for me.

Lar

Larry,
Fantastic info. for all of us
The scientific explanation was superb, you are truly an asset to this site.
I thank you for helping the members out, as well as myself.

Many thanks,
DE

((((((((((((( Larry ))))))))))))))

Thank you for taking the time to post this information, Larry. You have been very helpful with your replies to my rather murkily expressed posts.

I've been monkeying around with these supplements in the hope that I could increase my attention-span and alleviate anxiety.

One day I combined L-Tyrosine with DL-Phenylalinine, along with a multi-vitamin and an Omega 3-6-9 capsule. I felt focused, enthusiastic and did not experience the anxiety that I, typically, do.
Well, to my disappointment, the effect was short-lived. Now, I'm
just as much of a basketcase as I was before.
When I think back on it, I believe I was in a manic state. Sure felt great though! I experienced dry-mouth during that time. It was reminiscient of a time when an MAOI I was using took effect.

Since using some amino acids, my sleeping habits have changed drastically. I don't experience the morning nausea as often, depending on which combination I have and my excessive alcohol consumption has been reduced to almost zero.

I am rather foolishly gobbling these substances up, but have found them helpful.

I might be foolish enough to start a mega-chocolate/cheese/beer diet. I guess these things don't make me any smarter, do they.

Thanks again for your reply, Larry.

- Ray

Think of me as the friendly geek.

I am happy to be of some assistance.

Lar

Ray, for anxiety, I highly recommend a different amino acid, taurine. It is a close chemical cousin to GABA, and gets far too little attention. It directily inhibits glutamate, so it can also suppress manic activity to some extent.

Taurine is a derivative of methionine, the sulphur-based amino acid that gives you SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine). When SAMe is spent, it becomes homocysteine. If you have a good supply of B6, some of that homocysteine gets diverted up the trans-sulfuration pathway, which ends at taurine. The take home point is, there's a lot can go wrong before you get to taurine.

Unlike GABA, taurine readily crosses the blood/brain barrier, so an oral dose is effective in minutes. You can pick up taurine in the kind of shop that caters to weight-lifters, as taurine has some reputation for helping muscle recovery after workouts.

There are dedicated taurine reuptake pumps in every synapse. It's released with every burst of neurotransmitter. It's a very under-appreciated molecule, one in the class sometimes called neuromodulators. It regulates brain intensity, to some extent. 500-2000 mg, taken as needed. Excessive use will lead to irritability and insomnia.

About the omega supplement. Ditch the omega-6 and omega-9. I can virtually guarantee you're getting far too much of those classes of fatty acids already. No reason to pay through the nose for capsules that contain olive oil and canola (most likely sources of omega-9 and -6, respectively). If the source of the omega-3 in the 3-6-9 is flax (usually, it is), your yield of the longer chain omega-3s is close to zero. Females might hit 3-6%.

Better yet is just switching over to fish oil. It contains two very specific extra-long omega-3 fatty acids, that are horribly deficient in the modern diet. Estimates of our ancestral (pre-agricultural) diet put the omega-6: omega-3 fatty acid ratio at 1 or 2 (i.e. equal, or maybe a little heavier in omega 6). Today's diets are estimated to supply omega-6: omega-3 fats at 60:1. You don't need any more omega-6. Trust me on that.

You could easily have gotten a dopamine buzz from your tyrosine/phenylalanine cocktail mixture, but it's nearly impossible to repeat, eh? The body quickly sorts out the game you're trying to play.

Nothing wrong with a moderate diet, Ray. Mix it up a bit, right?

Lar