Baby, is it really you?
The connection between "personality" and
nutritional deficiencies

New Connexion, November 2004

Chances are, at times you or someone you know may be easily irritable or quick to anger. Do you worry a lot? Maybe you're unable to relax or loosen up. Do you squirrel cage around unwanted thoughts sometimes? Are you easily bored or have ADD? Perhaps it's hard for you to get a good night's rest. Or maybe you are overly sensitive to life's pain, or tend to see the negative side of things. If any of these happen on a regular basis, very likely you as well as people around you figure this is just who you are. Maybe it's true, and maybe not.

So what do all these seemingly unrelated things have in common? They're just a few of the now known "personality traits" that may be attributed to a lack of adequate amino acids in the body. When protein is broken down by digestion the result is 22 known amino acids. Ten are considered "essential" e.g. cannot be made by the body. The rest we can manufacture given the appropriate foods. Amino acids are part of the enzyme & hormonal system and form antibodies to fight bacteria and viruses. Amino acids build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA) and take part in all muscular activity and cellular repair. Here, we will touch on four essential amino acids because of their ability to influence mood and behavior.

Tryptophan is required for normal growth & development. It is converted into serotonin and melatonin by the brain. Tryptophan helps alleviate insomnia, reduces anxiety and depression, aids in the treatment of migraine headaches, diminishes the risk of artery and heart spasms and works with lysine in reducing cholesterol levels. Vitamin B6 is required for the metabolism of tryptophan. If you're missing tryptophan from your diet, you may experience unwarranted negativity, depression, worry, anxiety, low self-esteem, obsessive thoughts or behaviors, winter blues, PMS, irritability, rage, intolerance to heat, panic attacks, phobias, cravings, fibromyalgia, TMJ, suicidal thoughts, or sleep disturbances. You may be trying to survive with the help of sweets, starch, tobacco, chocolate or alcohol; or worse, with Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa or marijuana. Caution: tryptophan may cause nausea & vomiting in high doses.

Glutamine is converted into GABA, which functions as a neurotransmitter. GABA acts as a tranquilizer that calms the body. GABA is used to aid epilepsy, hypertension and ADD-ADHD. If you're lacking GABA in your system, you may experience stiff or tense muscles, feel stressed and burned out, unable to relax or loosen up, or you may feel easily overwhelmed. To alleviate these symptoms you may be self medicating with sweets, starch, tobacco, alcohol or marijuana. Alternatively, you might be using Valium, Ativan, Neurontin or Klonopin. Caution: too much GABA can increase anxiety, cause numbness in the face and tingling in the fingers and toes. Supplemental glutamine should not be taken if there is an accumulation of ammonia in the blood (kidney or liver problems, Reye's syndrome, etc.).

Phenylalanine is used by the brain to produce dopamine and norepinephrine, which promote alertness, elevate mood, decrease pain, aid in memory and learning, and reduce appetite. If you're lacking phenylalanine, you may be sensitive to emotional or physical pain, cry or tear up easily and crave comforting treats or rewards. You may be trying to control your feelings through the use of sweets, starch, tobacco, chocolate, and caffeine, or medicate with Vicodin, marijuana or heroin. Caution: Phenylalanine should not be supplemented by individuals with anxiety attacks, diabetes, pigmented melanoma, high blood pressure, or if pregnant.

Tyrosine promotes the healthy functioning of the thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands. Research indicates that tyrosine may help chronic fatigue, narcolepsy, anxiety, depression, allergies, headaches, and Parkinson's disease. Tyrosine improves memory and increases mental alertness. Tyrosine also suppresses appetite and helps to reduce body fat. Without adequate tyrosine you may feel depression, apathy, lack of energy, lack of drive, be easily bored, lack of focus and concentration, or have ADD. You may be trying to help yourself with sweets, starch, chocolate, caffeine, aspartame, tobacco and alcohol. Or you may resort to drugs such as Wellbutrin, Ritalin, Adderall or marijuana, cocaine or speed.

Without sufficient protein in the diet, these amino acids cannot be synthesized. A great diet includes good quality, hormone and antibiotic free fish, chicken, turkey, pork and beef, buffalo, game and organic whole grains, peas and beans. Variety is key. Sometimes, although the diet includes sufficient protein, nevertheless we may not be able to synthesize one or more amino acids. Stress can compromise digestion, which in turn may decrease our ability to break down proteins. Sometimes these emotional traits may be the only signs that something is amiss in the body. As indicated, insufficient levels of different amino acids can sometimes produce similar symptoms for different reasons, and an excess of amino acid supplementation can cause serious side effects. If you think you may be lacking in one or more of these amino acids, professional help is needed to ferret out the causes.

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