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Amino Acid Therapy

Amino Acids are the building blocks of many important molecules in our bodies.  Most notably amino acids are the building blocks of our neurotransmitters and proteins, and enzymes. Becoming low in amino acids can cause a wide variety of imbalances in the body (depending on the combination that you are low in).  Some of the most common complaints are:

Fatigue
Anxiety
Depression
Brain fog / poor memory
Poor immune function
Insomnia
Chronic aches and pains
Addictions

Many amino acids are available in our diets, but some are only available in limited amounts.  Additionally, amino acids compete with each other to be absorbed from the gut into the body.  When we become very low in an amino acid, it can be very difficult to catch back up using only food.  This is due in part to the fact that all foods have multiple amino acids in them (and they compete with one another for absorption), but also as with many nutrients, our food supply has become less rich in nutrients, and refined / processed foods in particular lack many of our essential nutrients. 

Conventional anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medicines help with these conditions by forcing your body to recycle the few neurotransmitters that it has left.  An alternate approach is to give your body the building blocks it needs to build new neurotransmitters.  This approach has a better chance of actually “curing” the problem as it is replacing essential substances the body needs to keep itself in balance.  This is achieved by giving specific targeted amino acids.  In many cases amino acid deficiency (and the associated symptoms) can be resolved thru supplementation over the course of a few months.  Determining which aminos you may need can be done by looking carefully at your symptoms or a simple blood test can also be done to determine your levels of a whole spectrum of amino acids.