You may already know that amino acids have many important functions in the human organism. Among other things, some of these building blocks are used to form important messenger substances for the nervous system. The positive influence of some protein building blocks on certain diseases, complaints and health restrictions is discussed here. Many people struggle with depression or depressive moods. Can amino acids counteract depression naturally? Find out more about the topic in this article.
What is depression?
You probably have times in your life when you feel
depressed and mentally unsatisfied . Certain external influences, among other things, can be decisive for this. The
depression disorder comprises a complex syndrome. The feelings, thoughts and actions of the affected person are negatively influenced. In addition, certain disorders and bodily functions can be associated with
depressive states .
With depression, the level of suffering is often very high. This is also the crucial
difference to a simple depressive mood that we go through again and again.
Depression symptoms with illness significance are characterized by the fact that the person affected can no longer free themselves from the overall negative state.
As a rule, medication and psychotherapeutic treatments are indispensable. Drug treatment in particular can be very lengthy, as it is tailored to the individual patient and is often associated with side effects.
Depressive illnesses often go through flare-ups and can recur after a period without symptoms.
Different severities & causes of depression
There are different
forms and degrees of severity of depressive illnesses . That is why these diseases manifest themselves with different symptoms. The causes discussed so far are just as complex as the types and processes. In most cases, it is not possible to trace a
depressive illness to a single cause or a clearly recognizable trigger.
This also makes
diagnosing this disease very difficult.
Various factors often work together. These can be external and internal influencing factors.
In this context, experts discuss, among other things:
- a genetic predisposition.
- increased sensitivity, for example due to early childhood trauma .
- the abuse of alcohol or other addictive substances.
- Disturbances in certain hormones and messenger substances.
Messenger substances and hormones influence our mental health
Our
moods and mental health are also influenced by neurotransmitters. These are substances that act as messenger substances in our nervous system and dock on certain receptors and thereby lead to reactions.
An important messenger substance is
serotonin . This substance is important for the
sleep-wake rhythm because it is a precursor to the sleep hormone melatonin. It is also said to influence our
psychological stability . Not all connections and mechanisms of serotonin are currently known.
What is relatively certain, however, is that serotonin influences, among other things, whether we feel relaxed, calm or stressed. This results, among other things, from the fact that a
lack of serotonin increases the willingness to behave aggressively.
Neurotransmitters also influence a number of organ functions and the production of other substances such as certain hormones.
Thyroid health relevant
Our
psychological state is influenced, among other things, by the function of our
thyroid . The thyroid hormones, in turn, depend on other messenger substances that they need for their production.
Thyroid disorders regularly affect the psyche and can also promote
depressive states .
The concentration of certain hormones fluctuates in changing phases of life. This is particularly true for sex hormones such as estrogen. If their levels drop during
menopause in women , this can lead to
changes in their psychological state .
Just from these few connections it becomes clear how complex the interaction of different substances and organ functions is. This is another reason why it is very difficult to name a specific
cause of a depressive illness .
Protein building blocks related to our mental health
One specific property is particularly characteristic of all types of
protein building blocks : All building blocks are subject to a wide variety of conversion processes in the human organism.
Amino acids are the basis of tissue, hormones, messenger substances, other building blocks and much more.
They are part of a wide variety of metabolic processes and influence a wide variety of bodily functions. That's why one or two components are directly or indirectly
important for our mental health.
How does the amino acid tryptophan work on depression?
When it comes to the
psyche , two aminos in particular become the focus of attention:
tryptophan and tyrosine . Tryptophan is considered helpful as a
support for depressive illnesses .
According to
current findings , this effect seems to be possible due to the
connection between tryptophan and serotonin . Tryptophan is the precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and an essential protein building block. This means that it is not produced by our organism itself, but must be supplied with food.
To serve as the
basis for the formation of serotonin , tryptophan must cross the
blood-brain barrier . Not all substances are able to overcome this barrier that separates the brain from the rest of the body.
Tryptophan is generally absorbed by the brain, but competes with other substances in the
amino acid proteins . If another building block or substance precedes tryptophan, the receptor is occupied and it can no longer dock. A building block cannot always be added additionally. This means that when you consume 100% of a substance, your body does not automatically metabolize 100% of it.
Does more tryptophan mean more serotonin?
Serotonin has a huge impact on our
mental health . This has also been recognized in the treatment of depression. Some medicines belong to the group of so-called
serotonin reuptake inhibitors . Their function is to protect serotonin from being broken down for a long time.
This means that
more serotonin circulates in the brain , which can have a positive effect on people suffering from depression. If tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, one could conclude that with the additional intake of tryptophan, more serotonin is produced and this could also have
a positive effect on depression .
More tryptophan does not always lead to more serotonin. Here, absorption is sometimes inhibited because other
amino acids and substances compete with tryptophan for absorption into the brain. You may be familiar with the recommendation to drink hot milk with honey if you have difficulty falling asleep.
Milk is rich in the
amino acid tryptophan . If consumed together with sugar, this combination can promote the absorption of the building block.
Insomnia is also a common symptom associated with
depressive illnesses. Consuming
amino acids for sleep disorders can have positive effects on sleep quality.
Sleep is also tied to serotonin because it produces the sleep hormone melatonin. The problem with the supply of tryptophan is that exact dosages cannot be easily found. The individual conditions are too different for each individual person. In addition, the positive development of additional intake of the
amino acid tryptophan in depression has not been sufficiently proven.
Under certain circumstances, the additional intake of tryptophan creates too much serotonin in the brain. Anyone taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors to
treat depression must be careful with additional tryptophan. An uncontrolled
excess of serotonin can lead to
life-threatening side effects .
Tyrosine and its function
Non-essential amino acids such as
tyrosine also play an important role in our
psyche . Its effect arises because, among other things, it contributes to the formation of an important thyroid hormone. Tyrosine is not an essential
amino acid , but is formed from other building blocks.
The building block is not only the basis for the thyroid hormone, but also the basis for the synthesis of other important substances and messenger substances such as dopamine. Tyrosine and other messenger substances form the basic structure of certain processes in the nervous system. They also have an impact on our
mental health .
Lysine effect on the psyche: What function does the essential amino acid have?
Studies have suggested that lysine could reduce feelings of anxiety in test subjects by reducing the production of the stress hormone cortisol through lysine in the body.
There are isolated reports, not yet fully researched, that the effect of lysine on the psyche also has a positive influence on patients with schizophrenia.
Building blocks as a whole are indispensable
It is not always easy to use certain
essential amino acids in isolation for depressive states and achieve a positive effect. In addition,
depression manifests itself in a wide variety of areas of the body and bodily functions.
Anyone who is
depressed develops symptoms and health problems in a very individual way. Nevertheless, many experts agree that
amino acids as a whole could be helpful
in treating depression and possibly also in
preventing a depressive episode .
Since the protein building blocks form the basis of many processes in our body and also the basis of other substances, an adequate supply of the building blocks supports our health. This also applies to
mental health .
It is very difficult to demonstrate the effect of a single amino acid on depressive states in studies. The individual differences mentioned for each individual sufferer play a major role. However, it can be assumed that a secure supply of essential protein building blocks in particular is beneficial for us.
It has not yet been scientifically proven whether the need is increased in the case of a
depressive illness . However, it is already known that stress, age, sporting demands and dietary habits can change the need for protein overall and for individual building blocks.
Here, too, the details are not yet scientifically supported. Likewise, the recommendation for
total protein per day varies between 0.8 mg/kilogram body weight and 1.6 mg/kilogram body weight.
Amino acids depression: Pay attention to special features in your diet
Certain eating habits affect the absorption of protein into the body. Although it is repeatedly claimed that people can always meet their protein needs with a normal, balanced diet, certain differentiations should be made.
Vegetable protein and animal protein are very different in their bioavailability to the human body. Animal protein is generally considered to be of higher quality than vegetable protein and usually contains all the essential protein building blocks. Vegans and vegetarians may therefore not be able to absorb all of the essential protein building blocks.
When it comes to protein, not only individual needs vary, but also the ability to absorb it from person to person. Therefore, in special living circumstances and certain illnesses such
as depression, it can be particularly important to ensure a
secure supply of protein and the valuable protein building blocks at all times.
This can also be achieved through an
amino acid supplement . The best thing to do here is to choose high-quality
amino acid preparations .
Strengthen overall health
Serious mental illnesses such as
depression are
linked to the availability of certain amino acids via hormones and neurotransmitters.
No standard recommendations can be made for the additional intake of individual building blocks or their dosage. Medical advice is required here. However,
in the event of depression , it can be
helpful to ensure an adequate supply of all essential protein building blocks through high-quality nutritional supplements.
This could ensure that any increased demand is always met. Especially if you have special eating habits, you should put your diet together particularly carefully with a view to protein supply. Anyone who is
depressed may be more
dependent on a good supply of all essential building blocks .
