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disastrous dietary advice, most people avoid the from tryptophan, an essential amino acid, via the
dietary sources of these critical nutrients—egg tryptophan hydroxylase pathway. Tryptophan
yolks, butter, organ meats, meat fats, goose and is an essential amino acid and must be obtained
chicken liver, cod liver oil, fish eggs and oily fish, from the diet. Good sources include cheese,
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and some fermented foods like sauerkraut. 20 chicken, turkey, beef, fish, shellfish, peanuts
and eggs. The whey component of raw milk is
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WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS an excellent source of tryptophan because the
Water-soluble vitamins also play critical protein is not denatured by heat. 29
roles in brain health. A deficiency of thiamine, vi- Under chronic stress, cognitive performance
tamin B , causes beriberi, a serious disease with declines, possibly due to serotonin exhaustion.
1
neurological consequences, directly affecting the The uptake of the precursor tryptophan into the
hypothlamus of the brain. The hypothalamus is brain depends on nutrients that influence the
the seat of impulse control. Symptoms of defi- availability of tryptophan. A significantly greater
ciency include depression, irritability, confusion increase in the plasma ratio of tryptophan after
and loss of memory. Chronic deficiency results ingestion of a-lactalbumin from whey compared
in paralysis and insanity. Subjects with marginal with casein, has been shown in several stud-
deficiencies are impulsive, highly irritable, ag- ies. After ingesting whey, memory scanning
gressive and sensitive to criticism. People who improved significantly in high stress individu-
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eat foods with mostly empty calories such as als. A-lactalbumin from whey has the highest
sodas, fast foods, snack foods and alcohol are tryptophan content of all food sources. 30-31 This
at risk for B deficiency. Thiamine is found in explains why raw milk can have such a calming
1
animal foods and selected seeds. Pork is excep- effect on a child’s disposition.
tionally rich in thiamine. 22 Supplements such as L-tryptophan are avail-
Pellagra, a scourge of the early twentieth able, which must be taken with vitamin C and B
century, is a serious disease caused by a defi- complex vitamins to support the transformation
ciency in niacin, vitamin B . The three main of tryptophan into serotonin. A form of trypto-
3
symptoms are diarrhea, dermatitis and demen- phan called 5-HTP crosses the blood-brain bar-
tia—the three Ds. The psychotic symptoms can rier and is transformed into serotonin (5-HT). 32
be very severe and vary greatly from individual Supplementing a high sucrose diet with what
to individual; in some individuals they precede are called branched-chain amino acids, such as
dermatitis and diarrhea, making diagnosis of leucine, isoleucine and valine, lowers brain levels
pellagra difficult. Pellagra continued to be fatal of tryptophan. Supplements to enhance physical
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up to the 1940s and was successfully treated workouts at the gym are laced with branched-
with niacin and niacin-containing foods. Widely chain amino acids, and these are widely available
found in food, it is especially rich in fish, liver, for sale in many health food shops. Worse, many Many infant
meats and bacon. Vitamin B is also added to infant formulas are fortified with branched- formulas are
3
processed grain products, a practice that has chain amino acids, thus reducing the amount
helped reduce overt symptoms of pellagra. 23-25 of tryptophan reaching the brain. The result fortified with
However, subclinical symptoms of pellagra may be reduced sleep in infants and aggressive branched-
are widespread. They include anxiety, hyperac- behaviors in childhood. It is hypothesized that
tivity, depression, fatigue, headaches, insomnia amino acid imbalances in infant formula may chain amino
and hallucination―symptoms all very similar result in permanent changes in mental capacity acids, thus
to those of schizophrenia. Abram Hoffer, MD, and social adaptability later in life.
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an orthomolecular psychiatrist, treated many Water-soluble vitamin B is a precursor for reducing the
6
cases of schizophrenia and pellagra with niacin. 26 fifty enzymes necessary for the metabolism of amount of
Likewise, Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, amino acids and for maintenance of the immune
treats many cases of schizophrenia, which she system; it is also necessary for the process of tryptophan

believes is actually pellagra. 27 methylation, which is critical for mental health. 35 reaching the
Niacin is unique among vitamins in that our Because of its relationship to the production
bodies can manufacture it. Niacin is synthesized of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyrate, brain.

Wise Traditions SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 Wise Traditions 21