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L-Tryptophan the Obesity, Depression & ADD Silver Bullet Solution?

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Updated by Marc Woodard, 2/27/20

What is dietary Tryptophan and how can it help you lose weight and reduce anxiety?

It is one of the 8 essential amino acids our bodies require to function correctly. It is found naturally in varying degrees within food we eat, such as red meat, milk, eggs, turkey, bananas and chocolate, etc.

How does IMG_20130405_174848Tryptophan work to produce benefits for our bodies that could promote natural weight loss, reduce anxiety, increase happiness, remove depression, and promote good sleep? Could it be possible this essential amino acid supplemented within a diet and known as L-Tryptophan could also help with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) for you and your children?

The answers will surprise, anger and shock many of you about the health benefits our pharmaceutical industries don’t want you to fully realize. This is because the prescription industry is a billion (s) dollar industries that do not want to give up its prescription turf!

Ageless MirrorAthlete has all the consumer information you need and want now – live life to the fullest today!

Let’s first cover a bit of history. Back in 1991 the US government banned the dietary supplement L-Tryptophan because it was linked to a large outbreak of a deadly disease that killed 38 people in a 1989 study. After 10 years had passed without incident of use in Europe, the US loosened its marketing restriction on the substance in 2001. Like anything else, if misused any product may cause ill-health conditions. Like many competitive industries, and most specifically our pharmaceutical industries back in 1989, they took full advantage of this disaster and profited in the market place by denouncing L-Tryptophan supplementation and created a whole slew of potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals to mimic the benefits of this essential amino acid.

As you will read below, there are still risks of using L-Tryptophan if not used correctly. But I believe the pharmaceutical cocktail mixes our doctors now prescribe to you and your children have greater risk to health than this natural occurring supplement found in a balanced diet. So instead of this industry improving a safe version of this supplement, it appears it was more profitable to create a whole lot of other products to achieve the same result at greater expense with increased health risk.

How does this amino acid work in our bodies to promote health benefits?

Our bodies need serotonin and melatonin neurotransmitters which are bio-brain chemicals that allow proper function of our physiology. Our bodies do not manufacture these neurotransmitters without this amino acid in the diet. IMG_20130405_174935That’s what essential means… our body can’t produce this amino acid on its own, and it has to be obtained through the diet.

This is important why? Because without enough of this essential amino acid – any one of us stand a good chance of suffering from one, or any combination of ill-health condition of varying degree… such as, migraines, low energy, sleepless nights, improper weight regulation, obesity, depression, anxiety and hyperactivity.

If your diet is predominately low protein-high carbohydrate, you are at greater risk of ill-health. When dietary balance is one of high sugar-fat and low protein you reduce the uptake of essential nutrients needed to sustain balanced body chemicals and good health.IMG_20130405_175411

Fortunately, more consumers today are educated on proper use and benefits of L-Tryptophan. It is making a big comeback in the mainstream weight loss, anti-anxiety/depression and ADD marketplace.

As you can imagine there is big opposition to this movement from the pharmaceutical industry because there is much profit to be lost once consumers wean off unnecessary pharmaceuticals.

I’m not saying all man-made products are without merit. However, all too often, our physicians and psychiatrists are too quick to prescribe a pill when the answer to the problem could be very simple – a poor diet, or need to simply supplement the diet with an essential amino acid to stimulate the production of the necessary neurotransmitter chemical.

Can supplementing the diet with L-Tryptophan help us regulate and reduce weight?

Science shows this supplement can greatly reduce our cravings for sweets and carbohydrates.

When dieting our serotonin levels appear to decrease which creates a carbohydrate binging and cravings effect.

When our serotonin levels remain low there is a direct correlation with weight gain and obesity. We know this binging and craving effect as the Yo-Yo effect.

There are known side effects of taking L-Tryptophan if proper dosages and impure quality grade are not considered. Unlike Tryptophan extracted from the foods in our diet, there appears to be no health risk. But like anything else we put in our bodies, if you consume too much with frequency, a negative to no benefit effect can result making the body ill.

Here is a list of possible side effects when misusing, or using L-Tryptophan: Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome (EMS), or serotonin syndrome.  

Symptoms include severe muscle pain, fatigue, and nerve pain, hair loss, rash, dry thickened skin, or skin changes. High eosinophil levels are found in the blood when supplementation has gone wrong. Also when recommended dosages are disregarded, excess toxic waste in the body can impact the brain bringing on psychotic symptoms. This may include confusion, seeing, or hearing things, fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, diarrhea, difficulty walking. Allergic reactions may include: Rash, hives, itching, swelling of mouth/throat, wheezing, or breathing difficulty. Science still cannot tell us if EMS is the result of impure or specific brand L-tryptophan that had contaminants. But for best results, it’s best to ensure a quality pharmaceutical grade for safe use.

If L-Tryptophan is supplemented within the right dosages, the scientific data shows the brain will manufacture balanced serotonin and melatonin neurotransmitters promoting a cheerful mood, assist in weight reduction, relieve anxiety, reduce migraine, reduce hyperactivity, reduce depression and promote healthy sleep patterns. Sounds like the same benefits you’d receive from a doctor’s prescription, does it not? Because this supplement also has many potential risks like prescriptions; it would be prudent to work with your primary care physician if interested in supplementing the diet with L-Tryptophan.

This essential acid is also responsible for manufacturing the neurotransmitter Melatonin  [resulting in healthy sleep patterns]. Melatonin can be purchased over-the-counter in many retail stores.

I’ve used melatonin after working grave yard shifts and can tell you it works very well to induce sleep. But if you’re getting enough tryptophan from a balanced diet – sleepless nights may become less frequent. DSC00297Of course, bodies are all different in ability to process Tryptophan and manufacture serotonin and melatonin, so these dietary  truths and resulting effects will vary and affect each individual differently.

If you’d been advised to reduce the cholesterol in your diet, this may likely lead to a reduction of this essential amino acid. I have not supplemented my diet with L-Tryptophan, but would do so If I felt I couldn’t get this essential amino acid from the foods I eat daily.

Recommendations:

If you or your child suffer from ADD, obesity, anxiety, depression and insomnia, consider balanced diet and/or supplement with natural Trpytophan, or a high quality L-Trpytophan prescribed by a physician.

Understand there are literally thousands of Internet links and library resources on this topic. There is much to be interpreted and derived from the data I found outside of the two links listed below. I see the positive benefits of balanced diet and supplementation if needed. The pharmaceutical and psychiatric community does not share a similar enthusiasm over the benefits of supplementation.

Research the Internet and read up on diet Tryptophan versus supplement L-Tryptophan and how it may be your silver bullet to weaning off of pharmaceuticals and promoting a good health to meet your fit healthy and well-being goals.

Good health to you and your family!

Research Links:

http://www.weight-loss-center.net/L-tryptophan.html

http://mental-health.emedtv.com/l-tryptophan/l-tryptophan-side-effects.html

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET. 2010-20 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

Aspartame the Silent Killer

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Last Updated: 26 May 2020, by Marc Woodard

Many years back, I posted Dr. H. J. Roberts, Aspartame and Shocking Health Risks, featured in MirrorAthlete’s March 08 newsletter.

I’ve now updated this important topic to a group of new subscribers and consumers. Which include Victoria Inness-Brown’s famous experiment that exposed the truth about Monsanto the manufacture of Aspartame and its harmful effects on human health. Aspartame a substitute sweetener is alive and well and its addictive qualities are now hidden within approximately another thousand food products then when I first posted this information in 2008.

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While the chemical alone has the potential to make you fall ill with who knows what, I believe as scientific evidence showed us during the seventies, nothing has changed except the number of people who’ve become obese and those who now have diabetes disease. There appears to be a strong correlation between this disease and Aspartames addictive flavor and weight gaining properties. And this chemical sweetener appears to be a major contributor to an increasing childhood obesity epidemic. Other illness and disease may be related to Aspartame, but epidemiological and controlled studies are still controversial and inconclusive for various subjective and objective reasoning as you’ll soon learn.

Ageless MirrorAthlete covers among other things – hard to find fit healthy lifestyle and consumer truths. Learn how to live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now!

Aspartame History Matters, 

“In 1975 the FDA came to the conclusion that aspartame should not be allowed on the market. They requested that further studies be conducted. The FDA’s next move was to set up a public board of inquiry composed of outside experts to investigate the safety of aspartame, and in 1980 that board unanimously rejected aspartame’s request for approval. Another internal FDA panel convened in 1980 also rejected aspartame for approval. If you count the Bressler Report compiled after 1977, FDA scientist’s uncovered fraud and manipulation so wrought with concerns they forwarded the files to the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s office for prosecution” [Mercola, 2015].

So this was 4 strikes against Monsanto of the times prior to FDA approval. But this didn’t detour Monsanto from getting their product approved to market. Eventually deep pockets prevailed and the FDA approved the chemical sweetener to market. The controversy and untold truths still continue today and the health concerns connected to the Aspartame have only grown. [Refer to www.mercola.com]. Yes the reality is we’re living in a grand social-consumer experiment. Where there is no consequence to its creators and/or trustees who’ve unleased food chemical assault on consumers, whereas global effects on human health continue to be realized.

Early on, within Dr. Roberts talking points back in March 08, I learned his consumer safety talking points back then pertaining to Aspartame should not be taken lightly. Here are the facts.

  1. Aspartame is profitable. For example Maryland-based biotech company Genex Corp., went from reporting $14.3m in 1985 revenues to $2.8m in 1986 after they lost their aspartame business.
  2. Aspartame was initially listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent. How does a consumer make sense out of this?
  3. Chemical changes occur within Aspartame sodas when stored in warm temperatures. Thereafter chemical properties are transformed into a chemical poison and toxins and bad for our health.
  4. Aspartame is a common sugar substitute in our food chain keeping us overweight and known cause of diabetes. Aspartame is extremely bad for those now diagnosed with diabetes.
  5. There is a direct correlation between children with ADD and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and childhood obesity.
  6. Monsanto’s patent on Aspartame has expired, now there are over 6,000 products on the shelves [~5000 known in 2008] containing aspartame. It is also marketed as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful. And who knows exactly how many other brands contain this chemical.
  7. Uninformed parents are unknowingly poisoning their children and themselves through easy bake, baked snacks or prepared or processed deserts, soda, ice cream, candy treats, weight loss and dietary foods, etc.
  8. The American Diabetes and Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians know about the Aspartame and health risk connections and acknowledge it. While the U.S. FDA and many medical doctors endorse Aspartame as completely safe for human consumption!
  9. Children are specifically at risk and susceptible to Aspartame poisoning because of their thin undeveloped blood brain barrier. This chemical effect on this barrier lowers its resistance to toxins absorbed by the body and increases the potential of neural cell death. …

… Aspartames chemical breakdown of this brain barrier could leave one susceptible to many types of disease. For example, Multiple Sclerosis, hormonal problems, Alzheimer’s and dementia, ALS [also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease], hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, brain lesions, memory loss, epilepsy, neuroendocrine disorders, etc. The list of potential disease and ill-health problems are too numerous to list. However, it should be noted if you have symptoms of any of the aforementioned disease, in some cases once consumption of Aspartame products is stopped the symptoms clear up. [Refer to: www.mercola.com, Aspartame: Is This FDA-Approved Sweetener Causing Brain Damage?].

Victoria Inness-Brown’s experiment proved on April 2011 that Aspartame is something all consumers should be educated on. This experiment truly challenged Monsanto and FDA to defend its position that Aspartame is a safe food chemical sweetener.

Summarizing Victoria Inness-Brown’s experiment: Her family was addicted to diet soda’s. “Concerned aspartame would one day lead to illness or disease, she performed an aspartame experiment. Starting with 108 rats for 2 years and 8 months. The dose – She gave the rats a daily dose of NutraSweet comparable to 14 cans of diet soda per day for the females, and 13 cans for the males.” [http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/09/victoria-innessbrowns-aspartame-experiment.aspx#!]

Victoria ensured the doses per rat weight was adjusted, using under Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), set by the FDA and considered safe for human consumption. However, even after safe adjusted dosage distribution fed daily, thirty seven percent of the female rats developed tumors, some of massive size.

“One 12 oz. diet soda contains about 180mg of aspartame/15mg per oz, which equals approximately 4.5 packets of NutraSweet. The propaganda industry-machine tells consumers the ADI, set by the FDA equates to about 20, 12oz-diet soda for adults, or 6 for children is safe and acceptable. If the rats get sick consuming far under ADI, why wouldn’t we?”

The insanity of it all, aspartame was once undeniably opposed by the FDA for approval to marketplace. Presently its chemical composition has not changed since the 80’s and continues to be claimed a safe food additive and recommended by many doctors as a safe sweetener substitute.

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Consumer Safety Recommendation:  Do not consume aspartame, or products marketed under the following brands: NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, Equal-Measure and Canderel. Aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 products. Including, but not limited to: Diet sodas, juice drinks, flavored waters, chewing gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, breakfast cereals, such as Fiber One, fiber supplements, such as orange flavored Metamucil, jams, and other sweets.

Be sure to read your food labels to ensure you’re not consuming this dangerous chemical. Only purchase foods sweetened with natural sugars. If the label does not mention Aspartame, just keep this in mind: If it says artificial, substitute or other sweeteners, chances are its Aspartame or some other generic or similar manmade chemical sweetener.

I try to only consume products with sugar cane, or natural fruits, or one of the 3 major and naturally occurring sugars: lactose, fructose or maltose. If you’re diabetic or allergic to any foods, or currently have disease, there may be health implications of consuming too many natural sugars as well. Always seek dietary and medical advice from your doctor when any ill-health symptoms occur.

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2015 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.