Prescription Drugs Alone Will Not Cure Depression / Anxiety
by William Nelson, NMD
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 Americans are suffering from depression and anxiety disorders at an alarming rate. At any one time, almost 40 million Americans have one or both conditions. While both men and women suffer from depression and experience the same symptoms, women are disproportionately affected by depression, experiencing it at roughly twice the rate of men. Men with clinical depression are more than twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease, which is the leading cause of death in the US. In 2002, global sales for prescription antidepressants reached $17 billion.
Depression and anxiety disorders can be particularly attributed to a chemical imbalance known as Neurotransmitter Deficiency Disorder (NDD). People with NDD cal also suffer from one or more of the following conditions: obesity, depression, bulimia, anorexia, anxiety, fribromyalgia, chronic fatigue, insomnia, attention deficit, learning disorders, panic attacks, migraines, pms, menopausal symptoms, irritable bowel and many more. Neurotransmitters (NTs) are essential chemical messengers that regulate brain and muscle, nerve and organ function. The most common neurotransmitters are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, GABA, histamine and acetylcholine. Low levels of these important chemicals are extremely common in the general public due to poor lifestyle and diet. This article is intended to help the reader determine whether they may be deficient in neurotransmitters and how evaluation and treatment can help. Conventional treatment uses selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs such as Zoloft, Prozac, etc. which can offer patients symptomatic relief. They work by redistributing serotonin from inside the nerve cell to the synapse where it transmits its chemical message. This artificial redistribution allows for chemical messages to be sent even though the total body NT levels are low. The problem with this approach is that these drugs DO NOT increase serotonin levels and in fact further depletes NTs. SSRI class drugs cause an increase activity of an enzyme called MAO which breaks down serotonin. It is common for people to experience only temporary improvement due to this effect. The increased MAO activity depletes serotonin until there is not enough for the drug to act on. Conventional research supports this model even though most doctors prescribing these drugs are not aware of this fact. This is a classic example of a conventional medical treatment that helps with the symptoms but makes the true cause of a condition worse. This approach can be compared with smashing a fire alarm with a sledge hammer because the noise hurts your ears. Your ears stop hurting but the fire is smoldering. A clinical example of this phenomenon is common to patients on anti-depressant medications. They start on a drug and they feel significant improvement. This can last for months or years until the drug loses its effect. The doctor then suggests taking a drug holiday or prescribes a new prescription and the pattern is repeated. A symptom questionnaire combined with a simple neurotransmitter urine test is the most effective way to detect a NT deficiency. Many well intentioned doctors are prescribing SSRI drugs, but don’t perform this test to monitor or direct proper treatment. Neurotransmitters levels can be restored using amino acid therapy. Amino acids are obtained from dietary protein, but not in adequate levels to correct even a moderate NT deficiency. Supplements used in treatment may include 5HTP, tyrosine, DMAE, DLPA, Cysteine, GABA, methionine, mucuna (herbal L-dopa), herbals, and vitamin/mineral cofactors. Once a urine test has identified the NT deficiency, and individualized formulation is given to help replenish the low level NTs. It takes anywhere from 2 to 18 months or more to restore the NT levels using this approach. Patients that have taken amphetamines, SSRIs, or psychotropics Rx drugs or recreational drugs such as crystal meth and Ecstasy have been found to take longer to respond to therapy. The amino acid supplements are safe and have a side effect profile equal to placebo. The amino acids are safe when used alone or in combination with prescription drugs. Many conventional and alternative doctors tell patients to never combine amino acids with prescriptions because it is dangerous. In thousands of patient visits using this approach, there have been no problems using them concurrently. Patients that weren’t getting good results with their SSRIs get great results using this approach. Once the symptoms resolve, most patients can slowly wean off their prescription. After measuring the NT levels to establish a baseline, amino acid therapy is broken down into three phases. Phase one or conditioning increases serotonin levels to prepare the body for the therapeutic stage. This usually takes two weeks. Phase two is the actual therapy that rebuilds both serotonin and dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Therapy can take anywhere from 2 months to 2 years. Phase three is maintenance whereby supplements are reduced to simply replace the daily NT depletion rate. 90% of patients with this condition will need to stay on a low maintenance dose to avoid the return of symptoms. The recommendation for patients with symptoms of NDD as well as anyone on prescription antidepressants is to have their neurotransmitter levels evaluated and optimized. Current research and clinical work in this area is incredibly exciting and promising for doctors treating these conditions and patients suffering from them. |
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Dr. William Nelson is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor who specializes in the treatment of Neurotransmitters Deficiency Disorder by combining the latest medical advances with time-honored naturopathic therapies. The Elements of health Clinic, 7500 E. Pinnacle Peak A-207, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 - (480) 563-4256 or go to www.theelementsofhealth.com |
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