In our functional medicine and IV Therapy Toronto practice, scrutinizing nutrient levels for mental health isn’t uncommon. After all, your nutritional status can affect your mood!

Anxious feelings and depression can take a toll on your quality of life, enhancing difficulty to daily functioning. But findings show that levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in the human body can lead to either the lowering or improvement of mood. In particular, it’s been shown that a lack of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and amino acids are connected to mental health – this makes sense, as these specific nutrients help produce neurotransmitters. 

Due to the lack of key nutrients in the Western diet, it’s no wonder why nutrient shortcomings are prevalent, especially when it comes to amino acids. In this post, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre uncovers facts about these nutrients, while shedding light on their relation to mood support. Our previous blog post which discusses key nutrients for blood circulation and the role of IV therapy in Toronto may be of interest to you.

Facts About Amino Acids and Their Link to Mood

• • These molecules are frequently called protein “building blocks”. In order to sustain prime amounts of protein in the body, we need amino acids – in fact, the human body must have 20 different types. Amino acids can be thought of as batteries that scale up our protein intake. 
  • Amino acids are also core components in the conversion of food to energy, tissue repair, muscle function, immune function, and for supporting healthy hair and nails. 
  • They’re key nutrients that support the production of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that affect the nervous system and mood. “A single meal, depending on its protein and carbohydrate content, can rapidly influence the uptake of amino acids into the brain and modify directly their conversion to neurotransmitters,” confirms a chapter from the Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition. 
  • GABA, serotonin dopamine, glutamate, and noradrenaline are crucial for managing mood in the human body. These neurotransmitters are synthesized from amino acids, such as tryptophan, phenylalanine, glutamine, and tyrosine. These amino acids are fundamental for producing important neurotransmitters.
  • The link between amino acids and mood has been validated in human studies. For example, in one study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, women with postpartum blues were given tryptophan, tyrosine and blueberry extract supplements. The results showed that these supplements show promise in significantly lowering postpartum blues.

Now What? Boosting Your Amino Acids

If you’re concerned about your intake of amino acids, the TFMC may be of assistance to you. We would likely discuss functional medicine testing to quantify your nutrient levels. One example is a urine analysis of the amino acids in your body (Urine amino acids by Doctor’s Data). This test would help us understand your balance of amino acids and pinpoint digestive issues, certain tolerances to proteins, plus any nutrient deficiencies. The lab test can also help detect certain dysfunctions regarding your kidneys and liver, and it can measure for inflammation and oxidative stress; understanding these constituents can help us further explore the root of mood issues. 

We may also advise on increasing your dietary intake of protein through beef, eggs and fish. But if you’re on a restricted diet, you can also get protein from tofu, edamame, hummus, and hemp seeds. (FYI: A holistic nutritionist can tailor a treatment plan that consists of suitable foods rich in amino acids. Contact us to book your session with our holistic nutritionist.) Along with dietary changes, we would also discuss integrating: 

• • Oral supplementation: Amino acids can be consumed through powders, tablets, or capsules. Some patients may have side effects (upset stomach) due to malabsorption though, especially if they’ve been diagnosed with digestive chronic diseases (i.e. colitis, Crohn’s). 
  • IV therapy drips: Amino acids can be blended into an intravenous treatment, and they’re suitable for oral malabsorption concerns or if you have an aversion to swallowing pills. An intravenous treatment avoids the digestive tract by entering the blood stream, which allows a nutritional drip formula to be used immediately by the body. When administered with healthy living and other treatment modalities, IV vitamin drips can help prevent nutrient deficiency while offering a rehydration of fluids. 

As you’ve read, nutritional changes can potentially promote positive effects on brain function, including mood. Do you need help navigating your wellness journey? Custom health strategies may promote improvements to cognitive function, muscle recovery, strengthening the health of bones, and more. Book a session with our naturopathic doctor or nurse practitioners today. 

Reach Towards Optimal Function with the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

Validation is important as you explore your chief health concerns. This is why we offer a personalized service of tailored therapies! Don’t hesitate to ask us about your health issues – we have experience designing treatments for various health issues, such as chronic inflammation, liver detoxification, autoimmune diseases, cellular damage, brain fog, skin elasticity, recovery from injuries, chronic fatigue syndrome, post-viral syndrome, and more. 

As we adhere to the integrative functional medicine model, a plethora of treatment modalities are adapted to cater to several needs. Your custom-built treatment plan may contain conventional and naturopathic medicine, holistic nutrition, hormone replacement therapies, acupuncture, injection treatments, intravenous therapy, and more. Functional testing services are also available to scrutinize your gut health, brain health, cellular health, mineral deficiencies, food sensitivities and allergies, and these results are used to design your treatment plan. 

Our IV Lounge is located within our private downtown clinic, where we freshly prepare intravenous drips on-site. Intravenous infusion drips may be prescribed by our clinicians as adjunctive support. Each tailored IV drip is uniquely dosed for patients’ biological needs using functional medicine – which means no IV drip is ever the same! A custom-made IV drip can be designed with nourishing natural ingredients, including a medley of amino acids (with tryptophan, phenylalanine, glutamine, tyrosine, etc.), alpha lipoic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin A, trace minerals and major minerals, folic acid, glutamic acid, and more – without additional preservatives. An IV drip can be adapted for specific health goals too, such as a high-dose vitamin C drip for immune health, an anti-aging IV drip for collagen production, or a pre- and post-exercise amino acid drip for physical performances. Our clinicians may prescribe vitamin D injections if necessary. 

Uncover your potential with our IV Lounge clinicians – all you need to do is click here and then you can request your initial visit for IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. When IV drips are integrated with additional health interventions and a healthy lifestyle, they may play a role in optimal health. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

Dowlati, Y., Ravindran, A. V., Segal, Z. V., Stewart, D. E., Steiner, M., & Meyer, J. H. (2017). Selective dietary supplementation in early postpartum is associated with high resilience against depressed mood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(13), 3509-3514. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1611965114

Holeček M. Side effects of amino acid supplements. Physiol Res. 2022 Mar 25;71(1):29-45. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934790. Epub 2022 Jan 19. PMID: 35043647; PMCID: PMC8997670.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. The Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Sustaining and Enhancing Performance. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1999. 14, Amino Acid and Protein Requirements: Cognitive Performance, Stress, and Brain Function. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224629/

Lakhan, S. E., & Vieira, K. F. (2008). Nutritional therapies for mental disorders. Nutrition Journal, 7, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-7-2

Lindseth, G., Helland, B., & Caspers, J. (2015). The Effects of Dietary Tryptophan on Affective Disorders. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 29(2), 102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2014.11.008

National Research Council (US) Subcommittee on the Tenth Edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1989. 6, Protein and Amino Acids. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/

Rintamäki, R., Partonen, T. (2011). Dietary Amino Acids and Mood. In: Preedy, V., Watson, R., Martin, C. (eds) Handbook of Behavior, Food and Nutrition. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92271-3_37

Strużyńska, L., & Sulkowski, G. (2004). Relationships between glutamine, glutamate, and GABA in nerve endings under Pb-toxicity conditions. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 98(6), 951-958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2004.02.010

Umeda, K., Shindo, D., Somekawa, S., Nishitani, S., Sato, W., Toyoda, S., Karakawa, S., Kawasaki, M., Mine, T., & Suzuki, K. (2022). Effects of Five Amino Acids (Serine, Alanine, Glutamate, Aspartate, and Tyrosine) on Mental Health in Healthy Office Workers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Exploratory Trial. Nutrients, 14(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14112357