The targeted use of individual amino acid supplements will balance brain chemistry to alleviate anxiety, fear, worry, panic attacks, and feeling stressed or overwhelmed. They can also be helpful in addressing other problems that contribute to or exacerbate anxiety, such as sugar cravings and addictions. In addition, they can help with depression and insomnia, which often co-occur with anxiety. When you balance your brain chemistry, not only will you alleviate symptoms of anxiety, you’ll also have a great mood, eliminate cravings, sleep well, and have good energy and mental focus.
Worry and anxiety can be a result of low GABA and also low serotonin, so you may check off anxiety in both sections. Low GABA tends to result in a more physical anxiety, while low serotonin tends to result in more anxiety in the head, ruminating thoughts etc.
Low GABA
- Feeling worried or fearful
- Panic attacks
- Unable to relax or loosen up
- Stiff or tense muscles
- Feeling stressed and burned-out
- Craving carbs for relaxation and calming
- Craving alcohol for relaxation and calming
- Craving drugs for relaxation and calming
- Insomnia *
- Have intrusive thoughts, perseverate or have an overactive brain
Or have unwanted thoughts – thoughts about unpleasant memories, images or worries (Updated Nov 17, 2017: new GABA research on intrusive thoughts) * - Inability to prioritize planned actions *
- Acrophobia (fear of heights) *
- Poor focus *
- Rectal spasms *
- Burning mouth *
- Visceral pain/belly pain with IBS *
(* New additions that are not in my book)
Low Serotonin
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks or phobias
- Feeling worried or fearful
- Obsessive thoughts or behaviors
- Perfectionism or being overly controlling
- Irritability
- Anxiety that’s worse in winter
- Winter blues or seasonal affective disorder
- Negativity or depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Excessive self-criticism
- Low self-esteem and poor self-confidence
- PMS or menopausal mood swings
- Sensitivity to hot weather
- Hyperactivity
- Anger or rage
- Digestive issues
- Fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint syndrome, or other pain syndromes
- Difficulty getting to sleep
- Insomnia or disturbed sleep
- Afternoon or evening cravings for carbs, alcohol or drugs
Low Catecholamines
- Depression and apathy
- Easily bored
- Lack of energy
- Lack of focus
- Lack of drive and low motivation
- Attention deficit disorder
- Procrastination and indecisiveness
- Craving carbs, alcohol, caffeine, or drugs for energy
Low Endorphins
- Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
- Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
- Crying or tearing up easily
- Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
- Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
- Craving a reward or numbing treat
Low Blood Sugar
- Crave sugar, starch or alcohol any time during the day
- Irritable, shaky, headachey – especially if too long between meals
- Intense cravings for sweets
- Lightheaded if meals are missed
- Eating relieves fatigue
- Agitated, easily upset, nervous
Each of the above sections on specific neurotransmitter or brain chemical imbalances are found in The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings. They were reprinted from The Mood Cure (2004) with permission from Julia Ross. They do contain some of my own modifications based on my experience with working with many clients.
Individual amino acids are used based on the above questionnaires and the results are profound and often felt within a few minutes:
- check out this blog post on glutamine for low blood sugar and calming effects and watch how glutamine helped Nicole within 5 minutes.
- check out how DPA was a miracle for Angie and her sugar cravings which were as a result of low endorphins.