Addiction is a fairly common problem in the general population. It causes a patient to develop a dependency on a substance, such as illicit drugs, prescription medication, or alcohol. While the symptoms tend to develop gradually at first, many people find that once they are “hooked” on a substance, they quickly develop the need to use higher doses or switch to a different one to get their high.
Amino acid therapy for addiction is one particular treatment option that often goes overlooked. It uses natural amino acids, the building blocks of protein, to help regulate neurotransmitters. This treatment is gaining popularity, but it’s crucial to have a thorough understanding of how it works before deciding to use it.
What is Amino Acid Therapy For Addiction?
Researchers discovered the potential role of amino acid therapy in addiction several years ago. Since that time, Amino Acid Therapy has continued to evolve and improve its effectiveness. Amino Acid Therapy is a holistic approach to addiction treatment.
One study explains how an imbalance between certain amino acids actually contributes to the cravings a person may have for ethanol when they experience dependency on alcohol.
It utilizes specific free-form amino acids to supply the brain with key precursors that influence its major mood-regulating neurotransmitter systems. In other words, Amino Acid Therapy focuses on restoring the chemical balance of the brain using amino acids and other neuro-chemicals to repair the damage done by substance abuse.
Amino acids pass through the blood-brain barrier. Imagine amino acids working like a reset button in the brain that allows damaged receptors to return to a standard setting before substance abuse disrupts their processes with toxins and poisons. Amino Acid Therapy consists of amino acids, cofactor enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The goal here is not to suppress feelings of anxiety and depression, or the withdrawal symptoms that tend to occur during addiction treatment. Instead, amino acid therapy focuses on helping to restore a balance in neurotransmitters. This gives a person the capability to work through their symptoms instead of suppressing them during their recovery journey.
How does Amino Acid Therapy help with addiction?
Unfortunately, simply removing a substance from your life or someone else’s life doesn’t always lead to recovery from an addiction. The good news is that these combinations of amino acids are readily available to help.
These simple organic compounds work naturally to heal the body and the brain from the damage done by drugs and or alcohol. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids, is involved in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that carries messages to the brain and other parts of the body.
Serotonin is directly affected by substance abuse. Either the levels of this brain chemical fluctuate wildly or, due to addictive substance abuse, the serotonin is unable to be transmitted or absorbed properly. This causes a loss of pleasure and a deepening depression, which encourages an individual to look more and more for pleasure through drugs or alcohol.
It becomes a vicious cycle. As drugs cause this depletion of certain neurotransmitters, a person opts for higher concentrations of the substances they have grown addicted to. This leads to even more severe disruptions in neurotransmitters.
Eventually, a person may turn to other drugs or substances that are stronger.
With this in mind, it’s essential to recognize that amino acid therapy alone is typically insufficient. Instead, researchers have noted amino acid therapy to be a complementary treatment in addition to conventional therapeutic options to support recovery from addiction.
What are the types of Amino Acid Therapy?
Addiction is treated with multiple types of amino acids. It’s essential to note that individualized treatments may use only some of these amino acids. This is because a healthcare professional will assess your situation and provide a therapy program that is tailored to you in particular.
GABA, or Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, is one of the most commonly used amino acids. It helps reduce anxiety and stress while promoting a sense of well-being.
Taurine is an amino acid that is important to the regulation of dopamine in the brain. It helps reduce cravings and improve rational thinking and decision-making.
L-Tryptophan is an amino acid that boosts serotonin levels in the brain, which helps promote mood and a sense of well-being while also reducing cravings.
L-Glutamine is an amino acid that improves mood and reduces anxiety, cravings, and stress.
DLPA D-Phenylalanine is an amino acid that blocks receptors in the brain that cause cravings and helps to improve mood.
There are also specific combinations of amino acids used in certain cases. In one study, researchers showed that early intervention using KB220IV-NAAT offers significant benefits in helping to reduce the symptoms associated with substance use disorders.
Is Amino Acid Therapy Addictive?
Unlike many of the treatments prescribed for addiction, Amino Acid Therapy is not addictive. Amino Acid Therapy helps rebuild the key transmitter systems instead of down-regulating them the way mood-altering substances do.
Substance abuse and addiction cause the depletion of chemicals in the brain. In turn, this increases anxiety, depression, insomnia, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms.
With the use of Amino Acid Therapy, neurotransmitter systems rebuild themselves. Since amino acids are natural substances found in the proteins we eat, they rarely cause adverse reactions when taken correctly.
Benzodiazepines are sometimes used in the treatment of drug or alcohol addiction. However, they can cause a patient to form a new addiction to these pharmaceuticals. With amino acid therapy, this is no longer a concern. The agents used in the treatment are not considered habit-forming.
There are cases where a combination of different therapies is used. This may include using benzodiazepines under medical supervision, while also turning to amino acid therapy as a complementary treatment.
How can Androgenix help?
Amino acid therapy is often overlooked as a potential therapeutic option for people struggling with addiction recovery. While supplements are readily available, they do not provide a personalized approach to helping restore a balance of neurotransmitters.
At Androgenix, we’re highly experienced in helping to assess situations individually. This ensures our medical team can get a thorough view of your situation. They’ll be able to understand your amino acid profile, your neurotransmitters, and your specific scenario. This provides a personalized program that can be created and tailored to your needs.
Reach out if you’re ready to learn how Androgenix can help optimize your recovery treatment through amino acid therapies.
