HealthBeat News

Author: Wellness Club

  • Your FDA – Protecting You From… Yourself ?

    “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”

    By Nurse Mark

     

    It was the late president Ronald Regan who famously said: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’"

    It seems that the FDA has seen fit to “help” us some more and as a result a safe and useful treatment for chelating poisonous substances from the body is no longer freely available “over-the-counter” as it once was.

    Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) has a long history of safe and effective use as a chelating agent for heavy metals since it was first synthesized for that purpose. In 1957 Chinese researchers found it to be effective in chelating antimony, and in 1962 it was shown highly effective in treating arsenic and mercury poisoning. It is currently “indicated” (that means that conventional doctors are told that it is correct to use) in cases of lead poisoning.

    It is water soluble and widely considered to be non-toxic.

    So, why is this useful, non-toxic substance no longer available? Because it’s a drug!

    Let me explain: DMSA has been freely available for purchase since it was first synthesized. We have stocked it here at The Wellness Club for as long as I can remember. It has never been a “big seller” since not many people need to chelate out heavy metals from their bodies, but we have kept it on hand as a service for the few people who do find themselves in a pickle and need to use this specialized supplement.

    That, however, has now come to an end.

    Why? Well, it seems that there is a prescription drug available called Chemet manufactured by Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Seymour, Indiana.

    Because there is this FDA “approved” prescription drug available, even though it is nothing more than the DMSA that has been readily available without a prescription for all these years, the non-prescription DMSA is now illegal to sell. It is now considered to be an “unapproved drug.” How do you like that logic?

    How do things like this happen? Well, it seems that if a pharmaceutical company can pony up enough cash to afford all the “fees” that must be paid to the FDA they can have almost anything declared a “drug” and “FDA Approved.” Once that happens the FDA then bans the sale of anything similar that is not “Approved.” Essentially, by coming up with millions of dollars in “fees” to the FDA a drug company can buy a monopoly on a substance – like DMSA.

    Under different circumstances this might be called a “protection racket.” But when it’s done by the FDA it is called “protecting the public interest.”

    Go figure.

    The FDA: Your tax dollars, hard at work – protecting you from such things as Bextra, Acomplia, Vioxx…

    Oh, wait… Sorry – those were “Approved” drugs, weren’t they!

    Well, we’ll just have to be satisfied to be “protected” from the evil non-prescription version of DMSA.

    Say… I have an idea: I’m going to see if I can get sodium chloride approved as a drug for use in the treatment of hyponatremia (low sodium). When that happens, table salt will become an “Unapproved Drug” and I’ll be the only one allowed to sell it – as a prescription drug of course…  Who wants to invest with me? A few millions of dollars in “approval fees” and we’ll be rich!

  • Keep Your Kids Safe From The “Mystery Virus”

    By Nurse Mark

     

    It’s like something out of a science fiction horror movie; scenes out of every parent or grandparent’s worst nightmares. An illness that seems to strike only children. Immunization status makes no difference to it; it doesn’t seem to matter if kids have been given every possible vaccination. Antibiotics are useless; it’s a virus, and so it laughs at mere antibiotics. There is no known antiviral treatment available to conventional doctors. There is no protective vaccine.

    It has struck down children in a dozen states so far and appears to be spreading – though the government is being tight-lipped about it, no doubt hoping to prevent panic. It has sickened a thousand or more children so far, and of those, nearly a third have been sick enough to spend time in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

    Fortunately, none have died – yet.

    The headlines are screaming about ‘mystery virus” but it’s really not a mystery. It is an enterovirus called EV-D68 that has been around since the 1960’s. It used to be that it caused a relatively minor cold or “stomach flu” that your probably caused mother and mine to keep us home from school with for a day or two but that was otherwise annoying but relatively harmless.

    All that has now changed – it is making kids very, very sick.

    Why has this once relatively benign virus suddenly turned potentially deadly? Who knows. Perhaps it has mutated. Perhaps in our obsession to live sterile, and pathogen-free in every way we have lost our ability to deal with it. In the end, to use Hillary Clinton’s words, “What difference, at this point, does it make?”

    Well, to the kids affected, or who might become infected, it is a big deal – and while it may not make any difference to someone sickened with EV-D68 just how this virus managed to get so virulent and nasty, it does make a difference that modern conventional medicine seems quite powerless to do much of anything about it.

    Their best advice so far is frequent hand-washing and avoiding people who are obviously sick. Oh, and there’s always the intensive care unit for the unlucky third of kids who get hit hard… But there are no drugs, no magic, miraculous, heroic Big Pharma salvation.

    So, what is a parent to do? Hide your kids at home until it all goes away? Send them off to school and be worried sick that they’ll be the next victim to end up in an ICU bed? Make them wear a mask and gloves in public? (Yeah, right – like that’s going to happen!)

    Natural medicine doesn’t have a magical, miraculous cure either – sorry to disappoint you.

    But we do have some suggestions that can help equip kids to better resist this nasty virus.

    Let’s start by helping your kids to have a strong immune system – that’s pretty easy.

    We’ll start with sleep: kids need a solid 8 to 12 hours of quality sleep – no lights (even night-lights), no beeping smartphones, no violent videogames before bed, just a quiet, dark, comfortable bed in a room with fresh air and no distractions. Figure out what time “get-up time” is in the morning and work back from there to set bedtime. Most kids will grumble and complain bitterly about the “unfairness” of it all, but without that sleep time immune systems become weakened and stressed. Try a little lavender oil – a drop or two on the pillow. It’s an old nurse’s trick to promote relaxation and sleep… For older kids, perhaps Lavella.

    We are what we eat – the ancient wisdom is so true. Your kid probably didn’t get enough sleep, despite your best efforts. Then that same kid is going to climb into a metal tube called a school bus with some 60 or more other kids, and be transported to a school where they will rotate in and out of classrooms where they will sit in close confinement with thirty or so kids… and share a crowded cafeteria at lunchtime and more classroom confinement through the afternoon… until they get back onto that sardine can of a school bus for the ride home. What perfect conditions for the spreading of germs and viruses, right?

    So, why would you allow them to actively suppress their immunity first thing each morning and several times each day?

    Let’s face it – breakfast is probably a big glass of orange juice or other sugary “breakfast drink”, another big glass of milk (skim, of course, which has more sugar than whole milk), and a bowl of sweetened cereal or some sort of toaster pancakes or waffles or even (shudder) Pop Tarts… or the toast and jam: let’s not even go there, OK? Pure carbohydrate, with the added bonus of gluten to mess with those developing minds… (you didn’t read our article Gluten and Casein, The Modern Poisons In Your Diet? Please take a moment to do so now…)

    Enough sugar to shut down a kid’s immune system for hours.

    Then, because all that sugar is going to wear off around mid-morning, leaving the poor kid sleepy and cranky, there will be a snack break for some more “fruit juice” and probably some kind of “energy bar” or maybe a granola bar or pudding cup.

    More immune paralyzing sugar…

    Then the school lunch – usually a high-carb affair with yet more “fruit juice”, skim milk, and sugary fruits.

    And a sugary mid afternoon snack, “for energy”… or worse, a sugary “sports drink” or sugar, chemical and caffeine-filled “energy drink.”

    Remember, each blast of sugar suppresses immunity for up to 3 hours…

    And back onto the school bus for home.

    Why not start the day with a good high-protein, low carb breakfast that will see them through the morning without having to resort to a “granola bar” or worse, a candy bar (which is all that many “granola bars” and “energy bars” really are anyway.) Eggs, meat, cheese, low-carb fruits and vegetables… These will help to preserve immunity and also prevent that mid-morning “crash” that has kids looking for a sugar hit.

    OK, so you don’t have time to prepare an eggs and meat breakfast for anyone – should you just give up and let your kid eat Pop-Tarts or Eggo Waffles?

    How about a quick, delicious, healthy, high-protein, low cab milkshake that you can make in minutes and be sure that your kids will love. Dr. Myatt’s SuperShake is perfect as a meal replacement anytime and is an ideal breakfast choice for busy families.

    Lunch and dinner should be the same – high protein, low-carb, and very, very low on the sugars.

    For an energy drink that you can feel good about, and that your kids will like too, try ZipFizz in a variety of flavors. It adds quickly to bottled water, it’s fizzy, it tastes great, it’s high in electrolytes and vitamins – including B-12 and potassium for energy, and it has zero sugar. And it’s “cool” – kids like it!

    OK, enough about diet already – what else can you do to virus-proof my kids?

    Well, let’s look at one of the government’s recommendations – frequent hand washing. Like that’s going to happen during a busy school day, right? So you send your kid off with some “hand sanitizer” Not a bad idea – except that most of the popular hand sanitizers have some serious problems…

    If you haven’t read our expose on hand sanitizers, please take a moment to do so now:  HealthBeat News: Poisoned With Good Intentions

    Our Silver Gel Hand Sanitizer contains none of the alcohol, perfumes, colors, or pesticide chemicals of most conventional sanitizers, and it is highly effective. Not only that, it’s different, it’s silver, and it might just carry a “cool” factor that could encourage your kids to use it. Oh, and by the way – this stuff is useful against the bane of every teenager, the dreaded zits. A little dab on the nasty spot will help it to heal quicker…

    Colloidal silver has a long and proud history as an antimicrobial effective against most bacteria and viruses. Are we claiming it to be an effective treatment against the enterovirus called EV-D68? No, we can’t. There is no scientific evidence specifically stating that it is effective against this particular virus. That is because nobody has done a scientific, medically valid study. Why is that? It’s because studies like that cost a lot of money, and usually only the ultra-wealthy drug companies can afford them. Since silver cannot be patented there is no profit in it for Big Pharma – so no money for studies.

    But given colloidal silver’s effectiveness against so many other bugs, bacteria, and viruses and silver’s low potential for toxicity, it is well worth having this product in your natural medicine cupboard. Please read more here:  HealthBeat News: Is There A Silver Bullet?

    In addition to the liquid colloidal silver for immune enhancement and for use during infections, there is Colloidal Silver Vertical Spray – intended for use as a “nasal spray” to help support healthy nasal passages and sinuses – where enteroviruses like EV-D68 like to gain a foothold…

    Despite your best efforts, your kids probably don’t get a full, optimal range of essential vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals each day. Why not consider Children’s Vitamins for your younger kiddies, and Dr. Myatt’s Maxi Multi for your young adults? For the “young adults” crowd who might find taking vitamins to school to take at lunchtime to be “uncool” or whose schools might frown upon “unidentified pills” Maxi Multi can also be taken twice daily, at breakfast and dinner, if necessary.

    Dr. Myatt’s Immune Support capsules can also help to fortify young immune systems.

    Adult doses of most things are a bit much for smaller kids, so here is where you can find Dr. Myatt’s dosing guidelines that you can use to calculate appropriate dosing for smaller kids:

    So, there you have some basic ideas for giving your kids a shot at avoiding the “mystery virus”, enterovirus EV-D68 . Big Medicine and Big Pharma are wringing their hands helplessly over this, so it’s up to you!

  • A New Use For Silver Gel Hand Sanitizer!

    By Nurse Mark

     

    We have warned of the dangers of commercial hand sanitizers in previous articles – they contain perfumes, alcohol, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals and they even pose a fire risk!

    So we recommend ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel for use as a hand sanitizer instead. With it’s non-prescription strength of 24 ppm (parts per million) it is gentle enough for everyday use and safe even when used multiple times daily, while being potent enough to be highly effective as an antimicrobial hand sanitizer. The 1.5 fl oz tube is perfect for purse or pocket and is a must-have for your natural first aid kit.

    This is a very popular product, and we have long assumed that customers are using it as a hand sanitizer. Boy, were we wrong!

    A customer recently wrote to tell us the following story:

    Dear Dr. Myatt and Nurse Mark,

    I work in a high-stakes, high-stress job. Usually this is not a problem, I’m used to it – I even like it.

    However, a little while ago the stress really got ramped up: I was working on a proposal for a really big account, and it was almost done – I was fairly satisfied that it should be ready to present very soon. Then my boss called – and I could hear panic in his voice.

    “The XXXX client just flew into town – and they are on their way here with our company president and the chairman of the board. They want to be fully briefed on your proposal, and they want it right now. Meet us in the conference room with your proposal – I’ll stall them: you have one hour.”

    That might have been OK – after all, like I said, I was about 98% ready to go on it – but then he ended the call with “you know how much is riding on this deal – you can make us or break us. Don’t screw it up or we’re finished!”

    Suddenly I began to feel very, very nervous. I had my notes, and I was confident with my work. But this was to be a presentation on short notice for very high stakes.

    My “12 hour deodorant” quit early. As I was gathering up my materials I began to notice that not only was I sweating, but I was not smelling very good. I didn’t have any deodorant with me and no time to go get some. What could I do?!?

    I keep your silver gel hand cleaner with me always – in my desk, in my briefcase, and in my purse since I spend a lot of time meeting with people and shaking hands. You know how that is… it can be icky sometimes and your silver gel lets me feel safe and clean.

    Since I didn’t have any better idea, I put some of the silver gel on my underarms, and… SHAZAM! – odor gone! I don’t mean just a little gone, but gone, gone! WOW! At least now I could concentrate on my work instead of being worried that I smelled like a skunk!

    I grabbed my presentation, met the boss and the president and the chairman and the client in the boardroom and totally aced the presentation. I came up “smelling like a rose” in every way! We got the contract, and you have got a believer in the power of silver gel. I will never be without it now!

     

    Wow! Could a story be any more dramatic!

    Of course there is every reason that silver gel should be a perfect deodorant – it is safe for use on sensitive skin and it is highly effective against the bacteria that are the cause of most unpleasant and embarrassing body odors.

    Though it is not specifically recommended for such, there is no reason not to try silver gel anywhere that odor might form – underarms, groin, under breasts, in skin folds, even feet.

    Larger people with skin folds that become sweaty and irritated can benefit since silver gel will help prevent infection in these difficult areas.

    Been sitting in a car for a few hours on your way to a meeting and need to “freshen up”? Give it a try – you might be surprised and impressed!

    Need to go from all day in hot, closed “office shoes” to open-toed pumps and no chance to wash feet? Try a quick cleanse with silver gel.

    Try it wherever – it is safe on all skin areas – and do write and tell us about your success story!

    Order ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel here

  • Is There A “Silver Bullet” For Disease?

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Yes, Maybe There is!

    In today’s frightening world of SARS, MRSA, Ebola, HIV, hepatitis B, herpes, candida, and even the terrifyingly antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” everyone is looking for the “Silver Bullet” – the one miraculous treatment for all these things – something that works, and doesn’t have side-effects just as bad as the disease it is treating. Oh, and it should be inexpensive too…

    Has this wonderful, elusive “Silver Bullet” been right under our noses all this time? Yep, looks like it has…

    Silver has been used as an antimicrobial throughout history.

    Ancient Phoenicians kept water and other liquids in silver coated bottles to discourage contamination by microbes.

    Many readers may remember the days of fresh milk in “real” glass bottles – and that granny would place a silver coin in the bottle to preserve freshness and prevent spoiling.

    The expression “Born with a silver spoon in the mouth” is rooted in old tradition – as the children of wealthy parents would be given a silver spoon to suck and teethe on, and the wealthy have long known the benefits of silver dishes and cutlery in preventing food-borne illness.

    Silver containing drops have been applied to the eyes of newborns since the late 1800′s to prevent blindness caused by infection – though this practice has declined as drug companies insist that their patented antibiotic drops be used instead.

    During the early years of the 20th century silver was used in the treatment of wounds and silver-containing creams are used today in the treatment of burns.

    Silver is a natural, powerful antibiotic – it is bactericidal, and kills fungus and viruses on contact. (1, 2) Researchers have stated:

    Silver nanoparticles have mainly been studied for their antimicrobial potential against bacteria, but have also proven to be active against several types of viruses including human imunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and monkey pox virus.

    and,

    SNP [Silver NanoParticles] also exhibited good antifungal activity (50% inhibition at 75 microg/mL with antifungal index 55.5% against Aspergillus niger and MIC of 25 microg/mL against Candida albicans).

    Colloidal silver is not known to be toxic at any dose – though prolonged ingestion of large amounts may cause a cosmetic condition known as argyria – an otherwise harmless bluish discoloration of the skin.

    There is even research that suggests that colloidal silver may be an effective treatment for breast cancer! (3) A Mexican study in 2010 concluded:

    “The present results showed that colloidal silver might be a potential alternative agent for human breast cancer therapy.”

    Another group of researchers found that silver showed promise as a treatment for hepatitis B: (6)

    CONCLUSIONS:
    Silver nanoparticles could inhibit the in vitro production of HBV RNA and extracellular virions. We hypothesize that the direct interaction between these nanoparticles and HBV double-stranded DNA or viral particles is responsible for their antiviral mechanism.

    There are even some authorities who claim that Colloidal Silver is effective against the Ebola virus. It must be noted however that our government sources such as the FDA and CDC have stated that silver is useless, dangerous, ineffective, and must not be used to treat such things as Ebola (or anything else!).

    Here at The Wellness Club we cannot find solid scientific evidence that Colloidal Silver has been specifically effective against the Ebola Virus. However, since it is so highly effective against many other difficult viruses and bacteria, and because Big Pharma and Big Medicine has nothing else to offer except some elusive, highly experimental drugs, you can be sure that we are keeping a supply on-hand for ourselves – just in case!

    Colloidal Silver is a Safe and Natural Antibiotic

    Colloidal Silver has been used in Western medicine since the 19th century as an anti-microbial agent for its wide range of bactericidal, fungicidal and anti-viral properties. Unlike other heavy metals, colloidal silver is virtually non-toxic to humans and animals and has a long history of successful use in medicine and public health. Colloidal silver is useful for speeding wound healing, preventing infection in burn patients, treating intestinal infections, purifying water and preserving beverages.

    As a Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Colloidal Silver kills over 650 different disease organisms including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, fungus and yeasts including Aspergillus, Candida albicans, viruses, protozoal parasites, 95% of 72 strains of herpes virus, and the malaria-causing Plasmodium berghei. The medical literature reports that colloidal silver routinely kills bacteria known to be antibiotic-resistant, often at surprisingly low concentrations.

    Colloidal Silver is useful for:

    • Intestinal infections
    • E. coli infections
    • Sinus infections
    • Food poisoning
    • The common cold and other viral infections
    • Thrush (candida)
    • Ear infections
    • Herpes
    • Burns
    • Skin infections

    Suggested use: one teaspoon, twice per day. For topical use, apply undiluted.

    Colloidal Silver can also be used in a spray form, to combat nasal and sinus infections, or even as a safe and beneficial moisturizing nasal spray.

    There are a lot of colloidal silver products on the market, and even instructions for do-it-yourself colloidal silver. Quality however is a concern and it is wise to get your colloidal silver from a trustworthy source with a reputation for quality. Once again, as with most supplements, price can be an indicator of quality and “bargain brands” are no bargain if they contain no silver or are not pure, or may even have adulterants or contaminants!

    Dr. Myatt offers a physician’s grade of colloidal silver in both liquid and vertical spray (nasal spray) forms – find more information here.

    Regarding Hand Sanitizers:

    “Hand sanitizers” have become popular in recent years, but few people know their actual contents or risks.

    Most hand sanitizers contain substantial concentrations of alcohol. While alcohol is effective as an antimicrobial, it is also harsh on skin – as anyone who has ever accidentally rubbed alcohol into a cut or scratch can attest! Alcohol also poses serious poisoning risks to children.

    Most hand sanitizers also contain a variety of other chemicals, from perfumes to pesticides. That’s right, pesticides!

    A common chemical used in hand sanitizers is triclosan – which was first registered with the EPA as a pesticide in 1969. (4) While it is effective as an antimicrobial, it is being found to have thyroid and hormone-disruptive effects. (5)

    Triclosan has been shown to disrupt thyroid homeostasis in mammalian models (Paul et al. 2010; Rodríguez and Sanchez 2010), and current human exposure levels are in the range of those predicted to have this activity based on laboratory tests (Rotroff et al. 2010). Triclocarban has been shown to amplify endogenous androgen response in mammalian models (Chen et al. 2008).

    These are not products that we should be slathering on our hands with out thought for their dangers!

    Fortunately, there is an alternative!

    ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel Soothes Damaged And Injured Skin And Promotes Healing.

    It is a highly effective, safe, everyday, natural healing alternative to chemical-laced hand sanitizers.

    Dr. Myatt recommends colloidal silver gel both for it’s valuable effects in soothing and healing damaged skin and for daily use as a non-toxic hand sanitizer. This gel rubs in quickly and easily, is non-greasy, and contains no perfumes or dangerous chemicals. It is a valuable addition to a natural first-aid kit for treating minor burns, wounds, fungal and bacterial infections – there are even those who swear by colloidal silver fir the treatment of “Cold Sores” and “Fever Blisters”, and scientific research supports their belief in it’s effectiveness! (1)

    ASAP 365 Silver Gel, with it’s non-prescription strength of 24 ppm (parts per million) is gentle enough for everyday use and safe even when used multiple times daily, while being potent enough to be highly effective as an antimicrobial hand sanitizer. This 1.5 fl oz tube is perfect for purse or pocket and is a must-have for your natural first aid kit.

    ASAP 365 – 24 ppm Silver Gel is effective, safe, and inexpensive – Dr. Myatt and I carry this with us whenever we travel and use it often – and we don’t use chemical-laden “hand sanitizers”!

    Why not keep these “Silver Bullets” in your medicine cabinet, ready for use at the first sign of infection. If you catch something and need to order them, it’s already too late!

    References:
    1.) Galdiero S, Falanga A, Vitiello M, Cantisani M, Marra V, Galdiero M., Department of Experimental Medicine, II University of Naples, Via De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. sgaldier@unina.it, Silver nanoparticles as potential antiviral agents. Molecules. 2011 Oct 24;16(10):8894-918.

    2.) Jain J, Arora S, Rajwade JM, Omray P, Khandelwal S, Paknikar KM. Centre for Nanobioscience, Agharkar Research Institute, India. Silver nanoparticles in therapeutics: development of an antimicrobial gel formulation for topical use. Mol Pharm. 2009 Sep-Oct;6(5):1388-401.

    3.) Franco-Molina MA, Mendoza-Gamboa E, Sierra-Rivera CA, Gómez-Flores RA, Zapata-Benavides P, Castillo-Tello P, Alcocer-González JM, Miranda-Hernández DF, Tamez-Guerra RS, Rodríguez-Padilla C., Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, N, L, México. Antitumor activity of colloidal silver on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Nov 16;29:148.

    4.) http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm

    5.) Robin E. Dodson, Marcia Nishioka, Laurel J. Standley, Laura J. Perovich, Julia Green Brody, and Ruthann A. Rudel, Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals in Consumer Products, Environ Health Perspect. 2012 July; 120(7): 935–943. Published online 2012 March 8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404651/

    6.) Lu L et al, Silver nanoparticles inhibit hepatitis B virus replication. Antivir Ther. 2008;13(2):253-62. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18505176

  • Robin Williams: A Tragic Death That Might Have Been Prevented

    By Nurse Mark

     

    The tragic death of comedian Robin Williams underscores the importance of maintaining a healthy neurotransmitters (brain hormones). Although Williams’ death was reportedly caused by hanging (suicide), Dr. Myatt and Nurse Mark know differently. The facts of Williams’ life and death support our thesis — that Robin Williams suffered from a severe but quite likely correctable neurotransmitter imbalance. Here are the facts of the case:

     

    Neurotransmitters (NT’s) are chemicals that affect the brain in addition to numerous other physical functions. Think of NT’s as "brain hormones," because they are. A dopamine deficiency leads to depression and is also the primary problem in Parkinson’s. Alcohol and cocaine further deplete dopamine; Williams was known to have a substance abuse problem with both. Prescription "head meds" (SSRI’s, SNRI’s and other anti-depressants) further deplete dopamine.

     

    Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter because it regulates physical actions such as movement. It is also a "feel good" brain hormone. When it’s deficient, either because we don’t have enough of the chemical or because our damaged neurons require higher-than-normal amounts to function normally, we feel bad – typically depressed, and movement suffers – Parkinson’s disease.

     

    A primary cause of dopamine deficiency is lack of appropriate precursor amino acids in the system. Nutrients involved in the production of dopamine may also be deficient. Alcohol, cocaine and even prescription anti-depressants stimulate and then deplete dopamine stores.

     

    Poor Robin was in a "perfect storm" for the travails that led him to commit suicide.

     

    The recent tragic death by suicide of Robin Williams has touched us all.

     

    Robin was a comedic genius – but like many who have the gift of genius, Robin had a dark side as well.

    It is well-known that Robin Williams struggled with drug and alcohol use for many years, and wrestled with the demons of depression.

    His widow has revealed that he had recently been diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s disease.

    It is easy to say, as some have suggested, that in his sixties, still struggling with alcohol and drug problems, and suddenly given a bleak diagnosis of a debilitating neurological disease, the demons of his depression became too powerful and he sought relief in suicide.

    It is easy to say that, but we here at The Wellness Club don’t believe it.

    We believe that there is more to it than simply the despair of addiction, depression, and illness and that while Robin Williams may have succumbed it need not have happened. The story could have had a much different ending, and perhaps Robin’s great legacy will be a life-saving change in the way we look at the relationship between drugs and alcohol and depression and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.

    Consider these points:

    Dopamine is essential to much of our brains workings – but most importantly it is the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. When we have plenty of it we feel good. When we are deficient, either because we don’t have enough of the chemical or because our neurons don’t use it right, we feel bad – depressed.

    Chronic alcohol use or abuse – alcoholism – depletes the brain chemical dopamine.

    Drug abuse stimulates dopamine release. When dopamine remains in the synapse longer, it is degraded.

    Here is a quote from a noted expert in brain chemistry, Dr. Marty Hinz:

    All drugs of abuse target the brain’s reward system by increasing dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which rewards our natural behaviors, produces the euphoric effects sought by people who abuse drugs and teaches them to repeat the behavior. When some drugs of abuse are taken, they can release two to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do. The effect of such a powerful reward strongly motivates people to take drugs again and again.

    So here is a possible scenario for someone like Robin Williams:

    Feeling a little “down” (depressed) as everyone does at some time or other, Robin doesn’t know that his dopamine levels are not what they might be. He just knows that he feels down. “Have a drink – that’ll cheer you up!” says a well-meaning friend, and Robin does, and the friend was right – he felt better. That worked so well in fact that the next time he felt a bit down he had another drink – and felt better. And the next time, and the next time…

    After a while though, the alcohol is depleting his stores of dopamine and there just isn’t enough of the “feel-good” chemical available even with a few drinks to “help.” Not even with a lot of drinks…

    So, another well-meaning “friend” says “Here – try a little cocaine – it’ll make you feel great!” Robin tries it and his friend was right – he felt great! On top of the world! He suddenly flooded his brain so much dopamine that he felt better than he had for a long time – and able to face whatever problems were bedeviling him. Who wouldn’t want to experience that, over and over again…

    Meanwhile, Robin might be concerned enough about feeling depressed that he would see a doctor. The doctor would most certainly prescribe antidepressant drugs. Unfortunately, antidepressant drugs also deplete dopamine. Robin might have felt better briefly, but the antidepressant drugs don’t work well for long – and he would likely have entered into an endless search for “the right drug” – the one that would bring him some long-term relief to the depression that was making life a misery. But in the end, all the antidepressant drugs do is further damage neurotransmitter function – especially dopamine.

    But our human bodies are tough, adaptable, and forgiving organisms. All these insults to our neurotransmitters – especially to that important feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine – we “deal with” and carry on, compensating, adapting, managing. Like a boxer who becomes inured to being hit, bruised, concussed, and worse, or a rodeo cowboy whose profession provides him with more trauma, bruises and broken bones than anyone should have to bear, people battering their neurotransmitters with alcohol, recreational drugs, and prescription head-meds ride the ups and downs of neurotransmitter depletion and they adapt and they manage – often by self-medicating with more alcohol and drugs. For a while.

    But like the boxer or rodeo cowboy, there comes a time when there just aren’t any more reserves.

    There comes a time when the neurotransmitters – like dopamine – just aren’t there any more, or what is left isn’t working.

    They are tapped out – empty.

    Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which dopamine, which in addition to being the “feel-good” neurotransmitter is also a neurotransmitter that is important to regulating movement, is either not there or the nerve cells are unable to use it properly.

    For someone who has spent many years abusing their neurotransmitters with alcohol, recreational drugs, and prescription psychiatric drugs like SSRI’s, “early Parkinson’s” may be their warning that they have reached the end of their rope when it comes to their ability to “bounce back.”

    Many people regard affliction with Parkinson’s disease to be only slightly less devastating than Alzheimer’s disease. To be given a diagnosis of “early Parkinson’s” conjures up visions of shaking, shuffling, helpless people, ultimately unable to speak or care for themselves. I remember one patient who said to me “Give me a clean death – not that!” when we were discussing his recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s. I found myself agreeing with him.

    Robin Williams knew about Parkinson’s, and about the mainstay drug used to treat it – L-dopa; a precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine or adrenaline – our catecholamines. As a skilled actor who had a starring role in the film “Awakenings” (1990) he would have researched his character and the drug and he would have known that while L-dopa has a miraculous effect on Parkinson’s and other such movement diseases, the side effects are serious and the benefits are not all that long-lasting. Sufferers are given a reprieve, not a cure, and when the drug stops working the disease symptoms return with a vengeance.

    Running out of dopamine is a bad business, and Parkinson’s is a very visible, tangible result of years of abusing one’s dopamine stores.

    But must this always be what happens? Is there no hope for someone who becomes depressed and self medicates to feel better? Must the results always be this tragic?

    No.

    Our bodies, and our brains, are very well-designed organisms; resilient and hardy. Things don’t usually “go wrong” for no good reason. When things do “go wrong” it is often an outside influence – a stressor – to our systems. Infection, injury, mental stress, can all precipitate unwanted changes to our finely balanced biology. So can the failure to provide our bodies with the nutrients needed to sustain and heal and grow.

    The neurochemicals that our brains rely on to function are made by our bodies from raw materials called amino acids – from proteins.

    When we deprive our bodies of the essential amino acids required for the manufacture of vital hormones and neurotransmitters we can compensate for a while – but not forever. We need to begin to supply these essential amino acids in generous quantities or we set ourselves up for serious problems.

    The standard answer of conventional doctors for problems such as those experienced by Robin Williams is to prescribe drugs. Those drugs either hide the symptoms or, in the case of SSRI drugs, make the few remaining supplies of neurochemicals work a little better for a while. But as Robin discovered, not for a long while. Like the drug L-dopa for Parkinson’s sufferers, the helpful effects of antidepressant drugs wear off all too soon and the symptoms, those dark demons of depression and despondency, return with a vengeance to torment the sufferer.

    A better approach is to ensure that the person has plentiful supplies of amino acids for his (or her) body to work with in creating vital neurotransmitters such as dopamine. If the body is able to make plentiful dopamine – the “feel-good” neurotransmitter – then there is less need, less desire for the person to seek the dopamine rush that comes from alcohol or drugs. Many cases of “addiction” can be “cured” by careful replenishment of amino acids in the diet.

    Although neurotransmitter balancing or repletion is best accomplished through natural means, it is NOT a do-it-yourself project. There are too many intricacies best managed by a natural physician who is highly trained in NT restoration. Primary treatment for these brain-hormone disorders include diet modification, supplementation and other lifestyle interventions. This is not a theory; the statistics for long-term treatment of Parkinson’s (dopamine depletion), depression and addiction show that these are are known to be little-helped by drugs while natural methods of neurotransmitter support have much higher success rates.

    Had we only known, we could have helped.

    Godspeed Robin Williams – you are loved and you are missed. If your untimely passing spurs even one person in similar circumstance to seek natural help then your death will not have been in vain.

    If you, or someone you care for is experiencing depression or battling addiction PLEASE, seek the help of a doctor qualified to test and replete neurotransmitters naturally.

    Q. Which comes first: depression then neurotransmitter depletion, or is it neurotransmitter depletion then depression?

    A. It doesn’t matter – all that really matters is that when neurotransmitters are plentifully replenished the demons of depression and addiction seem to go away and the sunny days of life return.

    PLEASE SEEK HELP – a Brief Telephone Consultation with Dr. Myatt is the easy way to get started.