Click Here to check out all of the other Tribes!
This emotional tribe is run primarily by epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These are excitatory neurotransmitters that gives us motivation, zest for life and energy to get things done. You thrive on excitement and adventure. You always seem to have energy to get things done and rarely tire, but when you do tire then the pendulum swings to the other side and you crash. You can be the life of the party.
There are some people who tend to have too much of these neurotransmitters, which can be the main cause of insomnia, anxiety and irritability. They can make you feel like you drank too much coffee and feel wired and jittery. Excessive amounts can either come from a tendency to either make too much or decreased ability to break them down. Making too much can be due to too much stress, drinking too much caffeine, taking too many methyl groups, ( Methyl B12, Methyl folate, SAMe). Not being able to break them down fast enough is either due to genetic variations that slow the enzyme that breaks it down or nutritional deficiencies, meaning that they lack the cofactors needed to optimize the breakdown. Magnesium and SAMe are the main cofactors needed in this pathway. But magnesium needs to in the form that can cross the blood brain barrier and breakdown the epinephrine that is in the brain for calming the nervous system. My all time favorite product for this is BrainMag from Xymogen. It has three types of magnesium that are easily absorbed Magnesium malate, bisglyciate, and threonate. It is the threonate form that crosses the blood brain barrier to calm the epinephrine in the brain to calm the nervous system. This is always my first go to product for anyone with too much epinephrine. SAMe is another cofactor needed. Most of the time your body can make the SAMe needed and so supplementation of this is not my first step. SAMe is also a methyl donor and so needs to be taken with caution.
Can we test for these? YES and this is where it can get really exciting. We don’t have to guess. We can test your Neurotransmitters with an easy urine test, the Neuro /Adrenal panel from Labrix. This has been very helpful when it isn’t apparent which neurotransmitter is causing the issues.
Testing the micronutrients is also available with the Micronutrient panel from Vibrant America. This tests 35 different nutrients at a cellular level telling the last 4-6 months of your nutrient status. This helps us see the picture if low nutrient cofactors are causing the problems. Want to know more and dig even deeper? Click Here to schedule a consultation with me.
