Health Spectrum by Richard Helfrich: INTRODUCING THEANINE!!

THE ISSUE: CORTISOL

When cortisol is produced in excess over a prolonged period, it can have profound negative effects. Inflammatory mediators can be activated, blood sugar remains elevated and sodium is retained by the cells fueling hypertension caused by stress.

Instead of promoting conversion of protein and fatty acids into energy, cortisol directs everything to be stored as fat, causing the accumulation of belly fat.

Chronically elevated cortisol lowers serotonin, the brain's largest chemical representing eighty percent of the volume of forty chemicals. Headaches, memory, attention span and most importantly sleep is affected.

Sustained elevated cortisol damages the myelin sheath that protects the sixty thousand miles of nerves in the body. Now anything that travels the nervous system, including the herpes family of viruses, psoriasis, eczema, singles and ADHD can manifest.

The last kick in the pants is with long term elevated cortisol depleting all the available DHEA. With this loss women experience the menopausal symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats and bone loss.

STRESS:

The culprit involved in developing these conditions is often the result of stress. Stress may come in many forms. Weather it be career, home, family or relationships, responsibilities, etc. However, it is not always the inability to cope with the psychological effects of stress, but the body’s physiological reaction to it. Typically expressed in type “A” personalities who’s “can do” attitude encourages them to undertake more than there bodies can handle.

Even though the causes of stress can be totally non-specific in terms of our daily lives the effect on the endocrine system triggers the same fight or flight reaction as if we were thrown in front of a speeding train. Whatever the trigger, the reaction from anxiety, stress, anger or surprise causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline. Adrenaline in turn triggers the release of cortisol. They work together as a tag team for you cannot have one with out the other.

THE SOLUTION: THEANINE

L-Theanine is a unique amino acid found in the green tea plant camellia sinensis. Theanine acts as a precursor to dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the second largest brain chemical by volume and plays a vital role by inhibiting the brain's ability to access adrenaline. By preventing the brain form accessing adrenaline, cortisol release is inhibited.

Theanine not only inhibits the body from elevating cortisol there for preventing all the complications mentioned above, it rewards you by stimulating relaxing alpha waves in the brain. Now the brain can prioritize thoughts, improve concentration and increases learning ability. At night theanine has the reverse effect by shutting the brain down. This helps the brain from hitting the pillow and doing inventory of the day's events or worse trying to tackle tomorrow’s problems.