Carb diet, and tryptophan

[CSP]

Have been wondering about high carb diets and less protein.

 

I would like anyone to chime in, I think a lot of people would benefit from this topic.

 

Tryptophan competes with other amino acids to reach the brain, and a higher carb diet helps clear the amino acids that compete with tryptophan, so tryptophan can reach the brain better to convert into serotonin.

 

Caryn, I remember you saying you all eat more of a carb diet, but I forgot why. I'm still wondering about protein not helping my son's tics.

 

I'm also wondering if this info would help parents with some behavior troubles. If tryptophan/serotonin is the feel good amino acid/neurotransmitter then this diet should help with moods.

 

Also wondering how much tryptophan competes with the amino acids that produce dopamine. Would the higher carb diet help bump the dopamine amino acids from reaching the brain?

 

anyone?

CP

[Caryn]

CP,

Yes, too much protein-- meat-- and it throws the balance of seratonin off. I will explain more later later when I have time about the tryptophan, etc..... (from what we discovered ourselves.

Caryn

[Caryn]

It's nap time, so I've got a few minutes.

 

I learned that my son's celiac caused leaky gut issues and this generally leads to problems digesting the proteins found in wheat, milk, corn, soy. We never stopped feeding him meats, but with the corn allergy being so bad we did limit chicken and did go toward only grass fed beef for a while. We ate a lot of fish, salmon, etc....

 

He eats chicken now (all natural but not necessarily organic) and regular corn-fed beef (not a lot and usually organic).

 

When we gave up the dairy I noticed his attention was worse and he was a bit hyper. Didn't know if it was hidden corn because the corn allergy did that to him too. Then I read an article about GFCF diet and lack of dietary tryptophan causing ADHD symptoms. So we began supplementing with 5HTP and he improved. We now use dairy in the diet in moderation and no longer need the tryptophan supps.

 

But too much meat in the diet will cause dopamine levels to rise and this will cause lower seratonin (which is what you want to increase to alleviate tics and restore 'calmness'.

 

Once my son's gut healed we pretty much went back to 'everything' in moderation except the corn, wheat, and gluten. These he can't have at all or he will just re-destroy his gut. We also do the Feingold diet to keep the toxic load low. He's doing great. Knock on wood. Not sick once this year from school and no ticcing. Yes, to answer your question, too much protein in the diet is not good for the tics based on our experience. Same goes for dairy. Too much is bad, I don't care if the kid is allergic to milk or not. Increased calcium reduces the magnesium absorption. Best to try to maintain a balance. We do kefir every day still. I switch up the brands. He gets about 1/4 cup in the morning and then takes his magnesium after dinner. He might get the odd dinner with dairy but not daily. Maybe once a week. Once in a while I will let him have ice cream too. He is taking all of this in stride now-- two years later.

 

So for all those reading this and at the beginning of their leaky gut struggles--- there is hope! Just stick to the routine religiously to heal the gut.

 

Oh, and we are still using enzymes with dairy or any other 'rich' foods. He does not take enzymes with every meal.

 

My new kick is baking with sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds to boost nutritional content and magnesium levels naturally.

[Chemar]

I dont have the links handy but I know there was info about people on low carb diets suffering more depression likely as a result of the lowered serotonin this caused

[ilovedogs]

I dont have the links handy but I know there was info about people on low carb diets suffering more depression likely as a result of the lowered serotonin this caused

So, the gist is that low carb, high protein can cause seratonin levels to lower?

When we're talking carbs here are we talking good carbs like fruits and veggies or does that include breads and starches, sugars, etc?

 

I'm so confused sometimes, guys!

 

Bonnie

[CSP]

Hi Bonnie,

 

Let's see if I can explain this right. Carbohydrate rich meals stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin, causing the amion acids that compete with tryptophan to leave the blood stream and enter the muscle cells helping tryptophan to have a free ride to the brain.

 

From what I understand it is all carbs, but people need to understand that carbs can come in healthy foods too, and not loading up on pastries.

 

What I think we have to figure out is how do we keep tyrosine at bay when it is in most foods that also have tryptophan.

 

I think we would want to be smart and send the kids off to school with a more med to high protein to perk up their brains. Lunch maybe a med carb and med protein. Dinner should be high carb low protein because we now want to promote sleep.

 

Let me tell you all what happened this past weekend with the food I gave my son and his baseball game. He had a bouble-header Sat. For cost reasons I have been buying a large turkey at whole foods every 2 weeks and freezing the leftovers for weekend turkey salad sandwiches. So his first game Sat. was at 2:45, and I sent him off to the ballpark with a turkey salad sandwich. He got tired and could not pitch over the plate. Coach look at DH and I and asked if we forgot to give him his VIT. By the next game at 5:30 I made him a ham and cheese sandwich and diced pineapple. Well he was all over that field, making play after play. I don't know if lunch wore off or the ham and pineapple helped, but it was odd.

 

I would love to know how folks on the Atkins Diet battled with depression.

 

What about OCD, would this kind of diet help?

 

CP