Q: In your last column, you mentioned a promising new nutrient for
mooddisorders called SAM. I wondered if any other substances were equally
as promising?
A: Inositol is another mood-boosting substance I find very
interesting. It not only seems to lift spirits but, in one particular
form, also appears to have beneficial effects on the heart and immune
system and has anticancer properties as well.
A B-vitamin, inositol has been studied as a treatment for
depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with these
conditions improved significantly when given the vitamin, according to a
1997 European study.
Even more interesting is a form of inositol known as inositol
hexaphosphate (IP6) which seems to inhibit malignant tumors. Experiments
at the University of Maryland found that colon tumors shrunk by two
thirds in animals given IP6. The substance slows the growth of a wide
range of cancer cells in laboratory studies. IP6 also boosts the immune
system, and seems to protect the heart from damage when given to patients
immediately after a heart attack.
In addition, IP6 appears to be very safe: in one study, 35 subjects
received 9 grams of IP6 daily for several months without experiencing any
adverse effects.
A Natural Form of Prozac
Q: I keep seeing a product called 5-HTP in my local health food
store. The owner says it's a "natural" form of Prozac, and that it's good
for insomnia and depression. Does he know what he's talking about, and is
this supplement safe?
A: Your store owner is using a creative metaphor when he describes
5-HTP as a natural form of Prozac. Prozac is a drug, one of a class of
antidepressants known as SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors). These drugs indirectly increase the amount of the
neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, helping to improve mood and
well-being.
5-HTP (for 5-hydroxytryptophan) is not a natural form of the drug
Prozac. It does, however, work on tine serotonin pathway. This substance
is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Normally, your body takes
tryptophan, converts it into 5-HTP and then turns the 5-HTP into
serotonin.
Both Prozac and 5-HTP can increase levels of serotonin, but they do
so in distinctly different ways. 5-HTP simply provides more of the
natural resource your body uses to manufacture the neurotransmitter.
Prozac, on the other hand, directly raises the levels of available
serotonin.
I'm interested in 5-HTP, but studies thus far have been limited,
probably because of a tryptophan scare back in 1989. A contaminated batch
of the amino acid caused an unusual muscle disease in about 1,500 people.
Tryptophan was banned, though the amino acid itself was not at fault. It
is still not sold in health food stores today (although it is included in
many baby formulas!).
At the time of the scare, a study on 5-HTP funded by the National
Institutes of Health was abandoned. Nonetheless, there are some studies
of 5-HTP and depression that are suggestive. A Japanese trial with 107
patients m 1.974 found that 74 improved with the supplement. A Swiss
study in 1991 compared the antidepressant Luvox (fluvoxamine) with 5-HTP
and found, them equally effective, although both treatments produced side
effects. 5-HTP most commonly caused nausea and other gastrointestinal
distress.
There are many natural treatments for depression, such as St.
John's Wort, kava-kava and the amino acid tyrosine. Some people may do
well on 5-HTP as well, but I'd recommend taking it only under a doctor's
or nutritionist's supervision, since we don't know the long-term effects
of this substance.
In addition, some of my patients find 5-HTP effective as an
occasional sleeping aid; 25 or 50 milligrams taken half an hour before
bedtime gently induces sleep.
On the DHEA Watch
Q: Do you think it's safe to take the hormone DHEA? I've heard it
increases energy and can even be a kind of fountain of youth.
A: DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormone manufactured in
the adrenal glands. After about age 30, the body's production of the
hormone starts to decline. DHEA supplements are now available over the
counter, and many people who take them report increased energy and an
enhanced sense of well-being. I've also found it to be useful in
alleviating autoimmune conditions such as lupus and Reynaud's.
However, like any hormone, DHEA may trigger the growth of
hormonally-driven cancers that are already present in the body. Since
excess DHEA may be converted by the body into masculinizing hormones,
patients who take too much of the substance may experience undesirable
side effects such as the growth of facial hair. I recommend that DHEA be
taken under a doctor's supervision, and then only after a blood workup
that indicates a DHEA deficiency. It's best to start with low doses (as
little as 5 milligrams a day) and slowly increase intake while carefully
monitoring blood levels.
But since DHEA can have such profound health benefits, I'm excited
about a new supplement that may offer the benefits of DHEA without its
hormonal side effects. Called 7-keto DHEA, it was tested on 18 men for
eight weeks. They took 100 milligrams twice a day, and experienced
improved mood, energy and immunity while showing no increase m blood
levels of various hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, cortisol
and insulin. This is a supplement to watch, and if further studies prove
as encouraging, it may become a staple in my immune-boosting
arsenal.
The Skinny on Sweeteners
