Once a person realizes they have a neurotransmitter-based disorder or imbalance the next logical question becomes “How do I fix it?” and “What products should I use?” As we have discussed previously, amino acid therapy involves supplying each person the exact right amount of necessary amino acids and other nutrients (called co-factors) to restore optimal neurotransmitter function, thereby eliminating all symptoms of imbalance. Once a neurotransmitter imbalance has been identified, the next step is determining the amount and number of nutrients needed for each person to restore proper neurotransmitter function – this is often easier said than done.
As you can probably guess, brain chemistry is pretty complex and the science of brain chemistry is constantly evolving. From where we stand today, the following interactions are known:
Illustration taken from Marty Hinz, MD – www.hinzmd.com
One look at this picture makes figuring out the exact right amount of amino acid necessary to restore proper function without causing further imbalance a daunting exercise. Once more, supplement quality is a major concern when dealing with neurotransmitter balance over time, as most products sold over the counter (and many sold through health care providers) do not meet label claim (i.e., do not contain what is stated on the label). This means that if a person does somehow manage to find a dose of amino acids that brings them relief of symptoms, they may experience a relapse (or feel that the products quit working) due to using a batch of products that contains significantly less (or more) of what they thought they were getting.
We have used and tested a very large number of products in order to balance neurotransmitter levels. Formulas manufactured by CHK Nutrition have been some of the best and useful in the broadest number of applications. CHK Nutrition specializes in amino acid therapy and makes formulas solely for this purpose. Their raw materials are tested for purity and potency, as are their finished products. In addition, CHK Nutrition products have been vetted by health care providers worldwide, with a database containing more than 3.7 million patient-days of treatment from over 1,400 clinics around the world. Therefore, we feel confident using CHK Nutrition products as a foundation for amino acid therapy.
In the event that a person has very specialized amino acid needs that fall outside the range of formulas provided by CHK Nutrition, we have a number of purity-tested and standardized formulas to use for that purpose.
I am often asked if a person cannot simply go to their local health food or supplement store and put together amino acid formulas from what they find there. Early on, this is exactly what we tried. Unfortunately, what we found was that it is a very rare company that supplies a standardized, quality product over time. In fact, we didn’t find any products that were sold over-the-counter that reproducibly provided a standardized, purity-tested product, making it literally impossible to obtain a consistent dose of amino acids. Since moving to CHK Nutrition products, we have seen significantly better results.
This is a classic example that EFFICACY MATTERS; even though a formula you can get over the counter may be less expensive, if it doesn’t work and/or correct the imbalance over time, it’s just like throwing money out the window. With supplements, always keep in mind that the most expensive product is the one that doesn’t work, no matter the price tag.
