Download Is Your Brain Making You Fat?

Metabolic Effect
Is your brain making you fat?
Managing your Journey Together
Jade Teta ND, CSCS
If you want to know what neurotransmitter you may be low in, take this
brief 4-question quiz. Choose the one letter in each question that best
describes you. If none describe you than leave the question blank. If
more than one describes you choose them all.
1) I crave:
a. Chocolate and/or coffee and/or sugar
b. I love fatty things like cream cheese, guacamole, and chocolate
mousse
c. I love bread, pasta, and salty snacks
d. I don’t care what it is, I just want enough of it to make me feel full
2) At work or school:
a. I find it difficult to stay focused, have drops in energy, and
procrastinate
b. I can never remember what I just did, I may have to redial the
phone multiple times, and can be slow to catch on.
c. People can easily annoy me, I usually trust my ideas over others and
sometimes feel others are out to get me.
d. I get anxious and worry about every little thing so much so that I
sometimes have trouble getting things done.
3)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Exercise makes me feel:
More energized and powerful
Smarter and more creative
Happier and more attractive
More calm with less worries
4) If I feel depressed it is most likely to be:
a. A feeling of frustration that I cant ever stick to a plan or schedule or
fulfill promises to myself
b. A feeling of mental slowness, mental frustration, or feelings that I am
just not as smart as others
c. I am just sad without any good reason. I often wish I looked different
or was someone sexier, smarter, and more likable
d. An anxious worrying type depression. Anxiety rather than depression
more defines me.
Metabolic Effect
Is your brain making you fat?
Managing your Journey Together
Now total up your answers. If any letter was chosen 2 or more times,
then there is a good chance you have a deficiency in that
neurotransmitter. Keep in mind you can often have more than one
deficiency and also may have none. Here is how the letters break down.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Dopamine
Acetylcholine
Serotonin
GABA
Obviously, a questionnaire such as this has some weaknesses because of
its subjective nature. Unfortunately, unless you are willing to get a spinal
tap or have access to complex brain imagery there is no great scientific
test for brain neurotransmitters. Many holistic practitioners like myself
prefer to use a questionnaire, much more in depth than this one, to
determine where the issues may lie. The important things to understand
is that the brain chemicals have a direct impact on mood, cravings,
motivation, hunger, energy, focus, self-esteem, problem solving, sleep
and more. Those in the alternative medicine community often refer to
these chemicals as the molecules of emotion because they impact so
much of what we do, who we are, and how we feel.
For participants of the fat loss lifestyle it is hormones like these
neurotransmitters that hold the key to true body change. Imagine being
able to take a completely safe natural substance to help enhance full body
function and allow you to have more motivation, sleep better, and rid
yourself of cravings. Believe it or not you can. In my clinical practice
after pinpointing the specific neurohormones that may be involved, I will
prescribe amino acid precursors to bolster function. Unlike a reuptake
inhibitor drug like Lexipro, Prozac, Wellbutrin, or others, these natural
amino acids deal with the real issue many people are suffering from.
Most people are not making enough of these neurotransmitters. This is
why SSRI or SNRI (reuptake drugs) work only for a short time and most
be switched, increased, or doubled up over time. If you are low in a
neurotransmitter, then these drugs will work inconsistently or for a finite
period of time. This is because in the long run there will be no
neurotransmitter left to “reuptake”. In order to improve function you
need to increase the amount you make. Stress, intense exercise,
emotional trauma, coffee, sugar, salt, toxins, and genetic susceptibilities
can all impact your neurotransmitter function.
Metabolic Effect
Is your brain making you fat?
Managing your Journey Together
Dopamine- Supplemental tyrosine, adequate protein intake from meats.
Acetycholine- Supplemental lecithin (phospatidylcholine), and healthy
fats like fish oil, egg yolks, olives, nuts and avocado.
Serotonin- Supplemental tryptophan, 5-HTP or SAM-e, and foods rich in
Tryptophan like turkey, cocoa, pork, duck, chicken.
GABA- Supplemental glutamine, theanine, leucine, inositol, taurine and
foods like shell fish, broccoli, brown rice and banana.
We all know that even the best diet and most scientifically based exercise
program in the world only works if you can actually stick to it. By
understanding what is going on in your brain and working to adjust its
chemistry you can actually impact your ability to sustain a program long
enough to see results. What you may not realize is those “crazy” people
you see who actually love exercise and have no problem sticking to a diet
are not so special after all. They just probably have a better-balanced
brain then you. These people are usually dopamine dominant (in case you
were wondering). However, with a smart approach that looks at
hormones (including brain hormones) rather than calories you can finally
begin to realize some real success in body change.
When most people think of metabolism they don’t usually think of the
brain. One of the major differences between fat loss and weight loss has
to do with the brain hormones and how they impact hunger, mood,
cravings, energy, motivation, and focus. Weight loss methods focus on
calories completely ignoring the dramatic impact the brain has on body
change. Fat loss on the other hand focuses on hormones and therefore
seeks to address all the hormones responsible for body composition
including the brain hormones or neurohormones (AKA neurotransmitters).
The 4 Major Neurotransmitters
There are four major neurohormones fat loss seekers need to
understand. These are dopamine (DOPE-AH-MEAN), Acetylcholine (AHSETTLE-COE-LEAN), GABA (GAH-BAH), and Serotonin (SARAH-TONE-IN).
Together these four brain chemicals interact to influence personality
traits, energy, and fat burning. Dopamine and Acetylcholine can be
thought of as stimulating/energizing chemicals while GABA and serotonin
are more relaxing. Here is a brief primer on these key brain chemicals
and how they may impact your fat burning efforts.
Metabolic Effect
Is your brain making you fat?
Managing your Journey Together
Dopamine:
Dopamine is perhaps the most important neurohormone related to your
ability to burn fat. Dopamine energizes the brain and is key in allowing
us to experience pleasure. Dopamine allows us to stay focused,
energized, and motivated. It keeps us from procrastinating and allows us
to feel enjoyment from the world around us. People with healthy
dopamine signaling tend to be focused, hardworking overachievers who
seem to be able to eat whatever they want and not put on much weight.
However, too much or too little dopamine can cause problems. Those
with too little dopamine have lower energy levels, poor focus, and find it
difficult to stick to a schedule. Because of this they will use food and
stimulants to self medicate themselves. Sugar in the form of candy or
chocolate and stimulants in the form of colas and coffee are frequent
cravings of those with low dopamine function. They crave the brain
stimulation these things provide. Unfortunately the stimulation is shortlived leading to repeated cravings and overindulgence. Over time though
the use of these compounds causes dopamine signaling to get weaker and
weaker leading to a vicious cycle of uncontrollable cravings. Those with
higher than normal dopamine signaling also suffer and may be overly
focused to the point of compulsion. They too will seek out stimulants to
jolt them up even further. The goal for fat loss is to have a dopamine
signaling system that regulates and balances the system with sustained
energy, focus and motivation. What many people fail to realize is that
brain chemistry is not about total levels of one neurohormone. Instead, it
is how the brain hormones relate to one another that makes a difference.
The balance of chemistry is key.
Acetylcholine:
Acetylcholine is another energy producing brain chemical. It is mainly
involved in processing speed of the brain and manifests itself in the ability
to recall events, numbers, and names, as well as quickly solve problems,
and a capacity to resist brain fatigue. Those with low acetylcholine
function will frequently forget numbers, be unable to recall a name
despite knowing a face, and may often forget where they left their keys or
wallet. These individuals will often crave fat since fat is a rich source of
choline, one of the building blocks of acetylcholine. A craving for fried
foods, hamburgers, and pizza, as well as a love of creamy desserts like
cheesecake and ice cream may be a sign of low acetylcholine. Eggs,
Avocado, and nuts and seeds are good acetylcholine foods.
Metabolic Effect
Is your brain making you fat?
Managing your Journey Together
Serotonin
Serotonin is one of the relaxing chemicals in the brain. Serotonin is a
neurotransmitter that impacts how we feel about ourselves and the
world. People who have balanced serotonin function wake up, look into
the mirror and like who they see. They look outside and appreciate the
day. Serotonin gives us a sense of well-being and confidence in the
world. Low serotonin can cause insomnia, depression, and low selfesteem. Low serotonin often manifests as cravings for starches and salt
like bread, pasta, chips, and pretzels. Often those with very low levels
have difficulty tasting food at all and may pile more salt on a piece of
pizza or potato chips. These cravings are usually strongest at night with
some low serotonin people claiming they cannot sleep without something
to eat. They often feel unsatisfied if starch is not part of the meal and
struggle more than others if they attempt a low carbohydrate diet. Low
serotonin people are the constant pessimists and are unable to take
coaching or feedback from anyone. Nothing and no one is ever good
enough for those with low serotonin function. Low serotonin equals
depression, overweight, insatiable craving for carbs and generally an
untrusting, skeptical, paranoid type disposition.
GABA
GABA is another relaxing brain chemical. It gives us the ability to quickly
shut down and relax. Those with a strong GABA personality don’t seem
to stress much, tend to be more care free, and often seem content and
relaxed compared to others. These are frequently the people who sleep
as soon as their head hits the pillow. They rarely if ever feel anxious and
usually feel little need to overindulge. Valium is a drug that works on
GABA. Those who have low GABA function feel an inability to shut down
and often suffer from anxiety. They tend to be shy and unsure individuals
who play it safe. They also tend to eat way too much and way too fast.
GABA is also involved in pain management so those with low GABA
function may be sensitive to pain and often deal with conditions brought
on by stress or anxiety. Stress headaches, irritable bowel, and heartburn
can frequently be an issue. People low in GABA frequently seek out starch
but are really content eating anything as long as there is a lot of it to fill
them up. Low GABA people are emotional eaters in the truest sense of
the word.