The Healing Nutrients Within

Eric R. Braverman

Description

Explains how to use amino acids to achieve optimum health and describes their beneficial roles in fighting cancer, Alzheimer's disease, depression, heart disease, and more.

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Diététique
• diététique
• Nutrition
• Fitness
• Health
• Diet
• Finding
• Diets

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 02 avril 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781591205722
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Facts, Findings, and New Research on Amino Acids
Eric R. Braverman, M.D.
with Carl C. Pfeiffer, M.D., Ph.D., Ken Blum, Ph.D., and Richard Smayda, D.O.
The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the authors. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the authors and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
The Healing Nutrients Within is not intended as medical advice. Its intent is solely informational and educational. Please consult a health professional should the need for one be indicated.
Basic Health Publications, Inc.
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com
Editor: Cheryl Hirsch
Typesetter/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg
Cover design: Mike Stromberg
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Braverman, Eric R.
The healing nutrients within / Eric R. Braverman. 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59120-572-2
1. Amino acids in human nutrition. 2. Amino acids Physiological effect.
3. Amino acids Therapeutic use. I. Title.
QP561.B73 2003
613.2'82 dc21
2002156739
This book is a revised version of The Healing Nutrients Within published in 1987.
First Edition, Second Edition, Third Edition
Copyright © 1987, 1997, 2003 by Dr. Eric R. Braverman
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5
Contents
Preface to the Third Edition
How to Use This Book
Section One: An Introduction to Amino Acids
1.   Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Life
Section Two: Aromatic Amino Acids
2.   Phenylalanine: The Pain Reliever
3.   Tyrosine: The Addiction Fighter
4.   Tryptophan: The Sleep Promoter
Section Three: Sulfur Amino Acids
5.   Methionine: The Antidepressant
6.   Homocysteine: The Predictor of Heart Disease
7.   Cysteine: The Detoxifier
8.   Taurine: The Seizure Fighter
Section Four: Urea Amino Acids
9.   Arginine and Its Metabolites: The Cholesterol Fighters
Section Five: Glutamate Amino Acids
10.  Glutamic Acid, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, and Glutamine: The Brain’s Three Musketeers
11.  Proline and Hydroxyproline: The Collagen Constituents
12.  Aspartic Acid and Asparagine: The Energizers
Section Six: Threonine Amino Acids
13.  Threonine: The Immunity Booster
14.  Glycine: The Wound Healer
15.  Serine: The Potentiator of Madness
16.  Alanine: The Hypoglycemia Helper
Section Seven: Branched-Chain Amino Acids
17.  Isoleucine, Leucine, and Valine: The Stress Relievers
Section Eight: Amino Acids with Important Metabolites
18.  Lysine: The Herpes Killer
19.  Carnitine: The Heart Tonic
20.  Histidine: The Arthritis Fighter
Section Nine: Putting It All Together
21.  Multiple Amino Acid Abnormalities
22.  Continuing Breakthroughs in Amino Acids
Glossary
References
About the Authors
My thanks to Tatiana Karikh, M.D. for her valuable medical and editorial expertise in the preparation of this book.
Preface to the Third Edition
The Healing Nutrients Within, now in its third edition, has been providing health professionals and interested general readers with the latest research available on amino acids for more than fifteen years. When The Healing Nutrients Within was first published, amino acid research was in its infancy. Amino acids and nutritional therapies were controversial and not readily practiced in conventional medicine, let alone found on the shelves of natural food stores.
Since then, doctors have continued to pioneer and change the face of medicine. Medical school programs like those at Columbia and Harvard are now teaching courses in nutrition. Major health and medical organizations, such as the American Heart Association, the Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, and the American Diabetes Association, are all incorporating diet and nutrition into their medical protocols. And too, more individuals are now taking an active part with their healthcare providers in the maintenance of their health and in the treatment of their health problems.
Out of this changing environment, amino acids have arrived—big time. News about amino acids is even the stuff of headlines and best-sellers. Research and clinical use are booming worldwide. Amino acids are becoming part of everyday life—helping people sleep better, feel better, and overcome anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. They are in dietary sweeteners. They are part of new anti-aging compounds and weight-loss regimens. They are used in emergency rooms for treatment of medication overdose and liver detoxification. And they are now gaining repute in blood tests, as powerful indicators of mental and physical illnesses.
The quality and quantity of research and clinical applications have established hard proof that amino acid nutrition is an important element in many medical treatments. The revelations to date make it clear that we have only begun to tap into a vast, uncharted frontier that will surely continue to yield many medical bonanzas for years to come. After all, amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein is the building block of the brain. In that way, amino acids are human beings’ most important nutritional building blocks—more critical than any other nutrient, including vitamins, essential fatty acids, and trace minerals—because amino acids help support brain function, which, in turn, runs the body. We are now learning that when the brain is functioning well, the body will follow suit.
There is growing understanding and acceptance of how imbalances of certain amino acids affect illness and wellness in body and mind. Supplementation with amino acids offers a new strategic medical dimension in the fight against chronic illness. Increasingly, amino acids are becoming not only part of the armamentarium of hospitals and physicians, but also of informed consumers everywhere.
At the Place for Achieving Total Health (PATH Medical) in New York City, we have been using amino acids in the treatment of many serious illnesses for years. Our continued success and the successes of other physicians new to amino acids show how nutritional science can make the practice of medicine more effective. We achieve our best results in most aggravated cases by combining nutritional supplements, such as amino acids, with medication. We are strong believers in complementary medicine—using the best that both medical and nutritional research has to offer.
This third edition has given The Healing Nutrients Within a face lift and reflects a comprehensive accumulation of new research and its future implications. As with previous editions, the fundamentals of amino acids are included to give the reader a foundation, as well as a synopsis of verified research findings, on the individual roles of amino acids. As the sheer volume of research on amino acids continues to accumulate, information that is now outdated has been eliminated. Material has been reorganized to make it easier to quickly reference and research, and scientific information has been translated into practical terms for all to understand. A section on guidelines for amino acid supplementation has been added.
We continue to cover new exciting developments in detail in this revised edition. The updates feature information on many new medically “hot” topics, including the following:
•  Arginine has been shown to act similar to, and in some cases replace, Viagra for restoring erectile function and a sagging libido. It has also been found to increase sperm count.
•  New research measuring the breakdown products of bone in hydroxyproline may prove more advantageous for assessing bone loss than the standard bone density test.
•  Scientific evidence shows that boosting energy levels in the brain with phenylalanine and tyrosine is key to weight loss.
•  Melatonin and tryptophan (which, unfortunately, is still available only by prescription) have established themselves as multipurpose nutrients to improve sleep, defuse anxiety, and slow down the aging process. Recent studies show promise for the use of tryptophan in the treatment of autism.
•  Homocysteine has gained recognition as a major independent risk indicator for cardiovascular disease. New research suggests it may also portend neural tube defects, sickle cell disease, rectal polyps, and liver failure, and may contribute to depression, dementia, and loss of brain function in the elderly.
•  Research shows how tyrosine can help cocaine and alcohol abusers kick their habits and combat the effects of stress, narcolepsy, chronic fatigue, and attention deficit disorders.
•  Amino acid blood levels are increasingly serving as important indicators of physical and mental illnesses. They provide major nutritional and biochemical clues for more effective treatment.
•  Carnitine has been shown to offer significant protection against the common side effects of Depakote, a popular drug used for seizures and psychotic disorders. Its derivative N-acetyl-carnitine may surpass the metabolic potency of carntine in the brain, where it has been found to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
•  Scientific evidence continues to mount showing N-acetyl