By: Annesse Brockley & Kristin Urdiales
Patient Example: “I used to be able to easily tackle my to-do lists, but now I struggle with strange anxiety and a lack of motivation, even when it comes to simple tasks like making a phone call.”
One of the most pervasive and persistent symptoms of autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is low motivation. For example, the number one symptom reported by those suffering with thyroid dysfunction in a recent poll was low motivation to start and complete tasks.
Why do Patients with Autoimmune Disease, Fibromyalgia and CFS Often Feel Unmotivated?
Patients with autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, and CFS lack dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter associated with motivation and task completion…read more at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/rele…/2013/01/130110094415.htm
Additional Symptoms of Low Dopamine
• Stiff, rigid, achy muscles
• Cognitive impairment
• Impaired motor skills
• Tremors
• Inability to focus attention
• Poor balance and coordination
Why Do Patients with Autoimmune Disease, Fibromyalgia, and CFS Lack Dopamine?
Patients with autoimmune disease, CFS, and fibromyalgia lack the enzymes required for dietary protein digestion – protease and DNase 1. A lack of these enzymes leads to a lack of essential amino acids (essential amino acids are found in high protein foods).
The essential amino acid phenylalanine and the amino acid tyrosine, which is derived from phenylalanine, are needed to produce dopamine (phenylalanine>tyrosine>dopamine).
Lack of Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, and Dopamine in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Autoimmune Disease
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
In the following study the researchers found significant decreases in the essential amino acid phenylalanine (from which tyrosine and dopamine are derived) along with other essential amino acids and concluded their findings indicated a significant disturbance to amino acid metabolism in patients with CFS:
These are not isolated findings. The researchers stated that the majority of studies, including their investigation, have noted reductions in urine and plasma amino acid levels in patients with CFS compared with healthy controls.
Hematologic and urinary excretion anomalies in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Niblett, S.H., et. al. 2007. Exp Biol Med 232(8):1041-9.
Significant decreases in phenylalanine… the branch chain amino acids…These findings indicated significant disturbance to amino acid and nitrogen metabolism and homeostasis…”
In the following study the researchers concluded that tyrosine (derived from phenylalanine and the precursor to dopamine) was significantly lower in patents with CFS:
Chronic fatigue syndrome: new evidence for a central fatigue disorder.
Georgiades E, et. al. 2003 Aug;105(2):213-8.
“…levels of tyrosine, the rate-limiting dopaminergic precursor, were significantly lower at all time points in the CFS patients…”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12708966
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Patients with RA also lack the amino acids needed to produce dopamine. For example, in the following study the researchers found low levels of tyrosine in patients with RA:
Amino-acid content of serum in rheumatoid arthritis.
Nettelbladt, E., B.M. Sandell. 1963. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 22, 269.
“…Low concentrations of arginine, glutamine, tyrosine, and histidine were found in rheumatoid arthritis…”
Thyroid Disease
In addition to being the precursor to dopamine, phenylalanine and tyrosine are also needed to produce the thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine (Phenylalanine>Tyrosine>Thyroid Hormones). Just as we would expect, researchers in the following study found low levels of tyrosine in patients with hypothyroidism.
The serum tyrosine level as an index of thyroid function.
Malamos, B., et. al. 1966. J Endocrinol. July 1, 35 223-228
“Serum tyrosine was measured in 22 normal subjects…10 patients with hypothyroidism… Low values were obtained in hypothyroidism…”
Lupus
Patients with lupus also lack phenylalanine and tyrosine. For example, in the following study the researchers found that all glucogenic amino acids were significantly dampened in lupus. A glucogenic amino acid is an amino acid that can be converted into glucose. These would include phenylalanine and tyrosine.
Metabolic disturbances associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Wu, T., et al. 2012. PLoS ONE 7(6): e37210.
“all ketogenic and glucogenic amino acids (with the exception of arginine) were also significantly dampened in SLE…”
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
In the following study the researchers discovered that patients with multiple sclerosis lacked phenylalanine:
Quantitation of free amino acids in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography. Application of the method in evaluating amino acid levels in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Qureshi GA, Baig MS. 1988. J Chromatogr. 459:237-44.
“lower levels of Met, Val, Phe and Lys in plasma of MS patients.”
The lack of phenylalanine in patients with MS will then lead to a lack of dopamine (phenylalanine>tyrosine>dopamine). In the following study the researchers found reduced levels of dopamine in patients with MS and concluded their results suggest the involvement of dopamine in the pathogenesis of depression in MS.
The role of dopamine in the regulation of the interaction between nervous and immune systems in multiple sclerosis.
Orlova EV, Pashchenkov MV, et al. 2012. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 112(2 Pt 2):34-40.
“…The results suggest the involvement of dopamine in the pathogenesis of depression in MS as assessed by dopamine and its metabolites levels.”
Fibromyalgia
Studies confirm that fibromyalgia patients lack phenylalanine and tyrosine. For example, in the following study entitled “Altered amino acid homeostasis in subjects affected by fibromyalgia” researchers found that fibromyalgia patients had significantly lower levels of phenylalanine and tyrosine.
Altered amino acid homeostasis in subjects affected by fibromyalgia.
Bazzichi, L., L. et. al. 2009. Clin Bioche. 42(10-11):1064-70.
“Significant lower plasma tyrosine (Tyr), valine, methionine, phenylalanine and threonine concentrations, and the sum of essential AAs were observed in FM patients vs. healthy controls…”
The lack of phenylalanine and tyrosine will then lead to a lack of dopamine. The following information discusses the central role that the lack of dopamine plays in fibromyalgia. http://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/…/central-role…
The Take Home Message
It’s crucial to understand that if our bodies cannot effectively break down the nutritious foods we consume, we may experience a deficiency in key neurotransmitters like dopamine, leading to symptoms of disease. Disease is not merely a result of lacking nutrients but also involves getting these nutrients where they need to go in the body. In patients with autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia, reduced motivation can be linked to a dopamine deficiency. These individuals lack dopamine due to insufficient levels of the essential enzymes for digesting dietary proteins (protease and DNase 1). By making changes to diet and lifestyle, we can replace these missing enzymes and restore our bodies ability to properly breakdown the foods we are eating. The final section of our books “Autoimmune: The Cause and The Cure” and “Fibromyalgia: The Cause and The Cure” focuses exclusively on this approach.
