Of all the discoveries I have made in the past 9 years, by far the most important one is the catecholamine bell curve. Dr. Robert Rakowski heavily influenced my thinking by teaching how all body systems work on a bell curve—being too fat or being too thin, drinking too much water or not drinking enough, eating too many calories or eating too few, etc. When we apply this bell curve concept to brain function, we can see that people either have high catecholamine or low catecholamine tendencies. The only question now is how do we fix it?
To fix the catecholamine bell curve is to balance the brain. People who are too low in dopamine need to increase the production of catecholamines. Those who have too much dopamine need ways to decrease production and/or speed up detoxification of catecholamines. The following protocols have helped me make headway and treat my patients’ mood, anxiety, depression, and mental functions in ways that were impossible before we used this model.
RECOMMENDED LAB TESTING:
I recommend the Routine Blood Tests and the Organic Acid Test in appendix B for assessing the levels of catecholamines and serotonin-related compounds. To make full use of the information in this book, I recommend following the instructions found in appendix A to get your own detailed genetic report.
LOW CATECHOLAMINE PROTOCOL:
L-Tyrosine – 2 capsules 3 times per day with meals. Tyrosine is the required building block for both thyroid hormone and dopamine/adrenaline production.† (Nutridyn)
Methyl Complete – 2 capsules 2 times per day with meals. Therapeutic levels of methylB12, methylfolate, and other cofactors to increase BH4 and improve methylation.† (Nutridyn)
Stress Essentials Balance – 2 capsules between breakfast and lunch, and 2 capsules between lunch and dinner. Contains adaptogenic herbs that assist the body in producing higher levels of catecholamines.† (Nutridyn)
Dynamic Daily Meal – 1 scoop once or twice per day as a snack or meal replacement. High quality pea and rice protein helps to increase neurotransmitters and increase brain function.† (Nutridyn)
Pure D-Phenyl-Relief – 1 capsule 3 times per day with meals. Provides pharmaceutical grade D-Phenylalaline to support dopamine production.† (Nutridyn)[EN1]
HIGH CATECHOLAMINE PHENOTYPE PROTOCOL:
Melatonin Liquid – 1 mg of melatonin every waking hour for 7 days. Then reduce the dose to 1 mg every 2 or 3 hours throughout the day, or take 1 mg every hour between dinner and bedtime. This product is to be taken at the top of every hour that you are awake. Take it from the time you wake in the morning until the time you fall asleep at night. If you happen to awaken at night, take another 1 mg and then go back to sleep. There is no need to wake up and take the melatonin when you sleep; if you are asleep, just keep sleeping and then start the melatonin every hour once you wake in the morning. Melatonin lowers cortisol release from the adrenal glands and reduces dopamine and catecholamine levels in the brain. The only known side effect of too much melatonin is being excessively groggy or sleepy.† (Nutridyn)
Liposomal L-Theanine – 100 mg of L-theanine (1-dropperfull) every waking hour for 7 days. Then reduce the dose to 100 mg every 2 or 3 hours throughout the day, or take 100 mg every hour between dinner and bedtime. This product is to be taken at the top of every hour that you are awake. Take it from the time you wake in the morning until the time you fall asleep at night. If you happen to awaken at night, take another 100 mg and then go back to sleep. There is no need to wake up and take the L-theanine when you sleep; if you are asleep, just keep sleeping and then start the L-theanine every hour once you wake in the morning. L-theanine is an amino acid from green tea that increases GABA, reduces glutamate, and lowers anxiety. It has been proven to lower cortisol and catecholamines in the brain.† (Nutridyn)
Niacinamide 500 – 1 to 2 capsules 2 times per day with meals. Provides high levels of niacinamide, which helps the body improve the detoxification of catecholamines.† (Nutridyn)
Magtein – 3 to 5 capsules 30 minutes before bedtime. Magnesium L-Threonate is able to cross the blood brain barrier more effectively than other forms of magnesium. It has a calming effect on the brain and nervous system by inhibiting glutamate, promoting relaxation, sleep, and focus.† (Nutridyn)
Stress Essentials Relax – 2 capsules 3 times per day with meals. Helps to increase catecholamine detoxification inside the liver by increasing the speed of the COMT enzyme and improving bile and glutathione production.† (Nutridyn)
Hemp CBD Oil – Dosing ranges from 10mg to 180mg per day. The best advice for finding the correct amount of CBD support is to increase the dose by 5mg each day. Start with 5mg 2 times per day and then increase the dose by 5mg per day. The goal is to saturate the body with CBD, and this may require a dose of only 15mg per day or it may require a much higher dose of 100–180mg per day.
Once the optimum dose is found, stay at this dose for 2 weeks. Then slowly reduce dosage by one serving size every 3 to 5 days. Continue reducing the dosage every 3 to 5 days and stop reducing further if symptoms come back. If symptoms return, increase the dose back up to the previous dose where symptoms were managed. This means you aren’t ready to reduce the dose quite yet, so wait an additional 2 weeks before trying to lower the dosage further. Ultimately you will find an optimum dose for your long-term support that is less than you needed for the initial 2-week loading period. CBD oil is a new and exciting compound that has shown promise for numerous difficult chronic diseases, from epilepsy to cancer. CBD is useful for the high catecholamine person because it inhibits dopamine and glutamate release in the brain. There is no known level of toxicity, no known drug interactions, and the only side effect is getting too sleepy.† (Elixinol)
†This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided in this book is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this book.