Support for thyroid problems, depression and burnout

Prof. Dr. Elmar Wienecke

Holistic micronutrient therapy

At SALUTO (Competence Center for Health and Fitness in Halle/Westphalia), we advise people from a wide variety of fields, including many athletes. Whether recreational or top athletes, in practice we find that practically all athletes are deficient in the amino acid phenylalanine. We have also had success with phenylalanine in people who are struggling with depressive moods, depression, exhaustion syndrome, burnout, etc.. Here we combine phenylalanine with the amino acid tyrosine, because tyrosine supports the thyroid gland in hormone production and almost all of these patients suffer from a lack of thyroid hormones. Of course, this therapy is always carried out after a precise laboratory analysis. The thyroid gland serves as a regulator of health and well-being! The small but vital endocrine gland plays a central role in the regulation of metabolism and numerous bodily functions. To this end, the thyroid gland constantly releases a certain amount of thyroid hormones into the blood. These play a decisive role in energy consumption, the regulation of body heat, sexuality, the activity of nerves, muscles, heart, circulation, stomach and intestines as well as mental well-being. In recent years, over 4,500 people have come to us who were prescribed antidepressants. Our special laboratory analyses repeatedly show serious deficiencies in the area of special amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine), blatant deficiencies in the area of cellular B vitamins and an incipient dysregulation of the thyroid gland, which in some cases have caused considerable anxiety in the people affected. After a targeted supply of the missing micronutrients, these mood disorders can be demonstrably remedied after approx. 12 weeks. An adequate supply of a range of micronutrients is essential for the complex control and synthesis of thyroid hormones. A micronutrient deficiency can lead to dysregulation of the thyroid gland in the long term, which has been shown to cause a variety of health problems (poor sleep patterns, inner restlessness, fluctuations in concentration, etc.).

From “Milestones in health medicine, issue no. 14”. Find out more; you will find the link to the booklet under “Further reading”.

Getting back into balance – A product with phenylalanine and tyrosine and other ingredients

In our experience, a combination of phenylalanine, tyrosine, roseroot extract, selenium and vitamin B12 can have a demonstrable effect on vegetative balance. The combination of these micronutrients leads to a harmonization or normalization of the body’s own regulatory systems, in particular the thyroid hormones, within the target range. With the help of 48-hour HRV measurements (HRV = heart rate variability), we have been able to show that this combination can have a regulating effect on the thyroid hormones. Furthermore, this combination has great potential for people suffering from depression, burnout, etc.

Indications of a product with phenylalanine, tyrosine, roseroot and vitamin B12

• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Burnout
• Depression
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Reduced stress resilience
• Athletes with deficiencies in the ingredients described

The ingredients and their functions

L-phenylalanine

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins; essential means that it must be obtained from food as the body cannot produce it itself. In the body, phenylalanine is involved in the formation of various endogenous substances. For example, it is needed to build up other amino acids (e.g. tyrosine) or to form hormones and neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine, adrenaline or noradrenaline). It is also the basic substance of the thyroid hormone thyroxine and the skin pigment melanin.

L-tyrosine

Tyrosine is also an amino acid and performs many important functions in the body. Tyrosine is a building block of almost all proteins, but it is particularly important for proteins that are involved in the transmission of nerve cell signals. Tyrosine is also a starting material for various hormones. The thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are based on tyrosine subunits and it is also required for the formation of insulin (regulates blood sugar levels). Tyrosine is also involved (via several intermediate steps) in the formation of catecholamines. The most important catecholamines are adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine. On the one hand, catecholamines act as transmitters of nerve impulses (neurotransmitters) in the central and autonomic nervous system. They are important, for example, in the body’s fight-or-flight response (stress response). Noradrenaline and adrenaline also act as hormones, so-called stress hormones, which activate the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic, i.e. involuntary, nervous system and ensures an increase in performance throughout the entire organism. Dopamine is popularly known as the “happiness hormone”, which is not a bad name at all, except that it is not a hormone but a neurotransmitter. Dopamine has motivational and drive-boosting effects and promotes mental performance. Food supplements containing tyrosine show good results in cases of depression and burnout, but should only be used under expert guidance.

In short, phenylalanine and tyrosine work as a team and support the body to get into gear, into flow, they lift our mood and promote cognitive abilities.

Roseroot

Rhodiola rosea (Rhodiola rosea) is a member of the thick-leaf family and thrives in rock crevices in high plateaus and on sea cliffs in rather harsher and colder areas of the world. Its name comes from the rose scent of the grated root. The root and rhizome (underground stem) are used for medicinal purposes. The plant is popular in Russian medicine as a so-called adaptogen. Adaptogens are substances that help the body to cope better with mental or physical stress (to adapt). Rose root is said to have both adaptogenic and stimulating properties. This means that preparations containing roseroot can increase stress tolerance and provide more energy. Roseroot is known for its positive effects on body and soul; it counteracts stress-related exhaustion, but can also alleviate mild depression and anxiety. According to scientific findings, these remarkable properties are due to a secondary plant substance called salidroside.

Selenium

The essential trace element selenium is a component of various enzymes and proteins and is involved in various reactions in the body. Among other things, it is very important for thyroid function. It is involved in the regulation of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and also protects the thyroid gland from inflammation. Selenium is therefore particularly important in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system produces antibodies that are directed against the thyroid tissue. Selenium is one of the important antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals and also improves the performance of the immune system, which explains why this trace element is so important for us. Selenium is also said to have a mood-enhancing effect, which can be explained by its antioxidant and detoxifying effect in the central nervous system, but also because selenium is involved in the formation of certain brain messengers such as the “happiness hormone” serotonin.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

Vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that is found almost exclusively in the form of protein compounds in animal foods. In the body, vitamin B12 is involved in various important metabolic processes. Among other things, it is important for cell formation, e.g. for the formation of blood cells or nerve cells. In the nervous system, it helps to regenerate and form new nerve fiber sheaths. It is also required for energy metabolism and thus counteracts tiredness and exhaustion and is also essential for the functioning of a healthy psyche. Vitamin B12 also supports the body’s own detoxification process. In addition to unpleasant symptoms such as numbness or cracked corners of the mouth, a vitamin B12 deficiency can promote anaemia, cause tiredness and exhaustion and is also suspected of promoting the development of depression. You can find out more about vitamin B12 in the article “Vitamin B12”.

Recommended intake of a product with the ingredients mentioned

For a daily dose, a total of 1200 mg L-phenylalanine, 300 mg L-tyrosine, 90 mg roseroot extract, 90 µg selenium and 18 µg vitamin B12 are recommended, divided into three portions.
Take 3 capsules (each containing 400 mg L-phenylalanine, 100 mg L-tyrosine, 30 mg roseroot extract, 30 µg selenium and 6 µg vitamin B12) throughout the day with meals.

Please note: People who are being treated with levothyroxine (Eltroxin & Co) for hypothyroidism / Hashimoto’s thyroiditis can still benefit from such a product. However, under no circumstances should levothyroxine simply be discontinued! Thyroid levels should be checked every 3 months at the beginning. If the values improve, a decision can be made to reduce or discontinue the medication in consultation with the treating doctor. For Hashimoto’s patients, it is also important that they are supplied with a total of 200 µg selenium, 30 mg zinc and 2000 mg EPA/DHA omega-3 to reduce the thyroid antibodies (TPO values).

Further reading

Milestones in health medicine – results of 20 years of evidence-based research/studies in the field of micronutrient therapy and regulatory medicine. Impulses that will change medicine in the long term: Optimized nutrition, individualized micronutrient intake, their influence on mental/physical performance (publication series no. 14 of FHM, Bielefeld).: https://www.fh-mittelstand.com/fileadmin/fhm-corporate/f_e/publikationen/schriftenreihe_heft_14_web.pdf

Several micronutrients are essential for normal thyroid hormone metabolism, e.g. iodine, iron, selenium, zinc and L-tyrosine. Simultaneous deficiencies of these elements can impair thyroid function (see Zimmermann & Köhrle 2002: p. 867 ff.). https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/105072502761016494

L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine (see Zimmermann, Schurgast & Burgerstein 2018: p. 273)

Striking correlations between low micronutrient concentrations in the body and an imbalanced thyroid gland (see Wienecke, 2021, Mikronährstoffe – Meilensteine der Gesundheitsmedizin, p. 58).

Tyrosine and phenylalanine serve as precursors for the formation of the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. Serotonin is produced by the hydroxylation of tryptophan to 5-hytroxytryptophan and subsequent decarboxylation. In the literature, a diet low in tryptophan is often associated with an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. There are also indications of an increase in well-being through the intake of tyrosine and phenylalanine. In addition, S-adenosylmethionine, which is formed during the reaction of methionine and adenosine triphosphate, is said to promote the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain. Overall, there are numerous studies that prove the connection between AS 48 and mental well-being. This also emphasizes the relevance of adequately supplying the organism with AS (see Hausteiner et al. 2007; Lakhan & Vieira 2008; Suga, Asakura & Kobayashi 2018).

Benedict, C. R./ Anderson, G. H./ Sole, M. J. (1983): The influence of oral tyrosine and tryptophan feeding on plasma catecholamines in man. In: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 38(3), S. 429-435

Christianson, D. W. et. al. (1989): Binding of D- phenylalanine and D-tyrosine to carboxypeptidase A. In: The Journal of Biological Chemistry 264 (22), S. 12849–53.