LEARN HOW 38 TRILLION BACTERIA INFLUENCE OUR MOOD, HAPPINESS, AND SLEEP

DID YOU KNOW THAT GUT BALANCE CAN HELP YOU BE HAPPIER, SLEEP WELL, AND LOSE WEIGHT?

For Nelba Villagrán, an Integrative and Orthomolecular nutritionist, naturopath, and bioregulator with over 50 years of experience, the key to a good mood and restful sleep lies in the microbiota.

Over 38 trillion bacteria live in our gut; we acquire them even before birth, and they continue to increase until age 2, when they reach a structure and composition similar to that of adults.

The health and balance of the microbiota directly influence our well-being, determining aspects like anxiety, mood, and sleep cycles. It is the microbiota that synthesizes 80% to 95% of the "happiness hormone," serotonin, which in turn produces melatonin—the sleep hormone—while L-tryptophan is also a precursor to vitamin B3.

For Nelba Villagrán, an integrative nutritionist and naturopath, and partner at Ortomolecular Chile, the key is the daily consumption of a natural diet based on vegetables that provide multiple micronutrients and antioxidant compounds, in addition to providing fiber to feed the microorganisms in the gut. But since eating so healthily is not always common, we can rely on support from certain food supplements.

Ortomolecular Chile has several supplements that help facilitate sleep and tranquility, including the amino acid L-Tryptophan, which also contains the amino acid L-Glutamine to support the good condition of intestinal cells.

We should always keep daily omega-3 supplements in mind, as well as Vitamin D3 and Vitamin C.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING BALANCE IN OUR GUT

The microbiota is a true organ in the human body. We must be aware that we are not just a "ME," but a "WE," and that we are made up of cells and trillions of microorganisms that are estimated to constitute 50% of our body. They have been part of our body since before we were born.

For the proper conversion of tryptophan into melatonin, it is necessary to have a healthy microbiota, for which it will sometimes be very important to incorporate probiotics as a supplement.

There is a Gut-Brain Axis, through which the gut communicates with the brain. This is how the enteric nervous system located in the digestive system "converses" with the central nervous system, sending messages to the brain and receiving others from the CNS. Most of the signals travel from the gut to the brain.

Microbiota dysfunction is called dysbiosis, and when this happens, many organic systems stop functioning well, leading to systemic inflammation with serious consequences throughout the body, including the central nervous system and the brain, which also becomes inflamed.

Serotonin and melatonin are not synthesized, nor are the vitamins that the microbiota should produce, such as B12, K, and biotin. Recently, it has even been suggested that the state of the microbiota could be related to Alzheimer's.

NOTE: L-TRYPTOPHAN SYNTHESIZES PROTEINS IN THE BODY AND AIDS IN THE FORMATION OF VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN), AND ITS IMPORTANCE

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is not produced by the body; it must be provided through diet or supplements. It is necessary for normal growth in children, for the production and maintenance of proteins, muscles, enzymes, and neurotransmitters, for sleeping well, maintaining sleep/wake cycles, maintaining a good mood with less anxiety, depression, or stress, preventing premenstrual syndrome, and maintaining healthy skin.

Tryptophan with Magnesium + B6 at dinner helps with falling asleep.

While these two amino acids can be found in protein foods, glutamine—even though it is not essential, meaning it can be produced by the body—may have its absorption or synthesis reduced by cooking, and often they are not sufficient for our body. This is why consuming a daily capsule of L-Tryptophan with L-Glutamine helps with the balance our body needs.

1.- In what foods can these amino acids be found?

Tryptophan is found naturally in legumes, nuts, oats, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, cheese, banana, avocado, pineapple, potatoes, and cocoa.

Glutamine is present in nuts, parsley, spinach, aloe vera, cabbage, dates, oranges, pineapple, meat, whey, yogurt, eggs, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds.

Glutamine strengthens the immune system, helps the gut regenerate intestinal cells and mucosa, stimulates the central nervous system, and helps prevent muscle loss. It also helps control blood glucose.

2.- How does eating these foods compare to taking a capsule?

These amino acids are not always well absorbed from natural sources, whether due to a reduction in synthesis or due to cooking methods, stress, anxiety, nervous states, skin lesions, or intense physical activity.

Tryptophan deficiency can occur when there is fructose malabsorption, Crohn's disease, or inflammatory bowel diseases.

Tryptophan supplements improve sleep quality and increase melatonin production. They are useful in cases of depression, reduce deficiency symptoms, and help with withdrawal when quitting smoking.

3.- How does L-Glutamine work?

Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid abundant in the bodies of healthy people, with high concentrations in the brain, muscles, intestines, heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver, which is why it is important for many physiological functions. It promotes protein synthesis and improves muscle health by reducing muscle mass loss.

Studies conducted on people who suffered from serious illnesses or had surgeries, who were given glutamine supplements, indicate that the administration of glutamine to these patients can reduce infection and mortality rates.

When there is a deficit, a state of leaky gut can occur, and the body becomes more prone to diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.

1.- Can these capsules help with weight loss and cardiovascular health?

Serotonin influences food intake by acting on appetite control centers, decreasing hunger and food intake.

Glutamine has been studied at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Oxford as an amino acid that could reduce fat mass in obese people.

"Our results suggest that treatment with glutamine could be valuable against obesity and insulin resistance," says Mikael Ryden, professor and lead physician at the Department of Medicine in Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, and author of the study.

2.- Is it true that chronic infections and the gut microbiota could be behind Alzheimer's?

Currently, there is some evidence linking the gut microbiota to various neurological diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and others. The importance of modulating inflammation and the relevance of producing short-chain fatty acids from the digestion of dietary fibers by gut microbiota bacteria are highlighted.

See our L-tryptophan + Glutamine supplement here: https://ortomolecularchile.cl/products/l-triptofano-500-mg-60-capsulas-1

References

• https://www.cerascreen.es/blogs/news/triptofano-el-aminoacido-para-la-felicidad-y-el-descanso
• https://www.elsevier.es/en-revista-farmacia-profesional-3-articulo-alimentacion-neuronas-X0213932416603690
• https://www.infosalus.com/salud-investigacion/noticia-estudian-uso-glutamina-contra-obesidad-20191220070747.html
• https://www.elsevier.es/en-revista-neurologia-295-articulo-papel-microbiota-intestinal-el-desarrollo-S0213485319300829
• https://www.cochrane.org/es/CD010050/EMERG_administracion-de-suplementos-de-glutamina-adultos-con-enfermedades-graves
• https://www.hsnstore.com/blog/nutricion/aminoacidos/glutamina/