Stress, in specific distress and eustress in the professional world of golf are the underlying bases for the development of "Focal Dystonia". This disorder has a neuropsychological basis and forces golfers not to be able to control their motor behaviors under severe pressure, as discussed in-depth.
Today, stress refers to the undue pressures of living in a fast-paced society. Hans Selye, who began his research in the 1930’s, was the first to describe biological stress and explain its effects on health. In his classic book The Stress of Life, originally published in 1955 and revised and reprinted in 1978, he defines stress as the "nonspecific response of the body to any demand." Nonspecific in this case, refers to any event or stimulus, whether it is external (such as a touch or a noise) or internal (such as emotion). Fundamentally stress is the wear and tear of living. Some people are prepared through genetic favor to handle it better.
The modern expression "stressed out", although overused and vague, refers to a state of anxiety, worry, or exhaustion that has resulted from difficult or challenging experiences. The term implies the existence or potential rise of unpleasant symptoms.
Stress, by itself, saps energy. When we are to deal with life’s challenges calmly and efficiently, we expend energy at a lower rate than if we were dealing with the challenges and experiencing stress. Under stress we become exhausted much quicker than we do otherwise, and recover energy a lot slower. Certain stress creates symptoms such as digestive upset, insomnia, fatigue and muscle tension. These symptoms reflect the disruption of energy and consequent disruptions of body systems.
Ancestral vital energy is supplemented by food, water, air, and perhaps other natural sources, such as stress and Mother Earth herself. Vital foods impart this energy as well. Some wild foods or super foods, such as nettles, dandelion, yellow dock greens, and green foods like spirulina and wheat grass juice is especially rich in energy.
Maintaining strong digestion ensures that we receive vital energy from food. Dr Bernard Jensen was a big believer in the health of the bowel; he felt all diseases start in the bowel (Jensen, 1981).
What stress is not
Since the term stress is often used quite loosely, many confusing and contradictory definitions of it have been formulated; hence, it will be useful to add a few remarks stating clearly what it is not (Selye, 1984):
Stress is not merely nervous tension. This fact must be especially emphasized, since most laymen and even many scientists tend to identify biological stress with nervous exhaustion or intense emotional arousal. In man, with his highly developed nervous system, emotional stimuli are in fact the most common stressors.
Stress is not always the nonspecific result of damage. It is immaterial whether a stressor is pleasant or unpleasant; its stressor effect depends merely on the intensity of the demand made upon the adaptive capacity of the body. A round of golf or a golf shot that creates great pleasure can produce considerable stress without causing harmful effects.
Stress is not something to be avoided. No matter what you do or what happens to you, there arises a demand for necessary energy required to maintain life, to resist aggression and to adapt to constantly changing external influences. Even while you are sleeping or fully relaxed, you are under some stress.
Complete freedom from stress is death. Contrary to public opinion we must not – and indeed cannot – avoid stress, we can meet it efficiently and enjoy it by learning more about its mechanism and adjusting our philosophy of life accordingly.
Stress is not an emergency discharge of hormones from the adrenal medulla. An adrenaline discharge is often seen in acute stress affecting the whole body, but it plays no conspicuous role in generalized inflammatory diseases like arthritis and tuberculosis, although they can produce considerable stress.
Stress is not everything that causes a secretion by the adrenal cortex of its hormones, the corticoids. ACTH, the adrenal-stimulating pituitary hormone, can discharge corticoids without producing any evidence of stress.
Stress is not the same as deviation from homeostasis, the steady state of the body. Any specific biological function eventually causes marked deviations from the normal resting state in the active organ.
Stress is not anything that causes alarm reaction or the G.A.S. as a whole. These reactions are characterized by certain measurable organ chances which are caused by stress and hence could not themselves be stress.
Stress is not a specific reaction. The stress response is, by definition, not specific, since it can produce virtually any agent.
Stress is not always a bad thing. Certain stress can be beneficial.
Stress cannot and should not be avoided. Even while we are asleep our heart must continue to beat, our lungs breath, and our brains dream.
Whatever the problem, it can only be met through one of two basic reaction forms: actively – through fight, or passively – through flight. The stress-producing factors, technically called stressors are different, yet they all elicit essentially the same biological stress response. Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it (Selye, 1974). From the point of view of its stress producing or stressor activity, it is immaterial whether the agent or situation we face is pleasant or unpleasant; all that counts is the intensity of the demand for readjustment or adaptation.
The process of stress on a physiological level is as follows: The adrenals are endocrine glands situated just above each kidney. They consist of two parts, the outer layer (or cortex) and the inner core (or medulla). The cortex produces hormones that are called corticoids, whereas the medulla secretes adrenalin and related hormones, all of which play important roles in the response to stress. The thymus (a large lymphatic organ in the chest) and the lymph nodes (such as can be felt in the groins and armpits) form a single system usually referred to as the thymicolymphatic apparatus, which is mainly involved in immune defense reactions (Selye, 1976).
It has become evident through all types of research that the same set of organ changes caused by the glandular extracts were also produced by cold, heat, infection, trauma, hemorrhage, nervous irritation, and many other stimuli. Thus in all forms of stress the body basically reacts in the same way. This reaction was first described in 1936 as a "syndrome produced by various nocuous agents, and subsequently became know as general adaptation syndrome (G.A.S.) also known as biological stress syndrome (Selye, 1974). Its three stages – the alarm reaction (1), the stage of resistance (2), and the stage of exhaustion (3). After the initial alarm reaction, the body becomes adapted and begins to resist, the length of the resistance period depending upon the body’s innate adaptability and the intensity of the stressor. Lastly exhaustion will ensue.
The focal dystonia problem area in golf makes this behavior a very visible one in "yip" cases. First the golfer starts feeling trepidation about a short putt, then with extensive, associative exposure to the same anxiety this resistance will result in the body to fight "decelerating the stroke" (body doesn’t want to allow the stroke to happen, wants to put a block on the behavior or fight it) or flight "accelerating the stroke" (body wants the action to be dealt with as quickly as possible to get rid of anxiety by rapid flight.) At this point no conscious manipulation (mechanical thoughts about the stroke) will be helpful, the brain has gone "instinctive" and your logical mind means nothing. "Fear is fear at this point, whether it is a short putt or something more life threatening, the body sees them as the same. When the body’s self-preservation kicks in, you know the stress is at its fullest destructive potential. Finally you have the stage of exhaustion, following the long-continued exposure to the same stressor, to which the body had become adjusted, but now they are irreversible, just like the "yips" in golf. Once you have them, you have them! Your system is drained by this associative anxiety and needs to be recharged with the proper neurological disassociations (mechanical postures) and the proper nutrients to recharge the body and the organs. The process of adaptation should now start.
Our reserves of adaptation energy could be compared to an inherited fortune, from which we can make withdrawals, but there is no proof that we can make deposits in this case. Complete restoration is completely impossible, because every biologic activity leaves some irreversible "chemical scar". It is now generally recognized that the emergency discharge of adrenalin represents only one aspect of the acute phase of the initial alarm reaction. At least equally important in the maintenance of homeostasis is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-cortical axis.
This axis is a coordinated system consisting of the hypothalamus (a brain region at the base of skull) that is connected with the pituitary gland (hypophysis), which regulates adrenocortical activity (Crick, 1994). The stressor excites the hypothalamus through pathways not yet fully identified, to produce a substance that stimulates the pituitary to discharge the hormone ACTH (for adrenocorticotrophic) hormone in the blood. ACTH in turn induces the external, cortical portion of the adrenal to secrete corticoids. These elicit thymus shrinkage, simultaneously with any other changes, such as atrophy of the lymph nodes, inhibition of inflammatory reactions, and production of sugar (a readily available source of energy) (Selye, 1976).
Walter Cannon designated in 1932 the "emergency adrenalin secretion" in response to fear or rage. In his classic book, The Wisdom of the Body, he summarized his lifework on the distinct mechanisms which maintain the normalcy of sugar, protein, fat, calcium, oxygen, and temperature of the blood, as well as many other individual specific adaptive mechanisms. These are all the things of vital essence in sports performance enhancement as well.
As we can see, a certain amount of stress is needed to tune you up for sports action, to perform at your top level in golf or any sport. This is especially true for eustress, which is enjoyable in itself and actually gives purpose to life. On the other hand we need to learn the limits of our endurance before we exceed them dangerously.
The physiological benefits of exercise and playing sports are well documented. Public interest has centered on the role endorphin plays in mood-state changes (Hopson, 1988) and lately there is some scientific evidence to support such a link. Perhaps the reason we pump up our endorphin with exercise is because it makes us feel calm – an inner reward for being fit. This was previously called the "runners high", but we should like rename it "athletic calm". This supports the concept that a healthy body houses a healthy mind. However, endorphins may act similarly to the exogenous opioids; the obligatory athlete may have learned to self-titrate his or her endorphins, and thus mood states, and that discontinuing pulsatile activity could lead to an endogenous dysphoric withdrawal state that could only be alleviated by the hedonistic pleasures of exercised induced endorphin (Begel & Burton, 2000). Thus in short we might get addicted to feeling competitive and the stress levels will wear and tear at the body pretty dramatically. Endorphins have been an important of human evolution – the human species functioned best when physically fit – a state that endorphin may have helped facilitate. There are many neurochemicals that affect moods and human performance; it just so happens that endorphin is one of the few for which such information is known.
Stress and the HPA
Earlier the HPA was mentioned; let’s look at it a little more closely to understand exactly what it does and how it is effected by stress. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis also can be called "stress axis" is the classic example of the stimulatory system, with it myriad actions, reactions, and feedback loops (Herman, Prewitt & Cullinan, 1996). It is also an example of a system that can be over activated with maladaptive outcomes. Normally, the HPA axis functions as a pulsatile system for management of stress and control of energy production. Glucocorticoids (cortisol) are the end result, which have widespread multifunction catabolic stimulatory effects, including the release of glucose from the liver for energy availability.
The physiology of the HPA stress response is the outcome of sequential and parallel processing of relevant stimulus attributes on both positive and negative effect, which upon researching a certain threshold at the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), then activates the HPA system (Begel & Burton, 2000). There would appear to be two overall approaches to activating this system. The primary "systematic" high-priority system demands immediate response via unimpeded input to the PVN region – such as from major blood loss or serious respiratory distress. When this happens, all stops are pulled, and the body instantly goes into a profound stress-response mode (Herman et al., 1996).
The second "processive or neurogenic" stress response system requires a series of active processing by the brain to determine if the stress has enough relevance to cause activation of the PVN. This requires indirect routing of the stimulatory message, such as pain or stress, via the cortex, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and septum.
The locus coeruleus can release massive amounts catecholamines, mostly noradrenaline, which can give the effect of a full blown panic-phobic reaction and subsequently indirectly activate the PVN. Stressor stimulation mediated through the dorsal raphe nucleus (serotonin) is a modest excitator to the PVA-HPA (Morgan, 1986). In addition various fluid and electrolyte shifts and blood-pressure changes can cause a sudden release of various peptides, one being angiotensin II, which has indirect effects on the PVN-HPA. This multisystem modulation of stress-filtering is a variable requirement prior to activating the PVN. There may be an additional final screening within the limbic system before final loading of the PVN. But once loaded, the PVN activates the HPA, and the systematic stress response is irrevocably on its way (Herman et al., 1996).
The HPA system is but one aspect of the limbic system’s role in stress integration. Limbic outflow goes to many regions of the brain, the PVN to HPA system being but one. The final relays insure proper control of the degree of the HPA response, and in part is prone to habituation by repeated exposures – cellular learning. Athletes, by their repeated training are exposing their PVA-HPA to stress management learning, even at a cellular level. The closer the training can simulate the true stress of competition, the more optimum the adaptation would be to stress. Normally cortisol levels fluctuate over a 24 hour period, part of the cardiac rhythms, reaching a 40-fold peak up to 150 ng/mL in the morning, and dropping to near zero by late afternoon. Under severe stressful circumstances cortisol levels may rise to 400 ng/mL (Morgan, 1985). Therefore depending on the time of the stressor, the effect may be more or less magnified. However due to the fact the stress response levels are so much greater than normal fluctuations, the stressor-outcomes are probably not much blunted by the time of day. If enough stress is placed on a person time of day is irrelevant.
However after a major stressor event, the body tries to return to a normal baseline. Initially, part of the stressor signal will cause a somewhat delayed response of B-endorphin (Begel & Burton, 2000). This in effect has an inhibitory effect on the HPA-axis. The athlete with robust (cellular training) release of endorphin probably has an advantage in managing his stressor-modulating counter-response. This is something found in the top athletes of each sport, like Nicklaus, Woods, Jones, Hogan and Watson in golf. Secondly the very presence of elevated cortisol will have negative feedback effect upon further activation with the hypothalamus. Thus, the body is stressed, it responds, and then it calms itself down.
This nicely designed stimulatory system starts to maladapt if the stress is continuous. Prolonged activation of the hypothalamus will in time lead to a failure of the negative feedback such that the HPA axis becomes tonically stimulated, resulting in continuous high levels of glucocorticoids. This in turn can lead into multiple end-organ and muscular disorders like focal dystonia in golf. Thus a golfer being exposed to the same fear on a golf course every time he plays will activate the HPA through the PVA, and with extensive associative exposure the body learns this stressor (short putt, out of bounce fence, chip shots, driving, long irons etc.). This stressor then becomes a fear, then, phobia with enough exposure, however the entire problem stems from the HPA. It is ironic that the part of the body that is there to "help" you cope better under pressure is also the one that hurts you with excessive use.
For the athlete controlling PVN and HPA responses is tricky. Insufficient stressor activation might lead to poor competitive response. Yet an over activity of the pressure response system may also lead to poor performance or worse, like "yipping or focal dystonia". Unfortunately there are no simple tests that can be used to titrate on-line the stressor responses, nor are there any guidelines as to what response levels are optimums. In addition, some athletic activities, such as golf require a calm mental-physical state, however the demands on the body are almost as great as weight lifting if you weigh up how much more time you are exposed to fears and anxieties on a golf course. Many golfers have unwittingly learned how to gauge their stress levels in order to facilitate their personal best performance. This usually takes many practice sessions and various levels of competitive play in order to know how hard to push and when to back off and foster a calmer mood.
Recent studies have suggested that a host of other neurochemicals, such as serotonin and gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA), are felt to have a profound influence on moods, and thus presumably on athletic behavior. However, the details are currently unknown. All these neurochemicals affect each other; action on the part of one will affect another. It would appear that the neuro-psycho-biological-soup that influences our behavior is somewhat like a child’s mobile, a ripple at one end can send repercussions rattling all through the system. To compound the confusion, it is likely that we are currently only looking at a very small portion of what we should. This is why we need to nourish the brain and body properly for optimal sports performance.
The Signs of Danger
Medical Symptoms
Among the most generally used and reliable measures of stress are the blood levels of adrenalines, corticoids, ACTH and a drop in blood eosinophils.
Self-observable Signs
General irritability
Pounding of the heart, as an indication of high blood pressure (often due to stress)
Dryness of throat and mouth
Impulsive behavior, emotional instability
The overpowering urge to cry or run and hide
Inability to concentrate
Feelings of unreality, weakness and dizziness
Fatigue and loss of energy
"Floating anxiety" not sure what we are afraid of
"Keyed up" feeling, emotional alertness
Trembling and nervous ticks
Easily startled by sounds, hate noise
High pitched, nervous laughter
Stuttering and other speech difficulties
Grinding of teeth
Insomnia
Hypermotility or hyperkinesia, the inability to sit still, always moving parts of the body
Sweating
The frequent need to urinate
Diarrhea, indigestion, queasiness in the stomach, even vomiting
Migraine headaches
Premenstrual tension
Pain in the neck or lower back
Loss of appetite
Increased smoking
Increased used of legally and illegal drugs
Nightmares
Neurotic behavior
Psychoses
Accident prone
NUTRITIONAL APPROACH TO STRESS RELIEF
Stress is stress as discussed before, thus in order to look at the proper nutritional approach to help combat it; we need to look at the proper nutritional approach as a whole, not just focusing on the sports nutrition. Reiteration of this statement is vital.
Because diet is likely to be closely linked with stressful events, what we eat has a huge impact on body chemistry and ultimately on health. Under stress, we tend to choose foods that are not the best for us; with care and consideration, however we can learn to use food in support of healing and good health. We know that a number of important neurotransmitters, which affect mood and mechanisms for coping with stress, are built from amino acid molecules found in protein foods. An example is serotonin, made by the body from the amino acid L-tryptophan, found in soy, dairy products and meats. This neurotransmitter is essential in coping with anxiety, depression and insomnia.
All cells, organs, and systems of the body are governed by the principle that continual overuse or use in one direction to the exclusion of others will break down the body’s normal, self-regulated state of health. Experimenting with foods as sources of amino acids as a part of a normal, healthy diet is an excellent way to work toward overcoming the effects of stress. In natural food stores, many amino acids are available in pure form as a supplement.
The amino acid GABA, is not found in food, it is known to calm the brain and can help issues of anxiety, depression and hypertension. Glycine is found in turkey, wheat germ, carrot, cottage cheese, celery and almonds. It is a sedative to the brain and can help in depression disorders. Leucine is found in wheat germ, milk, avocado, yogurt, chicken, almonds, walnuts and cheese. It promotes protein synthesis and slows the effects of stress; it is great to help low energy levels resulting from severe stress. L-Tryptophan can be found in soy, pinto, mung beans, tempeh, tofu and lentils. It influences serotonin concentration in the brain; it is good for pain, insomnia and depression (Hobbs, 1944).
In the classic herbalism of the early twentieth century, any herb that affected the nervous system in any way was called a nervine. Nervines can be divided into six subcategories.
Sedative nervines. The calmatives, they reduce anxiety and have a calming effect on the central nervous system. These herbs are frequently used in formulas for nervousness, sleeplessness, and mild anxiety. Examples are valerian, hops, kava-kava and lavender.
Analgesic nervines. They help to reduce nerve or muscle pain, although they can be useful for any kind of pain. Typically, these herbs will not work so well or so quickly as aspirin, but a well designed formula containing some of these herbs can be helpful in reducing pain and promoting healing with few side effects. Examples include valerian, St. John’s wort and Jamaican Dogwood. Stimulating nervines. These stimulate and raise the tone of the sympathetic nervous system and also raise the sympathetic tone. Small amounts of these herbs combined in a formula can enhance mental and physical performance and reduce fatigue. Examples are rosemary, kola nut, ephedra, coffee and tea.
Tonic nervines. Nourish the nervous system and should be taken for extended periods of time – at least three months – in order to help nourish and support the function of the nervous system. Examples include wild oats, passion flower, celery, and sea vegetables such as nori and wakame.
Psychotropic nervines. It enhances intuition and could aid in understanding about the meaning of unconscious images. Examples are Kava-kava and mugwort.
Soporific nervines. Is a great aid in all the sleeping processes. Examples St. John’s wort and California poppy.
Stress and malnutrition
Severe physical and emotional stress greatly increases loss of vitamin C and zinc both water soluble nutrients. Most likely there is a similar increased demand for all nutrients when one is under stress, for stress may induce a state of malnutrition just as that which follows faulty diet. When both stress and malnutrition is combined the effect is grossly magnified. When you are eating a tremendous amount of junk food before or during sporting events you are also malnourished. Your body and mind with the pressure it is under cannot function optimally.
Over the past two decades, it has become clear that the pituitary and hypothalamic hormones are involved in brain activity and have an effect on behavior (Hoffer & Walker, 1994). Nutrients and the right kinds of foods for the mind are vital. A neurotransmitter is the chemical language sent between cells in the human brain. These neurotransmitters allow the brain cells to talk to each other. Deficiency in neurotransmitter function results in depression, lifelessness, moods, irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, brain fog, cravings and addictions. Depleted supplies of these "feel good" neurotransmitters make it difficult for you to feel happy, on track, focused and motivated. Neurotransmitter deficiencies can be caused through genetics, stress, and diets low in amino acids and through alcohol and drug abuse.
Two key amino acids are necessary to make the other neurotransmitters. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that makes you feel happy and motivated. Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid that can keep you calm, focused and in control. Both are very important in optimum sports performance. The body cannot convert Phenylalanine form other nutrients, it must depend on outside sources and specific supplements to acquire sufficient amounts. Since amino acids from meat, eggs, and dairy sources cannot readily be utilized by the brain, it is necessary to take supplements which also contain co-factors that help them across the blood brain barrier. The Rhodiola rosea extract has been shown to influence learning and memory, by supporting the neurotransmitters and affecting the brain chemistry. Tests using Rhodiola showed the quality of the task performed was dependent on fatigue levels. When Rhodiola was administered, it effectively increased a person’s resistance to fatigue, enhanced back muscle strength, hand strength and improved coordination. All of which are vital for sports performance enhancement in golf.
Neurotransmitter support is necessary for the brain function at top performance. Memory loss may be nothing more than amino acid deficiency, causing a short circuit. When athletes compete, they maximize their brain activity to keep focused. Poor diets and low amino acid levels will prevent this. No matter what we do, our thinking process determines the outcome of our actions. With good neurotransmitter support we can make choices that can keep us at peak performance.
Effects of stress on trace minerals
According to a study out of University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, trace mineral levels are altered by stress.
Plasma levels of zinc, iron, copper, selenium, and selected blood proteins such as ferritin were monitored and dietary intakes were measured in 66 men before, during, and after a five day period of physical and psychological stress called "Hell Week". Physical stress included simulated combat exercises, and an obstacle course, aerobic workouts; psychological stresses included performance anxiety, verbal confrontations, and no-win situations.
The results of this study showed dietary intake of minerals during the stressful period greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Zinc intake averaged 23.6 mg (RDA = 15 mg), iron intake averaged 35.4 mg (RDA = 10 mg), copper intake averaged 3.0 mg (RDA = 70 mcg). Despite adequate dietary intake, plasma levels of minerals decreased by 33%, 44%, 12%, and 9%, respectively. In addition, mineral carrying proteins increased as much as 59%, suggesting increased removal of trace minerals from tissue stores. Although the trace mineral alterations were transient, they required seven days without further stress plus adequate dietary intake to return to their former levels. The results of this study show that the physical and psychological stress in healthy adults produces alterations in trace mineral status characteristic of an acute-phase response (deficiency) despite otherwise adequate dietary intake.
Recent discoveries have proven beyond a doubt that our brain and immune systems are interlinked. Our thoughts affect our cellular level. The field of "Psychoneuroimmuneology" is a blossoming discipline which studies the mind-body connection. We experience stress on three levels: physical, environmental, and mental/emotional (Lipski, 1996). Stress plays a major role in many digestive problems. Like any professional or competitive golfer will tell you that they all have had diarrhea from "nerves" before a big event. The ‘butterflies" that people feel in their stomach when they are nervous happen to all of us. Continued stress in our body, mind or meanings affects the whole body’s ability to heal and perform. If the body is using most of its energy to put out fires, it has less time for maintenance and repair. Because the digestive tract repairs and replaces itself every few days, it is one of the first places where our bodies alert us that all is not well. Athletes with digestive-related problems can benefit from stress management tools. Mental stress is one of the greatest challenges to our immune systems, putting pressure on nearly every organ and system in the body. Let’s look at the "Quick Ideas" for stress management (Lipski, 1996):
Eat healthy foods
Develop better communication skills
Exercise regularly
Spend time outdoors
Each day should have pleasure and relaxation
Meditate
Realize that you are not perfect
Think creatively
Go at your own pace
Think of solutions, not problems
Prioritize
Keep journals
Live one day at a time
Play and laugh
Spend time with family and friends
Be flexible
View problems as opportunities to grow
Plan for chaos
Set priorities
Breathe deeply
Plan ahead
Learn to say "No"
Unplug your phone
Make lists
Take long showers or baths
Drive 10 mph slower
Take on day per week to relax
Be loving and caring and trust people have good intensions
It is an unfortunate fact that 80% of illnesses can be traced back to stress (Ramazanov & Suarez, 1999). The Academy for Family Physicians reports about two-thirds of all office visits are prompted by stress. Stress is a silent killer, with little resistance mounted against it. Unlike bacteria, viruses and even cancer, which our immune system can counteract and destroy, stress suppresses immunity and destroys our resistance to other forms of attack. A study conducted in 1991 and published in Psychological Science, showed that certain detrimental effects on stress (such as increasing the number of suppressor T-cells) are only seen in people who are overly sensitive to stress. For thousand of years, people all around the world have been using adaptogens (things that help the body deal with stress).
Rhodiola rosea is probably the least-known adaptogen in the West and yet maybe the most impressive of all. It has been shown to normalize the immune system and glucocorticoid hormone levels in a positive way, bringing them into balance. The main targets of Rhodiola rosea are stress related molecules called neurotransmitters. These include serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine as well as other active molecules in the brain. Serotonin is one of the most actively investigated chemicals in the body, specifically as it relates to its role in brain function.
The brain however is only a small part of serotonin’s arena of effect. This ubiquitous chemical participates in many processes throughout the body, including smooth muscle contraction, temperature regulation, appetite, pain perception, behavior, blood pressure and respiration. Although the amount of serotonin in the brain is relatively small, when compared to other parts of the body, its importance in brain function cannot be underestimated. Serotonin is clearly implicated in the etiology of treatment of many disorders, particularly those of the central nervous system, including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, stroke, obesity, pain, hypertension, vascular disorders, migraine and nausea. Serotonin cannot cross the blood brain barrier; therefore the biosynthesis of brain serotonin that takes place in the brain is due to its precursor amino acid, called tryptophan. This is actively transported in the brain through the foods we eat. Scientists have found the Rhodiola rosea enhances the level of serotonin in the brain. Additionally, research points to Rhodiola as playing an important role in the biosynthesis and preservation of serotonin and neurotransmitters. Rhodiola’s ability to help the body adapt to stress may lie in its ability to enhance serotonin levels (Ramazanov & Suarez, 1999).
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