| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD) is | | | | through the use of drugs such as SSRIs helps |
| classified as a Functional GI Disorder, in which | | | | calm some of the symptoms of GERD. Let's take |
| stomach acid (HCL) backs up (refluxes) into the | | | | a look at the biosynthesis of serotoninThe |
| esophagus. This is due to an imbalance in the | | | | essential amino acid tryptophan is the necessary |
| neuroendocrine system, which causes both a loss | | | | precursor to serotonin and is found in foods like |
| of contractile ability in the esophagus and its | | | | turkey, milk, eggs and bananas. Meat also contains |
| openings in the stomach and diaphragm, as well as | | | | tryptophan but it not the best source because it |
| an overproduction of HCL (hyperchlorhydria) and | | | | also contains significant amounts of the five other |
| unbalanced secretions of the hormone serotonin. | | | | amino acids that compete with tryptophan for |
| This imbalance leads to irritation of the esophageal | | | | receptor access. Research has found the biggest |
| tissue and a decrease in motility and tone of the | | | | rise in serotonin levels to occur after high |
| entire esophagus and its opening in the | | | | carbohydrate meals when the release of insulin |
| diaphragm.The cause for this unbalanced | | | | encourages certain essential amino acids to leave |
| neuroendecrine system could well be lesions in the | | | | the blood stream and enter the organ tissues, |
| spinal disks. Studies have shown intervertebral | | | | leaving tryptophan free use albumin transportation |
| disk lesions to negatively affect the nervous | | | | to the brain without competition. Once tryptophan |
| system1. In the early 1980s, using specially | | | | is absorbed into the blood stream, the blood |
| designed BEV and CCT tests, Dr. Brice Vickery | | | | protein albumin carries it to the cell where the |
| found that 100% of his GERD patients also had | | | | enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase catalyzes the |
| dorsal disk lesions, very often with no back pain | | | | reaction, which creates 5HTP. Then the enzyme |
| symptoms. Instead, their symptoms included | | | | dopa decarboxolase catalyzes the change, which |
| stomach and esophageal inflammation along with | | | | produces the hormone 5HT, or serotonin. Let's |
| weakness in both the esophageal/stomach valve | | | | take a look at the proteins involved in this |
| and the diaphragm and its opening for the | | | | transformation4: |
| esophagus. This weakness can lead to the | | | | First the amino acid typtophan must be broken |
| stomach pushing up through the diaphragm in the | | | | out of the food and absorbed |
| condition known as hiatal hernia. The nervous | | | | Production of the blood protein albumin requires |
| system is closely linked to the endocrine system, | | | | seven of the eleven EAAS. |
| and so this system that secretes chemicals such | | | | Trytophan Hydroxylase - 74 AA 41 EAA (16% |
| as HCL or serotonin could also be affected by | | | | of the EAA being lysine) |
| any changes that occur due to disk lesions.It is | | | | Dopa Decarboxolase - 480 AA 237 EAA ( 9% |
| common knowledge that amino acid deficiency | | | | of the EAA being leucine) |
| does affect the body's ability to make protein. If | | | | Serotonin - 428 AA 236 EAA (85 of the EAA |
| even one essential amino acid is missing from the | | | | being leucine)If we cannot fully digest the turkey |
| diet, the body can not make allt he proteins it | | | | or eggs we have eaten we will not get adequate |
| needs on a daily basis. It could well follow that one | | | | amounts of tryptophan..Incomplete digestion will |
| cause of GERDs is a general deficiency in amino | | | | lead to inadequate amounts of albumin and |
| acids (the building blocks of protein), resulting in a | | | | catalytic enzymes, not to mention the final |
| deficiency in the spinal disks, the neuroendocrine | | | | product serotonin. If our neuroendocrine system is |
| system and even the make up of the proteins | | | | not working properly because of degraded spinal |
| involved in the production of stomach acid and | | | | disks, the expression of these enzymes and |
| serotonin. It is interesting to note that Dr. Vickery | | | | proteins will be out of balance as well. In some |
| also found once he cured his GERDs patients of | | | | advanced cases of GERD the system is so |
| protein deficiency, their symptoms | | | | unbalanced that the esophageal tissue is damaged |
| disappeared.Systemic protein is made up of | | | | resulting in the condition known as esophagitis, |
| essential (EAA) and non essential amino acids. | | | | these patients are thought to have low albumin |
| EAAs can only be obtained if dietary protein is | | | | levels5)10%- 20% of GERD patients have the |
| fully digested . Dr. Vickery also found that 9 out | | | | precancerous condition known as Barrett's |
| of 10 of his patients did not fully digest their food. | | | | Esophagus. In this condition the tissue of the |
| A lack of essential amino acids leads to an | | | | esophagus undergoes a change and though there |
| insufficiency in about 3000 enzymes, which cannot | | | | may be no symptoms, it can result in a deadly |
| be synthesized without these amino acids . | | | | form of cancer. These patients show a decrease |
| Enzymes play a big part in the secretion of HCL | | | | in the enzyme glutathione transferase6. This |
| and serotonin. Hypochlorhydria (too little stomach | | | | enzyme detoxifies carcinogens, drugs, |
| acid) and hyperclorhydria could both be caused by | | | | environmental toxins, and oxidative stress through |
| the inability to digest and transform dietary | | | | conjugation with the protein glutathione.Glutathione |
| protein into systemic proteins.The essential amino | | | | Transferase - 218 AA 129 EAA (23% of EAA |
| acids must be present in the body or malfunctions | | | | being leucine)The essential amino acid cysteine is |
| will occur in the system2. If we cannot digest our | | | | the limiting amino acid in the synthesis of |
| food into these essential amino acids, then we | | | | glutathione. (This means that all the other amino |
| cannot make systemic proteins. GERD could be | | | | acids in glutathione are limited in their efficiency |
| just another symptom in a large list of protein | | | | without adequate levels of cysteine7.)Each |
| deficiency caused diseases and infections.If people, | | | | systemic protein broken down in this article |
| because of diet, aging, environmental factors and | | | | ranges from 40%-55% EAAs. The only place we |
| stress are unable to produce sufficient enzymes | | | | can get these AAs from is the complete digestion |
| to digest their food properly, then regular | | | | of our food. Without them we will become protein |
| maintenance processes such as upkeep and repair | | | | deficient. For instance, studies show that depriving |
| of the spinal disk material will be compromised due | | | | mice of cysteine in their diets leads to lower |
| to a lack of the systemic protein needed to keep | | | | levels of glutathione in their systems and a |
| the disks strong and flexible. As lesions begin to | | | | decreased ability to handle oxidative stress8. The |
| appear, the nervous system becomes affected | | | | body has a number of proteins and enzymes that |
| and then the neuroendocrine system. Stomach | | | | are designed to help clear the toxic burden of |
| motility and secretions could very well be | | | | oxidative stress from the body. If the body |
| affected.Two focal points of GERD research in | | | | cannot make a sufficient number of these |
| medical science are HCL production by the | | | | proteins to handle the stress load, the system will |
| stomach cells and the effects of serotonin on | | | | begin to experience the effects of this |
| GERD symptoms. Let's take a look at these | | | | malfunction.If we cannot make the proteins we |
| chemicals and the proteins that are involved in | | | | need for our stomach to work properly we will |
| their production HCL secretion in the stomach is | | | | begin to experience the effects of a |
| dependent on an active transport system that is | | | | malfunctioning system.Studies show that a protein |
| made up of proteins. A large portion of those | | | | deficient system leads to malfunctions of the |
| proteins are essential amino acids:HCL | | | | system and illness. The beginning of this |
| The stomach lining contains certain cells called | | | | breakdown may begin in the dorsal spinal disks, |
| parietal cells, which are specifically oriented with | | | | affecting the nervous system and, in the GERDs |
| one surface facing blood in capillaries and the | | | | patient, the nueroendocrine system of the |
| other facing the stomach cavity, where the | | | | stomach..If we are not digesting our dietary |
| active transport of HCL into the stomach occurs. | | | | protein properly we are becoming increasingly |
| These cells are sealed together with tight junction | | | | protein deficient and protein deficiency leads to |
| proteins that create an impermeable gasket | | | | systemic malfunction.For more information on |
| between the blood and the stomach. Carbon | | | | essential amino acids and protein deficiencies visit |
| dioxide diffuses freely into the cell where it joins | | | | Micheal Furman MD, "Spinal Stenosis and |
| with water. The enzyme carbonic anhydrase,(a | | | | Neurogenic Claudication." E-Medicine, July 21, |
| systemic protein), catalyzes the reaction between | | | | 2004.2. Tracy G. Anthony, Ali K. Reiter, Joshua C. |
| these two elements, yielding hydrogen. Chloride | | | | Anthony, Scot R. Kimball, and Leonard S. |
| ions enter the cell in a process of ion exchange | | | | Jefferson, " Deficiency of dietary EAA |
| and on the stomach side of the cell another large | | | | preferentially inhibits mRNA translation of |
| protein, H+/K+ Atpase, starts the active | | | | ribosomal proteins in liver of meal-fed rats." Am J |
| transport "pump" for HCL production. Free energy | | | | Physiol Endocrinol Metab 281: E430-E439, 2001; |
| (ATP) hydrolyzed by H+/K+ Atpase pumps out | | | | 0193-1849/01, Vol. 281, Issue 3, E430-E439, |
| hydrogen (H+) and takes up potassium (K+). K+ | | | | September 20013. Junction Adhesion Molecule 1: |
| flows into the stomach by diffusion through a K+ | | | | Q9Y624, NiceProt View of Swiss-Prot, Uni-Prot |
| channel protein while chloride (CL-) flows into the | | | | Carbonic Anhydrase 1:P00915, Bioinformatic |
| stomach through a Cl- channel protein. This | | | | Harvester, Stanford University. Potassium Voltage |
| mixture creates a Ph of about .08 in the stomach, | | | | Gated Channel: KCNQ1, Bioinformatic harvester, |
| which is optimal for food digestion. How much of | | | | Stanford University Gastric H+/K+ ATPase: |
| each protein is EAAs ?: | | | | P20648, Bioinformatic Harvester, Stanford |
| Tight junction protein - 299 total AA 151 EAA ( | | | | University4. Tryptophan Hydroxylase:Q86WC5 |
| 18% of the EAA being valine) | | | | (fragment), Bioinformatic Harvester, Stanford |
| Carbonic Anhydrase - 260 total AA 106 EAA (17 | | | | University Dopa Decarboxolase5. Andrew S. Chu, |
| % of the EAA being leucine) | | | | MD, "Esophagitis" E-Medicine, Nov. 19, 20046. |
| K+ channel protein - 392 total AA 192 EAA ( | | | | Brabender J, Lord RV, Wickramasinghe K, |
| 16% of the EAA being leucine) | | | | Metzger R, Schneider PM, Park JM, Holscher AH, |
| H+/K+ Atpase - 1034 total AA 500 EAA ( 10% | | | | DeMeester TR, Danenberg KD, Danenberg PV., |
| of the EAA being leucine)3Why is there an | | | | "Glutathione S-transferase-pi expression is |
| overproduction of acid in the GERD patient? If the | | | | downregulated in patients with Barrett's |
| proper essential amino acids must be present for | | | | esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma." |
| the proper function of proteins, what happens if | | | | Journal of Gastrointestal Surgery. 2002 |
| EAAs are missing? Perhaps then the protein | | | | May-Jun;6(3):359-67.7. Bounous,J, "Whey protein |
| mechanism that makes the HCL for our stomach | | | | concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in |
| malfunctions. How do we get these EAAS? By | | | | cancer treatment.", Anticancer Res. 2000 |
| digesting our food fully.Serotonin | | | | Nov-Dec;20(6C):4785-92.8. Wang ST, Chen HW, |
| Science is also looking into the role that the | | | | Sheen LY, Lii CK., "Methionine and cysteine affect |
| hormone seratonin (5HT) plays in GERD because | | | | glutathione level, glutathione-related enzyme |
| serotonin mediates the chemical transfer of | | | | activities and the expression of glutathione |
| information between the brain and gut. It does | | | | S-transferase isozymes in rat hepatocytes." |
| this via the central nervous system. If the | | | | Journal of Nutrition, 1997 Nov;127(11):2135-41.Eve |
| nervous system has been compromised due to | | | | Pekkala is a technical writer for Supernutrient |
| breakdown of the spinal disks, then messages | | | | Company. She has a BA in history and has |
| given to the secretory system will also be | | | | studied exercise science at the University of |
| compromised. If the system does not have | | | | South Carolina. She has been involved in technical |
| adequate amounts of amino acids available to build | | | | writing for various bodywork and nutritional |
| secretory proteins, it will be doubly compromised . | | | | businesses since 1995. |
| Some studies show that regulating serotonin | | | | |