# Brain Chemical Messengers



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

This has to do with IBS, even though its not on IBS. But some of the chemicals play a big part in IBS and this is a good article.Brain Chemical Messengers The exciting discoveries began in the spring of 1977. Tools had been discovered. Tools that were enabling scientists to penetrate the very interior of single nerve cells in the brain. Important discoveries were being made almost daily about the inner workings of the brain. We now know that vital chemicals carry messages between brain cells. In essence, they allow brain cells to "talk to" one another. On a typical day in the brain, trillions of messages are sent and received. The messages that are happy, up beat messages are carried by the brain's "HAPPY MESSENGERS" (technically known as Biogenic Amine/Endorphin System). Other messages are somber and quieting. They are carried by the brain's "SAD MESSENGERS". Most nerve centers receive input from both types of messengers. As long as this input is balanced, everything runs along on an even keel. Stress, however, causes problems with the brain's Happy Messengers. When life is smooth, the happy messages keep up with demand. But when too much stress is placed on the brain, the Happy Messengers begin to fall behind on their deliveries. As the stress continues, the happy messages begin to fail. Important nerve centers then receive mostly SAD MESSAGES, and the whole brain becomes distressed. The person enters a state of brain chemical imbalance known as -- OVERSTRESS. OVERSTRESS makes people feel terrible. With SAD MESSAGES overwhelming the happy messages, a person feels "overwhelmed" by life. People complain of being tired, unable to fall asleep or to obtain a restful night's sleep. They have plagues of aches and pains, lack of energy, lack of enjoyment of life. They feel depressed, anxious, or just unable to cope with life. Low Stress Tolerance -- The Inherited Factor Everyone inherits a certain ability to make and use Happy Messengers in the brain. As long as you can make enough Happy Messengers to keep up with the stress in your life, you will find stress to be fun, exciting, enjoyable, challenging. In fact, without it you would be bored. However, when the amount of stress in your life is so great that you begin to run out of Happy Messengers, then bad things begin to happen. You may have sleep disturbances, aches and pains, lack of enjoyment of life and even panic attacks. The amount of stress that you can tolerate before your Happy Messengers malfunction is referred to as your "Stress Tolerance". Your Stress Tolerance is set by your genetic inheritance. Most of us have inherited sufficient Stress Tolerance to allow us to weather the stresses of daily living. We still feel well and enjoy life. Yet, each of us, at some time has experienced short periods of brain chemical imbalance. The night you couldn't sleep before your big test at school, or your important job interview, or your "fabulous date"... The sadness and crying you may have felt when a friend or relative passed away, or a girlfriend or boyfriend left... The chest pains or the headaches that you may have thought were heart problems or migraine, but your doctor said came from too much stress and strain... WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED SUCH BRIEF EPISODES OF HAPPY MESSENGER MALFUNCTION. BUT, FULLY 10% OF OUR POPULATION FEELS LIKE THIS ALL OF THE TIME! You see, one in ten persons has inherited a LOW STRESS TOLERANCE. This means that his/her Happy Messengers "poop out" at stress levels which the rest of us would consider "normal, everyday stress." The result of inheriting such a Low Stress Tolerance may be a disaster. Such a person will be operating his or her life in practically permanent OVERSTRESS. Sleep disturbances, aches and pains, fatigue, depressions, mood swings, anxiety attacks, and even drug addiction can become life long problems. Since one in ten persons have inherited a Low Stress Tolerance, we are describing an enormous number of people. Ten percent of your friends, your acquaintances, your employees, your co-workers, your employers... everywhere around you there are persons who are not able to cope with the stress of daily life. To understand how stress results in this disastrous condition for so many people, let us begin by examining the brain's HAPPY MESSENGERS. Three Happy Messengers There are three Happy Messengers: SEROTONIN, NORADRENALIN, and DOPAMINE. These are the brain chemicals that begin to malfunction when stress levels become more than a person can handle. Serotonin SEROTONIN LETS YOU SLEEP The Happy Messenger, Serotonin, must work properly in order for you to sleep well. Serotonin is responsible for making sure that your body's physiology is set for sleeping. If Serotonin does not do its job properly, you will not be able to obtain a restful sleep, no matter how hard you try. SEROTONIN SETS YOUR BODY CLOCK Inside every one of our brains is a very accurate "Clock". This time keeping apparatus functions like the conductor of a symphony orchestra. Just as the conductor of the orchestra keeps all the various instruments playing in rhythm, so the Body Clock keeps all the various functions of your body coordinated, and moving to the same rhythm. The Body Clock is located deep in the center of the brain, in a little group of cells known as the Pineal Gland. Within the Pineal Gland is a store-house of the messenger Serotonin, which is the chemical "mainspring" of the Clock. Each day the Serotonin is chemically converted to a related compound, Melatonin; and then the Melatonin is converted right back to Serotonin. The whole cycle from Serotonin to Melatonin and back to Serotonin takes exactly 25 hours -- and this forms your Body's Clock. Twenty five hours? Yes, under experimental conditions of an unchanging environment, such as in a cave kept at a constant level of illumination for weeks on end, this Body Clock cycles every 25 hours. If, however, a person is exposed to a natural outdoor cycle of daylight and darkness, the Pineal Gland will automatically set itself to a 24 hour day. That is, the Pineal Gland will automatically match its cycle to the length of one Earth's day. That way, noon in the Pineal Gland is always noon on Earth. If exposed to daylight, the Pineal Gland will neither gain nor lose time, but will always cycle exactly in concert with the Earth as our planet twirls through space. The whole process of setting the Body Clock to Earth time takes about three weeks. The 24 hour cycling of the Body Clock is important. It adjusts your body chemistry for sleeping and for waking. Every evening your Body Clock will set your physiology for sleeping; then you feel drowsy and sleep soundly. After a while, your Body Clock adjusts your physiology for waking. You then wake up and feel refreshed. We mentioned that the Body Clock is the coordinator of your physiologic orchestra. Three important players in that orchestra are your body temperature, stress fighting hormone, and sleep cycles. Each of these must be properly coordinated by the Body Clock in order for you to sleep soundly, and awake feeling rested. THE BODY CLOCK AND YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE Every 24 hours, your body temperature cycles from high to low, varying by as much as one degree. When it is time to wake up and be active, your body temperature rises slightly. When it is time to fall asleep, your body temperature dips slightly. Most of us have felt how difficult it is to fall asleep on a very warm night, when you toss and turn and wish you could cool off. Contrast  this with the relative comfort when one is tucked in a nice bed in a room that is slightly cool, or even downright cold. To achieve the best sleep, the body thermostat is supposed to lower slightly at night, a timing which is coordinated by your Body Clock. THE BODY CLOCK AND YOUR STRESS FIGHTING HORMONE The body has a vital hormone called Cortisol, which is the body's chief stress fighting hormone. When Cortisol secretion is high, the body shifts to a "war footing". It is prepared for stress conditions such as hunger, trauma, hemorrhage, fighting, or running. Ordinarily, one's Cortisol drops substantially in the evening, as one relaxes, settles down, and prepares for sleep. As with body temperature, the ups and downs of your stress fighting hormone must cycle properly during a 24 hour day for you to achieve a restful night's sleep and awake refreshed. Any disruption of your Cortisol cycle, and restful sleep will become very difficult. THE BODY CLOCK AND YOUR SLEEP CYCLES After falling asleep, one normally goes DEEPER and DEEPER into sleep, finally reaching a state of deep restorative sleep. Then sleep becomes LIGHTER and LIGHTER until one enters dreaming sleep. Then the whole cycle begins over again. About every 90 minutes one goes through this cycle. In the early part of the evening the cycle pauses a relatively long time in the deepest restorative phase. As the evening progresses, the amount of time spent in deep restorative sleep lessens, and one spends more and more time dreaming. In order for one to feel rested, this sleep pattern must be cycling properly. And, of course, the cycle is regulated by your internal Body Clock. STRESS DESTROYS YOUR SLEEP The Body Clock is essential for the proper harmony of your body temperature, stress fighting hormone, and sleep cycles. In order to fall asleep easily, sleep soundly, and awake refreshed, your Body Clock must be functioning properly. The Happy Messenger, Serotonin, is the "mainspring" of the Body Clock. If stress causes Serotonin to fail, the Body Clock will stop working. You will not be able to obtain a restful sleep, no matter how hard you try. SINCE SEROTONIN IS USUALLY THE FIRST HAPPY MESSENGER TO FAIL UNDER STRESS, THE FIRST SIGN OF OVERSTRESS WILL USUALLY BE INABILITY TO OBTAIN A RESTFUL SLEEP. Noradrenalin: Giving Us Energy I am sure you have all heard of "Adrenalin". When you are frightened, Adrenalin is released into your blood stream by your adrenal glands. Your heart beats faster, blood flow is shunted away from your skin and intestines and towards your muscles. Perspiration appears on your palms and forehead. You are ready for "fight or flight". A cousin of Adrenalin, named Noradrenalin is one of the Happy Messengers. Noradrenalin has many important functions in the body's nervous system. The one that most concerns us here, however, is the role of Noradrenalin in setting your energy levels. Proper functioning of Noradrenalin in the brain is essential for you to feel energized. Without enough brain Noradrenalin you feel exhausted, tired, droopy and without energy. You just don't feel like doing anything. You just wantto sit. People with Noradrenalin failure become progressively more and more lethargic. They do not seem to have any energy to do anything. Running your brain with low Noradrenalin is akin to running your car with a failing battery. Sooner or later, it just won't start. Dopamine: Your Pleasure and Your Pain As you probably know, morphine and heroin are the most potent pain relieving and pleasure producing medications known to man. They are so potent in fact, that they were long believed to mimic some unknown, but naturally occurring, body chemical. A recent technological advance has led to the remarkable uncovering of natural morphine-like molecules that are, indeed, made in each of our brains. Collectively, these substances are known as ENDORPHINS, and they are responsible for regulating our moment to moment awareness of pain. It appears that in the discovery of Endorphins we have found our body's naturally occurring mechanism for regulating pain. It is likely that a certain baseline secretion of Endorphin occurs at all times in the body. Under certain conditions, this Endorphin secretion may rise, making the person relatively insensitive to pain. Under other conditions, the Endorphin levels may drop, making a person more sensitive than usual to pain. Individual variations of Endorphin level would explain the observation that people may react with differing levels of perceived pain when suffering the same painful stimulus. In medical practice it is quite common to see one person with an injury have very little discomfort, while another person with a very similar injury has terrible discomfort. In the past we have said that such unusual suffering was "all in the person's head". Now we may speculate that what is different in that person's head is the Endorphin level. Hence, the person who seems to have an unusual amount of discomfort from what appears to be a trivial injury, probably is feeling more pain. For some reason, his body's own pain control mechanism has been depleted of Endorphins. Now, our third Happy Messenger, Dopamine, seems to be concentrated in areas of the brain immediately adjacent to where the major Endorphin releasing mechanisms lie. When Dopamine function declines, Endorphin function also declines. Hence, when too much stress causes failure of Dopamine function, it also causes loss of your body's natural "pain killer". Dopamine also runs your body's "Pleasure Center". This is the area of your brain that allows you to enjoy life. When stress interferes with your Dopamine function, the Pleasure Center becomes inoperative. Normally pleasureful activities no longer give any pleasure. With severe Dopamine/Endorphin malfunction, life becomes painful and devoid of any pleasure. WHAT OVERSTRESS FEELS LIKE When your stress level is high enough to cause failure of your Happy Messengers, what is going to happen to you? What will you feel like? If your total stress load is high enough to interfere with your brain's Happy Messengers, then your Body Clock is going to stop working. You will find yourself having difficulty falling asleep, and frequent awakenings during the night, perhaps with vivid dreams. When morning rolls around, you will not feel at all rested. Next, you will note lack of energy, lack of desire to get out and do things, lack of interest in the outside world. Next, you will have aches and pains. Particularly common are chest, shoulder, back and neck pains. But, it will seem like you are aware of vague, uncomfortable feelings from all over your body. Along with increased sensitivity to aches and pains, there is a decreased sense of pleasure in life. Things that used to be fun or pleasurable do not seem enjoyable anymore. When all of these symptoms coincide--lack of sleep, fatigue, aches and pains--you feel that life is not enjoyable anymore. You feel overwhelmed by life. Now you may cry easily, and feelthat you are "depressed". You may also feel quite anxious. All these strange changes in your body. Why can't I sleep? Why do I ache all the time? Am I having a heart attack? What is happening to me? It is not uncommon for persons who are experiencing the strange changes in their body caused by Happy Messenger failure to have periods of panic. It is during these so-called "panic attacks" that you feel as if you can not catch your breath. The heart races in panic, the muscles ache and pain all over the chest. You may even get light-headed. You may have stomach upset and diarrhea. Stress has caused your body to behave in strange and difficult ways. Under these circumstances, anxiety and fear are not at all unexpected. All of us have experienced some periods of OVERSTRESS in our lives. Usually they will be of short duration. We live in such a high stress society, however, that at least TEN PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION IS IN OVERSTRESS ALL THE TIME! These people, who have inherited a Low Stress Tolerance, are fighting against Happy Messenger failure every day of their lives. It rarely stops; and they are sorely afflicted. In the past, we did not know the cause of this suffering. Such persons were often said to have a "mental illness". The medical world now recognizes these symptoms to arise from a brain Happy Messenger malfunction. THIS MALFUNCTION IS CAUSED BY TOO MUCH STRESS. What was once regarded as a mental illness has emerged from that shadowy realm to reside in the world of biochemistry and physical illness.------------------I work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Eric, This is a great explanation. Simple to understand compared to other articles.Now my questions, (Come on you knew I'd have at least one







These poor folks who have inherited a low stress tolerance, is there no help for them? How are they treated? Is there a way to compensate for the malfunctioning "Happy Messengers"?I know I have experienced this failure of Happy Messengers before at times of stress in my life. The descriptions of symptoms were definitely familiar. They were temporary though, I hope







. To increase the functioning of the Happy Messengers one could do what? Guessing here but here goes, Exercise, make a concerted effort to keep good sleep habits, things like that? Are there more things one can do to increase the functioning of these Happy Messengers? If so could you tell us?? Thanks. BQ


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

BQ,







.Yes, excersise can increase chemicals for happy messengers and also chemicals for pain, such as endorphines.Some people might need medications and some people can achieve more balance by learning relaxation techniques,deep breathing and other methods to create or regulate them better.These are some of the same messengers that are players in the miscommunication between the brain and the gut.Getting a good night sleep, eating right, all are factors.------------------I work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com[This message has been edited by eric (edited 03-15-2001).]


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Yeah I had a sneakin' suspicion they were the likely culprits!!!!







Ok I'll be addin' those relaxation techniques to my repatoire(sp forgive me).Thanks Eric.







BQ


----------



## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

BQ:Another interesting aspect, actually several, of the function of mediators especially serotonin and endorphin(s) in general is their role in patients with low stress tolerance in developing addictive or obsessive, thus destructive, eating patterns.Many people [we] have seen who have comorbid IBS and weight control problems, are serotonin and/or endorphin junkies. They compensate for innately low levels of these key mood mediators by overconsuming foods which elicit endorphin and/or serotonin release. Unfortunately many of thes foods are either high in fat or high in complex carbs. [NOTE: this intrinsically low serotonin-levels phenoman has also been linked to the 15-20% of smokers who become physiologically ill during withdrawal making it impossible to quit...just a sidbar].The diet becomes not only calorie-dense but excessively repetitive. This contributes to a loss of tolerance (immune function of separating foods, which is "safe", from toxins and pathogens which are "bad"). This can lead to the development of food intolerances and small bowel mucosal and circulatory immune cell response. The net result is a local and systemic elevation of inappropriate cellular and tissue (mast cell) mediators which begin to elicit the symptoms of bowel dysfunction and which will aggravate the innate stress-intolerance due to their direct effect on the CNS and ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.In other simpler words, a subpopulation of overwieght IBS patients, primarily female, with (usually fairly benign) eating disorders exists. Sometimes the food addiction goes beyond morbid to the point where cardiovascular problems or even diabetes occur as a consequence.These patients, once placed on the proper elimination diet, can reverse the EFFECTS of the reactivity, lose the weight, subside the GI symptoms...but the acquired addictive behavior re: call it comfort-food obsession, can be very difficult to overcome since the basis does lie within the "mood altering neurotranmitters".It is another whole area of niche-therapy, for some patients whose lives become extremely disrupted and they become trapped in a self-perpetuating destructive cycle that has to be broken by reversing it step by step. In addition to elimination of the foods eliciting reactions, which almost alwasy ends up corresponding to a great degree to the foods which elicit the comfort-responses, psychosocial intervention and pharmacotherapy intervention may be required to help the patient reverse all the learned behaviors that triggered the process.Better to:Eat Well. Think Well. Be Well.MNL_________________ www.leapallergy.com


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Mike, I think I follow what you are saying.(Major emphasis on "I Think"







)Say a person eats ALOT of chocolate. (Ok this MAY be construed as something personal to you, BUT IT IS NOT














I'm using this example because from what I have seen this is a common "comfort" food.)Say also that this person has a low stress tolerance level. You are saying that chocolate then becomes something they can't tolerate?Like they are over-using chocolate to release those endorphins to compensate for the malfunction of the "Happy Messengers"?Yes? No? C'mon Mike you know I'm a remedial learner here so speak to me the "good looking" English







. Also, while I'm at it, Has it been shown that those with addictive problems have inherited low stress tolerance levels?Thanks BQ







[This message has been edited by BQ (edited 03-16-2001).][This message has been edited by BQ (edited 03-16-2001).]


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

bump for MNL


----------



## atp (Jan 18, 2001)

Thanks for posting that, Eric. It helped explain some things to me.MNL--What are these endorphin-triggering foods? Or are you afraid to list some, in case someone wants a fix and purposely eats them? I'm figuring chocolate HAS to be one. (Boy do I want some right now!!! I should have never let myself get premenstrual/menstrual without chocolate in the house!)I'm just kinda curious about the foods. It seems like my body craves foods it needs, for the most part, but I'm wanting to make sure it is not because I'm secretly a food endorphin junkie. If I am, I'm betting I'm one of the skinnier ones!!Meanwhile, the hormones are demanding I search for chocolate SOMEWHERE around the apt.!


----------



## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

HI BQ AND ATP:Sorry I am not avoiding...just not here yeseterday and only have time to answer the MARGARINE postin detail...as the butter issue can be very confusing. That took alot of time.I will make up a list of the foods that end up being comfort foods as a rsult of being serotonergic and/or endorphinergic for some people. In the meantime as examples think of things like pasta, for example, is serotonergic. This is why you should not eat a big bowel of spaghetti for lunch if you have to work. You are gonna get an afternoon mind-fog. Unless your Boss allows power-naps in which case you will be primed!Foods that release endorphins tend to be fatty and/ or sweet foods like them eclairs and Krispy Kremes.I will enumerate tomorrow morning...and yes in a genral sense (2) things can and do occur...the person who goes to comfort foods regularly regardless of what they are not only can develop LEARNED and BIOCHEMICAL dependency on the foods, they can lose oral tolerance to one or more ingredients in the food if it is overconsumed. This may not be due to the food itself, in some cases it may be a cytotoxic reaction to a chemical IN the food which, as it accumulates or the immune system is overexposed to, starts either suffering actual physcal damage to cell walls from the chemical or the immune system starts to moblize a mechanism to protect against the overconsumed food which has the bad chemical in it which the body now says it is receiving too much of...so it treats the food like a bacteria so to speak and reacts accordingly.SO far, it is not always clear which one or more mechanisms are involved, only that the end-point of the reactions, which is a common end point, is detectable: loss of integrity of the cell wall of some types or all types of circulating immune cells.Later...today is the first rain since October falling...gotta get the dead plants out in the rain and see if they will encourage the lawn to also become green again. I swear they were actually out PAINTING the greens on the golf courses last week it is that dry and dead. Also Not allowed to wash the car except one day a week between 4 am and 7 am (yeah right) due to water restrictions so lets get em both outside for a free wash while we can!MNL________________ www.leapallergy.com


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Mike, Is this what happens to alcoholics?Man if there was some way to block this for them what a wonderful thing THAT would be. Is there any research on this for those addicted to alcohol or narcotics? Like the intolerance IS alcoholism? BQ


----------



## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

Ah I found the thread I lost...I remembered a thread about food and neurotransmitters I promised to answer then lost the thread.I have some mtg. but will answer the question in detail this afternoon as it is more interesting than just a list. Will take alittle time to write.be backMNL


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Yeah Mike LOL Took me awhile to find it too!Take your time, we'll be here & thanks for your help. BQ


----------



## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

OK, for Bar-B-Q and Adenosine TriPhosphate here are some.... ____________________"Foods That Make Ya Go Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm" ____________________For many years scientists suspected that there were special sites in the brain where opiates were ï¿½boundï¿½, but prior to the 1970ï¿½s technology did not exist to prove it. In 1973 three or four different groups of investigators working in different parts of the world independently (Johns Hopkins, Stanford, NY university and our ubiquitous pals in Upsala Sweden who are always in front) wereable to show specific opiate binding sites in nerve tissue. The question of course then arises, why have opiate sites in the brain? Only in case someone took an opiate internally? There must be some endogenous (within the body) neurotransmitter that activates these things not just exogenous (outside drugs) chemicals.Back in the 1960sï¿½ a scientist at Cal-Berkely isolated a pituitary hormone he called B-Lipotropin. He observed that it seemed to have analgesic properties. About a year after the opiate receptor sites were discovered a guy in Scotland discovered an ï¿½endogenous opiateï¿½ which he purified and called Enkephalin. They noticed later that a certain sequence of peptides in Enkephalin was the same as that in Lipotropin. Later, after a few years of investigating this and other similar pituitary hormones, they came to be called ï¿½endorphinï¿½ as in ï¿½morphine within the bodyï¿½. Over the years a number of endorphins have been discovered.There is some chicken-egg-or both debate about endorphin vs. serotonin and cravings for certain foods, and there is ï¿½crossoverï¿½. Some seem to increase endorphin release, some serotonin release, some both. Then there are other chemicals which affect mood (in a minute I will get there).For example, Studies have show the relationship between carbohydrate intake and mood. When we eat foods high in carbohydrates (sugars & startches) like pasta, bread, potatoes, some squash, corn some fruits serotonin levels increase inducing a feeling of calm or relaxation. High protein foods seem to have the opposite effect..sharpening awareness.Women in particular more than men seem to experience cravings for foods which produce the serotonin effect and believe it seems to be related to changes in cyclic hormonal levels. When the estrogen level falls and progesterone rises, it appears that serotonin levels may drop. Inducing carbohydrate cravings. These become unique to the woman based upon what carbs she grew up liking and what was available to satisfy here needs when experienced. Chocolate is a subject unto itself as there are several chemical and behavioral issues related to chocolate and chocolate cravings. Chocolate appears to affect BOTH serotonin and endorphin release. It is one of if not the strongest psychoactive food. Over the centries it has been used for everything from fertility and libido enhancement to modern day views of some cardioprotective qualities and even life extension. And that cam from Harvard no less.Depending upon how it is made chocolate can contain over 300 different components, but there are a few which are key to understanding its mood-effecting qualities. It contains small amounts of a chmical known as anandamide. This is what you could call ï¿½an endogenous cannibinoidï¿½. Pot? Yeah sort ofï¿½ While you might have to some major pile to get truly stoned, there are two other chemicals in the chocolate which inhibit the metabolism (breakdown) of anandamide. So this may allow it accumulate in some people who eat chocolate frequently to a high enough kevel that an effective response can occur mildly. However, please do not try to put it in your bongï¿½.what a mess that would make.Besides also containing theobromine (caffeine) which everyone knows what that does, most people do not know that it also contains tryptophan., and essential amino acid which is related to serotonin production. Most people think of tryptophan and turkey dinnersï¿½but that could have as much to do with all the starches and sweets as the tryptophan. Chocolate does indeed increase the release of endorphins of course, and the associated glow achieved thereby.It is interesting to note that cravings for chocolate among premenstrual women are probably related to its magnesium content as much as anything else in it. Any magnesium deficiency is believed to worsen premenstrual tension. Also when the progesterone levels go up before mestruation this promotes fat storage prevnting its use as metabolic fuel. This may also contribute to the cravings for fatty sweet foodsLastly another key ingredient related to chcolate deire and effect is phenylethyamine. This is a naturally occurring trace amine in the brain which stimulates the release of mesolimbic dopamine in the brains ï¿½pleasure centersï¿½. It peaks during [drum roll please] orgasm. Perhaps this accounts for many women reporting they prefer chocolate to sex, since it is more reliable than hubby? It is also (phenyl) sometimes called the ï¿½love chemicalï¿½ as it can supposedly modulate feelings of attraction, excitement, giddiness, euphoria. There are some other more speculative theories about what it does in relation to depression and MAO inhibitors and all that but it is speculation. Some Wellbutrin patients report their chocolate cravings are reduced. Others dispute this.Outside of specific chemical influences, learned begaviors in such things as coping with stress or anxiety when a child, or reward systems, can influence the release of endorphins in response to a learned stimulas-response relationship. Maybe when you were a kid Mom rewarded good grades or behavior with cookies. This resulted in the net effects of a learned stimuls that triggers a pleasurable response, so as an adult one rewards one self with cookies or sweets. It is hard to test the purity of this theory as to the completeness of the psychogenic effect as few people were rewarded with, say, liver for good grades. So it is hard to tell is it the fatty sweets or the anticapiation-response.Also there is the crunch-food phenomenonï¿½reducing stress and anger response can be traced to something as simple as foods which require the jaw to destroy them loudly and violently: pretzels, popcorn, Buglesï¿½.etc. Anyway that should give some idea of the less than simple nature of the subject.Eat Well. Think Well. Be Well.MNL_____________ www.leapallergy.com


----------



## atp (Jan 18, 2001)

MyNiceLotsofinfoguy,Thank you very much for the explanation. Very interesting! I just rediscovered this thread over here.)I wasn't aware that chocolate had magnesium in it. I wonder if that could be one of the reasons chocolate is bad for some D types? I still gotta eat mine







I also know hormones affect IBS, and some "IBS" can actually be from endometriosis, which is of course affected by hormones... but any chance the increased chocolate intake before my period, with it's Mg and all, is contributing to the worse D probs?It's not uncommon for me to get post-coital chocolate cravings. So your chocolate vs. sex remarks make perfect sense to me! To JeanG: I have reduced/rephrased my "sex comments", although I'm not sure it was necessary. Yes it is for news, research, and abstracts. But our discussion has gone in a slightly different direction, and I am finding this very interesting. This thread originated in the self-help forum.[This message has been edited by atp (edited 04-01-2001).]


----------



## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Can you save the sex comments for the adult board? This one is for news and abstracts.JeanG


----------



## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

AT& P: ______________________"It's not uncommon for me to get post-coital chocolate cravings." ______________________It is a little-known fact that the widespread, abundant and libidinous misuse of chocolate and chocolate-related products was the primary motivation for the Puritans and other Calvinistic sects to flee England for the New World.It is also another little-known fact that all Puritans named "Whitman" were required to change their names to "Yoder" prior to disembarkation.From your posts you are clearly no Quaker, in the purely spiritual sense.MNL_______________ www.leapallergy.com


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Chocolate and serotonin. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/sh/health/...405-090403.html ------------------I work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


----------

