So, how does it work?

Our brain is like a computer that controls all our body functions.  As with the regular computer components we are familiar with, the brain components, nerve cells, must communicate to each other without a glitch.  They do it through special chemical molecules, called neurotransmitters.  The neurotransmitters must be plentiful in the right place at the right time, otherwise the communications between cells don't work well and we develop symptoms.

The symptoms of neurotransmitter deficiency are mood disturbances like depression and anxiety, body aches and other related symptoms usually diagnosed as fibromyalgia, overeating leading to being overweight, headaches (especially migraines), insomnia, etc.

Luckily, we know how to get more neurotransmitters to the right places at the right time with NeuroReplete® nutritional supplements containing natural amino acids and vitamins.  We have the science and the experience working with hundreds of clinics and tens of thousands of patients around the country.  If you are interested in learning more of the science behind this therapy, read on.  If its a bit too dry for you, ask your doctor to review it with you.  Dr. Mirman will also be very happy to answer any of your questions.

The neurotransmitter balancing method was developed by Dr. Hinz, a family practitioner in Duluth, MN. Dr. Hinz started out using prescription diet drugs for weight loss. He soon found that he was able to get his patients to lose only a limited amount of weight until a plateau was reached after a few months of treatment. Even though patients continued taking their diet drugs they were not losing any more weight. Besides, some of these drugs turned out to be dangerous.


Nerve cells, referred to as neurons are the basic elements of our brain.  Healthy brain functioning relies on good communication between the neurons.  This communication is achieved by the neuron first generating an idea it needs to convey.  It converts this idea into an electrical impulse which is sent from the cell via an axon, a long tentacle that works like an electrical wire.  This impulse travels over the axon to the cell it is meant for.  The axon brings the electrical impulse almost all the way to the destination cell.  However, it does not actually touch this cell.  Between the end of the axon and the body of the destination cell there exists a structure called synapse.  It is basically a narrow space between the two cells.  The receiving cell has molecules called receptors on its side of the synapse.  The transmitting cell secrets molecules called neurotransmitters into the synapse.  They cross the gap (by diffusion) and attach to the receptors on the other side, just like many little keys opening many little locks.  As soon as the necessary number of receptors are activated the receiving cell unlocks and begins generating its own electrical impulse.  It has understood the message and will now process it and send it on.

There is a couple other important aspects to this ingenious design.  Our body is very frugal.  It does not like to waste a good thing.  Therefore, once the neurotransmitter molecules have done their job, they are meticulously mopped up by a mechanism called Reuptake Pump and taken back into the axon of the transmitting cell for recycling.

The supply of the neurotransmitter molecules is continuously replenished from the food we eat, where we get precursor molecules, which are the building blocks the neuron uses to make its neurotransmitters.

As long as the neurons can communicate freely, we feel well.  When communication breaks down for some reason, we start getting symptoms. 

There are many different groups of neurons.  Each group is responsible for a particular area of our health.  For example, one group deals with memory, another with fine movements, yet another - with eating behavior, emotions, etc.  Each group utilizes a particular neurotransmitter for its communications.  When a particular group of neurons is not communicating effectively we get symptoms in the area of our being this particular group is responsible for. 

For the sake of our discussion here we are particularly interested in the groups which use the neurotransmitters serotonin and catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine).  When there is any imbalance between the neurotransmitters and receptors in the synapses we get the symptoms such as depression, anxiety, headaches, fibromyalgia, insomnia, and we overeat. 

Of course, there could be more than one reason for the imbalance.  There could be a deficiency of the neurotransmitter, possibly caused by a dietary deficiency, overuse from too much stress, etc.. There may also be an abnormally high demand on the side of the receptors.  We really never know what is the real reason for the problem.  However, in the general scheme of things, it really does not  matter.  As long as we can increase the amount of the neurotransmitter in the synapse, we should be able to improve the neuron communication. 

There are two ways to do it.  One could block the Reuptake Pump that recycles the neurotransmitters after the transmission occurs. Then the used up neurotransmitter molecules would stick around in the synapse and the receptors would have a better chance of being coupled with them.  The drugs, called Reuptake Pump Inhibitors, do just that.  They block reuptake and make more neurotransmitter available in the synapse.  Some of them work on Serotonin, and are called Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs.  Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and Lexapro belong to this group.  Others work on cateholamins, like Wellbutrin.  Yet others affect both systems, like Serzone and Meridia. 

There is a problem though.  The drug often helps initially, but the neurotransmitter remaining in the synapse dissipates eventually, blocking recycling causes a severe deficiency of the neurotransmitter molecules in the transmitting cell, and it secretes less and less neurotransmitter into the synapse. This eventually causes a decrease in the number of neurotransmitter molecules in the synapse, therefore there is less to recycle, and the drug has less and less effect as time goes on.

The other way is to load the transmitting neuron with enough neurotransmitter precursor material (the neurotransmitter building blocks) to enable it to produce more neurotransmitter molecules to be secreted into the synapse.  If there is enough neurotransmitter in the synapse, we no longer need to mess with the cell's machinery and block any of its natural processes.  We can then leave the Reuptake Pump alone and the drugs will no longer be needed.

This is accomplished with the Neuroreplete® supplements.    We keep the existing controls functioning, so nothing is wasted.  There is now more neurotransmitter in the synapse because more is made, and we don't need to block recycling to artificially and temporary raise the amount of neurotransmitter in the synapse.  We don't actually fix the underlying problem of needing more than the usual amount of neurotransmitters, but at least we don't mess up the controls that allow the system to function normally.

The neurotransmitters are made by the brain cells (neurons) from substances found in our food. These are aminoacids, natural constituents of all proteins, such as beef, pork, fish, soy, etc. The proteins are made up of 20 aminoacids. The body’s digestive mechanism (mostly located in our gut) splits the protein molecules into these aminoacids, which are like links in a chain. Once the chain is taken apart, the individual links (aminoacid molecules) are absorbed into the blood stream and taken everywhere in the body. Body’s cells pluck them from the blood stream and use them to make whatever they need for proper functioning. Muscle cells use them as building blocks for muscle proteins, glands make hormones and enzymes out of them, and brain cells make neurotransmitters which are necessary for their communication with each other. The aminoacids 5HTP and Tyrosine get converted into neurotransmitters serotonin and the catecholamine group respectively.  Aminoacid Cystein is also a part of the catecholamine pathway.


Some people can't get enough aminoacids from their diet to enable good brain functioning. This could be from dietary deficiency of the aminoacids, from overuse, such as in times of stress, possibly even from some genetic (inherited) predisposition. It also appears that with age some of us need more and more neurotransmitters for proper functioning. To get the necessary amount of aminoacids from the diet is rather difficult: many of us affected with the deficiency problem need the equivalent of 20 large steaks daily to replenish adequate supply.

Neuroreplete® supplements contain the necessary amount of these aminoacids in the correct proportion, and accompanied by the other nutrients necessary to allow to neurons to create the needed neurotransmitters from the provided aminoacids. 

The response to the therapy is monitored by following the patient's clinical condition.  In cases when more than the usual doses of the supplements are required we use a urine test to evaluate the neurotransmitter levels.  This helps us fine-tune the treatment.

That is why the supplements are superior to the drugs.  They generally work better and their effect does not wear off with time.  Yet, neither system is a perfect and permanent cure:  it is just a way of managing a difficult situation.  Other modalities, like, for example, Homeopathy, can sometimes provide a more radical fix by removing the underlying problem causing the unusually high neurotransmitter requirements.