{"id":1471,"date":"2018-05-16T16:40:49","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T16:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drvanta.com\/?p=1471"},"modified":"2020-11-13T04:11:32","modified_gmt":"2020-11-13T04:11:32","slug":"natural-ways-supplements-to-improve-glutamate-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drvanta.com\/natural-ways-supplements-to-improve-glutamate-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"“Glutamate Blockers”? Natural Ways\/Supplements To Improve Glutamate Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You may want to read first this article<\/a> to better understand the functions of glutamate and how glutamate becomes toxic to the brain and promotes inflammation and autoimmunity. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

I know many are looking for “glutamate blockers”. Rather than blocking glutamate, you actually need to improve its levels\/ its pathways.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How To Improve Glutamate Levels\/Glutamate Pathways <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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  1. \n

    PPAR-\u03b3 Activators <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n
  2. \n

    Aminoacids : Taurine and NAC<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n
  3. \n

    Probiotics<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n
  4. \n

    Vitamins and Minerals : Vitamins: Bs, C, E, D, Magnesium, Lithium Orotate<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n
  5. \n

    Lifestyle Changes\/Therapies: Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Acupuncture<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    How To Improve Glutamate Levels<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    *GE =glutamate excitotoxicity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Glutamate is an essential (and the main excitatory) neurotransmitter in the brain. However, glutamate can become toxic- a process called glutamate excitotoxicity (GE)- in a few circumstances:if there is excess glutamate in the brain or the glutamate receptors are overstimulated. EC can also develop when the glutamate levels are normal but the glutamate receptors are over sensitive or when the glutamate pathways are impaired (ie problems with the enzymes, transporters, etc). GE plays a key role in neurodegeneration. Thus, researchers are looking into drugs and therapies focused on improving glutamate pathways to treat degenerative brain diseases. Technical: excessive activation of glutamate receptors by excitatory amino acids leads to a number of negative effects ie impairment of cellular calcium homeostasis, generation of free radicals, activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition and secondary GE [1<\/a>]. <\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Quick note: GE is also associated with depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, chronic pain, strokes and brain tumors and many other conditions [2<\/a>]. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Improving glutamate levels\/pathways can be a very complex task. Supplements, therapies and lifestyle changes that promote mitochondrial health, decrease oxidative stress and inflammation, balance glutamate with other neurotransmitters in the brain, and improve sugar and fat metabolism are all beneficial. Therefore, I looked at one thing that can achieve all these effects: <\/strong>PPAR-\u03b3 <\/strong>activators.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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    1. \n

      PPAR-\u03b3 <\/strong>Activators <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      In a nutshell, PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>activators can be one of the best way\/therapy to counteract GE [3<\/a>],[4<\/a>]. PPARs(peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors) are specific proteins with profound effects on the body [5<\/a>]. They belong to so called superfamily of nuclear receptors (other members of this class include vitamins A and D, estrogen thyroid and glucocorticoid receptors). There are 3 types of PPARs: PAR-a, PPAR-d, and PPAR-?.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      PPAR-<\/strong>\u03b3 <\/strong>activators (agonists) can effectively protect against GE, decrease brain inflammation and degeneration.  Furthermore, they can \u201c reprogram\u201d the immune response, stimulate metabolic and mitochondrial function, promote axon growth and make progenitor cells differentiate into myelinating producing cells (oligodendrocytes). PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>activators improve metabolism of sugars and fats, modulate the immune system and inflammation thus protecting against both autoimmunity and cancer. PPARs bind DNA and regulate gene expression [6<\/a>],[7<\/a>]. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Many conditions, including MS had been associated with PPAR deficiencies. Treatment with PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>agonists was found to improve the viability of neurons and other brain cells, while reducing inflammation and oxidative stress [8<\/a>]. I wrote here<\/a> about the benefits of PPAR-<\/strong>\u03b3 <\/strong>agonists drugs for treating MS. Researchers believe that activating PPARs has a lot of therapeutic potential for MS. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Prescriptions drugs that target these proteins (PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>agonists) are very powerful, but have a lot of side effects. In fact some of them had been withdrawn from the market. Rosiglitazone and Pioglitazone are PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>activators currently used for treating diabetes and insulin resistance (although are still on the marker, they do increase risk of heart attack and heart failure, as well as with an elevated risk of cardiovascular mortality).<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      You don\u2019t need prescription drugs, as many herbs are supplements are natural PPAR<\/strong>-\u03b3 <\/strong>agonists. Although they have milder effects than the synthetic drugs (are partial PPAR <\/strong>\u03b3 <\/strong>agonists), you can still get a lot of benefits from using them. <\/strong><\/h3>\n