Endorphin-boosting drugs

An interesting thing, this hormone endorphin. It relieves pain, improves mood, and helps treat illnesses. Has no one, in all these years of acquaintance with it, attempted to artificially stimulate the production of such a useful hormone?

Why, there were attempts and some of them were very successful. Research into the properties of endorphins and the possibilities of their reproduction in synthetic analogues was conducted practically from the day of the discovery of opiate peptides. Of course, their ability to relieve pain without the use of strong drugs was of interest.

The research was conducted in two directions:

• physiotherapeutic techniques to stimulate the production of endorphins,
• development and production of pharmacological drugs that stimulate the production of endorphins.

It must be said that the physiotherapeutic direction was crowned with success, which was preceded by many years of research. The result was the method of TES-therapy (transcranial electrical stimulation). This is a non-invasive technique carried out by applying electrodes to the head. Electric current in a measured and strictly selective manner affects the areas of the brain responsible for the production of endorphins. As a result, we get many beneficial effects.

In addition to pain relief (and its power is thirty times stronger than morphine), the method allows you to achieve:

• normalization of the patient's psychophysiological state (indicators of performance, sleep, quality of life),
• improving mood,
• acceleration of recovery processes,
• optimization of the functioning of the autonomic, immune, and endocrine systems,
• stopping tumor growth,
• relief of withdrawal symptoms (used in the treatment of substance abusers, alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.),
• anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect.

It should be said that physiotherapy using TES increases the effectiveness of other methods of treating various pathologies. However, the method is not suitable for everyone. It is allowed to be used to treat patients over 5 years old. Contraindications to transcranial electrical stimulation are:

• damage to the skin at the site of application of the electrodes,
• brain injuries,
• tumor processes in the brain,
• epilepsy, convulsive readiness,
• hypertensive crisis,
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland, as a result of which it produces an excess amount of thyroid hormones (thyrotoxicosis),
• implanted pacemakers.

Drugs containing endorphins: myths and reality

As for pharmacology, everything is not so rosy. The idea to create an effective analgesic based on endorphins was implemented quite quickly, because this was the task set by the government, which means that the demand for the drugs was initially ensured.

Unfortunately, synthetically recreated endorphins did not justify themselves. The pain-relieving effect from their use was much weaker than that of natural ones, and did not last long. But the drugs had many side effects. In addition, they acted differently. Some felt the effect of pain relief, some experienced unnatural excitement, and others suffered from hallucinations and convulsions.

Testing of drugs on American soldiers during the Gulf War (1990-1991) showed that endorphins in tablets do not justify themselves. The calculation was that synthetic endorphins, as planned, would not cause addiction. In fact, it turned out that addiction to them developed after just a couple of days of use, and they acted more powerfully than drugs.

In principle, some of the drugs are used in the West to this day. However, sensible doctors are categorically against such therapy, which can cause more harm than good, and this despite the fact that there are many safe ways to increase the level of endorphins, for example, through the same TES. But abroad, physiotherapy is not really favored.

In our country, the situation is somewhat different. Drugs containing endorphin are not sold in pharmacies. And on the Internet, completely different types of drugs that do not contain hormones but stimulate their production are often passed off as endorphin drugs. But if you think about it, local remedies for treating the throat also have the same properties.

Take, for example, such drugs as "Kameton" and "Kamfomen". They do not contain analgesics or anesthetics, however, they have a pain-relieving effect. How is this possible? All thanks to endorphins, which are produced due to the irritating effect of drugs on the sensitive receptors of the oral mucosa. The body receives an "SOS" signal and in response sends a decent dose of the hormone of joy, which is also considered an analgesic. The hormone endorphin now relieves pain and promotes rapid recovery.

Unfortunately, these medications have a special purpose and are not intended to simply improve mood. They are used for certain diseases (in this case, for treating the throat during tonsillitis, acute respiratory viral infections, laryngitis, etc.).

There is another type of drugs - antidepressants, which act on the principle of creating optimal conditions for the production and maintenance of a high level of endorphins in the body. This is the basis for their ability to fight depression with the help of hormones of happiness and joy.

It is worth talking separately about drugs based on one of the essential amino acids called phenylalanine. These are non-specific drugs, the use of which is not limited to diseases. We are talking not about medicines, but rather about biologically active additives (BAA).

"DL-Phenylalanine" is a dietary supplement with antidepressant and analgesic properties inherent to phenylalanine. At the same time, the analgesic effect exceeds the effect of morphine, is carried out incrementally and does not require taking additional painkillers. The amino acid is especially effective for relieving chronic pain.

The amino acid phenylalanine does not accumulate in the body and is not addictive. It can be taken simultaneously with other medications without negative consequences.

Since phenylalanine stimulates the production of hormones of joy and love, it has a pronounced antidepressant effect, which is manifested in improving mood, relieving lethargy and chronic fatigue, and increasing vitality. Moreover, the drug helps improve intellectual abilities, prevents migraines, facilitates the fight against various types of addictions, and reduces the intensity of pigmentation.

It is best to take the amino acid preparation before meals (an hour before) for 1 month or more, after consulting with a doctor. It is used to treat depression, pain syndrome, neurological pathologies. It helps reduce cravings for caffeine and gives vitality if a person is overcome by apathy and fatigue.

Depending on the severity of the condition, you can take from 250 to 3000 mg per day. If the dose is high (1-3g), it is better to divide it into 2-3 doses.

When using doses of less than 4 g per day, no side effects from taking dietary supplements are observed. Exceeding the dose may cause headaches.

Although "DL-Phenylalanine" is considered only a biologically active supplement, it, like drugs, has certain contraindications. These include: pregnancy and breastfeeding, arterial hypertension, tachycardia, amino acid metabolism disorder (phenylketonuria), tardive dyskinesia, oncological diseases (brain cancer, melanoma), individual intolerance to the components of the dietary supplement. The phenylalanine preparation is not recommended to be taken in parallel with MAO inhibitors in order to avoid strong suppression of the central nervous system functions.

Complete analogues of the above-described drug are "L-Phenylalanine" and "Endorphaine". They should be taken 1 capsule three times a day before meals. Depending on the effect, the dose is either reduced to 2 capsules per day, which should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach a quarter of an hour before meals, or increased to 4 capsules per day (in 2 doses).

If a person decides to take drugs for preventive purposes to improve mood and saturate the body with vital forces, but does not want to sit in lines outside the doctor's office, then in the first 3 days it is worth limiting yourself to a daily dose of 400 mg of DL-phenylalanine or 500 mg of L-phenylalanine (1 capsule). In the absence of contraindications (and they are the same for all drugs containing phenylalanine in different forms), intolerance reactions and other side effects, the dose is increased to 3 capsules per day.

"Forvel" is another dietary supplement containing a mixture of phenylalanine isomers (DL-phenylalanine). But the preparation also contains other useful components: vitamin B6, which enhances the effect of phenylalanine in terms of improving mood, nicotinic acid (participates in many oxidation-reduction reactions, helps fight various diseases, improves metabolism, promotes the production of enzymes), vitamins B12 (cyanocobalamin participates in the regulation of nervous processes) and B8 (inositol is a vitamin-like substance included in lecithin, optimizing the functioning of the nervous system and promoting rejuvenation of the body).

The drug stimulates the production of endorphins, dopamine and norepinephrine, which is associated with a noticeable antidepressant and analgesic effect. Its use improves brain activity and intellectual abilities, corrects mood, helps to get rid of the habit of fighting stress with alcohol and excessive food consumption, without causing addiction, relieves severe chronic pain.

The supplement should be taken 1 capsule per day. Manufacturers recommend doing this during meals. The course of taking the drug should not be less than 1 month.

There are so many different ways to stimulate the natural production of endorphins that it is simply beyond comprehension why so many people feel unhappy, walk around gloomy and bring a lot of negative emotions into the world. The desire to be happy seems so natural for a person, but more often than not it is limited to empty words. And this is very sad.

It's somehow not good to end the article on such a sad note. Probably, the moment has come when it would be just right to stock up on optimism and enthusiasm, which the hormone endorphin conceals. This means that it's time to run to the gym, to dance, to look for new impressions and positive emotions, to dream, to achieve the goal, etc. see the publication How to increase the happiness hormone endorphin without drugs? In short, it's time to start living a happy life!