The Neurotransmitter Precursor Group of Nutrients in Willy’s Baggie; and their cost

Introduction

The following material talks about the heart of the “neurotransmitter precursor group of nutrients” in my son Willy’s baggie; as well as defines this cost per baggie.

The nutrients discussed below, when taken with some necessary vitamin and mineral cofactors, can broadly increase one’s neurotransmitter levels “across the board”…to include increasing serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and virtually ALL the rest.

I admittedly upgraded the material below after an earlier version of it was posted in a Yahoo egroup called Safeharbor2, as I saw a use for it in many places on the Internet. I would like to thank the anonymous person in Safeharbor2 that prompted this post.

Lastly, there is a large links section to other blogs on my Yahoo 360 site at the end of this one. These blogs are either somewhat related to this one, or I felt that they may be useful to the reader in some way (and thus I made it easy for these blogs to be found).

Allen Darman

Dear group:

The cost of supplementation has been brought up in here, and I am glad that it has.

This cost issue is an issue that is very germane for many, to also include myself (as there are often times that I have to skip the supplementation that I sure would like to be taking, simply due to the fact that I cannot afford such).

What good it is if adequate supplementation to overcome a condition such as bipolar disorder is simply too costly for most people, as seems to be the case here? I am afraid that I just don’t know the answer to this question.

The “system” will often pay for various medications to treat depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, etc. but it won’t pay hardly a dime for nutritional supplements in order to treat the same.

This situation certainly suggests the need for “system change”, but how and/or when this is ever going to happen is anybody’s guess… that’s for sure. As much as Big Pharma seems to be behind the scenes bribing our lawmakers and perhaps some FDA officials as well, I don’t think that the system is going to change any time soon.

The following material discusses “the neurotransmitter precursor group of nutrients” in my son Willy’s baggie; as well as their cost. These neurotransmitter precursors (precursors are “nutrient building blocks”) are represented by the various amino acids, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline in Willy’s baggie. (Admittedly, these nutrients also need various vitamins and minerals in which to work. However, the cost of these vitamin and mineral cofactors is not discussed herein, nor are they specified… as there are many different varieties thereof, and many persons already have a supply of vitamins and minerals of their own preference at home.)

The free form amino acids listed below (as per “Willy’s baggie”), along with phosphatidyl choline and carnitine and broad based vitamin and mineral support, increase the level of every single one of the hundred or so neurotransmitters that are scientifically known at this time. These nutritional supplements increase serotonin, they increase dopamine, they increase norepinephrine, and they increase virtually ALL the rest of one’s neurotransmitter levels as well. And these supplements do so in a fairly balanced fashion (in regard to excitation vs. inhibition); and in a fashion that is rather readily adjustable, should any minor problems arise.

As costly as the entirety of supplements in my son Willy’s baggie may be (as long as we have been making baggies, I have not ever fully costed this yet), the free form amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline component of “Willy’s baggie” is not as much as it might seem. It is surprisingly inexpensive, especially when the amount of capsules one is getting is considered.

What follows is the list of the free form amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline component “Willy’s baggie”, as reflected on http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=64.

After each item listed is the price per capsule, and the price per baggie of each item shown.

Note: I am not using the least expensive sources that I can find in regard to the price breakdown shown below, but I am using sources that I consider to be “decent” in both price and quality. And in the case of the amino acids blends named that I get from http://www.jomarlabs.com, I am not aware of any equivalent source. (I should mention that I receive no salary or commission from Jomar Labs, nor am I compensated by them in any other way whatsoever. This same goes for http://www.iherb.com, the other supplement source that is mentioned below.)

Willy’s Baggie Ingredient List; its amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl component ONLY:

1. Fifteen Pure Form 21 capsules, 500 mg. ea., source http://www.jomarlabs.com

One bottle of 500 capsules costs $38.60, or $.077 ea., or $1.16 per fifteen capsules in one baggie.

2. Five to Seven WAC capsules, 450 mg. ea., source http://www.jomarlabs.com

One bottle of 505 capsules costs $28.30, or $.056 ea., or $.39 per seven capsules in one baggie.

[Note: WAC blend is an excitatory blend of amino acids for most people. The balance (excitation vs. inhibition) in the nutrients listed here can be modified by increasing or decreasing the amount of WAC blend, while leaving the Pure Form 21 blend the same. I aimed for balance in mixing all of the amino acids reflected here. I did this by mixing excitatory and inhibitory nutrients in the amounts that are shown. These amounts have worked consistently well for both my son and I. However, some persons may need to make adjustments to what we are doing, such that the amino acids taken are not too excitatory or inhibitory for them. One good way to do this is simply to adjust the WAC amount, while leaving the other amino acid amounts alone. There are other ways to do this as well. And the good news here is that if adjustments are necessary, all one has to get is “somewhere in the ballpark”, as the body and brain are both quite capable of making substantial adjustments in which to achieve balance. I intend on posting much more detail on amino acid dosing and dosage adjustments very soon.]

3. One or sometimes Two Taurine capsules, 620 mg. ea., source http://www.jomarlabs.com

One bottle of 242 capsules costs $13.20, or $.055 ea., or $ .05 per one capsule in one baggie.

[Taurine is an inhibitory amino acid, and a fairly powerful one. If I was running a bit on the high side, I would add two taurine capsules to a baggie instead of one, as well as reduce the WAC content and/or WAC ratio vs. Pure Form 21. I have yet had to feel the need to do this, but I know such would help me if I ever needed it.]

4. Three Glutathione formula blend capsules, source http://www.jomarlabs.com

One bottle of 300 capsules costs $18.50, or .062 ea., or $.18 per three capsules in one baggie.

[This amino acid blend acts as a precursor to glutathione in the body. If you are not familiar with glutathione, it is the “master detoxification molecule” in the body. I have often wondered if Willy and I should be putting more than three capsules in a baggie, and it we should be using five or six, if not a bit more.]

5. Two Tryptophan capsules, 500 mg. ea., source http://www.iherb.com

One bottle of “Doctor’s Best” tryptophan, 90 capsules, costs $16.38, or .182 per capsule, or $.36 per two capsules in one baggie.

[Tryptophan is inhibitory for some persons, and excitatory for others. In regard to myself, tryptophan is inhibitory; in regard to my son Willy, it is excitatory, what is sometimes called a “paradoxical reaction”. Despite our differences in this regard, Willy and I both respond very well to the overall amino acid formula listed here, and neither one of us sees a reason to change.]

6. One or sometimes Two L-Carnitine capsule(s), 600 mg. ea., source http://www.jomarlabs.com

One bottle of 90 capsules costs $32.40, or $.36 ea., or $.36 per one capsule in each baggie.

7. Two or three capsules of Phosphatidyl Choline (from http://www.iherb.com, as per http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=2649)

One bottle of 90 softgels costs $10.17, or $.113 ea., or $.34 per three capsules in one baggie.

[Phosphatidyl choline and carnitine seem to increase the level of acetylcholine in the brain. Doing so is inhibitory; almost like the effect of lithium, but without any adverse effects whatsoever. Both Willy and I have responded VERY positively to these two supplements, and they help us a great deal. Willy and I use three capsules of phosphatidyl choline per baggie; some may do better on a bit less or a bit more of this. The best way to find one’s optimal dosage out is via trials performed by oneself at home.]

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The total cost of the amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline portion of the baggie of supplements that Willy and I take is $2.84 per baggie, excluding any freight charges. This cost translates to $85.20 per month, assuming one takes a baggie a day for a period of thirty days.
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The total initial outlay for one bottle each of the supplements listed above is $157.55, not including any taxes (if applicable) or freight. This initial outlay does not change the cost per month of supplementation, as this was costed on a “per capsules and softgels actually being used” basis. Some of these initial bottles will have product left over at the end of the first month, that’s all… such that the second month’s purchases will be considerably less than the first.

My son Willy only takes a baggie every other day, due to the costs involved. This cuts his monthly outlay for the amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline portion of his baggie in half, to only $42.60. Myself, I take a baggie every single day whenever I can afford such, as this nutrient formula has been so incredibly helpful to me.

Although the cost of $2.84 for the free form amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline component of Willy’s baggie may seem high to some, to both Willy and I, this is a cost that we are glad to pay. We both “feel” a substantial health benefit from these supplemental nutrients… and this is no “placebo affect”, that is for sure.

Quite obviously, the free form amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline component in “Willy’s baggie” (as reflected in the above) does NOT represent a proper nutrient formula all on its own. Free form amino acids need vitamins and minerals in which to work properly, as nutrients act in synergy with one another. It is best not to take nutrients in isolation; it is much better to take the entire nutrient range “all at once”, as far as healing goes. (I have to credit Adelle Davis here, as she clearly stated this idea almost forty years ago.)

Incidentally, I have found from experience that besides needing vitamins and minerals as necessary nutrient cofactors, free form amino acids also seem to work much better when combined with the super-green component (chlorella, spirulina, and super blue-green algae) of “Willy’s baggie” as well. Willy’s experience with mixing super-greens and free form amino acids together for “the greater benefit of both” strongly concurs with mine. (He knows that when he leaves the super-green portion out of his baggie, it does not help him nearly as much as it should.)

Conclusion

This blog answers the question of “what would it cost to add a free form amino acid, carnitine, and phosphatidyl choline component to any pre-existing vitamin and mineral routine?” For $85.20 a month, someone can add a total of 840 free form amino acid capsules, 30 carnitine capsules, and 90 phosphatidyl choline softgels to their monthly supplement routine. Even these additional ingredients (without adding any more) to a pre-existing broad based vitamin and mineral supplement regime could make a substantial positive difference for many persons with a unipolar or bipolar diagnosis, or so I believe.

I cannot believe how much fourteen grams (28 capsules) of adequately balanced free form amino acids, along with carnitine, phosphatidyl choline, vitamins, minerals, super-greens, and the other various ingredients in “Willy’s baggie”, has helped both my son and I. And the beauty of what we are doing, is how simple it is… we just take “our baggies”, as well as deal with our hidden food allergies and problematic “gut issues” in an adequate fashion. How much simpler can recovery from ADHD, bipolar disorder, weak and sickly health (Willy recovered from these last three), depression, and perhaps so much else, be?

It is criminal that conventional medicine continues to promote antidepressant medications and other drugs in an attempt to treat neurotransmitter deficiencies, when essential nutrients can so readily do the same thing (as it was a lack thereof that was a big part of the real problem in the first place).

It is also criminal that Big Pharma is using its influence to pass laws all over the world; laws that would serve to take nutritional supplements out of the hands of the general public. All human beings should should have a constitutional right to the molecules of health, and of our own bodies (Nutrients, of course!)… such that we do not have to become victims of the toxic medications of Big Pharma.

I sincerely hope that there is a class action lawsuit someday against both Big Pharma and the medical profession as a whole…. for ignoring the obvious (amino acids, other nutrients, etc.) for too long in regard to dealing with depression (and bipolar disorder, ADHD, and so much else).

Allen Darman

Cautionary notes:

I did include carnitine and phosphatidyl choline in with the costing of the amino acids in Willy’s baggie, as I do not recommend taking one without the other, as per the note on the blog titled “Willy’s Baggie Ingredient List” at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=64 as follows:

Cautionary note 1: I do NOT recommend taking free from amino acids as suggested above without also taking carnitine and phosphatidyl choline in order to cover acetylcholine, the key missing neurotransmitter that amino acids don’t make. In my opinion, when one acts to broadly increase neurotransmitters by taking broad based amino acids, they should perhaps always be adding carnitine and phosphatidyl choline to their supplement routine as well. One common side effect when taking free form amino acids as suggested in this material without increasing one’s acetylcholine level at the same time is “headache”.

I also ALWAYS recommend dosing up slowly with amino acids, as per a second note on the blog titled “Willy’s Baggie Ingredient List” as follows:

Cautionary note 2: Free form amino acids can affect people differently. Some people may not be able to take the above amino acid prescription without it “not feeling quite right for them”. One can easily find this out by oneself at home, by taking free form amino acids and then “making adjustments accordingly”. The general safety rule here is “dose up slowly” over a period of days, while monitoring yourself.

Some blogs that are related to this one somewhat and/or may be useful to the reader in some way are:

My son Willy’s Original ADHD/bipolar! recovery story

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=2

Willy’s Three Year ADHD/Bipolar Recovery Story

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=235

Willy’s Baggie Ingredient List

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=64

A more detailed explanation of Willy’s baggie

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=77

An Introduction To Alternative Medicine For Psychiatric Conditions

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Kgb7fcYwd6q.3mLsjmULpwU-?cq=1&p=71

The possible implications of broad based nutrition taken all at once