Two types of neurotransmitters, epinephrine and norepinephrine, are involved in neural communication. The University of Washington says epinephrine, also called adrenaline, and norepinephrine belong to a neurotransmitter group called...
Epinephrine and norepinephrine are hormones classified as catecholamines. They are produced by the adrenal glands, which are found on top of the kidneys. If you're under physical or emotional stress, the adrenal glands release a surge of these...
Beta blockers are designed to keep norepinephrine and epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, from binding to the beta receptors. Norepinephrine and adrenaline are hormones that stimulate the "fight or flight" response, which elevates heart rate...
Beta-blockers are a class of drugs used to treat hypertension and heart disease. They also may be used to treat hyperthyroidism, anxiety, glaucoma and migraines. Propanolol, metaprolol, labetalol, carvedilol, acebutolol, betaxolol, esmolol,...
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used as a sugar substitute in many foods and drinks since its discovery in 1965. The Food and Drug Administration and the European Union state that aspartame is safe for human consumption as a non-nutritive...
Dopamine is neurotransmitter found in the brain and essential for the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Dopamine is derived from the amino acid tyrosine and is the precursor to norepinephrine and epinephrine. Among its effects,...
Appreciation of the taste and value of soy milk dates back to ancient times. A kitchen scene etched in stone circa 25-220 AD shows use of tofu and soy milk in China. A poem written circa 1500 AD by Chinese poet Su Ping, titled "Ode to Tofu," is...
Caffeine is a stimulant present in soda, tea and coffee. Stimulants, like caffeine, increase heart rate and blood pressure by causing a series of chemical reactions in your heart and adrenal gland. After drinking or eating caffeine, you feel...
Your body tissues and organs burn sugar, or glucose, to fuel their functions. Fail-safe mechanisms typically prevent your blood sugar from dropping to an abnormally low level, a condition known as hypoglycemia. These mechanisms generally prove...
Coffee is a popular beverage, whether it's that first cup in the morning, or the 10 o'clock pick-me-up you enjoy with a scone or biscotti. Perhaps because it is such a common drink, we forget that in reality coffee contains a drug---caffeine---and...
Smoking has a negative effect on your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels, specifically high LDL, or bad cholesterol, can lead to fatty streaks forming in your arteries. These fatty streaks attract more cholesterol-enriched platelets to...
Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol keeps your heart healthy, reports the Harvard School of Public Health. However, the benefits of drinking alcohol evaporate when a person's drinking crosses the line from moderate to excessive. This has...
Adipex is a prescription weight loss medication designed to help you lose weight. Adipex does work and will cause you to lose weight. Adipex is designed to promote weight loss in conjunction with a diet and exercise routine. You can take Adipex...
Protein is essential to every cell in your body. It is composed of complex molecules called amino acids. Some amino acids are considered nonessential because your body can make them, while you obtain others from food. Tyrosine is a nonessential...
You have several chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters, which send messages to other areas of your body. One type of neurotransmitter is dopamine, which has several roles, such as in your sexual arousal and immune system function....
The adrenal glands are essential to the maintenance of homeostasis, or balance of the human body at rest and during exercise. By interacting with the heart, blood vessels and capillaries, nervous system, lungs, kidneys, skin and other organs, the...
Neurotransmitters are essentially brain chemicals that serve as messengers. These brain chemicals transfer messages, or impulses, to and from nerve cells, creating a complex electrical system that keeps the body operating optimally. They must...
L-tyrosine is one of the 20 amino acids that constitute the building blocks of proteins. It is considered a non-essential amino acid because it can be synthesized from another amino acid known as phenylalanine. Tyrosine is an important part of the...
Your body can produce the amino acid tyrosine from another amino acid, phenylalanine. Certain foods also contain tyrosine, which is essential for the functioning of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, according to...
Tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid or protein building block derived from the amino acid phenylalanine. It is also found in a variety of dietary sources such as poultry, fish, nuts, seeds and dairy products. It functions as a precursor to a...
The terms "adrenal exhaustion" or "adrenal fatigue" are sometimes used to describe a chronic feeling of mild physical and emotional depletion that can follow a period or episode of intense stress. Not to be confused with...
When stressed, you may turn to food for comfort, which ultimately leads to weight gain and more stress. With many people looking for relief from both, L-tyrosine has proven to be successful in relieving stress and can help control appetite. No...
The adrenal glands, also known as suprarenal glands, look like bumpy, triangular shaped masses. There is one adrenal gland sitting on the top of each human kidney. These glands are small, measuring 1/2-inch high and 3 inches long. The adrenal...
The brain and nervous system use electrochemical impulses to control the functions of the brain and body. The chemical components of these impulses are specialized molecules known as neurotransmitters. The dietary intake of amino acids is...
The thyroid gland and the adrenal glands are part of the body's endocrine system. According to Endocrine Web, the endocrine system is composed of a group of glands that secrete hormones. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ that wraps...
Phenylalanine is an amino acid, or building block of protein. It is considered essential because your body cannot manufacture it; therefore it is a dietary necessity. Your body converts phenylalanine to tyrosine, another amino acid needed to make...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, symptoms often seem worse upon waking, at least to patients affected by the disorder. According to gastroenterologist Chung Owyang, chief of gastroenterology for the University of Michigan Health System, in the...
Caffeine helps you stay awake and alert because it is a central nervous system stimulant. In fact, you may feel the effects from caffeine for up to 6 hours. This drug stimulates your central nervous system, in part, by affecting certain...
The adrenal glands produce a variety of different hormones from two functional regions of the gland, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The primary hormones produced by the adrenal cortex include aldosterone, cortisol and androgenic...
