Original scientific paper
The Use of a Food Supplementation with D-Phenylalanine, L-Glutamine and L-5-Hydroxytriptophan in the Alleviation of Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Tomislav Jukić
Bojan Rojc
Darja Boben-Bardutzky
Mateja Hafner
Alojz Ihan
Abstract
We described the use of a food supplementation with D-phenylalanine, L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytriptophan in
the alleviation of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in pateints starting a detoxification terapy. Since abstinence from ethanol
causes a hypodopaminergic and a hypoopioidergic environment in the reword system circuits, manifesting with
withdrawal symptoms, food supplements that contains D-phenylalanine a peptidase inhibitor (of opioide inactivation)
and L-amino-acids (for dopamine synthesis) were used to replenish a lack in neurotransmitters and alleviate the symptoms
of alcohol withdrawal. 20 patienets suffering from alcohol addictions starting a detoxification therapy have been
included in a prospective, randomized, double blind study. The patients have been randomly devided in two groups. One
group recieved for a period of 40 days a food supplement containing D-phenylalanine, L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytriptophan
(investigation group), and the control (placebo) group. On the first day of hospitalization the patients performed
a SCL-90-R test, and blood samples were taken for measuring liver enzymes, total bilirubin, unbound cortisol
and lymphocyte populations. The same was done on the 40th day of hospitalization. During the therapy a significant decrease
in SCL-90-R psychiatric symptoms scores and a significant increase in CD4 lymphocyte count was observed in the
investigation group. The cortisol values were significantly, but equally decreased in both groups, the same was with the
liver enzymes and the total bilirubin values.We conclude that abstinence causes a major stress for the patients. The use of
food supplement containing D-phenylalanine, L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytriptophan alleviates the withdrawal symptoms
and causes a rise in CD4 lymphocyte population, but it dose not affect the serum cortisol levels, which are probably
more affected by liver inflammation and the liver restitution.
Keywords
alcohol withdrawal; D-phenylalanine; cortisol; stress
Hrčak ID:
75643
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2011.
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