Neurotoxins and Tinnitus, Part 3:
Solutions

by Barry Keate

In the last two issues of this newsletter we have discussed the excitatory neurotoxins aspartate and glutamate. These neurotoxins are responsible for exciting brain neurons to the point that they continuously fire until they become depleted and die. In doing so they induce or aggravate a vast array of neurologically degenerative conditions ranging from Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis to less life threatening but still severe cases of tinnitus, hearing loss, headache/migraine, memory loss, vertigo, seizures, nausea and depression.

Aspartate and glutamate are added as flavor enhancers in pre-packaged and processed foods. Aspartate is derived from Aspartame, the main ingredient in NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful and other sugar substitutes found in low calorie prepared foods and diet sodas.

Glutamate is the main constituent of monosodium glutamate or MSG. This flavor enhancer is also used in many prepared foods. Most of the products using this neurotoxin do not list it in the ingredients panel on the label. A loophole in the FDA labeling requirements allows this ingredient to be combined with others without disclosing which ingredients are used to make the finished compound.

The complete texts of these previous articles can be seen at Neurotoxins, Part One and Neurotoxins, Part Two.

So often it seems that those of us with tinnitus have to abstain from much of the food products we would otherwise enjoy in order not to aggravate our condition. I don’t like to be the constant naysayer; “Don’t drink this” or “Don’t eat that”. Therefore, I’m very happy to present this article about supplements we can use which have the potential to prevent neurological damage and, in many cases, restore some neuronal functionality that has been previously damaged.

In this modern world it is almost impossible to completely avoid all the substances which can cause neurological damage, hearing loss and tinnitus. We all need to adhere to an excellent diet and eat primarily whole foods, avoiding over-processed and pre-packaged foods as much as possible. But we can’t go “back to the farm” and when we eat in restaurants or are in a hurry for dinner, it is unavoidable that we will ingest some products that can aggravate tinnitus. The rest of this article is about how to mitigate the damage so we can enjoy ourselves without doing irreversible damage.

Russell Blaylock, MD, in his book Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, points out that all excitatory neurotoxins stimulate enormous and overwhelming concentrations of free radicals within exposed neurons. In time, this results in the progressive death of these neurons and the onset of progressive weakness.

I’m going to talk a little about the components used in Arches Tinnitus Formulas before getting into other supplements that help protect and restore neuronal health.

Ginkgo and Zinc
The Ginkgo biloba extract and chelated zinc found in Arches Tinnitus Relief Formula® are both powerful antioxidants which scavenge free radicals and eliminate them from the body. Additionally, Ginkgo biloba is a neuro-protector and glutamate antagonist.

In her article ‘Ginkgo Biloba” (Life Extension Magazine, May, 2000), author Karin Granstrom Jordan, MD, states that, “A condition common to many chronic and acute neurological disorders is excitotoxicity-oversensitivity of neurons to the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. A series of laboratory experiments (Kobayashi et al., 2000; Zhu et al., 1997; Oyama et al., 1993) suggests that Ginkgo extract can protect neurons from excitotoxicity, preventing glutamate-induced calcium influx leading to cell death. A recent study in mice (Wu et al., 1999) showed the protective effect of Ginkgo extract on mice injected with a neurotoxin known as MPTP. This neurotoxin brings about a close approximation of Parkinson's disease in humans, monkeys and mice. When the mice were pretreated with Ginkgo, the neurotoxicity of MPTP was prevented in a dose-dependent manner.”

A clinical study published in Cellular Molecular Biology in September 2002 states, “In rat cerebellar neuronal cultures, addition of EGb 761 (Ginkgo biloba extract) protected in a dose-dependent manner against glutamate-induced excitotoxic neuronal death. These results suggest that EGb 761 protects against glutamate-induced neuronal death by synergistic mechanisms involving anti-excitotoxicity, inhibition of free radical generation, scavenging of reactive oxygen species and regulation of mitochondrial gene expression.”

This is the first mention of the mitochondria in these articles and is very important in the understanding of what follows. Mitochondria are the energy factories of all cells, including neurons. This is where the fatty acids from foods are oxidized (burned) and transformed into energy. The energy produced for the work that cells must perform is the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The ATP is produced in the mitochondria from fatty acids. A typical animal cell will have on the order of 1000 to 2000 mitochondria. It is the mitochondria in the cells that is attacked by free radicals generated by neurotoxins. As the mitochondria die, the cells die. Mitochondrial death begins the process of neurological disease as well as many other human diseases and even aging itself.

Ginkgo biloba and zinc are very helpful for preventing mitochondrial death. This is only one of the mechanisms by which they are effective in reducing tinnitus. Ginkgo biloba also increases circulation, especially in the microcapillaries that feed the eyes, ears and brain. It enhances the absorption of oxygen and glucose (sugar) in the brain. It reduces LDL cholesterol, allowing more blood flow, and acts as a mild antidepressant. Many clinical studies have been conducted on Ginkgo biloba’s effectiveness for tinnitus. Some of the major studies can be seen here. Additionally, there are other supplements that have been shown in numerous clinical studies to arrest and even reverse mitochondrial degeneration and death.

ALC
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) converts to the amino acid carnitine whose primary duty is to carry fatty acids from the surrounding cell structure into the mitochondria where they are oxidized to produce ATP energy. Increased ATP means more energy to fuel the vital life-sustaining processes of the body, which can help prevent the onset of a number of disease states and the aging process.

The acetyl group is released from the carnitine to produce the key brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter absolutely essential for memory and learning. Alzheimer’s disease is a direct response to the loss of acetylcholine in the brain.

ALC has been shown to reverse the loss of brain neurons associated with aging. It significantly improves learning and memory in aged animals and humans. Additionally, it has been shown to defend brain cells against lipid oxidation and increases cellular glutathione and Coenzyme Q10.

ALC also increases the inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, which protects neurons against excess stimulation. The effects of GABA have been discussed at length in a previous article that can be seen at Brain Receptors and Tinnitus.

ALA
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is sometimes referred to as a “miracle nutrient.” It is a universal antioxidant that has the fortunate property of being soluble in both water and fatty fluids in the body. This allows it access to all areas of the cells and it easily crosses the blood-brain barrier to infuse the brain. It appears to be able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. ALA has shown dramatic effects in repairing hearing damage caused by antibiotics.

There is one unrelated but extremely important note on ALA that I should mention. It has shown the ability to enhance glucose transport into cells, without insulin. Normally glucose cannot enter a cell, except in the brain, unless insulin is present. What makes this especially important is that this could play a vital role in treating both forms of diabetes, Type 1 or juvenile onset, and Type II, adult onset.

A team of researchers in California fed elderly rats Acetyl-L-Carnitine for a period of seven weeks and then compared them to young rats. There was already evidence that supplementation with ALC could reverse the age-related decline in mitochondrial activity in rats, increase fatty acid oxidation and boost general metabolic activity. However, the down side to increased mitochondrial function is that more free radicals are produced when oxidation occurs. So the researchers decided to add the powerful antioxidant Alpha Lipoic Acid to the mix to see if they could get the best of both worlds; increased mitochondrial energy output with reduced mitochondrial damage.

The two-pronged punch to aging cells seemed to work, with the two supplements together producing better results than either one alone. After a month on the supplements, elderly (24 month old) and lethargic rats had more energy and did better on memory tests, while their mitochondria worked better. The decline in overall activity typical of aged rats was reversed to the level of young to middle-aged adult rates aged 7-10 months. The researchers likened this result to a group of 80 year old humans throwing away their walking sticks and starting to act 35 years younger.

It is important to note that the aging process in humans is much slower than in rats, so the seven week supplementation period used in the rat studies equates to around five years of supplementation in humans.

National tinnitus authority, Michael Seidman, MD conducted a clinical study titled “Biological activity of mitochondrial metabolites on aging and age-related hearing loss.” This study was published in the March, 2000 issue of the American Journal of Otology.

Dr. Seidman fed 21 rats, aged 24 months, either a placebo or Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid for 6 weeks. He measured hearing thresholds both before and after the 6 week period. The results showed that the placebo group demonstrated an expected age-associated threshold deterioration of 3 to 7 dB in the 6 week study. The treated subjects experienced a delay in progression of hearing loss. He states, “Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid reduce age-associated deterioration in auditory sensitivity and improve cochlear function. This effect appears to be related to the mitochondrial metabolite ability to protect and repair age-induced cochlear damage, thereby upregulating mitochondrial function and improving energy producing capabilities.”

This combination of supplements, ALC and ALA, appears to slow or reverse age related decline in the cellular structures of the body, prevent hearing loss and protect neurons against excitatory neurotoxins. The ALC increases the burning of food to produce energy while the ALA cleans out the free radicals produced by the oxidation. These are extremely remarkable discoveries all by themselves. But there is more.

CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant that some studies show is 30 to 100 times more effective than vitamin E. The mitochondria of the cells are the richest sites in CoQ10. It plays a very important role in the production of energy from burned fuel. It can be burned itself to protect the cell from low oxygen during periods of reduced blood flow such as heart attacks and strokes.

CoQ10 protects muscle tissue during times of reduced blood flow and prevents us from dying immediately from heart attacks. It is so important that the Guide to Better Hearing, 2001, published by HealthCare Laboratories claims that “without CoQ10, human life quickly ends.”

Glutathione
Glutathione is the primary antioxidant within the inner ear. It is the first line of defense when excess glutamate is produced by damage to inner ear hair cells. Glutathione fights to neutralize this excess glutamate until it is finally overwhelmed and the hair cell dies. This is the beginning stage of hearing loss and tinnitus.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was a product that combined all of these wonderful ingredients? Well, there is.

Michael Seidman, MD was granted a US patent on a combination of Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Coenzyme Q10 and Glutathione. There are thee other patent applications under consideration for this product. The patent that is granted relates to its benefit with hearing loss. The other patent applications are for; 1 - Enhancement of mitochondrial function, 2 - Natural increase in energy production, and 3 - Positive support (when taken two/three times daily) on neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Body Language Vitamin Company, founded by Dr. Seidman, manufactures this product under the name Anti-Age/Energy Formula. Arches Tinnitus Formulas proudly offers this product which can be purchased from our website or toll free number, 800-486-1237.

This product has the ability to literally turn back the clock on many of the aging processes that lead to neurodegeneration and disease. It improves energy output, memory and learning, regulates sugar metabolism and mitigates the damage of excitatory neurotoxins. It should be used by everyone who has a commitment to good health and long life.

To view product details of the Anti-Age/Energy Formula and place orders, view the product details at http://www.tinnitusformula.com/detail.aspx?ID=11.