Essential Amino & Fatty Acids

Essential amino acid and essential fatty acid levels are usually low in borreliosis patients. Essential means the body cannot make these elements. They must be absorbed. Some say you are what you eat, but reality is that you are what you absorb. In fact, overweight patients sometimes test low in these essentials, even if they appear to have a reasonable diet.

Amino acids make up protein, such as found in muscle tissue. Fatty acids are used in cell membranes, making chemical messengers, nerves, spinal cord and brain tissues. Patients that are low in essential amino acids and fatty acids do not have normal levels to make muscles and other tissues. It is no wonder some of these patients are terribly sick.

Initially I reserved testing of essential amino and fatty acids to my patients with life-threatening illnesses like ALS (Lou Gehrig disease). I did this mainly to protect my patients’ pocketbooks, because many simply cannot afford extensive testing. However, some of my “normal” borreliosis patients began requesting to have their essential amino and fatty acids tested, too.

They also came back with multiple deficiencies, so deficiencies may be present even if patients do not have a life-threatening illness. These patients may feel better with supplements of essential amino and fatty acids.  Since almost all my patients are low in some essential amino and fatty acids, I usually do not test these and encourage my patients to consume amino acid powder and healthy fats.