KEGG Supplement Suggestions Updated

The KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes provides detail information on the enzymes by strains. These enzymes determine what is produced and consumed. Not 100% guaranteed (enzyme activation depends on multiple item), but sufficient to use Fuzzy Logic on it.

I had taken a first crack at using this information a few years ago without outstanding results, and had marked the option as being deprecated.

This last week, I got this email from a reader

Another experiment , taking 500mg of tyrosine. Old test showed low dopamine and noriepinephrine . Man I feel so much better. My ADD symptoms went away and i can lock in and get so much done. Energy is better. The question is, why does that work so well , I eat meat all the time and protein powder? Why was my dopamine/noriepinephrine low to begin with , what is the cause and how do I fix it so I don’t need to supplement 🤔🤔🤔

Open to ideas, thanks!!

My first step was to find the old menu item where estimates for compound produced and consumed are calculated. His level for tyrosine net was very very low. Hence, connecting the dots — we see why the supplement improved things for him.

The second part was more interesting. How to avoid a need to supplement? His levels being very low means looking at the bacteria that consumes and produces it with a goal of changing them.

Update Menu Item

This is on the Changing Microbiome Tab

Clicking it will show the estimates for your microbiome.

As with most things microbiome, the distributions are never normal. To facilitate picking the best items to focus on for experiments. You want a low percentile and a large negative z-score. A positive z-score indicates that the number is above the average (mean) and likely not to be concerned above.

There are 4 items listed that I would suggest experimenting with — by experiment I mean, try taking supplements (one at a time) for 2 weeks each and see if there are any subjective changes. For me the items are:

  • Phenylalanine
  • Leucine
  • Valine
  • Isoleucine

Clicking on too few will show which bacteria. This may be a blank table.

Clicking too many will show the consumers

You can then hand-picked bacteria that you are interested in altering.

Bottom Line

This is intended to be used experimentally — that is, the suggested supplements should be tested. Ideally with objective measurement, but with the reality of time delays and costs, subjective measurements may be the best that is practical.

If the supplement helps, then (and only then), you should try to alter your microbiome to correct the microbiome imbalance.

Identifying Supplements you may need from KEGG data and your microbiome. – YouTube

What is looked for:

  • Alanine
  • Arginine
  • Asparagine
  • Aspartic acid
  • Biotin (Vitamin H)
  • Carnitine
  • Cysteine
  • Folate (Vitamin B9)
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Glutamine
  • Glycine
  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Malic Acid (L-Apple Acid)
  • Methionine
  • NAC (N-Acetyl-L-cysteine)
  • NADH (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)
  • Phenylalanine
  • Proline
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
  • Serine
  • Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Tyrosine
  • Valine
  • Vitamin B12(Cobalamin (III) Cob(III)alamin )
  • Vitamin C (Ascorbate)
  • Vitamin D2(Ergocalciferol )
  • Vitamin D3(Cholecalciferol Calciol )
  • Vitamin E (alpha-Tocopherol)
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone)