The Krebs Cycle

By Emmanuel Arroyo, LAc

15 April 2011

The Kreb’s cycle is known by several names such as citric acid cycle, TCA cycle, or Szent Györgiy Krebs cycle. The importance of Krebs cycle lies in a very simple fact: it is our source of energy; a poor performance of it would render every single organ (and cell) of our body inefficient and that includes our brain. In summary, each cell of the body relies on the Krebs cycle in order to keep each organ function properly and if you read my previous blog then you will understand why is so important to have the right amount of calories...the body needs energy and the Krebs cycle is the “generator” of energy while calories are the fuel for these generators of energy. Each cell in the body engages in this process...

I really don’t want to enter in a dissertation on the processes and steps occurring in the Krebs cycle but I do want to point something out that really matters: vitamins, minerals and amino acids are important for the Krebs cycle function. These are vitamin b-3 (Niacin and Niacimide), vitamin b-6, ribofavlin (vitamin b-2), pantothenic acid, vitamin c, selenium, iron, manganese, magnesium, bioflavonoids, CoQ10.

Amino acids are not only important for neurotransmitters production but are involved in the Krebs or TCA cycle as well. The amino acids playing a role in it are called ketogenic and glucogenic. Ketogenic and glucogenic means that some amino acids are "transformed" into intermediates in the kreb cycle while others are transmuted into materials convertible to glucose.

The glucogenic amino acids are Alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, histidine, methionine, proline, serine, threonine and valine while there is only one ketogenic, Leucine; Isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan are amino acids that are both ketogenic and glucogenic.

It is important to understand that amino acids are divided in 4 different groups: hydrophilic, hydrophobic, acidic and basic (alkaline). Hydrophilic substances are "water loving" and dissolve easily in water while hydrophobic molecules are "water hating substances" and by deduction, they do not dissolve in water but in other substances like fat. Chemical reaction relies heavily in a well-sustained pH.

The hydrophobic amino acids are Alanine, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Proline, Methionine, Phenylalanine and Tryptophan. Tryptophan is a special case, it interacts with water in a very limited range. Hydrophilic amino acids are Glycine, Serine, Asparagine, Glutamine, Threonine, Tyrosine, and Cysteine.

Basic amino acids are Histidine, Arginine, and Lysine. Acidic amino acids are Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid.

A lack of any of these nutrients will affect the energy production of cells, tissues and organs and in consequence will affect us; not only affect energy levels it affects the production of many other things such as GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in neural excitability, and muscle tone. When the Krebs cycle goes down GABA goes up but upon the absence of vitamin 6 GABA goes down. What makes things more difficult is that somatostatin has a positive relationship with GABA meaning that GABA goes up somatostatin goes up and viceversa. Somatostatin inhibits the production of gastrin, cholecystokinin, secretin, motilin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, gastric inhibitory polypetide, enteroglucagon, insulin, and glucagon in other words reduces peristalsis, slows digestion and emptying of the stomach, retards the digestion of carbohydrates among a few other things.

As you can see everything is connected and the poor performance of one cycle due to scarce availability of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids can create a lot of problems in our health which includes our mental health as well. To complicate things more there is evidence that USA soil is more than 80% deprived of minerals compared with the rest of the developed world that is 70% depleted of minerals. The fruits and vegetables we buy at the supermarket have already lost at least 70% of its vitamins and minerals. With the increasing pollution which includes the Fukushima’s radiation leak that is spreading (or has spread) via the ocean, air and rain we certainly have a serious problem. There are reports that the west coast of USA has higher levels of radiation than government agencies report as safe. There is no much we can do about this situation...Our animals that we fed from such as cows, chicken, etc are subject to unsanitary and crowded conditions, are fed with grains, and are injected or fed with hormones which brings down quality... I do not want to alarm any one but to create consciousness of the importance of eating healthy and using supplements in order to compensate for the great deficiency our food supply ails. Once we give our body what it needs the body will know what to do...

Now, back to the vitamins, minerals and amino acids... here is a list of the ones already mentioned and their functions; remember all of them boost energy via interacting in the Krebs cycle. The list is not final and might have some missing functions but it does gives you an idea what could happen if any of them is absent.

Vitamin/Mineral/Amino Acid	Other Functions	Types
Selenium	synthesis of glutathione peroxidase, antidepressant, anti-arthritis, anti-dystrophy, boost energy (Krebs cycle),anti carcinogenic, others	selenomethionine or selenium yeast
Manganese	synthesis of superoxide dismutase (SOD), protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, co factor for many enzymes, important for normal growth and developement, tissue and bone repair, anti seizure and lowers blood glucose	manganese gluconate, manganese sulfate, manganese citrate
Iron	synthesis of superoxide dismutase (SOD), transportation and storing of oxygen, immunological, turns tyrosine into DOPA	iron glycinate, iron fumarate, iron gluconate, iron sulfate (this last one irritates the stomach)
Magnesium	cardiovascular, bone and teeth, neuropathy, tremors, good for people with autism, schezophrenia, and other mental disorders, nervine and facilitates insulin release	magnesium carbonate, magnesium oxide
Bioflavonoids	Enhances vitamin c functions, anti allergenic, some dilate bronchi, anti-histamine, anti-viral,anti carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, lowers cholesterol, diuretics, and many more	naringin, quercetin, baicalein, myricetin, nobilitin, rutin, daidzein, tangeretin, quercitagentin, catechin, epicatechin, and many more.
CoQ10	cardiovascular, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, immunological, periodontal health, hearing, anti-diabetes, prevents dystrophy of muscles
Vitamin B3 (Niacin and Niacinamide)	metabolizes fats (lipids as cholesterol), vasodilator (niacin), memory, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and other mental disorders	Im (Immediate release), SR (sustained release), IHN (Niacin plus inositol)
Riboflavin (vitamin B-2)	oxidation of fats, glucose and amino acids, thyroid hormone metabolism, tissue repair, red blood cells health, ocular, immunological, nervine
Pantothenic acid	Antistress (emotional, physical), cardiovascular, metabolism of lipids, immunological	calcium pantothenate and panthetine
Vitamin C	cardiovascular, lowers cholesterol, production of collagen, wound healing, immunological, synthesis of neurotransmitters, carnitine, tyrosine, and steroid hormones, metal ion metabolism, repairs cells, protect cells	Ascorbic acid, Buffer C (buffer refers to vitamin c plus a mineral examples are potassium ascorbate, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate , magnesium ascorbate) Ester C (palmitic acid plus ascorbic acid which makes it fat soluble) Vitamin C has been recently ban in USA for IV use in patients with cancer and for other therapeutic purposes
Vitamin E	anti cancer, antioxidant, cardiovascular, immunological, wound healing, PMS and others	tocotrienol and tocopherol
Alanine	involved in glucogeonesis, glycolysis, protein sythesis	linked with high blood pressure, body mass index and cholesterol
arginine	Impotence, stress or trauma (physical including surgery), protein synthesis, immunological, precursor of nitric oxide, creatine, polyamines, glutamate, proline and agmatin. In high dosages stimulates growth hormone, prolactin, glucagon, and insulin
asparagine	nervine, protein synthesis and ammonia synthesis
aspartate	involved in the synthesis of proteins, oligopeptides, purines, pyrimidines, nucleic acids and arginine
cysteine	synthesis of proteins, glutathione, taurine, coenzyme A and inorganic sulfate
glutamate	synthesis of GABA,
glutamine	Stress (physical, major or long term illnesses), detoxification (ammonia), synthesis of purine, pyramidine, amino sugars, glutamate, glutathione, proteins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, glutathione and other amino acids. Immunological
glycine
histidine	synthesis of histamine, antioxidant and immunological, antiinflammatory, chelating agent for copper, iron and zinc. Prevents Fenton reaction, activates suppressor cells. Stimulates natural killer cells.
methionine	hepatoprotective properties, synthesis of proteins, SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), L-cysteine, glutathione, taurine, l-homocysteine and sulfate	might be carcinogenic in high dosages or induce cardiovascular problems
proline	cardiovascular
serine	synthesis of proteins, purines, pyrimidines, precursor of glycine, cysteine, sphingolipids, and folate
threonine	protein synthesis
valine	anti tardive dyskinesia
Leucine	anti tardive dyskinesia
Isoleucine	anti tardive dyskinesia
lysine	cardiovascular, anti herpes simplex, anti osteoporosis, precursor of acetylco-A
phenylalanine	synthesis of norepinephrine, and dopamine,
tyrosine	synthesis of proteins, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, melanin
tryptophan	synthesis of serotonin,
carnitine	detoxification (ammonia), cardiovascular, influences metabolisms of neurotransmitters, transport lipids to transform into energy,

References:

The Kreb Cycle: a new Wagnerian opera? No, music to energy needs - citric acid circle by Shannon Quinn. Accesed 15 April 2011. Published September 1997 from CBS Moneywatch.com http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_n9_v59/ai_19805452/

Krebs cycle. Accesed from Wikipedia.org 15 April 2011. Published 8 March 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreb%27s_cycle

PDR For Nutritional Supplements 1st edition. 2001. Thomson PDR

Alanine (15 Mar 2011). Accessed 15 April 2001 from Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanine

Asparagine (3 April 2011). Retrieved 15 April 2011 from Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagine

Serine (15 April 2011). Retrieved 15 April 2011 from Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serine

About the Author

Emmanuel Arroyo is a New York State Licenced and NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist and Chinese medicine herbalist with special interest on depression and men’s health issues and how diet modification can help depressed patient and how the use of essential oils can help emotionally and psychologically the patient, and unblock chakras. At the moment Emmanuel Arroyo practices in Queens, New York at his home based office and do community work at Vision Urbana division of Institute of Puerto Rican Hispanic Elderly in Manhattan.

Emmanuel Arroyo can be contacted via phone at 917-324-1140 or by mail dr.agujas@gmail.com

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes and it is based on information read in journals or other sources and is not meant to replace medical advice.