Anaphylactic Shock

    phenylalanine/tyrosine -- > dopamine
                                 dopamine + Vit. C -- > epinephrine

    phenylalanine/tyrosine + iodine -- > thyroxine

When the body is under stress, it generates epinephrine as a way of coping. When that epinephrine runs out, one goes into anaphylactic shock.

One common way of dealing with that shock, is to inject synthetic epinephrine, such as via an Epi-Pen. Many who have serious allergies carry one. (We are NOT suggesting they abandon this practice! Better safe than sorry.)

But what if, instead of depending upon external means, one were to try to minimize the occurrence of anaphylaxis by insuring one has more phenylalanine and vitamin C in one's diet?

What if, Indeed! Perhaps that is why those who eat large doses of vitamin C have so few complications and reactions. And perhaps why their reaction patterns differ so much from those of people who run out of vitamin C before they run out of dopamine.

What is the reaction pattern of a person who is low on dopamine? The ones found in Parkinsonism -- "reluctance" and difficulty in moving, as well as "cogging", which is the tendency of moving in discrete amounts, as if gears and cogs are involved. Plus, while dopamine may run out, the remaining vitamin C is acting as a free radical scavenger and a mediator of antibody activity, thus protecting the tissues.

As to the reaction of one who runs out of vitamin C; well, it seems we call that anaphylaxis.