There are other products on the market that make similar claims to Breakthrough. So what makes Breakthrough a truly revolutionary product? We asked the designer of this unique diet for an explanation.

“The level of serotonin, a monoamine neurotransmitter, is wholly dependent upon the amount of available tryptophan and other essential amino acids in the diet. If deficiencies in the diet continue to threaten the efficiency of these important neural mechanisms resulting in disequilibrium it can result in spiralling distress and dramatic mood changes.

Dogs and other mammals are unable to synthesise tryptophan and therefore the body concentrations of this amino acid depend ultimately on the presence of adequate dietary concentrations. The levels of serotonin in the brain, however, depend upon the ability to transport tryptophan into the brain and the brain’s ability to convert it into serotonin.

Dietary intake of the large neutral amino acids significantly influences the biosynthesis and concentration of a group of neurotransmitters known as the monoamines which are implicated in mood states, learning mechanisms and arousal levels.

The concentration of an amino acid in the blood does not reflect the level in the brain. A complex group of blood-brain barrier mechanisms control the substances which enter the extracellular fluid of the brain and the rate at which they enter. Amino acids, glucose and other important substrates, use an active transport system, combining with active transport proteins, to cross the blood brain barrier. There is significant correlation between serum levels of individual amino acids and their ratio to the sum of other transport competitors. Simply increasing the levels of tryptophan will not significantly increase the amount of this important amino acid crossing the blood brain barrier.

Within the brain, the hydroxylation of tryptophan to 5-hydroxytrytophan via tryptophan hydroxylase is an important step in serotonin production. However, tryptophan hydroxylase is a low affinity enzyme and therefore it is only when the concentration of brain tryptophan is higher than normal that the enzyme can function at its maximum rate.

Tryptophan hydroxylase and other enzymes involved in serotonin synthesis are dependent on some of the B vitamins, as these act as co-factors, particularly in the decarboxylation reactions.

It is clear, therefore, that the complex mechanism involved in the transport of tryptophan and its subsequent conversion into serotonin within the brain capsule is not dependent upon only increasing tryptophan levels in the diet.

Breakthrough is specially formulated to ensure that each step of serotonin synthesis is maximised making it the most efficient and appropriate approach to stabilising your dog’s emotional responses and overall mood state.”

Val Strong MSc with a bag of Breakthrough

Val Strong Msc – Founder of Breakthrough

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