Archives for February 2024

Using tryptophan and GABA amino acid supplements together for anxiety, sleep, ruminations and TMJ: questions and answers

February 23, 2024 By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

I am taking 250 mg tryptophan, 100-200 mg GABA. Tryptophan is helping with rumination. GABA is helping with feeling less tension in the body. I am also taking 500mg DPA. DLPA used to help me but I thought it was too stimulating so I’m trying DPA now. I couldn’t feel much when taking it on its own.

But the combination of tryptophan, DPA & GABA is generally helping me to feel less wound up. I still struggle with rumination and I have a really difficult time making decisions. I get really overwhelmed when I have a lot of decisions to make – it sends me in a tailspin and leads to more rumination. I’m not sure which amino acid would be good for that?

I generally have trouble relaxing and feeling calm and I feel the tension in my body. I am not sure if I should try increasing the dosage of one of the above?

I am wondering, is it important to take l-tyrosine to balance the tryptophan since tryptophan can lower dopamine over time? Or is the DPA enough since it’s a precursor to tyrosine?

I get many questions like this about using both tryptophan and GABA amino acid supplements together for easing anxiety and today I’m sharing some of these questions and my answers. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions you may have related to using both these amino acids together. You’ll also read many success stories like the above and how to tweak the amino acids for optimal results.

Read on for my response to the above question from TT and other questions about using GABA and tryptophan together – how to measure GABA and serotonin levels for using with teens, adding tryptophan for sleep separately from GABA, how to test both for jaw clenching, and the precaution about serotonin syndrome.

My response and feedback for TT – adjustments for even better results

My response and feedback for TT … It’s wonderful that this combination is helping so much. It’s a great start but there are adjustments I’d consider to get even better results. The tryptophan dose is low, with a typical starting dose of 500mg so I’d consider increasing this a few times over a few weeks to see if the ruminations decrease even further. This may also help with the overwhelm and decision making.

Increasing the GABA over a few weeks (after the trial of increased tryptophan) may well improve her ongoing tension and inability to relax. I’d want to make sure she is using GABA sublingually for the best effects.

She asks about the need to take tyrosine to balance the tryptophan but I don’t have clients do this as a rule of thumb and only have clients take tyrosine if they have symptoms of low dopamine. In this instance since TT mentions difficulties with decision-making, a trial of tyrosine may be worth considering, after she has increased tryptophan and increased GABA. More about tyrosine benefits here.

I do want to mention that DPA is not a precursor to dopamine but DLPA does offer some dopamine support. I share more about the differences between DPA and DLPA here.

I want to give my teens GABA and tryptophan – how do I measure GABA and serotonin levels?

I have two teenagers ages 14 and 16 who suffer from anxiety and depression. My daughter has more difficulty with depression and my son with ruminating thoughts . My father had similar issues. We have tried supplements, and medications that help a little.

I want to try giving them GABA and tryptophan, but to make sure that they in fact meet the criteria you describe. Is there a lab test that measures GABA and serotonin levels? Also, how can I figure out the dose and times to give them?

Here is my feedback for Maria …. The best way to determine if someone may have low GABA/serotonin is to look at the low GABA/serotonin symptoms questionnaire (here is that link), rate 1 or 2 symptoms on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do an initial one-off trial of the respective amino acid and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). Based on this we decide if we’ll continue with the amino acid and how much to use.

Dosing is unique to each person’s needs and timing differs for each amino acid – tryptophan is best mid-afternoon and evening and GABA throughout the day and evening if needed too.

I don’t use the urinary neurotransmitter test as it’s not considered an accurate assessment. I blogged about this here.

It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet. This mom mentions supplements and medications but nothing about what their diets are like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?

I also suggest my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” as a great place to start when you are new to the amino acids and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc.

And this blog is a wonderful example and gives hope to moms – Tryptophan for my teenager: she laughs and smiles, her OCD and anxiety has lessened, and she is more goal oriented and focused on school. It’s one of many similar blogs so be sure to use the search feature to find others.

GABA and theanine help my anxiety, if I add tryptophan for sleep should I take it separately?

I have taken Gaba and L-theanine for anxiety for the last few years on and off as recommended by a doctor, it really does help although I still have sleeping problems. I also have a lot of symptoms on your low serotonin list so if I add tryptophan to see if it helps with sleep should I take it with the Gaba or separately?

Here is my response and feedback for Diane … I was glad to hear GABA and theanine are helping with the anxiety. I have many clients with low serotonin and low GABA symptoms take GABA, theanine and tryptophan at bedtime at the same time for improving sleep that is caused by low serotonin.

Diane has already identified that she has a lot of low serotonin symptoms from the questionnaire, so like I shared for Maria above, a trial is worth considering.

We always want to capitalize on what is already working so when GABA/theanine is helping with anxiety and offers some help with sleep we will often increase that before considering a trial of tryptophan.

I’m assuming she is addressing dietary factors too and other root causes that may also affect her sleep – like low blood sugar and high cortisol.

Would GABA or tryptophan help with jaw clenching and how do I test to see if they would help?

Would Gaba or tryptophan help with jaw clenching, not grinding, which I assume is an anxiety thing even when I’m unaware of any anxiety? Since I already use Gaba on and off for anxiety or if I can’t sleep (only taking 200 mg) how would I go about testing tryptophan to see if it would help for clenching?

Here is my feedback for Diane … Jaw clenching/TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issues can be related to both low GABA because of the muscle tension and also when serotonin is low.

In the same way we do a trial with the amino acids for anxiety or low self-esteem (or another symptom like cravings) we would do a trial for the jaw clenching i.e. rate the severity on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do a trial of tryptophan and then GABA (separately) and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). And go from there, increasing each as needed (one at a time) and tracking symptom improvement.

Here is a case as an example: Tryptophan ends TMJ pain, headaches and worry, and improves mood and sleep.

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

There are precautions when using certain amino acids and I always review them with all my clients. If they have been prescribed an SSRI, I have them discuss the use of tryptophan/5-HTP with their prescribing doctor so they can be monitored for serotonin syndrome. With careful monitoring and doctor approval I feel comfortable having my clients use tryptophan/5-HTP 6 hours away from their one and only SSRI.

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in these situations but it’s important to be aware of.

Tryptophan and GABA product options

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan, Source Naturals GABA Calm lozenges and Now GABA Powder. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Source Naturals GABA Calm lozenges and Now GABA Powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or GABA and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues. The importance of quality animal protein and healthy fats is also covered.

The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), if you need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to start. This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening. We take a deep dive into product options including Lidtke products and others if you’re not able to access Lidtke.

Low GABA can also affect sleep and cause stress eating. If you also have low GABA symptoms, the next step to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy Program.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

This blog is a follow-on from the previous blog on this topic so be sure to read that blog too. It also features many valuable questions in the comments and my responses, hence this new post. I hope this has been helpful for you.

Wrapping up

Now I’d love to hear from you…

Have you had success using GABA and tryptophan together for anxiety, insomnia, ruminations, depression, overwhelm, TMJ etc?

Have you tweaked your dosing to find the ideal doses for your needs?

If yes, what doses and which products have helped?

If you’re a practitioner do you use tryptophan and GABA with clients/patients with these low serotonin and low GABA symptoms?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Mom switches her teen son from 5-HTP to tryptophan. In 3 days he has less anxiety, fears and ruminating thoughts, laughs more and sleeps better.

February 16, 2024 By Trudy Scott 40 Comments

My son has autism and OCD. I took him off fluvoxamine in May and used cbd and some other things and he was doing fine up until this past winter. He began having irrational fears and ruminating thoughts/fears that would not stop! I started 5-HTP, theanine, B12, probiotics with him for the last month and did not see any improvement. I was ready to go back to the medication when I came across your blog and information.

I assumed 5-HTP would be better for OCD, but after reading your comments you mentioned that you just switch to tryptophan if the 5-HTP is not working. I had tryptophan at home already. That night I emptied half a capsule into a little stevia flavored water and had him hold it in his mouth for a minute.

He was a different kid after that!!!! This is just the 3rd day but even his teachers are telling me he is doing really well and is less anxious at school. I am so thankful! I am now giving him 500mg in the morning and early evening.

I bought some inositol and plan to try adding that in the afternoons to see if that will help as well. I believe that he has PANDAS. He is a hand washer, and spits a lot, and has lots of other quirks that I would love to see decrease.

I have hope again! I am buying your book so that I can get a good plan going for him. If you have any other suggestions for him please let me know!!

This wonderful feedback was posted in the comments of one of the tryptophan blogs. I’m so thrilled for this mom and young man (he’s almost 20). I thanked her for sharing all this on the blog and offered to share additional generic feedback via a new blog post. I also asked for additional feedback on exactly how the tryptophan helped (more on that below).

Read on to learn how tryptophan helped with his ruminating thoughts, fears, crying and improved his sleep. And my insights about the ideal timing of tryptophan, finding the optimal dose and why it may work when 5-HTP doesn’t. I also share some insights about inositol and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

Low serotonin symptoms and the questions I had about his symptoms

I do hope he continues to see these benefits. Seeing such amazing results in 3 days is always what we’re looking for and it’s not unexpected to get such profound results so quickly!

I had some additional questions so I could share some general feedback as to how I work in situations like this. I wanted to know his age and if the switch to tryptophan helped any of his OCD symptoms and if yes how many notches improvement?

And which of the classic low serotonin symptoms the tryptophan helped and by how much: anxiety? irrational fears? and ruminating thoughts/fears? anything else? (all the low serotonin symptoms here)

Knowing this helps me know if I’m on track with a client i.e. the tryptophan is helping with low serotonin symptoms. And it also helps me decide we should consider increasing the dose and possibly adjust the number of times to use tryptophan. I share more about this below.

Tryptophan helps reduce his ruminating thoughts, fear and anxiety. And he’s laughing more and sleeps better

She shared some specific examples as to how much the tryptophan helps reduce his ruminating thoughts, fear and anxiety. And he’s laughing more and it helps him sleep:

He would often call me or text me throughout the day with questions about his health, and he would come to me 10-15 times in the afternoons/evenings, for about 3 weeks or so, and ask me the same questions about a rare disease that he believed he had.

He would cry and shake with fear and anxiety at some point and I would need to reassure him over and over again that he did not have this disease, and that it was literally impossible for him to have it.

After starting the tryptophan supplements 2x500mg morning/early evening he did not come to me at all and seemed content the 1st day.

Yesterday, he didn’t get the 2nd tryptophan until 5pm so he did come to me with 1 question/concern. I reassured him and he seemed fine especially after his supplement. Then 1 more question later that night but he accepted my reassurance both times and let it go.

So that was a big difference compared to the last 4 weeks. He was also laughing at some cartoon he was watching which I had not seen him do for a month either. Anxiety is less. He is sleeping better too. So far he still seems to believe the irrational things.

Tryptophan is clearly helping so many of his symptoms but we have more opportunities for further gains with tryptophan.

Tryptophan for low serotonin: dosing and timing

As I share in my book and other blog posts, typically 500 mg tryptophan twice a day is a good starting dose, used away from protein mid-afternoon and evening. It’s used like this because serotonin starts to decline in the afternoon. We increase based on individual needs to find the ideal dose. We may also add tryptophan or 5-HTP earlier in the day.

In a situation like this, if we were working together, I’d consider the following:

Adding a mid-afternoon dose of tryptophan
A switch to just afternoon and evening dosing (unless the morning dose was used for a specific reason i.e. morning symptoms)
Adding a second dose of tryptophan each time (he is using Nature Stacks Serotonin Brain Food and I’d recommend Lidtke 500 mg tryptophan for the second dose each time because it contains only tryptophan)

With changes we do one thing at a time and track symptom improvements carefully.

Tryptophan vs 5-HTP?

I commend her for figuring out the switch from 5-HTP to tryptophan.

It’s a well known fact that some folks just do better on one vs the other and if 5-HTP isn’t working I’ll have clients switch to tryptophan and vice versa. I typically start with tryptophan because it seems to be better tolerated. The biggest issue that I see with 5-HTP is that it’s often not tolerated if you have high cortisol. It can also cause nightmares for some folks.

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in this situation but it’s important to be aware of.

Inositol and OCD: when to consider adding it?

OCD or even mildly obsessive behaviors or thoughts can be a sign of low serotonin. I will do a trial of tryptophan as above and for some folks it’s often enough. Sometimes tryptophan at least helps to some degree and when it’s not enough, adding inositol (a B vitamin) takes it to the next level.

For many folks 500 -1000 mg capsules are typically recommended but this is a really low dose for OCD. The powdered form is really effective because you can increase as needed. You can actually go as high as 18g. I start low, with 1-2g in kids and adults, and keep going up by 2g a week until the obsessive symptoms disappear. More on inositol and OCD here.

GABA, dopamine and endorphin support too

She mentions that her son “seems to be low serotonin, low GABA (1st 1/2 of the list), low endorphins and low catecholamines” so other amino acids are likely to be of benefit too.

As always we used the neurotransmitter symptoms questionnaire and do trials of each amino acid: GABA for low GABA symptoms, DPA for low endorphins and tyrosine for low dopamine. These trials of each one are done one at a time with careful tracking to find the ideal dose before layering in the next amino acid.

Using the amino acids so it’s easy to reduce sugar and go gluten-free

I also asked what dietary changes he has already made and she responded: “We are in the process of reducing sugar and going back to gluten-free as much as possible but this will be hardest to stick to. Have done a keto-like and gluten-free-casein-free diet on and off since he was 4 years old.”

This is a great start and using the amino acids help reduce cravings and make it easy to reduce sugar and go gluten-free.

There is a sugar cravings aspect to all the neurotransmitter imbalances. The type of craving can be found on the above symptoms questionnaire. It’s not uncommon to need support in more than one area:

Low serotonin – tryptophan or 5-HTP for afternoon/evening cravings
Low endorphins – DPA for comfort/reward eating
Low catecholamines – tyrosine for low energy sugar cravings
Low GABA – GABA for stress eating

I’m glad she is getting a copy of my book The Antianxiety Food Solution. It has all the foundational dietary information, sections on cravings and a chapter on the amino acids.

It also has a chapter on pyroluria, which is very common in autism and something I help most of my clients address. Here is the pyroluria questionnaire.

Tryptophan and inositol product options

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan and Designs for Health Inositol Powder. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Now Inositol Powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

If you also have low GABA symptoms, the next step to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy program.

Now I’d like to hear from you

Have you had success with tryptophan for anxiety, fears, crying and ruminations? And has it also helped with sleep, how happy you feel and reduced cravings? Has it also helped with OCD?

Did you first trial 5-HTP and then found tryptophan worked better or vice versa?

If yes, what dose and when do you use it?

What about using inositol to further reduce OCD? And what dose helped?

If you’re a practitioner do you use tryptophan and/or inositol with clients/patients with these low serotonin symptoms?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Reactive hypoglycemia in binge eating disorder, food addiction and intense sugar cravings, and how glutamine stops the cravings

February 9, 2024 By Trudy Scott 6 Comments

A number of years ago a woman came to see me looking for help for her anxiety, insomnia and out of control sugar cravings which she described as an “almost demonic urge to eat sugar and all things sweet.”

Before working with me she had been trying to control her low blood sugar levels (or hypoglycemia) by eating the right foods at the right times i.e. healthy fats and quality protein especially at breakfast. But this wasn’t enough to eliminate her intense sweet cravings. She would make and eat sweet treats all day long, using “healthier” sweeteners like monk fruit and maple syrup.

I had her complete the brain chemistry symptoms questionnaire and she scored high on all the low blood sugar symptoms as well as low GABA and low serotonin. We focused on low blood sugar first and the solution for her cravings was using 500 mg of glutamine opened onto her tongue.

Initially she was sure this would NOT work – how would she possibly be able to use glutamine in the midst of experiencing reactive hypoglycemia or low blood sugar?

I had the same conversation that I have with all my clients who would obviously rather eat something sweet than open a glutamine capsule onto their tongue: “If you have an intense craving for something sweet, tell yourself that you’re going to indulge, but also humor your nutritionist and take the glutamine anyway. You may be surprised to find your urge completely disappears.”

She did that and it worked time and time again, ending her demonic urge to eat something sweet every time and very quickly. And it helped her with all her low blood sugar symptoms.

This blog addresses the role of low blood sugar or reactive hypoglycemia in intense sugar cravings, binge eating disorder and food addiction, and how glutamine helps.

Research: Reactive hypoglycemia in binge eating disorder and food addiction

The 2023 paper, Reactive hypoglycemia in binge eating disorder, food addiction, and the comorbid phenotype: unravelling the metabolic drive to disordered eating behaviours, highlights the fact that “impaired metabolic response” such as fasting blood glucose fluctuations are a factor in binge eating and food addiction, driving out of control and “repetitive consumption of highly processed food.”

The researchers “investigated hypoglycemia events during a 5-hour-long oral glucose tolerance test” in 200 participants and “the association between the severity of eating psychopathology and the variability in hypoglycemia events was explored.”

The authors conclude as follows:

People with binge eating disorder/BED or food addiction/FA are prone to experiencing reactive hypoglycemia; food addiction severity may predict early and symptomatic hypoglycemia events. This can further reinforce disordered eating behaviours by promoting addictive responses, both biologically and behaviourally.

You can read the study here.

It’s worth noting that the participants did not have diabetes. I mention this because most of the reactive hypoglycemia research looks at diabetic patients. Reactive hypoglycemia in the non-diabetic population is considered controversial even amongst functional medicine and/or integrative practitioners. This paper stands out for this reason.

It’s also recently published which makes me excited. This research is confirming what we see clinically.

This research is very much in line with the demonic urge my client described, and directly tied to her low blood sugar and blood sugar swings. My client did not do a 5 hour oral glucose tolerance test. Instead we used the low blood sugar symptoms questionnaire (see below) and a trial of glutamine.

My client was also not diagnosed with binge eating disorder or food addiction but didn’t have to be for us to recognize the issue and have her benefit from nutritional support in the way of glutamine and learning to eat for blood sugar stability.

Unfortunately the authors do not discuss glutamine as a solution in this particular paper or in any other research on human participants who are non-diabetic. There are a few animal diabetes studies, with this 2013 study reporting that “glutamine was more effective in promoting glycemia recovery if compared with glucose, lactate, glycerol, or alanine.” The authors call for further investigations which I look forward to reading.

Low blood sugar symptoms and a glutamine trial

As a reminder here are the signs of low blood sugar:

Sugar cravings, binge eating and addiction symptoms:

Crave sugar, starch or alcohol any time during the day
Very intense cravings for sweets/sugar
Binge eating and/or food addiction (updated with this based on this research)

There are also anxiety, mood, sleep and energy symptoms when you have low blood sugar:

Nervous, anxious, panic attacks
Irritable, shaky, headachey – especially if you go too long between meals
Lightheaded if meals are missed
Agitated, easily upset
Eating relieves fatigue
Waking in the night or early hours with a jolt of anxiety/shakiness (I blogged about this here)

As I mention in the waking with a jolt/low blood sugar blog the good news is it’s relatively easy to figure out if low blood sugar is causing your symptoms. First I have clients rate their symptoms on the low blood sugar questionnaire and do a trial of glutamine. Next is figuring out the dosing and timing of glutamine, looking at a current food log and making dietary changes as needed.

Glutamine is always best opened on to the tongue but it must be used this way for stopping the intense sugar cravings quickly – as in immediately. It’s also used away from meals like all the amino acids.

If you notice improvements it’s very likely that reactive hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a factor.

Glutamine for low blood sugar cravings: dosing and timing

As I share in my book and other blog posts, typically 500 mg glutamine is a good starting dose for intense cravings for sugary foods. We may increase based on individual needs and you may find you do need to use 500 mg -1000 mg two to three times a day when the intense desire for something sweet strikes – as blood sugar dips. Using a glutamine powder is a great way to use it especially if you find you do need more than 500 mg each time.

As I mentioned above when you use glutamine powder directly on the tongue (rather than mixed in water), the benefits are seen almost immediately and even if you don’t believe it could possibly work – like my client – your desire for sugar disappears.

GABA and serotonin support too

My client also needed GABA and serotonin support for her anxiety and sleep issues. Again, we used the low GABA and low serotonin symptoms questionnaire and did trials of GABA and tryptophan for her which helped further.

Sugar cravings and binge eating with other neurotransmitter imbalances too

Keep in mind that there is a sugar cravings aspect to all the neurotransmitter imbalances. The type of craving can be found on the above symptoms questionnaire. It’s not uncommon to need support more than one area:

Low blood sugar /hypoglycemia – glutamine for intense cravings at any time of the day
Low serotonin – tryptophan or 5-HTP for afternoon/evening cravings
Low endorphins – DPA for comfort/reward eating
Low catecholamines – tyrosine for low energy sugar cravings
Low GABA – GABA for stress eating

Glutamine product options – capsule vs powder

Products I recommend include Pure Encapsulations 500 mg l-glutamine (capsules opened on to your tongue) and Designs for Health l-glutamine powder as you find you need higher amounts. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Now l-glutamine 500 mg and Doctor’s best l-glutamine powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using glutamine and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low blood sugar and/or low serotonin and/or low GABA and other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

Have you had success with glutamine for blood sugar stability and binge eating, food addiction and intense cravings for sugar and carbs?

Have you also found it helps with sleep, leaky gut and anxiety during the day?

If yes, how much helps you? And how often do you use it? And what sugary foods have you been able to stop eating?

If you’re a practitioner do you use glutamine and with clients/patients with these low blood sugar cravings? Do you recognize reactive hypoglycemia as a very real issue in non-diabetics?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Waking with a jolt, feeling shaky and anxious: low blood sugar/hypoglycemia, glutamine and eating for blood sugar stability

February 2, 2024 By Trudy Scott 22 Comments

Low blood sugar is one of a number of causes of waking in the night or early hours, often with a jolt and feelings of anxiety or feeling like you’re having a panic attack. As shared in a recent blog post, cortisol that is high at night can cause very similar symptoms.

Because of a low blood sugar question on the high cortisol blog, today I’m explaining the very different solutions to each root cause: glutamine and eating for blood sugar stability when you have low blood sugar versus Seriphos when you have high cortisol.

Katherine shares that she has low cortisol and suspects hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, and is hesitant about using Seriphos:

My last 4 point cortisol test showed mine is low throughout the day. But I’m having episodes where I’m waking up in the mornings feeling a jolt (every time I wake up from sleeping) and sometimes also shaky and anxious.

A functional pharmacist suggested my blood sugar may be dropping during the night and hypoglycemia could cause an adrenaline surge.

I don’t know. I’m nervous to try something [such as Seriphos] to lower cortisol when it seems mine is already too low.

I agree with her functional pharmacist that hypoglycemia is likely a factor as it often is with adrenal dysfunction and low cortisol. And I am glad Katherine is being cautious about using Seriphos.

I shared that Seriphos is not the solution in this instance because she doesn’t have high cortisol based on her adrenal saliva test (4 collections). Instead, she has low cortisol throughout the day and using Seriphos would lower her cortisol even further. What many folks don’t realize is that high cortisol and low cortisol can lead to similar symptoms of anxiety, shakiness and waking in the night and early hours.

The good news is it’s relatively easy to figure out if low blood sugar is causing your symptoms. First I have clients rate their symptoms on the low blood sugar questionnaire and do a trial of glutamine. Next is figuring out the dosing and timing of glutamine, looking at a current food log and making dietary changes as needed.

If Katherine notices improvements – typically seen within a week – it’s very likely that hypoglycemia is a factor.

Finally, if additional support is needed for her anxiety I’d consider looking at low GABA and low serotonin symptoms and doing a trial of GABA and/or tryptophan.

Longer term solutions include all the dietary changes mentioned in my book – gluten-free, no sugar, no caffeine or alcohol, using nutritional support for the adrenals and addressing toxins, infections, trauma etc.

Low blood sugar symptoms

First I have clients rate their symptoms on the low blood sugar questionnaire and do a trial of glutamine if they have low blood sugar symptoms.

Here are the low blood sugar symptoms which are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being most severe:

Crave sugar, starch or alcohol any time during the day
Irritable, shaky, headachey – especially if too long between meals
Intense cravings for sweets
Lightheaded if meals are missed
Eating relieves fatigue
Agitated, easily upset, nervous
Waking in the night or early hours with a jolt of anxiety/shakiness

If the ratings indicate the possibility of low blood sugar i.e. any cluster of the above symptoms, we do a trial of the amino acid glutamine on the tongue and record before and after ratings of a few symptoms.

Glutamine is a key amino acid for blood sugar stability and helps quickly while the adrenals heal and the dietary changes are figured out.

Glutamine for low blood sugar: dosing and timing

Typically 500 mg glutamine is a good starting dose. I see many folks start too high, like 5000 mg / 5 g and up multiple times a day, and it’s not necessary. However, we increase based on individual needs and you may find you do need to use 500 mg -1000 mg two to three times a day. Using a glutamine powder is a great way to use it especially if you find you do need more than 500 mg each time.

When you use glutamine powder directly on the tongue (rather than mixed in water), the benefits are seen almost immediately.

For someone like Katherine, using glutamine throughout the day may set her up for night time or early morning low blood sugar. She may also find she needs to use some glutamine just before bed too.

GABA and/or serotonin support too?

Depending on the causes of her anxiety and shakiness, in addition to glutamine, Katherine may need to consider GABA and/or tryptophan too. We use the low GABA and low serotonin symptoms questionnaire and do trials of GABA and/or tryptophan/5-HTP.

All three amino acids can be used before bed and during the night if needed but trials are best done one at a time.

Glutamine for low blood sugar, healing the gut, to reduce sugar cravings and for better sleep

In addition to helping with blood sugar stability and sleep issues, glutamine also helps to heal the gut and helps reduce sugar cravings. Laura shared how it’s been helping her with all of this on another blog:

I am currently struggling with gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) as well as a lifetime of low blood sugar and irritability. I started glutamine a few days ago (15 grams a day) and I am amazed at how it has calmed my gut as well as calmed the sugar cravings. I am also sleeping better!

I did share that 15 g is considered a high starting dose of glutamine. She may well get similar benefits with much less.

Glutamine for early morning low blood sugar and headaches

As you can see in this case, Cat finds 500 mg glutamine just once a day works well for her unique needs:

I found a powder that I mix approximately 500 mg of with water. It works within about 15 minutes and keeps me going for about 2 – 3 hours — long enough to reach a reasonable time for lunch.

I’m thrilled to have this option as anytime that I travel, low blood sugar becomes a huge issue as I suffer from ketotic hypoglycemia and end up with massive headaches and vomiting for 6-8 hours.

Dietary changes for blood sugar control and adrenal support

All my clients keep a food log and we look at what they are eating on a typical day and when. It’s key to eat in a certain way in order to control blood sugar:. breakfast on waking, healthy snacks 3 to 4 x day and some folks do well with a snack before bed. These meals and snacks should include quality animal protein and healthy fats. This is all outlined in detail in the diet and low blood sugar chapters in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution”.

A protein smoothie in the morning is a good option too and especially helpful if you have the social anxiety condition pyroluria, where morning nausea and a low appetite is common initially. This blog highlights a research paper about breakfast smoothies helping to reduce anxiety and hypoglycemia symptoms.

Nutritional support for adrenal function includes a good B vitamin complex, extra vitamin B5/pantothenic acid, vitamin C and adaptogenic herbs such as rhodiola and ashwagandha.

Glutamine product options – capsule vs powder

If you’re not in the US, Now l-glutamine 500 mg and Doctor’s best l-glutamine powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low blood sugar and/or low serotonin and/or low GABA and other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

Have you had success with glutamine for blood sugar stability and waking with a jolt of anxiety/panic at night or in the early hours?

Have you used it for blood sugar stability, reduced cravings, leaky gut and anxiety during the day?

If yes, how much helps you? And how often do you use it?

Have dietary changes and adrenal support helped too?

If you’re a practitioner do you use glutamine and dietary approaches with clients/patients with low blood sugar?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.