Trudy Scott Anxiety Nutrition Solutions & Every Woman Over 29

Oral GABA supplementation allows better prioritizing of planned actions: new research

September 4, 2015 By Trudy Scott 43 Comments

gabaexamples — Prothera 500mg GABA and Source Naturals GABA Calm (with 125mg GABA) are examples of GABA products I use with my clients

A paper recently published in Scientific Reports: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration improves action selection processes: a randomised controlled trial provide the first evidence for a possible causal role of the GABA-ergic system in modulating performance in action cascading:

In order to accomplish a task goal, real-life environments require us to develop different action control strategies in order to rapidly react to fast-moving visual and auditory stimuli. When engaging in complex scenarios, it is essential to prioritise and cascade different actions.

A good example of when we may do something like this is driving a car in busy traffic:

you are fast-moving
there are noises all around you – for example: wind, hooting horns, big trucks, rain and water, passengers talking etc.
you are seeing things all around you – for example: the steering wheel, the speedometer, the other cars, the road, road signs, billboards, the scenery, your passengers etc.

The findings of this study, which involved the administration of 800 mg of synthetic GABA (compared to placebo), found that study participants were better able to prioritize planned actions (for example: make safe driving decisions).

I’m really pleased the study addressed the GABA-blood brain barrier controversy:

In the literature, there are controversial findings about GABA entering the brain through the blood brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a tightly sealed layer of cerebral endothelial cells that form continuous tight junctions and prevent most solutes from entering the brain on the basis of size, charge, and lipid solubility. However, as pointed out by Shyamaladevi and colleagues, recent studies have demonstrated that the BBB is much more dynamic than assumed in the past, and some passage of solutes can occur by transcytosis, carrier-mediated transport, or simple diffusion of hydrophobic substances

While there is some evidence in favor of only a limited penetration of GABA into the brain, a more recent study with rats has shown that the administration of GABA alone increased brain GABA concentration, when compared to untreated rats.

In addition, the synthetic GABA-like agent gabapentin, which mimics the chemical structure of GABA, leads to an overall increase in central GABA levels and a recent study using 7-T MRS reported an increase in GABA concentration in the visual cortex of healthy participants after gabapentin administration.

Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN wrote this Designs for Health article about the study: GABA supplementation may help improve ability of prioritizing planned actions, mentioning two possible mechanisms of action as to how GABA supplementation may improve prioritizing planned actions as well as reducing anxiety:

Oral GABA supplementation can act directly on the CNS in a peripheral aspect through the gut. There is definitely a gut-brain relationship between nutrition and the gut microbiome and how they support brain health and function. The gut and brain communicate through the nervous system, immune system, and hormones.

In addition, the hypothalamus (emotional neuroendocrine control center of the brain) is outside and not protected by the blood brain barrier, so these two factors can explain how GABA affects the CNS. It is clear in the research that GABA is helpful with anxiety, and there are many case studies which demonstrate its effectiveness.

Here are some comments from 3 different people on facebook, demonstrating GABA’s effectiveness:

GABA was huge for super tight neck and shoulders! Within 5 min of taking I experienced tremendous relief of muscles and anxiety too

I like True Calm for clients that can’t wind down at night too, it has GABA in it.

GABA, definitely. It’s really helped my tight upper back and neck to feel better.

If you’re looking for more GABA info, during season 2 of The Anxiety Summit, I talked about the BBB, the GABA challenge (which I’m not in favor of) and GABA-receptors in peripheral tissues: Targeted individual amino acids for eliminating anxiety: practical applications.

I would like to add that 800mg of GABA is a much higher dose than I have my clients start with. I have them start on 125mg (as part of Source Naturals GABA Calm) and go up from there. Enzymatic Therapy has a nice 250mg GABA product and I really like the Nutritional Fundamentals for Health GABA-T SAP which has GABA 300 mg and 150 mg l-Theanine 150 mg. The Prothera 500mg GABA is a good choice if you can tolerate higher amounts. Here are links to these and other brands I like. I don’t typically use pharmaGABA but it does work for some individuals (so it may be worth doing a trial. Always consider possible histamine reactions to pharmaGABA if you have histamine intolerance or MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome).

I do not recommend phenibut under any circumstances. Even though the FDA warned companies to cease distribution in 2019 I am shocked to see it’s still available and is still recommended to children.

The promising results of this randomised controlled trial show that oral GABA intake makes a difference and does have an impact on behavior. This is big news!

Resources if you are new to using GABA as a supplement

If you are new to using GABA as a supplement, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the low GABA symptoms). It has been updated with “Inability to prioritize planned actions”.

If you suspect low levels of GABA or 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 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, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, self-medicating with alcohol and more.

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), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

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.

Have you noticed that you can handle complex planned tasks and are better at prioritization when you are taking GABA (or have taken it in the past)?

And would you say that it’s the overwhelm factor that is being removed/lessened when taking GABA?

If you are a practitioner are you seeing results like this with your clients/patients?

If you have questions please share them here too.

No fear and no anxiety on Mt. Kenya

September 4, 2015 By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

mt-kenya

You’ve heard me talk about my climbing days and having no fear or anxiety – so here is a picture and short story!

This is me on Mt. Kenya in 1993. We had an early morning start from the top hut, heading for Point Lenana (16354 ft / 4985 m).

We were living in South Africa at the time and our gear was really not that great. In fact, my waterproof pants were homemade, I had borrowed boots and an ancient ice-axe! And check out the trendy purple “snood”/neck-face warmer I had bought in Scotland a few years earlier.

We had a blast anyway! What a trip and great “honeymoon” – we went to Kenya/Tanzania for 6 weeks and got married afterwards. It was a weather thing – good weather for the climbing trip in December/January and good wedding weather in March.

If you can relate to any of this or have your own adventures to share please share in the comments below.

Say NO to benzodiazepines for anxiety!

September 3, 2015 By Trudy Scott 61 Comments

Professor Malcolm H. Lader says it well:

It is more difficult to withdraw people from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin.

For this reason we need to say NO to benzodiazepines for anxiety (and other conditions)!

Benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs that work by enhancing the effect of the calming neurotransmitter GABA, and are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, pain, muscle spasms and a range of other conditions. They are widely prescribed, particularly among elderly patients and may even be used off-label with children with autism.

Use of this medication is very controversial. We know long term use leads to tolerance, dependence, and many adverse psychological effects and even physical effects. Short term use is generally considered safe but even using them for 2 – 4 weeks can lead to problems for certain individuals.

In this presentation I’ll be providing an overview of benzodiazepines; when they are used; who they are prescribed to; details about tolerance, dependence, and the many adverse effects; how to taper, including nutritional support during the taper; what to do instead of saying yes to a benzodiazepine prescription in the first place; and additional resources.

This will be a webinar for Hawthorn University and will be on Tuesday Sept 15 at 4pm PST. Register for the webinar here:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2859158311212769537

I’d love questions/feedback/comments/your benzodiazepine experiences and topics you’d like me to address during this presentation.

Targeted individual amino acids: what do we really mean?

August 21, 2015 By Trudy Scott 54 Comments

tryptophan — Lidtke Tryptophan 500mg is an example of an individual amino acid

You’ve heard me talking about using targeted individual amino acids with my clients but what do we really mean by targeted and individual?

“Targeted” means the amino acids are very specific for a person who may have anxiety, or low mood, or feelings of negativity or worry or overwhelm or experience emotional eating.

The big focus is that they’re targeted to a person’s “individual” needs. We each have our own unique biochemistry and therefore our needs are different. There is no one-size fits all.

There is another aspect to “individual” amino acids – it means they are not part of a combination product but are standalone amino acids such as tryptophan, 5-HTP, GABA, tyrosine, glutamine and DLPA. This allows them to be easily titrated up or down as needed based on your individual needs. There is one combination product I really like and use a lot and that is GABA Calm (it has GABA, tyrosine and glycine). Here are the brands I like.

These targeted individual amino acids work really well and are very powerful when you figure out the right amino acids you need. I have all my clients complete the Amino Acid Questionnaire and we start our trials based on this.

These targeted individual amino acids also work well when you take them in the correct amounts – doing a trial and starting low is the best way to do this. Most people can start with the typical starting amount. For example, 500mg tryptophan is typical to start with and I like to start my clients on 125mg GABA. However, if you’re very sensitive, you may be what we call a “pixie dust” person and may need a few dabs to start.

These targeted individual amino acids also work best when you take them at the right time. Different amino acids are more effective at certain times: like tryptophan/5-HTP later in the day; tyrosine earlier; and GABA, glutamine and DPA throughout the day.

You may have changed your diet to a real whole foods diet, you may be on medications for anxiety or depression, and maybe you’re not getting results or maybe you’re experiencing side-effects from the meds.

Even though you’ve quit coffee and sodas you still feel anxious and overwhelmed and you still stress-eat. You just know intuitively that you’ve got to get to the root cause of the problem.

Maybe you’ve removed gluten, sugar and other carbs but you still feel deprived. You still feel like you need that reward or treat. Maybe the addictive nature of gluten/sugar/carbs is getting the better of you still can’t quit and there’s something missing.

When there’s this “something that’s missing”, this is when you would consider targeted individual amino acids. We are figuring out if you’ve got this deficiency, and then we are supplementing short-term, for 3 to 12 months, to raise your levels so you can start to feel good, calm, happy and motivated again, with no more cravings.

Please be aware that not everyone benefits from individual amino acids. They only work if you have a deficiency and actually need them. If you don’t need them they won’t make any difference or they may even make you feel worse. For example, if you don’t need tryptophan and take it (or even if you take too much) you may feel more anxious and more emotional. This can happen even if you score high on the low serotonin section of the Amino Acid questionnaire. There are many other causes of anxiety: low blood sugar, not enough protein in the diet, food sensitivities, poor gut health/low levels of good bacteria, parasites, candida, caffeine and/or sugar consumption, high cortisol and many more. I share the 60+ causes here.

If you do have a deficiency and do find the correct combination of targeted individual amino acids you will amazed at the results and like me, you will soon be calling them the amazing amino acids.

Please do share if you’ve experienced benefits from the amazing amino acids (targeted and individual of course). If you’ve been using them for awhile you may find some answers to your common questions here: Amino acids for anxiety – which ones and for how long? And here is a blog called Troubleshooting when you are not getting results.

If this is all new to you please share how you score on the Amino Acid Questionnaire.

If this all sounds intriguing and also a little overwhelming, stay tuned for the launch of The Amazing Aminos for Anxiety homestudy group program that will be starting in September. This homestudy group program will provide guidance with using each of the targeted individual amino acids. You’re welcome to sign up here to be notified when we have details about the start date and more.

Encore day Mental Wellness Summit – Gut, root cause, inflammation, pyroluria

August 17, 2015 By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

A heads up that today is encore day of the Mental Wellness Summit and the last day to purchase at the summit special price.

These talks were voted the best of the best talks and are available for a 24-hour period (I’m honored and humbled be in the top 5 favorite talks!)

Kelly Brogan, MD: Holistic Medicine and Root-Cause Resolution
David Perlmutter, MD: Microbiome: A New Frontier in Mental Health
Chris Kresser, MS, LAC: About the Brain-Gut Connection
Julie Daniluk, Holistic Nutritionist: Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Reducing Depression and ADHD
Trudy Scott, Certified Nutritionist: Anxiety, Pyroluria and Amino Acid Therapy

Here is a gem from Dr. Kelly Brogan:

Here is a gem from Dr. David Perlmutter:

Here is a gem from Chris Kresser:

mwq-3

Here is a gem from Julie Daniluk:

mwq-4

Here is a gem from my interview (we’re talking about pyroluria here):

mwq-5

If you’ve already signed up – enjoy the encores (and big thanks if you voted for me!)

In case you haven’t yet signed up you can do so here and listen to these encores – enjoy!
https://vt239.isrefer.com/go/summitreg/trudyscottcn/

Once the encore presentations expire on Tuesday at 10 A.M. U.S. eastern (tomorrow!), the prices to own the entire set of interviews increase from $47 to $97, and from $97 to $147.

Gain lifetime access to all expert mental health interviews. Click here to purchase The Mental Wellness Summit expert talks. They also come with some great bonus gifts, like eBooks, videos and much more (including an eBook on pyroluria from me!)
https://vt239.isrefer.com/go/summitorder/trudyscottcn/

Amino acids for anxiety – which ones and for how long?

August 14, 2015 By Trudy Scott 221 Comments

amino-acids

The targeted use of individual amino acid supplements will balance brain chemistry to alleviate anxiety, fear, worry, panic attacks, and feeling stressed or overwhelmed. They can also be helpful in addressing other problems that contribute to or exacerbate anxiety, such as sugar cravings and addictions. In addition, they can help with depression and insomnia, which often co-occur with anxiety. When you balance your brain chemistry, not only will you alleviate symptoms of anxiety, you’ll also have a great mood, eliminate cravings, sleep well, and have good energy and mental focus.

The above is from an earlier blog post: Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary

I recently shared this article on my facebook page TrudyScott AntianxietyFoodSolution and we had such a healthy productive discussion going I’ve decided to share some of the great questions here – and my responses to them – so you can benefit too.

Some of these have been paraphrased, typos have been corrected and I’ve added additional information. Here is the link to the facebook discussion.

The first question was related to how to know which amino acid to use:

But how do you know which one will help? I have heard of so many different options. I was told by my nutritionist to try one called l-theanine but I haven’t tried it due to the fact that she told me it could have a reverse effect on me. Any advice?

Here is my response:

I have my clients do the amino acid questionnaire and then a trial of the amino acids that show up as likely being low: tryptophan for low serotonin, GABA for low GABA, DPA for low endorphins, tyrosine for low catecholamines and glutamine for low blood sugar. You may need support in more than one area. And if you need the amino acids you can actually get results in 5 minutes!

I prefer GABA to theanine as it’s often more effective but you may do well on theanine. And yes too much can cause a reverse effect so start low and back down if you don’t feel an improvement or feel worse.

In case you have not heard me present on this topic I’ll be featured on the online Mental Wellness Summit that started this week. My interview airs Saturday August 15^th.

Another question was related to how long to take the amino acids:

When do you stop taking them? I have been taking GABA since January and it has helped tremendously. Is there ever a time you stop or do you take it indefinitely?

Here is my response:

I’m so pleased to hear the GABA has helped tremendously. Some people just forget to take them and then realize they feel good, have no more anxiety and don’t need the amino acids any more.

For other people we may say “let’s stop or cut back and see how you feel.” If you cut back and feel worse then you add them back again. If you feel fine on the lower amounts then you stay there and lower again a few weeks later.

With GABA, if you’re taking too much you may feel sluggish and tired.

There is no set length that works for everyone – it varies. For some it’s a month. I would say 6 months is pretty typical but a year is not unheard of.

If you find you are needing to keep taking the amino acids long term then I like to look at why. So we’d look at diet, stress and adrenal health, food sensitivities, malabsorption etc.

As someone kindly said in this same thread:

You can’t just “wing it.” You need dosage guidance on amino acid supplements, same as you would a prescription. I found reading Trudy’s blogs and book The Antianxiety Food Solution very helpful, plus the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross give specific guidance on which ones to use and how.

I agree, of course, and would like to add that each person is different and has their own unique needs. And not everyone with anxiety or depression has a neurotransmitter deficiency and needs amino acids.

This question about adverse effects was also posted:

What’s the story with trying amino acid supplements and tyrosine gives you headaches and makes you feel unsettled, and GABA and 5-HTP makes you feel dopey. I’ve tried different dosing and I’m still not getting anywhere. Can you suggest what else may be going on?

Here is my response:

I would look at the quality of the amino acids being used (here are brands I use and like) and also consider if you’re possibly using too much. Some pixie dust clients need just a dab to start.

You may also have genetic SNPs that are affecting you or you may simply not need them. That’s when we dig deeper and look for other causes: here are the 60+ Nutritional & Biochemical Causes of Anxiety I covered in the last Anxiety Summit

If you enjoyed this and want to be part of future interactive discussions do come on over to facebook and join in.

If you’ve been using any of the amino acids, I hope this has been helpful for you. Please share how you’re doing in the comments and feel free to ask additional questions.

If you’re new to the amazing amino acids for anxiety and you’d like more detailed information, my book The Antianxiety Food Solution has a whole very detailed chapter on the topic, together with the other 8 steps I use with my clients to alleviate anxiety: real whole food, balance blood sugar, quit caffeine, quit gluten, address the gut, pyroluria, lifestyle and other factors.

If this sounds intriguing and you’d like guidance with using the amino acids, stay tuned for the launch of The Amazing Aminos for Anxiety homestudy group program that will be starting in September. You’re welcome to sign up here to be notified when we have details about the start date and more.