anxiety

How to do an amino acid trial for anxiety

October 9, 2015 By Trudy Scott 184 Comments

The best way to figure out if you have a particular brain chemical imbalance and if you’ll benefit from a certain amino acid, is to do a trial. This is something I do with all my clients with anxiety, when we’re working one-one-one and with those in group programs, and it works really well.

Because the effects of amino acids can be felt within a few minutes to a few days, it’s easy to confirm whether you do in fact have a deficiency in a certain area and whether you’ll benefit from supplementing with the associated amino acid.

How does doing a trial work?

I have my clients complete the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and check off their symptoms on the low serotonin, low GABA, low catecholamines, low endorphins, and low blood sugar sections. The rating uses scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst.
I also have my clients review the Amino Acids Precautions and we figure out which amino acids they can and can’t use
I have them do a trial of the amino acid that resonates the most with them. For example if they have really bad obsessive thoughts, anxiety in the head, negative self-talk we’ll start with trying to address low serotonin with tryptophan or 5-HTP. If they resonate more with physical tension and overwhelm, we’ll start with trying to address low GABA with GABA.
We trial one amino acid at a time and use them opened onto the tongue or chewed (and held there for 1 to 2 minutes) for getting immediate feedback.
I have my client rate themselves before the trial and then afterwards (10 is worst), looking for benefits and how many notches they improved. This helps us figure out how much to start with.
- If it’s a big improvement (like 4 or 5 notches) they may start on 1 of the lowest dose (for example 1 x 500mg tryptophan or 1 x 125 mg GABA).
- If they see a small improvement (like 1 or 2 notches) we may start with the lowest dose and give them a range to try over the next week (for example 1-2 x 500mg tryptophan or 1-2 x 125 mg GABA)
During the trial and over the next week we also look for possible negative effects, such as a headache or feeling light-headed. If the adverse effects of supplemental amino acids are uncomfortable, taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C is an effective short-term antidote.
If someone is very sensitive to small amount of supplements, we may have them do a trial with a dab or two rather than a whole capsule and start really low during the next week.
We typically allow a week to see how the selected amino acid is working and adjust up or down during that week until we find the optimal amount.

What are the advantages of doing a trial?

You are able to target the amino acid for your specific needs – I write more about this here: Targeted individual amino acids: what do we really mean?
You get feedback immediately – the amino acid works or doesn’t
You are able to figure out what your starting dose of the amino should be and are able to adjust upwards accordingly
You get more in tune with your symptoms and how certain amino acids affect you
You can use the results (provided you log them – this is something I recommend and encourage) if you ever need a tune up in the future

Which amino acids have you found to be effective? Did you do a trial to figure out which one to try and how did that work for you? We’d love to hear in the comments below?

Have you got questions about doing a trial? Feel free to ask in the comments below.

If this information is useful but also sounds a little overwhelming, check out the The Amazing Aminos for Anxiety homestudy program. This homestudy group program provides guidance with using each of the targeted individual amino acids and how to do a trial.

The Amazing Aminos for Anxiety Homestudy program launch

October 8, 2015 By Trudy Scott 53 Comments

I’m so excited to launch the home study version of the Amazing Aminos for Anxiety program!

A powerful home study program on how to use five of the top individual amino acid supplements to help you eliminate anxiety, social anxiety and panic attacks. The added bonus is that you will also feel less stressed and overwhelmed, happier, more energetic and focused and will sleep through the night! Your cravings and emotional eating will be a thing of the past – no willpower required and no feelings of being deprived. You really do deserve to feel on top of the world and the amino acids may well be the answer!

Here’s what a past participant said about the live version I offered earlier this year:

This class was extremely helpful for me personally and professionally. I was intimidated with amino acids and Trudy’s class improved my understanding and confidence. In addition to her well organized class materials and information, she also shared personal experiences which made me feel like I wasn’t the only person with anxiety issues and there is a solution to managing anxiety.

I’m also seeing how gluten, alcohol and sugar really change my mood and anxiety/depression levels. I am very conscious of the consequences for me personally if I choose to eat/drink any of these. Before, I knew it was not good for me or anyone, now I know what happens with anxiety and brain function, in addition to the digestive and weight issues.

We’re offering 3 versions:

#1 Basic: Homestudy if you’re a DIY person OR
#2 Plus: Homestudy + 2 Q and A Live with Trudy (if you need some guidance and will have questions you can opt for this one) OR
#3 Premium: Homestudy + 4 Q and A live + private Facebook group for group discussions and interactions.

You can read all about it and sign up here:
https://www.everywomanover29.com/aminosforanxietyhs

Got questions or comments? Please comment below

Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease by Dr. Suruchi Chandra

September 25, 2015 By Trudy Scott 28 Comments

One of my favorite presentations at the recent IMMH/Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference was Dr. Suruchi Chandra’s Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease talk.

Here is the description of her presentation:

“Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease and Associated Co-infections: Clinical Presentations, Diagnostic Challenges, and Treatment Options”

Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States. It can remain dormant for years and then later mimic a number of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety disorders, mood disturbances, psychosis, and autism-like behaviors. It can be further complicated by the presence of co-infections. Both the diagnosis and treatment of these infections in the chronic stage can be challenging. We will review both standard treatment recommendations and integrative and holistic approaches, including dietary changes, herbal medicines, and nutritional supplements.

Dr. Chandra started by sharing the late stage neuropsychiatric symptoms of Lyme disease:

Depression
Mood swings
Anxiety, panic attacks, OCD
Psychosis
Violent behaviors and irritability
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Fibromyalgia
ADHD and autism like behaviors
Seizures
Sleep disorders

Here are some of the many very interesting facts she shared:

Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the USA (and it doesn’t seem to be only an issue in the USA)
Not everyone recalls a tick bite or bulls-eye rash
Lyme disease is not only isolated to the Northeast – a year ago a Stanford study found the bacterium Borrelia miyamotoi, as well as burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, in ticks they sampled throughout the San Francisco Bay area
Lyme disease may be due to tick borne complex i.e. it is hypothesized that there are multiple co-infections
Purple rashes that look like stretch marks are common with Bartonella
There can be maternal-fetal transmission of the disease
The involvement of the gut is under-rated with Lyme disease and cognitive decline is a big issue
Lyme and co-infections affects serotonin levels, due to IDO being increased
Low zinc (and high copper) and low manganese levels are often factors

Dr. Chandra is very unique in that she uses no antibiotics, “provokes” before testing and has some very interesting herbal protocols (many that are used with malaria). She stated that Lyme disease is worth treating even if there are no symptoms, simply because of the higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

She uses a wonderfully integrative approach with her patients who have chronic tick borne diseases:

integrative-approach-chronic-tick-borne-illnesses

Here is the last slide of her presentation: Consider Lyme disease and the associated co-infections when there is any severe or atypical psychiatric disease, and use a holistic and individualized approach.

Chandra-conclusion

Excellent presentation! This really is the top integrative mental health conference to attend!

Here are a few of my other favorite presentations include:

Julie Matthews’ talk on “Oxalates, Phenols, and FODMAPs: Food Substances and Diets that Impact Mental Health Conditions”
James Greenblatt’s talk “New Information on Nutritional Lithium for ADHD, Mood Disorders and Prevention of Cognitive Decline”
Andrea Gruszecki’s talk on “The Effects of Stress on the Gut-Brain Microbiome”
Dr Kurt Woeller’s talk on “Oxytocin and Cholesterol – Their Interactions and Effects on Mental Health and Autism Spectrum Disorders”

I’ll share some highlights from these in a future blog post.

All the presentations were recorded and I’ll let you know when the recordings are available for purchase. These presentations are not to be missed.

Please share what you know about Lyme disease or if you have been diagnosed with one of the co-infections. Feel free to ask questions too.

Benzodiazepines do patients more harm than good

September 15, 2015 By Trudy Scott 91 Comments

Dr. Nicole Beurkens recently shared her experiences about benzodiazepines on the blog: Say NO to Benzodiazepines for anxiety!

In my experience as a clinical psychologist benzodiazepines do patients more harm than good. While it is appealing to think that a pill can quickly and effectively remove symptoms of anxiety, panic, and/or insomnia, the reality is that there are significant negative long-term consequences for most people who use these medications.

It is not uncommon for me to have patients on multiple psychotropic medications, including benzos, due to symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, or other mental health issues.

Patients can quickly become dependent on these medications, and they are often prescribed higher doses over time with diminishing returns.

Some patients reach a point where they are not having symptom relief with the benzos, but they cannot function at all without them.

This issue is fresh in my mind because I have a 24-year-old male patient who is entering a rehab program next week due to addiction and substance use issues. The gateway drugs that led to these addiction issues for him were Ativan and Adderall prescribed to him since he was 14 years old. He now sees that these drugs have done a significant amount of damage, but we are having to admit him to a long-term treatment program to get off of these medications (and other substances) safely.

I maintain that if prescribers fully informed patients of the risks involved with these medications most people would never start taking them. We need to do more to educate patients and practitioners about the realities of these medications, as well as safer alternatives.

I am now devoting a significant amount of time and attention to this issue not just for benzodiazepines, but psychiatric medications in general. Especially where children are concerned, parents and professionals needs to have appropriate facts about these drugs and understand the many non-medication options that are available. I’m writing about this and providing resources at my site http://www.DrBeurkens.com for anyone who is interested. Thanks, Trudy, for getting this information out to more people!

As she says, it’s so important that we need to do more to educate patients and practitioners about the realities of these medications, as well as safer alternatives. Here is a recent blog post where she does just that: Beware the Rush to Prescribe

I appreciate that Dr. Beurkens is now devoting a significant amount of time and attention to this issue not just for benzodiazepines, but psychiatric medications in general. Her motto is to provide “Solutions to End Overmedication of Children with Developmental or Mental Health Concerns.”

Anxiety and OCD: Inositol instead of tryptophan or 5-HTP?

September 11, 2015 By Trudy Scott 191 Comments

Have you used inositol for anxiety and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) or even obsessive thinking or behaviors? Have you used it alone or with tryptophan or 5-HTP? I’d like to share an interesting discussion on a recent blog I wrote: Amino acids for anxiety – which ones and for how long? to illustrate how we are all unique and how some nutrients work well and some not so well.

I received this question on the blog regarding the use of amino acids tryptophan or 5-HTP and OCD/anxiety:

I was wondering if this will help with OCD? I did not see any mention of OCD in your articles. Do you feel it can be treated the same way you would treat other anxieties? I was told that since I take serotonin medication that I should not take 5-HTP because it may cause too much serotonin. What are your thoughts?

My answer was as follows (I’ve added a few links because I like to share the research):

OCD can often be related to low serotonin so yes tryptophan and/or 5-HTP can help and is often very effective. If you take an SSRI then tryptophan and/or 5-HTP should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision and at least 6 hours from the SSRI. I would suggest working with a practitioner who knows the amino acids too. And talk to your doctor about doing a taper if that’s what you’d like to do

The other nutrient that helps with OCD is inositol and this is fine to take with an SSRI. I start my clients on 2g/day and go up to 18g/day. Here is one of the older papers on inositol, showing benefits for depression, panic attacks and OCD and a more recent paper discussing OCD and inositol and other nutrients such as NAC and glycine.

With OCD I’d always also look into past strep infections and PANDAs as this could be a factor too.

One of my blog readers, Tracy, responded to the question with some encouragement (how lovely!) and gave us a great example of how we are all different and there is no one size fits all:

Chiming in with a bit of encouragement here – a bit late perhaps, but wanted to let you know that my teenage son suffers from OCD and anxiety. A number of years ago I found Trudy’s website while trying to find some natural ways to help him. We tried 5-HTP with good success (it also helped lessen the frequency and intensity of his migraines) but it caused stomach upset with him, even when taken with food, so be aware that it may have this effect on you if you try it. After about 9 months of 5-HTP we kind of “forgot” to give it to him and he continued to feel good.

Once my son started high school he started having more stress in his life and his OCD, anxiety and migraines returned. I started him on inositol about 8 months ago. It has had an even greater effect on the OCD than the 5-HTP (remember everyone is different tho!).

I’d highly recommend you try the inositol since 5HTP/tryptophan is not an option for you at this time. My son has had no side effects from inositol at all. Good luck!!

I was pleased to hear that the 5-HTP helped when Tracy’s son was younger. Some people do have digestive issues with 5-HTP. It’s usually in the first week and then typically resolves. This was obviously not the case with this young man.

I was also thrilled to hear that the inositol is helping so much now and wanted to know how much helps so I asked her. Tracy shared how much her son needs (not much at all) and the symptoms it helps with:

My son takes 500mg (NOW brand) daily in the mornings, usually with breakfast. That amount works well for him most days.

When stress is higher and he starts experiencing “breakthrough anxiety” or obsessions, I have him take another 500mg in the evenings as well, just for a couple days or until the stress has diminished.

I should mention that his OCD tends to be primarily obsessive in nature with very little compulsion. His father was actually diagnosed with mild OCD before I met him and he learned to deal with his through counseling and behavior modification. I read about tryptophan (Julia Ross) and asked him to try it. It works well for him when his anxiety acts up (which interestingly tends to have a seasonal component!) It has been an education living with these two!

You can take up to 18g a day of inositol but I suggest starting with 2g a day and building up as needed. But as you can see above, even 500mg to 1000mg (which is 1 g – I grew up in South Africa and love the metric system!) may be enough.

I happen to use the DFH Inositol powder (pictured above). It has a pleasant slightly sweet taste and is easy to increase the amount based on how much you find helpful. You can find this on the supplements blog here.

As I mentioned above, tryptophan or 5-HTP can help with anxiety, OCD, obsessive thoughts and behaviors (and panic disorders and depression). Adding inositol is an option when the tryptophan/5-HTP isn’t quite enough, or simply use inositol alone.

I also think inositol makes a great addition for mixing into the nasty tasting tryptophan if you find you get better benefits with the tryptophan capsules opened. I suggest starting with 2g inositol per 500mg tryptophan.

I appreciate Tracy giving me permission to share her son’s success with these nutrients. We can all learn so much from stories like this. If you’ve been using any of the amino acids and/or inositol, 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 this sounds intriguing and you’d like guidance with using the amino acids and other nutrients like inositol, stay tuned for the launch of The Amazing Aminos for Anxiety homestudy group program. This homestudy group program will provide guidance with using each of the targeted individual amino acids, including nutrients like inositol. You can also add your name in the comments if you’d like to be notified when it launches. You’re also welcome to sign up here to be notified when we have more details about the start date.

Balance Neurotransmitters for Pain and Anxiety: The Healing Pain Summit

September 11, 2015 By Trudy Scott 20 Comments

Joe Tatta is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and he is putting on The Healing Pain Summit which is focused on healing pain of all kinds using an integrated approach. Having practiced Physical Therapy for 20 years, Joe knows first-hand that pain is THE thing that will stop you in your tracks … completely. To help people with pain of all kinds Joe has brought together experts on:

Healing joint pain and muscle pain
How the foods you eat can cause you physical and emotional pain
Healing spiritual pain
Healing sexual pain

Here are just a few of the summit topics that may interest you:

Natural Ways To Heal Fibromyalgia
Your Adrenals and Pain: What is the Connection?
Solutions for Cancer Patients and Cancer Survivors

My interview will be: How Balancing Neurotransmitters Can Help Pain and Anxiety. I’ll be sharing new information on pain and the amino acids – something I don’t often talk about but can be a very powerful addition to a pain management program. I’ll cover how GABA, DPA/Endorphigen and tryptophan/5-HTP can help with various types of pain (and anxiety). I’ll also discuss some of the many mood and anxiety side-effects we can see with pain medications.

Here are some reasons for concern when it comes to pain medications:

Glucocorticoid medications like cortisone and prednisone can actually contribute to mood and cognitive issues. A 2014 paper titled Adverse consequences of glucocorticoid medication: psychological, cognitive, and behavioral effects reports that

Severe neuropsychiatric consequences (including suicide, suicide attempt, psychosis, mania, depression, panic disorder, and delirium, confusion, or disorientation) have been reported to occur in 15.7 per 100 person-years at risk for all glucocorticoid courses, and 22.2 per 100 person-years at risk for first courses

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen are well known for causing injury and bleeding throughout the GI tract, but there now new evidence of an increased risk of a brain bleed when someone is also taking an SSRI. According to a Medscape article

The combination of antidepressants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) is linked to an early increased risk for intracranial hemorrhage, regardless of the type of NSAID or antidepressant, new research shows.

Most worryingly, conditions requiring NSAIDs and antidepressants commonly coexist; 65% of adults with major depression also have chronic pain, with both morbidities sharing common psychological risk factors and neurobiological processes.

The good news is that amino acids can be a very powerful addition to a pain management program. One example is 5-HTP, an amino acid that raises serotonin levels. Anxiety, depression and increased pain can all be caused by low serotonin.

A paper published in 1998 and called 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor reports that 5-HTP

easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and effectively increases central nervous system (CNS) synthesis of serotonin. In the CNS, serotonin levels have been implicated in the regulation of sleep, depression, anxiety, aggression, appetite, temperature, sexual behaviour, and pain sensation. Therapeutic administration of 5-HTP has been shown to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including depression, fibromyalgia, binge eating associated with obesity, chronic headaches, and insomnia.

You can register here https://gc182.isrefer.com/go/hpsreg/trudyscottcn/