GABA Quickstart online program; Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program for practitioners

I have osteoporosis – within a week of starting collagen I experienced profound insomnia, was much more anxious and had tons of worrying thoughts

August 18, 2023 By Trudy Scott 10 Comments

Nancy shares her unpleasant experience when using collagen for her osteoporosis and asks how she can use tryptophan and possibly add the collagen back:

I have osteoporosis and recently started taking a collagen peptide product (Fortibone). At the same time, I started taking a bone support formula containing calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, boron, etc.

Within a week I began experiencing such PROFOUND insomnia. I felt like I was wide awake and could not drift off till 4 am each morning. Also, when I laid down at night, I was much more anxious than I normally am and had tons of worrying thoughts flitting thru my mind.

Within a couple weeks of the insomnia starting, I thankfully caught your talk about collagen and folks who are susceptible to it, at the 2023 Osteoporosis Summit. The puzzle pieces clicked together; I’m a MAO-A. I immediately stopped the collagen and the bone support supplement.

I understand supplementing with tryptophan may be the fix for being able to reintroduce the collagen.

I appreciate her for sharing her experience on one of my collagen blogs and thanked her, saying how glad I was that she heard my interview about this.

Collagen and gelatin lower serotonin in susceptible individuals

Intake of collagen (and gelatin) can lower serotonin in susceptible individuals and cause these symptoms she experienced. I first blogged about this in 2017 but it’s still not common knowledge even amongst practitioners and companies selling collagen products.

The good news is that awareness is growing. Dr. R. Keith McCormick does mention the serotonin-collagen connection in his excellent book Great Bones – Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis (my Amazon link). He does not, however, offer tryptophan as a solution.

If this is new to you, this blog post describes why it happens (i.e. collagen does not contain any tryptophan), lists many of the tryptophan depletion studies and who may be more susceptible to this effect – Collagen and gelatin lower serotonin: does this increase your anxiety and depression?

Here is a more recent blog on the topic too: Collagen causes increased anxiety, low mood, irritability, insomnia, gut issues and an itchy skin: some questions and my answers

The causes of these symptoms can be due to the serotonin-lowering effects of collagen but also the dietary oxalate impact, a histamine reaction and/or a glutamate reaction to collagen.

Could supplementing with tryptophan be the fix for being able to reintroduce the collagen?

Nancy said “I understand supplementing with tryptophan may be the fix for being able to reintroduce the collagen.” Hearing her symptoms – profound insomnia, increased anxiety and worrying thoughts flitting through her mind – led me to the same conclusion, especially since they all started soon after starting collagen.

We know she has the MAOA (monoamine oxidase A) genetic polymorphism – this does make her more susceptible to the serotonin-lowering effects of collagen. Other factors that may make her more susceptible (explained in the 2017 blog above) are current or prior depression and/or OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) or family history of these conditions and being a smoker. In addition to a MAOA defect is having a 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism.

To confirm the likely low serotonin connection, it would have been helpful to know if she also experienced other low serotonin symptoms: panic attacks and phobias, lack of confidence, depression, negativity, imposter syndrome, PMS, irritability, anger issues and afternoon/evening cravings.

It would also be helpful to know if her symptoms resolved when she stopped using the collagen.

But the best way to confirm is to do a trial of tryptophan and observe if these symptoms resolve when using collagen.

How to use tryptophan in a situation like this?

She asked these specific questions about using tryptophan:

I bought the Lidtke brand which is a 500 mg. capsule. How do I dose this? I realize you said to trial dose it but:

1) what time of day is best to take it?

2) is it taken on an empty stomach or can it be taken with food?

3) should I start taking the tryptophan BEFORE restarting the collagen and be watching for the night time anxiety/insomnia symptoms to reappear?

4) if the insomnia, anxiety do reappear, how much do I titrate up and is there a max dose of tryptophan? If I’m taking more than one capsule a day, should they be taken at one time or divided throughout the day?

Tryptophan is always taken midafternoon and evening on an empty stomach/away from protein and increased until there is symptom resolution.

For clients in a similar situation who have stopped the collagen but still have insomnia, anxiety and worry symptoms, I have them start on tryptophan before adding back collagen and adjust the tryptophan dose up if needed once collagen is reintroduced.

If symptoms resolved when the collagen was stopped, tryptophan would be trialed as soon as symptoms show up when collagen is reintroduced.

With tryptophan, 500 mg is a typical starting dose but less may work in a situation like this. I’ve had clients use up to 1500 mg tryptophan 2 x day. It’s really individualized with no one-size fits all.

I did mention my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution, as an excellent resource for Nancy. There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and how to use them. I recommend everyone read it before using any of the amino acids as supplements.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low GABA, low serotonin, low dopamine, low blood sugar and low endorphins).

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, (as I mentioned above) 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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

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. You can find them all in my online store.

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.

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.

Thanks to Nancy for sharing her experience with collagen and asking this question.

Have you used collagen for bone health/osteoporosis or for other reasons? And have you experienced insomnia, and increased anxiety and worrying?

Were your symptoms due to low serotonin and did tryptophan allow you to continue with collagen or add it back if you stopped it?

Or were your symptoms caused by oxalates in collagen, a histamine reaction and/or a glutamate reaction?

Has Fortibone led to improvements in your bone health? If yes, how long have you been using it and which collagen product (a number of products contain Fortibone)?

If you have questions and feedback please share them here too.

“Potion” of tyrosine, Endorphigen, GABA and tryptophan has been nothing less than a miracle for my depression and anxiety – how long can I remain on these?

August 11, 2023 By Trudy Scott 21 Comments

Amy shares how much her particular “potion” or combination of amino acids has helped her depression and anxiety and wants to know how long she can remain on them:

I currently take 500 mg of l-tyrosine in the morning, 1 Endorphigen 2xday, 1 GABA calm 2x day and 1000 mg of tryptophan before bed with some natural calm & true calm. This “potion” has been nothing less than a miracle. I feel pretty good.

The past few years have been rough, managing depression and anxiety with frequent relapse, and I finally feel ok.

I don’t want to wean off yet and am curious as to how long I can remain on these. Is it dangerous to keep on it too long? Is there a maximum time? I follow your blog and reached out to you last year. Your information has been extremely helpful. Thank you.

I’m glad to hear Amy is doing so well on this miracle combination and finally feels ok. Before stopping the amino acids, the goal is to address diet, gut health, nutritional imbalances, toxins and all the underlying factors that lead to low catecholamines, low endorphins, low GABA and low serotonin.

It’s fine to stop taking them and see how you do and add some or all of them back if you find you still need that neurotransmitter support. This is one of a few approaches I use with clients. But here are times when it’s best to wait and continue using them (like when on the pill and when affected by seasonal depression). I share my insights on this and other ways to cut back below.

How long can you remain on amino acids and when do you consider stopping them?

There is no set time frame for staying on the amino acids. As I mentioned above you can stop taking the individual amino acids and see how you do and then add some or all of them back if you find you still need that neurotransmitter support. This is one of a few approaches I use with clients.

Other approaches include: completely stopping one amino acid at a time and monitoring symptoms or reducing the amount one amino acid at a time, also monitoring symptoms. I prefer the latter especially with someone like Amy who has been “managing depression and anxiety with frequent relapse.”

I can also hear that she has some hesitation about stopping her “potion” and going with your gut is a good thing too. She also has a few confounding factors that make me feel staying on them longer may be in her best interest. One factor is her long-term use of birth control pills.

Long term use of birth control pills and the impact on mood and nutritional status

Amy also shares about her use of the birth control pill and how she suspects it’s a factor in her depression and anxiety:

I should also mention I just went off birth control pills. I have taken them since age 16 only stopping for 3 pregnancies and breastfeeding. I am 46. I’ve been on for painful periods. I made the decision to stop for fear of clots, cardiac issues and most importantly my mental well being. I truly believe they contributed to my depression. I believe I’m in perimenopause and have higher than normal anxiety. I’m extremely worried about my periods if I stop the pill and think my amino acid supplements help these worries and I cope better. That’s why I’m reluctant to stop the supplements but still worried about long term use.

Because Amy has been using the birth control pill for around 25 years I’d have her continue with the amino acids for now and address the effects on her gut health and nutritional status first.

Women taking the pill and other hormonal contraception are more likely to be depressed. A Danish study published in JAMA Psychiatry of more than 1 million women aged 15 to 34, with no prior history of depression, were included in the study and followed for 13 years. The researchers found that those women who used the pill were 23% more likely to be depressed and use antidepressants.

You can read more about the effects of the birth control pill on this blog and my book review of “Beyond the Pill” by Dr. Jolene Brighten. As you’ll read it causes vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant depletion (such as folate, B12, vitamin B6 and zinc).

She did actually come back and share that she tried and it didn’t work out going off the birth control pill. She was unable to manage the pain. She needs to address all these root causes first.

There is also no reason for her to be worried about long term use of the amino acids when they are clearly addressing her neurotransmitter imbalances.

The seasonal impact on mood and anxiety

I don’t have clients make changes to their amino acids in the Fall or Winter when there can be seasonal impacts on mood and anxiety. She had shared this too:

I’m more prone to depression this time of year. I think with these 2 factors [seasonal mood changes and the pill] I’ll stay on the regime until the spring.

This is a wise decision for Amy.

I would also hold off on making changes if someone is prone to airborne allergies. This is because there can be a higher need for neurotransmitter support when there are allergies.

Amy has already made many diet and lifestyle changes so she is heading in the right direction:

I have given my diet an overhaul. Not perfect but significantly less refined carbs and sugar. Plenty of fresh produce, healthy fats and protein ( especially animal). I also have committed to daily “body movement”: yoga, Pilates, max trainer, light weights or bike.

All of these changes are starting to support her overall nutritional status and resilience.

A recap of the amino acids Amy is using and the rationale for each one

If you’re new to using individual amino acids, here is a quick recap of the amino acids Amy is using and the rationale for each one.

She is using 500 mg of l-tyrosine in the morning. This supports low levels of dopamine/catchecolamines and improves the curl-up-in-bed kind of depression. You can read more about tyrosine here.

She is also using Endorphigen twice a day. This is a Lidtke product called Endorphigen and provides 500 mg DPA/d-phenylalanine per capsule. It raises endorphin levels, offering a mood boost, typically helping with weepiness and also emotional eating. You can read more about DPA here.

Amy is also using GABA Calm 2x day. This is a sublingual/chewable product made by Source Naturals and is a nice low dose of 125mg per chewable. You can read more about GABA here.

And finally, she is using 1000 mg of tryptophan before bed. This supports low serotonin and improves worry-kind of anxiety and depression, ruminating, obsessive tendencies and also sleep issues. You can read more about tryptophan here.

Keep in mind this is what Amy found works for her unique needs and would have done trials of the amino acids one by one to figure out which ones to use and how much of each to use. There is no one size fits all.

It’s not unusual for folks using the amino acids to describe their results as miraculous!

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

Thanks to Amy for sharing her results and asking this question.

Have you seen similar benefits when using individual amino acids? If yes, which ones have helped you?

What approach have you used to stop or reduce your doses?

And have you continued using the amino acids because of the effects of the pill, seasonal mood shifts or seasonal allergies (or some other reason)?

If you have questions and feedback please share them here too.

My 12 year old son has ADHD, is impulsive, is a loner, craves carbs, and doesn’t do well or care about school – should he be on GABA?

July 21, 2023 By Trudy Scott 17 Comments

I’ve been reading your blogs and I’m trying to decide if my 12 year old son should be on GABA? He has ADHD, is impulsive, is a loner, craves carbs, and doesn’t do well or care about school.

Can you tell me what supplement he could be deficient and where to purchase? He is currently on ADHD medication (Focalin) during the school year.

Janice asked the above question about her 12 year old son. I wish it was as simple as just using the calming amino acid GABA but it’s seldom one amino acid that is the answer. GABA is often one of many supplements that may help and in this instance I suspect a combination of neurotransmitter imbalances (low GABA, low dopamine and low serotonin), pyroluria, other possible nutritional deficiencies and dietary factors are at play. Read on to hear my approach for working through what may help this young man improve his focus, reduce his carbs, actually care about school and doing well, reduce his impulsivity and help him fit in socially – and ultimately lead to him being a happier, calmer and healthier child.

GABA with preteens who have ADHD and spinning-type symptoms

I always start with one of the amino acids because we get quick results and immediate feedback. Since Janice asked about GABA, this is the GABA feedback I shared with her: I’ve had good results with GABA with preteens who have ADHD and spinning-type symptoms. One clue is when the craving of carbs is driven by stress i.e. stress eating. I always start with the symptoms questionnaire and have the parent rate each low GABA symptom on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most severe, ideally in conjunction with their child.

I then have the child do a one-off trial of GABA and we observe improvements in the next 5-30 minutes. If the child reports any improvement in any of the symptoms – in this case focus and spinning driven by anxiety – the child continues with GABA and increases over the next few weeks to find the ideal dose for their needs.

Sometimes focus issues are so severe that it’s too challenging to rate symptoms before, doing a one-off trial of GABA and then rating symptoms afterwards. In cases like this, mom makes the decision to have their child use GABA before school, when they get home and possibly early evening too. Mom can observe their focus and spinning: like getting dressed and ready for school, settling down to homework in the afternoon and settling down for bed.

Relying on feedback from school is invaluable too. Stress related carb cravings are also assessed i.e. does he seek out sugar when stressed and anxious.

A mom shares how GABA helps her 11 year old daughter – GABA for children: ADHD, focus issues, irritability, anxiety and tantrums

My daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD but has a lot of ADHD qualities. We were having a huge amount of behavior problems as she is getting older (she’s 11). She has had amazing behavior at school and at home since giving it to her. She’s almost like a different child. GABA has truly changed our life.

…before the GABA she was irritable, she was fighting with her teacher and schoolmates, she couldn’t focus and was distracted by anything and everything, she was constantly disrupting the class and she was throwing major tantrums over ridiculous stuff (like her hair didn’t do what she wanted), she was mouthy and everything was a fight.

We are not seeing 99% of those behaviors at all anymore. She of course is still your typical pre-teen but if I say “no you can’t have that” our “no you can’t go there” her reaction is OK. Before it would have been a major fight or meltdown. Her teacher is reporting to me every day about her wonderful days.

Tyrosine for focus issues, low motivation and low energy type carb cravings

With focus issues I would also consider the role of low dopamine and do a trial of tyrosine. Other clues: are his carb cravings related to low energy and is there also low motivation tied to the fact that he doesn’t care about school? Are there also signs of depression or low mood?

We go back to the symptoms questionnaire and have the parent rate each low dopamine/low catecholamine symptom on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most severe. Again, do this in conjunction with the child if possible.

We only do a trial of one amino acid at a time so we know what is working. Assuming the GABA has been helping, we’d do a trial of tyrosine next and look for improvements in focus, carb cravings (all neurotransmitter imbalances can lead to carb cravings), motivation and mood.

If the one-off trial approach is not an option, tyrosine is also used before school and right after school but no later than 3pm so as not to affect sleep. Again, the above symptoms are tracked.

In this blog both GABA and tyrosine help this teen: GABA helps 14-year-old with Tourette’s Syndrome (the tics and sleep), and tyrosine makes him happier and his mind sharper

Tryptophan or 5-HTP for ADHD/hyperactivity and afternoon cravings

Hyperactivity can also show up with low serotonin, and so can something like not caring about school i.e. a low mood. A clue here is when his carb cravings are more intense – with low serotonin it’s typically afternoon or evening.

We go back to the symptoms questionnaire and have the parent rate each low serotonin symptom on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most severe. And again, it’s best to do this in conjunction with the child if possible and do a one-off trial of tryptophan or 5-HTP.

If that’s not possible, tryptophan or 5-HTP is used mid-afternoon and evening and symptoms are tracked. This can be layered in on top of the GABA and tyrosine if they are offering some relief.

Here is a blog post where a mom shares how 5-HTP helps her child – ADHD: 5-HTP melts have been a miracle for one of my adopted kids

5-HTP melts have been a miracle for one of my adopted kids. He had lots of trauma and off the charts ADHD. 5-HTP is better than methylphenidate (Ritalin) and we are now weaning off the non-stimulants.

Just 80 mg 5-HTP in the morning is all he needs. He was super ADHD, he had a para (teacher’s aide) in public school for years to keep him on track and this year at a school for ADHD the teachers were complaining that he was never on task. Now after a week it has changed his life.

Addressing pyroluria, low lithium, low zinc, low blood sugar and diet

Janice mentions her son is a loner so we’d look into pyroluria/social anxiety and add zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil (and other key nutrients). Keep in mind that zinc deficiency is common and is often low with ADHD.

She also mentions that he is impulsive. Impulsivity and ADHD is common with low levels of lithium. A big clue is a child having a roller-coaster of emotions. I use this low lithium questionnaire to assess for a need for low dose lithium (a nutritional supplement).

I consider low blood sugar with all my clients and with this young man low blood sugar may be contributing to his focus issues, low mood and desire for carbs. The amino acid glutamine helps as does breakfast and meals with quality animal protein and healthy fats.

And it goes without saying that dietary factors must always be addressed. My book is a great resource when are looking for a comprehensive dietary approach, which is needed with ADHD and the symptoms Janice describes – The Antianxiety Food Solution. There is also a chapter on low blood sugar, pyroluria and the amino acids.

If you are an adult and can relate to any of these symptoms and feelings, the same process applies. Just remember this: there is no one-size fits all since we all have unique biochemistry.

Side effects and longer term effects of stimulant medications

I appreciate Janice for reaching out and asking this question. Hopefully, implementing some or all of these changes, will allow her son to stop his stimulant medication, Focalin. This medication is similar to Ritalin (methylphenidate), which can cause the following side-effects: feeling sad or empty, irritability, loss of interest or pleasure, trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping (and many more).

These stimulant medications can also play a role in longer term health effects that include heart disease and the possibility of it being a gateway drug to other stimulants. The research on the latter is hotly debated but it is often seen clinically.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

To recap, if you are new to using amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low GABA, low serotonin, low dopamine, low blood sugar and low endorphins).

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.

As mentioned, 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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

Have any of the above amino acids helped your child or you with the following symptoms: ADHD and poor focus, carb cravings and low mood/low motivation (doesn’t care)?

Has the pyroluria protocol helped your child or you be less of a loner?

Has low dose lithium helped your child or you with impulsivity and focus issues?

Have dietary changes helped too?

If you are a practitioner, are you using amino acids, the pyroluria protocol, low dose lithium and dietary changes with success in cases like this?

Feel free to post your questions and feedback here in the comments.

Tryptophan had the added benefit of turning me completely off alcohol when I took it to improve mood and sleep during perimenopause

May 12, 2023 By Trudy Scott 33 Comments

I started taking tryptophan 3 years ago to improve mood and sleep (not recognizing I was in perimenopause which it helped), but had the added benefit of turning me completely off alcohol! Lol. What serendipitous timing! I use amino therapy with pretty much all my perimenopause patients now. Thanks to you and Julia Ross’s work. Forever grateful.

Victoria shared this wonderful feedback about the benefits she experienced with tryptophan on a recent Facebook thread and kindly gave me permission to share.

Self-medicating with wine (and other alcoholic beverages) is common when we are anxious or stressed and typically we use it to wind down at the end of the day and to fit in socially. This is common when GABA levels are low and also happens due to low serotonin which declines from mid-afternoon into the evening.

I asked what she had been drinking and how often? And if it was calming for her? This was her response:

Red wine the minute I walked in the door in the evening. I guess it was calming… maybe more reward driven? It would be my reward for getting home from work via picking kids up from sport and doing a grocery shop and … (fill in the blank) that we working mums do and then having to walk straight into the kitchen to start on dinner.

The wine was like my little treat or reward to motivate me to just keep moving with my chores. No time to sit and unwind, just pour the wine and start chopping! Lol… I had tried to stop before but just couldn’t pick up a knife without the wine glass!

Within days, the tryptophan made the wine taste like cat’s pee! Haven’t touched it since. No desire at all. Almost hypnosis like?

How much tryptophan Victoria used and how did it help her quit?

Victoria used the Now Tryptophan 1000 mg at 3pm and 9pm for about a year, eventually stopping it and saying: “Alcohol still does not interest me at all.”

What wonderful results! A typical starting dose for tryptophan is 500 mg midafternoon and evening and she increased this to find her ideal dose of 1000 mg twice a day. She did report that 5-HTP didn’t work for her the way tryptophan did. This is not unusual as some folks do better with one versus the other.

She has a great explanation regarding how tryptophan helped her quit without having to use willpower. She had no time to sit and unwind ….. so she was experiencing some of the calming aspects of getting serotonin support with the amino acid tryptophan. This is a very common benefit.

Serotonin appears to regulate the secretion of beta-endorphins

It is interesting that Victoria mentions a reward/treat benefit which is often due to low endorphins rather than low serotonin. This paper, Roles of β-Endorphin in Stress, Behavior, Neuroinflammation, and Brain Energy Metabolism, states that β-endorphins, in addition to their “potent analgesic effects” i.e. pain relief (both physical and emotional pain), are also involved in “reward-centric and homeostasis-restoring behaviors.”

However, as stated in this same paper, beta-endorphins play a role in stress-relief (common with working moms like Victoria) and are closely connected with serotonin. In fact “serotonin appears to regulate the secretion of β-endorphins” and vice versa. The body is fascinating and so smart.

Amino acids for alcohol addiction: 5-HTP, DLPA and glutamine

We know that amino acids help with alcohol cravings and addiction and have even been used in inpatient settings. This blog illustrates this well – An amino acid supplement with DLPA, glutamine and 5-HTP (and a few other nutrients) eases alcohol withdrawal symptoms at an inpatient detoxification program.

The study authors state that: “the physiological craving for alcohol may be the result of a deficiency of the naturally occurring opiate like substances as well as other neurochemical deficits (i.e., dopaminergic, GABAergic, and serotonergic).

Both tryptophan and 5-HTP support low serotonin worry-type anxiety, low mood and insomnia. Victoria happened to benefit from tryptophan. Someone else may benefit more from 5-HTP or DLPA or glutamine or a combination as illustrated in the above study. And even GABA, which can help with stress-drinking or stress-eating, as well as physical anxiety.

DPA and DLPA support endorphins and provide the reward/treat benefits from red wine that Victoria mentions. You can read about the difference between DPA and DLPA here.

What if you have afternoon and evening sugar cravings instead of wine?

You may self-medicate with sugar, carbs, gluten, dairy instead of wine. Late afternoon/evening cravings are typically related to low serotonin when there are other low serotonin symptoms like low mood, anxiety, ruminations, worry, insomnia, PMS etc. You can see all the low serotonin symptoms here.

In this case, tryptophan or 5-HTP can be used in a similar way to stop the cravings with no willpower required and no feelings of being deprived. You’ll also experience reduced anxiety, improved mood and better sleep. Read more about this on this blog: Would using 5-HTP or tryptophan help when you crave sugar (as a sort of antidepressant) late afternoon/evening?

Other changes Victoria made and how is she doing now?

Victoria did also share that hot flushes “got me in the end though and I gave in to body identical progesterone for the final year of peri” and takes estradiol transdermally now that she is in menopause. Based on seeing these benefits while in perimenopause, she is now trialing tryptophan again for increased irritability. That is a huge plus with amino acids: once we’ve experienced the benefits, you have them at our disposal again and again in the future as your hormones or situation starts to change.

I love that she now uses tryptophan with her patients. She is a physio/physical therapist and exercise scientist turned Functional Health Practitioner having studied with IFM during the pandemic.

Of course, I thanked her for the kind words and shared how fortunate I was to work in Julia Ross’ clinic for 2 years. I also appreciate her for sharing this feedback and allowing me to share it here as a blog post so you get to learn, be inspired and have hope.

And finally, all this illustrates that there is no one-size-fits-all and we often get unexpected side-benefits when using amino acids.

Tryptophan and 5-HTP product options

Victoria happens to respond well to tryptophan and yet some folks do better with 5-HTP so it’s a matter of doing a trial of each.

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan, and Pure Encapsulations 50 mg 5-HTP. 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 50 mg 5-HTP are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

Has tryptophan helped you quit alcohol easily when you could not do so with willpower alone?

Does tryptophan also help with your low mood, anxiety and sleep issues?

What about 5-HTP (some folks do better on one versus the other)?

And has either tryptophan or 5-HTP helped with other afternoon/evening cravings like sugar and other carbs?

If you have questions and other feedback please share it here too.

How did you come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue? (GABA is a calming amino acid supplement used to ease physical anxiety symptoms)

May 5, 2023 By Trudy Scott 27 Comments

Today I’m answering this question that has been asked of me a number of times: How did you come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue? Since there is so much controversy about GABA and the blood brain barrier and whether GABA actually works, it’s time to address this question via a blog post. Using GABA on the tongue, under the tongue and/or on the inside cheek approach is also the most effective way to use GABA and when it’s not used in one of these ways many individuals end up saying GABA didn’t help ease their anxiety and other low GABA symptoms. I also define sublingual – the term I use when discussing this approach – and how this method is broader than just being sublingual. And I share a case study. More on all this below.

So how did I come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue?

I’ve always had clients use a GABA capsule opened on to their tongue for the initial trial, based on them having low GABA symptoms of physical anxiety, stiff and tense muscles, tension, stress eating, insomnia, laryngospasms, intrusive thoughts and self-medicating with alcohol. Doing it this way means we get results right away (for example within 5 minutes they can say their physical anxiety has improved from 9/10 to say 6/10) and we know how to proceed in terms of dosing.

Then I’d have clients go home and swallow the GABA capsules. However not everyone continued to get the same benefits they experienced in the one-off trial so I’d suggest a higher dose, also swallowed.

Then I decided to have clients just continue to use GABA capsules opened or as powder or a liposomal product (more on these below) after the initial one-off trial. Having clients use GABA this way resulted in consistent and superior results and it’s what I continue to recommend.

The many benefits of this approach

There are many benefits to using this approach of using GABA on the tongue:

Seeing better results and in some cases getting results (fullstop!)when you were not seeing any benefits swallowing a GABA capsule
Better results when you have digestive and/or liver issues because GABA bypasses the liver and digestive system.
Quicker/almost immediate results (in 5-10 minutes and often quicker) which is more encouraging and gives you hope right away.
You need less GABA so it’s money-saving too.

I now have folks use all the amino acids this way and it’s working very well.

Defining sublingual, buccal and roof of the mouth and which is best

I use the term sublingual very broadly – under the tongue, in the cheek or on the tongue – for at least 2 minutes and not washed down with water or food right away.

It’s easier but technically sublingual means using GABA under the tongue. This way it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream for immediate use, bypassing the liver and digestive system.

When I talk and write about using GABA on the tongue or sublingually, I’m often asked: How is on tongue vs under tongue different or is it?

This paper, Sublingual Mucosa as a Route for Systemic Drug Delivery summarizes the benefits of sublingual delivery and which area of the mouth provides better results (for drug delivery)

Drug delivery via the oral mucous membrane is considered to be a promising alternative to the oral route. Sublingual route is useful when rapid onset of action is desired with better patient compliance than orally ingested tablets.

In terms of permeability, the sublingual area of the oral cavity (i.e. the floor of the mouth) is more permeable than the buccal (cheek) area, which in turn is more permeable than the palatal (roof of the mouth) area.

The portion of drug absorbed through the sublingual blood vessels bypasses the hepatic first‐pass metabolic processes giving acceptable bioavailability.

I find that either way works (under and on the tongue) and so does using it rubbed on the inside of the cheek/buccal area. I share more on that here – Paroxysmal laryngospasm with low GABA physical-tension-type-anxiety: Is GABA powder rubbed on the inside of the cheek a solution?

One way you could hedge your bets is to use a GABA powder (with some water) or lozenge or liposomal and swish it in the mouth, making sure it gets under the tongue, onto the cheek areas and on top of the tongue. Swish it for about 2 minutes before swallowing. And don’t wash it down with water or food right away.

Amanda’s feedback on GABA calm vs GABA capsules

When I shared some of this on Facebook, Amanda shared her positive feedback:

Sublingual is more effective and faster. I’ve been taking capsules at night and noticed improvement with sleep. Last week we decided to sell our house and I was soooo stressed with prepping and dealing with people.

I had a bottle of GABA Calm I ordered from your recommendation (I didn’t mean to order because I had lots of gaba capsules). I was so thankful because I took two of those and about 15 minutes later I was much more relaxed. They are so helpful!!

A common question I get is this: is GABA Calm better than plain GABA powder? Some folks prefer GABA Calm and others the powder. Either way we do increase to find the ideal dose and using powder allows us to go higher more easily.

But we are all unique and it’s a matter of finding what works best for your needs. Amanda also shared why she feels GABA Calm is so helpful:

GABA Calm also has tyrosine, magnesium, and taurine. It seems for me the combination of the magnesium and taurine with the GABA takes it from helpful to stellar. I know I have a history of low taurine so perhaps that’s why for me.

All this and the fact that it’s a lozenge that is dissolved in your mouth and absorbed quickly makes it so effective for her and so many of my clients.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

What have you found, is GABA opened/sublingual more effective than a GABA capsule swallowed?

What works best for your unique needs – a powder, a chewable or a liposomal product?

And do you find it more effective under the tongue/sublingual, in the cheek/buccal or on the tongue? Or have you not noticed or perhaps find similar benefits with all three ways?

If you have questions and other feedback please share it here too.

Multiple sclerosis: low endorphin research and the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) for pain, depression, comfort and trauma support

April 28, 2023 By Trudy Scott 8 Comments

The research on the role of low endorphins in multiple sclerosis (MS) is exciting because it creates more awareness about a powerful way to offer pain and mood support if you have been diagnosed with this condition. Typically, I ignore the diagnosis when assessing for low levels of neurotransmitters (via a symptoms questionnaire) and have clients do a trial of the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) if they have physical pain symptoms, experience emotional pain symptoms with excessive weepiness/crying and seek comfort via treats/rewarding foods or the numbing effects of alcohol. However, we now know low endorphins play a role in MS (via the endogenous opioid system). By addressing low levels with DPA, you can find some relief of the above pain/depression symptoms and a need for comfort and numbing. DPA may also offer some trauma support if past trauma is a contributing factor (more on all of this below).

Low endorphins play a role in multiple sclerosis: the research

This 2021 paper, Multiple Sclerosis and the Endogenous Opioid System describes MS and the fact that current therapies have limited efficacy: “Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, neuronal degeneration and demyelinating lesions within the central nervous system. The mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis and progression of MS are not fully known and current therapies have limited efficacy.”

What is exciting is the identification of the role of the endogenous opioid system and specific opioid peptides in MS:

Preclinical investigations using the murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS, as well as clinical observations in patients with MS, provide converging lines of evidence implicating the endogenous opioid system in the pathogenesis of this disease.

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that endogenous opioid peptides, binding μ- (MOR), κ- (KOR) and δ-opioid receptors (DOR), function as immunomodulatory molecules within both the immune and nervous systems.

The endogenous opioid system is also well known to play a role in the development of chronic pain and negative affect [i.e. depression], both of which are common comorbidities in MS. As such, dysregulation of the opioid system may be a mechanism that contributes to the pathogenesis of MS and associated symptoms.

Endogenous means internal i.e natural compounds produced by the body and involved in pain relief and mood improvement. This article, Opioid Peptides, describes peptides as compounds that “produce the same effects as the chemicals known as classic alkaloid opiates, which include morphine and heroin.”

It also mentions three major categories of opioid receptors – mu, delta, and kappa – referred to as MOR, DOR and KOR above.

D-phenylalanine for human “endorphin deficiency diseases”

Unfortunately neither of these papers mentions the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) and the fact that it supports endorphin production (by inhibiting the breakdown of endorphins), reducing pain and improving mood – quickly (as in 5-10 minutes).

The use of DPA is not new information as you can read in this paper from 1982 – D-phenylalanine and other enkephalinase inhibitors as pharmacological agents: implications for some important therapeutic application

A number of compounds have been shown to inhibit the degradation of enkephalins. As expected, these compounds produce naloxone reversible analgesia and potentiate the analgesia produced by enkephalins and by acupuncture.

One of these, D-phenylalanine, is also anti-inflammatory.

D-phenylalanine has proven to be beneficial in many human patients with chronic, intractable pain. It is proposed the enkephalinase inhibitors may be effective in a number of human “endorphin deficiency diseases” such as depression, schizophrenia, convulsive disorders and arthritis.

Such compounds may alleviate other conditions associated with decreased endorphin levels such as opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Prevalence of anxiety/depression and alcohol abuse in MS

As I shared in the recent post addressing low GABA symptoms (anxiety, muscle stiffness, swallowing/voice issues and pain) in multiple sclerosis, anxiety and depression is common in this condition. Alcohol abuse is also high. I shared this paper, The incidence and prevalence of psychiatric disorders in multiple sclerosis: A systematic Review, with the following results:

Among population-based studies, the prevalence of anxiety was 21.9% (and up to 35.0% in some papers), 23.7% for depression …and 14.8% for alcohol abuse.

The above Opioid Peptides paper highlights that the endogenous opioid system may be related to excessive alcohol-drinking behavior. In the work I do with amino acids, I see alcohol used as a way to numb out.

All this supports the fact that the amino acid DPA may help ease symptoms of depression and weepiness seen in MS, and self-medicating with alcohol.

The goal is to use these amino acids instead of needing to use benzodiazepines (covered in the above GABA blog), antidepressants and pain medications.

DPA may help trauma in MS, and the freeze response

This paper, Childhood Trauma in Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study, suggests an association between childhood trauma and early-life stress and MS:

Although childhood trauma was not associated with the degree of current MS-related disability, patients with MS with histories of physical and/or sexual abuse had significantly higher relapse rates than patients without early-life stress.

DPA may also offer some trauma support if past trauma is a contributing factor. I learned about trauma and the low energy freeze state (a survival mechanism) from Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH. There is the feeling of numbness and being disconnected when in the freeze state and this eventually becomes the default pattern that the nervous system has been wired into.

Individuals with low endorphins are often in the freeze state and are more emotionally sensitive to everything and because of this they experience much more stress. They also experience a feeling of numbness and feel disconnected. The encouraging news is that the amino acid DPA helps ease the low endorphin symptoms while they are addressing their trauma in other ways, like with somatic work and addressing other biological underpinnings of trauma.

DPA is comforting, helps you feel safe and is often described as feeling like someone just hugged you.

Endorphins and the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) and DLPA (dl-phenylalanine)

If you’re new to endorphins and the amino acid DPA and DLPA here are some blog posts:

Low GABA and low serotonin are common in multiple sclerosis too

Low endorphins are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the underlying neurotransmitter imbalances in MS. Low GABA and low serotonin are common too.

As mentioned, I recently blogged about the GABA research and applications of GABA when it comes to multiple sclerosis. Here is that link.

When that blog was published I had a number of questions (see the comments in the above link) from folks asking if GABA could help with similar symptoms in Parkinson’s: swallowing and voice problems, pain and hand spasms. I said yes – if GABA is low, the amino acid GABA will help. As important as your diagnosis is, it’s always the questionnaire/symptoms that help you figure out if it’s worth trialing GABA, DPA or one of the other amino acids.

Both GABA and DPA can help pain symptoms via different mechanisms, so it’s a matter of doing a trial of each amino acid, one at a time and monitoring your response.

Tryptophan and/or 5-HTP may help ease some of the low serotonin worry-type of anxiety, fear, panic attacks, obsessing, low mood and MS-specific pain issues and insomnia.

If you do have more than one imbalance (which is not unusual), you need to figure out which imbalance you have and address that with the relevant amino acids, one at a time. I have clients pick the area that is more problematic for them and start there.

I gathered some of this research while preparing for an interview with the wonderful Dr. Terry Wahls, MD and author of “The Wahls Protocol.” We were both pleasantly surprised to see these endorphin/MS and other neurotransmitter connections.

I really look forward to seeing future research on the use of the amino acids DPA, GABA and tryptophan in MS. And I’d love to be involved in some studies if you are associated with a research facility or do research.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

Do you have multiple sclerosis and has the amino acid DPA helped with your low endorphin symptoms: pain, depression, alcohol addiction, comfort and trauma support?

How much has helped and which product do you use?

Do you find opening a capsule of DPA helps more than swallowing the DPA capsule?

Were you surprised that DPA would help so much?

What else has helped your multiple sclerosis symptoms? And have you also addressed low GABA and serotonin with amino acids GABA and tryptophan?

If you have questions and other feedback please share it here too.