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GABA helps 14-year-old with Tourette’s Syndrome (the tics and sleep), and tyrosine makes him happier and his mind sharper

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gaba tyrosine teenager

We typically associate low GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, with a physical-type of tension- anxiety that also often affects sleep. However there is evidence that low GABA is also a factor in other conditions. One of these conditions is Tourette’s Syndrome, which is characterized by the presence of chronic tics which can be motor/movement and vocal. In today’s blog I share some research that suggests a deficit in GABAergic transmission may contribute to symptoms in Tourette’s and a case study where a teenage boy found relief from his tics when using the amino acid GABA as a supplement. GABA also improved his sleep. He also made some dietary changes – no gluten, no sugar and no caffeine – and supplemented with magnesium and melatonin. The amino acid tyrosine, used as a supplement, also improved his low mood and focus, both of which can be issues with Tourette’s.

Kim, a mom in this community, shared this wonderful feedback about her son in response to a Facebook post a few years ago:

Because of your book, I started using GABA for my 14-year-old son with moderate to severe Tourette’s Syndrome, and the results have been significant. Highly recommended for tics, and sleep for these individuals. Thank you.

I asked her how much GABA he used and how often and she shared this:

He used 750mg GABA nightly before bed, and if tics are really active then additional 300mg. Lots of water and a balanced diet with no caffeine…. life-saver.

Keep in mind that 750mg is considered a high dose. We typically start with 125mg GABA and increase based on each person’s unique needs. There is the temptation to think “I have tics and this is a very severe condition so I need a high dose to start.” You don’t want to be thinking like this. Some people may not need this much and others may need this high dose. We always use the trial method to figure out the ideal dose.

She also shared that when he added tyrosine, he saw benefits from that amino acid supplement too:

He recently added 300mg of l-tyrosine, and it promotes happiness and a sharper mind, due to brain fog. He says he really notices a difference. He has read your book as well.

How wonderful is this? GABA helped reduce his tics and improved his sleep, and tyrosine improved his mood and focus.

I love that he’s read my book – good for him and this mom! It’s never too early to have you and your child read this information. It’s empowering for them so they understand the changes they need to make and why these amino acids, dietary changes and elimination of caffeine make such a difference.

I recently checked in to see how he is doing now and asked what other nutritional approaches helped/help other than GABA, a balanced diet and no caffeine. She shared this:

He’s gluten free, magnesium for sure for the muscle tics, and melatonin for good sleep (Touretters need a routine sleep schedule).

He’s 18 now and is doing way better as he matures, but GABA no doubt has improved his life. We promote GABA and educate others as much as possible.

All this is so great to hear and I love that they now help to educate others about GABA too.

I appreciate that she gave me permission to share, hence this post. (The image above is a stock image and not her son.)

Tourette’s Syndrome and reduced GABA function

This paper, Reduced GABAergic inhibition and abnormal sensory symptoms in children with Tourette syndrome, describes the condition and the role of reduced GABA function:

Tourette Syndrome is characterized by the presence of chronic tics. Individuals with Tourette Syndrome often report difficulty with ignoring (habituating to) tactile sensations, and some patients perceive that this contributes to a “premonitory urge” to tic. While common, the physiological basis of impaired tactile processing in Tourette Syndrome, and indeed tics themselves, remain poorly understood.

It has been well established that GABAergic processing plays an important role in shaping the neurophysiological response to tactile stimulation. Furthermore, there are multiple lines of evidence suggesting that a deficit in GABAergic transmission may contribute to symptoms found in Tourette Syndrome.

In this study, the authors used testing (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and tasks that were vibrotactile (the perception of vibration through touch) to investigate the role of GABA and atypical sensory processing in these 8-12-year old children with Tourette Syndrome.

They found the following:

  • lower concentration of GABA in the sensorimotor cortex and “impaired performance on tactile detection and adaptation tasks, consistent with altered GABAergic function”
  • the altered/reduced GABAergic function correlated with the severity of motor tics and sensory impairments, “linking the core feature of Tourette Syndrome directly to … brain neurochemistry.”

The authors conclude that this provides a foundation for novel interventions (i.e. medications) but unfortunately do not offer the use of the amino acid GABA as one of these solutions. This is very unfortunate but not unexpected. I plan to reach out to the authors and share this case study and blog.

This research supports why GABA works so well for Kim’s son and why he needed higher amounts of GABA when his tics were more active/severe. And now I’m curious to find out if her son has/had sensory issues and how they improve/improved with GABA. I’ll report back if I hear from her about this.

It’s no surprise that GABA helps his sleep too. There is much evidence supporting this – like the the sleep promoting effects of combined GABA and 5-HTP (or GABA alone or 5-HTP alone).  I’ve also shared many GABA-sleep success stories on the blog. Here is one: Since starting GABA my child sleeps for the first time in years and really notices a difference in his carb cravings. (Use the search feature and “GABA sleep” to find additional blog posts)

Interestingly only 8% of the children in the study had generalized anxiety disorder. Given how common low GABA is in anxiety, and that low serotonin can also be a factor with tics, I would have expected anxiety to be higher.

Evidence supporting the other nutritional changes he made

There is evidence to support the other nutritional changes that Kim’s son made:

  • There are reports that “an increase in tics has been related to the consumption of caffeine and refined sugar.” The authors acknowledge that there is no one diet for Tourette’s, so as always, it’s a matter of figuring out the ideal diet for each child (or adult) with tics. Oligoantigenic diets have been identified as significantly reducing tics. This involves removing foods that can potentially cause a food sensitivity leading to tics and/or behavioral impacts and/or insomnia.
  • A gluten-free diet maintained for one year in patients with Tourette’s Syndrome was shown to markedly reduce tics and OCD in children and adults
  • Magnesium is one of the most used supplements in children with Tourette’s Syndrome. When used with probiotics, omega-3 and multivitamins “Seventy-five per cent of supplement users in the Tourette syndrome group noted improvement, mainly in motor and vocal tics, sleep quality and anxiety reduction.”
  • Melatonin is listed with a number of medications commonly prescribed for tic disorders where sleep issues are also a factor

Keep in mind that the above is not a protocol for relief from tics for everyone with Tourette’s Syndrome. It’s what worked for the unique biochemical needs of Kim’s son.

That said, this could be a framework to start with and build upon.

Tyrosine improves his mood and focus

Tyrosine helps with low catecholamines, improving the curl-up-in-bed low-energy kind of low mood and poor focus. (You can see all the symptoms here.) The typical dose is 500mg tyrosine a few times a day. Kim’s son found just 300mg to be beneficial.

Interestingly, 48% of the children in this study had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with about half of those on stimulant medication. I wonder how many would have also benefited from tyrosine for improving their focus, as it did for Kim’s son.

You can read more about tyrosine for focus and mood, and motivation and energy here.

Resources if you are new to using GABA or tyrosine as a supplement

If you are new to using the the amino acid GABA or tyrosine as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see the low serotonin and other low neurotransmitter symptoms) and a brief overview here: Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

If you suspect low levels of GABA or catecholamines 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 so you are knowledgeable.

And be sure to share it with the team you or your loved one is working with. As I mentioned above, it’s empowering for your teen and also relatively easy reading too.

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 GABA and tyrosine products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

Have you seen results with GABA or any of the above approaches? Or has another approach helped you or your child?

If you’re a practitioner have you seen GABA and any of the above to help? What else has helped your clients/patients?

If you suffer from Tourette’s Syndrome, do you also experience ADHD, insomnia, low mood and/or anxiety?

Feel free to ask your questions here too.

Does 5-HTP make you “wired-tired” and affect your sleep when cortisol is high? (“yes” and “not sure” and “no, 5-HTP was miraculous!”)

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5-htp and sleep

Both 5-HTP and tryptophan are amino acid supplements that are known to help to boost serotonin levels so you can feel happy, calm, sleep well and not crave carbs in the afternoon/evening. They also help with panic attacks and phobias, lack of confidence, depression, negativity, imposter syndrome, PMS, irritability, anger issues, pain/fibromyalgia, TMJ and anger. I typically have my clients with low serotonin symptoms start with a trial of tryptophan because I see such excellent results with this amino acid. That being said, some people simply do better on one versus the other and you may do better with 5-HTP.

There is one big caveat with 5-HTP. I don’t recommend 5-HTP when a client has elevated cortisol levels because we know that it can raise cortisol levels in certain individuals. This can leave you feeling agitated, cranky, as well as “wired and tired” at the same time. You may be able to relate to this if you’ve ever used 5-HTP to help with anxiety and insomnia and ended up feeling more anxious and more wide-awake despite your exhaustion and need for sleep.

Today you’ll hear actual feedback from members of my community who responded to a past blog post: 5-HTP can raise salivary cortisol: does this cause a “wired-tired” feeling?.

Read on to hear how one woman found that 5-HTP did lead to her feeling wired and tired and how 5-HTP made sleep worse and worse in another; how one woman wasn’t sure if 5-HTP caused her disturbed sleep and waking in the night; and how one man found that 5-HTP was miraculous for his wife.  In each instance I offer input and next steps if necessary.  As you can see their responses were very different and my hope is that you may see yourself in some of these “cases” and learn more about using the amino acids.

And be sure to read the original blog post if you’d like to check out the study and some of my feedback on it and using 5-HTP.

5-HTP did lead to feeling wired and tired and made sleep worse and worse

Gloria shared  how 5-HTP did not help her sleep and made her feel wired and tired. She figured out the tryptophan did work for her:

I so appreciate your blog and have learned so much that is helpful. I tried 5-HTP and it did not help me sleep. I do much better on Lidtke tryptophan. The 5-HTP did make me feel wired and tired. I also have that reaction to GABA Calm because of the taurine and do much better on GABA-T SAP. Thank you for all your research.

I appreciate her sharing and am so pleased she has good results with tryptophan. The Lidtke brand is the one I have the most success with. The GABA-T SAP is a combination of GABA and theanine and is another product I recommend and see good results with.

Alexandra knew she had high night time cortisol and yet has been taking 5-HTP at the recommendation of her psychiatrist and her sleep was getting worse and worse. She shared this on the above blog post:

Your posts do not stop amazing me! I have been diagnosed with HPA axis dysfunction with high cortisol at night, my psychiatrist had me on 200 mg of 5-HTP and my sleep was getting worse and worse! I had to stop taking it because I was going to get the DUTCH test done by Geneva and noticed I slept much better without it…. I am so grateful for your posts!

I appreciate her for sharing and glad she made the connection. Hopefully she shared this information with her doctor too.

The 200mg 5-HTP dose is considered relatively high, certainly as a starting dose. I start clients on 50mg and increase based on symptoms so I assume she worked up to taking 200mg.

When 5-HTP is making things worse we switch to tryptophan, also starting low and increasing based on need. Keep in mind that 50mg 5-HTP is equivalent to 500mg tryptophan but I like to have clients start low when making a switch and increase based on results.

It’s always important to address the high cortisol levels (with Seriphos and other adrenal support). And to consider checking for parasites, changes in sex hormones, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), gluten issues and other food intolerances, toxin exposure, new EMF exposure, medication side-effects, mold toxicity and infections – all of which can affect sleep and may impact cortisol levels.

Not sure if 5-HTP caused disturbed sleep and waking in the night

Merrily experienced some really good results using 5-HTP, starting low and working up to her ideal dose of 200mg. And then she started experiencing disturbed sleep and wasn’t sure if it was the 5-HTP:

Because of mood issues – dysthymia [low mood], irritability, negative thoughts, and low energy, my doctor recommended 5-HTP. I started on 50mg 5-HTP and have worked up to 200mg daily (which I’ve been taking at bedtime for over 2 years now). On the occasions when I cut back, mood issues returned which does suggest to me it’s working.

Lately I am experiencing problems with disturbed sleep, waking during the night which I had not associated with the 5-HTP. Shall I switch to tryptophan?

Thank you so much for your blogs, your book and lectures. You really make a difference Trudy!

She has a few options. One is to cut back the 5-HTP again and see if her mood issues return. If they don’t return and sleep improves she can stay on the lower dose but may need to increase it temporarily during the winter time

Another option is to space out her dosing and take less at night and some mid-afternoon.

Finally she could switch to tryptophan. As I mentioned above, 50mg 5-HTP is equivalent to 500mg tryptophan but I like to have clients start low when making a switch and increase based on results.

If these approaches don’t work it would be useful to test salivary cortisol levels to see if her cortisol levels are now high and if yes, address this with Seriphos and other adrenal support as I mentioned for Alexandra above. And to consider checking the same root causes that can affect sleep and cause high cortisol levels.

No, 5-HTP was miraculous for his wife!

When serotonin levels are low and cortisol is not high, results with 5-HTP can be miraculous for some individuals. Russell shared how much his wife benefitted from just 50mg 5-HTP twice a day:

I treated my wife with 5-HTP when she suffered from work burn out, depression and menopause. This all hit at once.

I spent hours researching what I could to relieve the night sweats, mood swings etc. and came upon 5-HTP. I used 50 mg 5-HTP, one before bedtime and the other on waking up and it basically fixed everything that was associated with the problems mentioned above.It was miraculous to say the least and my wife was also very happy.

I’m thrilled for his wife and thanked him for sharing the wonderful results she has experienced with 5-HTP.

If her results were not sustained, I’d suggest taking her doses mid-afternoon and before bed as this is when serotonin is lowest. Otherwise, I’d say continue as above.

Keep in mind that 50mg 5-HTP twice a day is a typical starting dose and we increase from there. In her case, this was sufficient and she did not need to increase her dose or take additional doses during the day.

Positive research and positive case studies

My intention is not to scare you away from doing a trial of 5-HTP if you have low serotonin symptoms, but rather to educate. As with all nutritional approaches, there is no one-size-fits-all so we just need to be smart with using amino acids.

There are also many studies supporting the serotonin-boosting effects of 5-HTP:

These blog posts illustrate other positive case studies where 5-HTP was extremely beneficial:

I see wonderful results like this all the time, but always keep the high cortisol and “wired and tired” potential issues in the back of my mind.

Unfortunately many practitioners only ever recommend 5-HTP due to their concerns about tryptophan.

Resources if you are new to using 5-HTP (or tryptophan) as a supplement

If you are new to using the the amino acid 5-HTP (or tryptophan) as a supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see the low serotonin and other low neurotransmitter symptoms) and a brief overview here: Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

If you suspect low levels of serotonin 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 so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the team you or your loved one is working with.

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 5-HTP and tryptophan products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

Have you used 5-HTP with success? Or have you used it and felt “wired-tired” with an impact on your sleep? Have you correlated the success or failure of your 5-HTP use with your salivary cortisol levels?

What approaches have you used to lower your cortisol levels?

If you switched from 5-HTP to tryptophan did you have success with that?

If you’re a practitioner is this something you see with your clients/patients and take into consideration?

Feel free to ask your questions here too.

GABA for anxiety, unwanted thoughts, sleep, gut pain, burning mouth (and the blood brain barrier theory and zinc-copper imbalance)

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gaba for anxiety

In the lead up to The Anxiety Summit 5: Gut-Brain Axis, Nov 8-14, 2021, today I am going to highlight GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), so you can really connect the dots and understand how far-reaching an impact this calming neurotransmitter has, and how important GABA is as an amino acid supplement.

Here are a few of the many interviews on the summit that feature GABA. Some of these gems come from the experts and some are from me helping to make the connections.

The GABA challenge for a leaky blood brain barrier: a theory

In my interview with Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Fix the Brain to Fix the Gut, we take a deep dive into his GABA Challenge for a leaky blood brain barrier and he shares how it is a theory and agrees that we still have much to learn about GABA:

  • The GABA challenge test was based on the lactulose mannitol test which is a well-established test in gastroenterology for measuring leaky gut.
  • He used GABA because the S100 B and blood brain permeability tests were not readily available at the time.
  • The theory was that if GABA helped ease anxiety or improved sleep, the person had a leaky blood brain barrier because of the GABA particle size.

He is still always suspicious if someone takes GABA and they have a reaction and does always want to go and check the blood brain barrier too.

But Dr. Kharrazian agrees there may be other mechanisms at play: “there is actually the possibility of other pathways that can impact GABA, maybe directly to the gut itself, through the vagus, so I don’t discount those possibilities. The real answer is, we don’t know.”

I have deep respect for Dr. Kharrazian and appreciate having the opportunity to discuss this with him.

Estrogen dominance, low progesterone, zinc-copper balance, GABA and  benzodiazepines

In my interview with Ann Louise Gittleman too, Bile: Key to Anxiety and Hormone Havoc, we talk about high estrogen, low progesterone, zinc-copper balance and GABA:

  • Part of the whole issue with estrogen dominance is that we don’t have enough zinc in our diet and we need the zinc to make progesterone. We know that when we have a copper/zinc imbalance, with high copper and low zinc, we’re going to feel more anxious.
  • And we need zinc in order to make GABA and other neurotransmitters like serotonin. We also need it to make progesterone.
  • Damage to the liver and thyroid that was caused by fluoride was reversed by using the amino acid GABA.

Ann Louise also shares how GABA was a savior for her personally. After suffering from a very bad concussion and a bout with post-traumatic stress she eventually ended up on a benzodiazepine and GABA helped her get off it. The benzo “was very very toxic for my system because I don’t have all the detox pathways functioning the way they should. GABA was my savior. So I’m a big believer in GABA. And to this day, I still take 750 mg at night and in the morning.”

Mimosa pudica seed kills parasites and the whole plant extract modulates GABA

In my interview with Dr. Jay Davidson, Parasites, Anxiety and TUDCA for Your Liver, we take a deep dive into the role of parasites in anxiety and a product he uses for doing a parasite cleanse. Dr. Jay shares these gems about mimosa pudica seed:

  • It is amazing for overall gut support: “So even if your goal isn’t a parasite cleanse, mimosa pudica seed is awesome to help support the digestive tract.”
  • It can help break up biofilm.
  • It’s really good against Candida
  • It helps to normalize microbial levels within the GI system

And I share a study where the whole plant extract of mimosa pudica was found to help modulate GABA receptors. The study reported the benefits were very similar to one of the common antianxiety medications.

I would love to know if the seed has an impact on GABA levels too and will be digging into the research. I’ll share what I find in a follow-up blog post.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a probiotic) increases in GABA levels

In my interview with Dr. Peter Bongiorno, Gut-Brain Axis and Mental Health, he shares a mouse study that found Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a probiotic) led to increases in the calming neurotransmitter GABA:

  • GABA is typically very low in people who have epilepsy and anxiety.
  • “This study is showing us that you can actually increase GABA by just getting a good microbiota and getting the right strains of probiotics into your body.”

I love his description of how he thinks about this: “when the brain gets over-excited it’s like a calm blanket that sort of covers the brain and makes everything feel okay.”

Everyone who has benefited from the calming effects of GABA can relate to this.

GABA for gut pain, throat spasms, burning mouth, and anxiety and sleep

And finally, in my interview, GABA & Tryptophan: Gut-Anxiety Connections, I take a deep dive into all things GABA, sharing how low GABA plays a role in poor gut health and digestion:

  • There is research that shows that low GABA may be a factor with the visceral pain we see with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) i.e. the bowels are very sensitive to the distention or stretch caused by bloating. Using a GABA supplement can help ease the pain very quickly.
  • GABA supplementation also helps to relax throat spasms that we see with vagus nerve issues (I share my vagus nerve story and how GABA helped me).
  • GABA supplementation helps with easing burning mouth syndrome which is very common in menopausal women.

I also go into how low levels of GABA cause physical anxiety and how to do a trial of GABA in order to ease anxiety quickly. I also share the following:

  • Hippocampal GABA enables inhibitory control over unwanted thoughts
  • A combination of GABA and theanine helps improve sleep problems

And I also go into the harmful effects of phenibut, which is often used instead of GABA. It can cause physical dependence and withdrawal issues similar to benzodiazepines.

Of course, I also share some of the profound benefits we see with GABA supplementation. One mom shared this about her daughter whose teachers were concerned about her ADHD and anxiety at school: “Since giving her GABA she has had amazing behavior at school and at home. She’s almost like a different child. GABA has truly changed her life.”

This is what we should expect. We want to have this wow effect!

These interviews dove-tail well with this topic and all tie back to and mention GABA, and anxiety and gut health:

  • Achina P. Stein, DO, DFAPA, ABIHM, IFMCP – SSRI Impact on the Microbiome and Safe SSRI Tapering
  • Hyla Cass, MD – Endocannabinoid System and Your Gut
  • Magdalena Wszelaki – Herbs to Improve Digestion and Support GABA
  • Chandler Marrs, PhD – Thiamine Deficiency in Anxiety and Gut Health (Part 1 & 2)

If this is the first time you’re hearing about the Anxiety Summit 5: Gut-Brain Axis, I encourage you to register and tune in if you have:

  • Anxiety & feel overwhelmed & stressed by little things
  • Panic attacks &/or obsessive thoughts or behaviors
  • Social anxiety/pyroluria
  • Phobias or fears (flying, spiders or even driving on a highway)

And also if you suffer from…

  • Food sensitivities, IBS/SIBO, parasites or gallbladder issues
  • Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, pain & other digestive issues
  • Leaky gut, a leaky blood-brain barrier or vagus nerve issues

Join us if you are also an emotional eater with intense sugar cravings (and know you suffer from low blood sugar), experience insomnia, low mood, PMS, poor focus and/or low motivation.

This is THE online event to learn about the powerful individual amino acids – GABA, theanine, tryptophan, 5-HTP, glutamine, DPA and tyrosine – to quickly ease anxiety and help with gut symptoms while you are dealing with other root causes which take longer to address. (They also help with cravings as with this example, and sleep and immunity).

anxiety summit 5

With research-based anxiety nutritional solutions and practical steps, you can determine your root causes, ease your anxiety and prevent it from coming back so you can feel on top of the world again!

If you are a practitioner, please join us too and find advanced solutions for your clients or patients too!

You’ve heard me say the Anxiety Summit has been called “a bouquet of hope!”  My wish for you is that this summit is your bouquet of hope!

I hope you’ll join me and these incredible speakers, be enlightened and find YOUR solutions!

Register now

If you’d like to find all the GABA mentions throughout the summit (or something else like serotonin or zinc etc), using the searchable PDF transcript is the easiest way to do this. This PDF is included when you purchase the series. If you’re thinking of making a purchase I encourage you to do so now before the prices increase.

Purchase now

 

Here’s to no more anxiety and you feeling on top of the world again!

Wean off prescription pain medication, improve sleep and reduce emotional eating with DPA (an endorphin-boosting amino acid)

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dpa

A question about using the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) to help wean off prescription pain medication was posted on the blog. She was also hoping it would help ease her pain while she was weaning and improve her poor sleep too. I share my feedback on DPA for weaning, timing of vitamin C, additional information for sleep support and using DPA for emotional eating too. Concerns about oxalates and pain are mentioned and the importance of a comprehensive approach.

Here is the question that was posted:

Hi Trudy, I am trying to get off prescription pain medication and have read that DPA really helps – do you have any knowledge and/or experience with this?

There is a very popular opiate withdrawal support website that recommends DPA 500mg 3x/daily. Since amino acids need to be taken away from food and other amino acids, I feel like it could be very easy to make the DPA go to waste if not taken at exactly the right time every day.

The insomnia is the worst part of opiate withdrawal for me – days can go by with only 20-45 minutes of sleep. I have a little one to care for and the stress of no sleep just makes me want to give up.

No sleep worsens my physical pain as I toss and turn for hours on end. It isn’t a surprise that then causes terrible emotional distress.

One more question…since Vitamin C does help withdrawal does it affect/break down DPA?  I take a liposomal version multiple times a day.

Here is my response: Yes, DPA (d-phenylalanine) does help with withdrawal from prescription pain medication and I’ve used it for this purpose with great success with many clients. It does need to be used away from protein and the dosing can vary for each person.

A starting dose of DPA is 500mg and it can be used 3- 4 x day to start, and we increase from there based on the unique need of each person. We typically adjust the DPA up as the prescription medication is tapered very slowly, and under the guidance of the prescribing physician.

I share more about her vitamin C and insomnia questions below.

If you are new to DPA and endorphin support

DPA/d-phenylalanine is an amino acid used as a supplement.

DPA destroys the enzyme that breaks down/inhibits endorphins and in essence raises endorphin levels. Endorphins are feel-good chemicals that you experience with an endorphin rush when you go for a run or when someone gives you a big hug, when you show kindness to someone or an individual does something nice for you.

Taking the amino acid, DPA, as a supplement helps to raise your endorphins and helps when you feel weepy and overly emotional and reduces the need to self-medicate with treats as a reward or for comfort (more on that below). This amino acid is a favorite with so many of my clients and community because it makes them feel so lovely.

In addition to helping with emotional pain, DPA also helps with easing physical pain. And for this reason it can be used to help get off prescription pain medications.

In summary, these are the signs of low endorphins:

  • Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
  • Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
  • Crying or tearing up easily
  • Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
  • Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
  • Craving a reward or numbing treat

DPA and endorphin support for pain: the research

Here is one paper, which discusses how DPA inhibits or breaks down enkephalins (endorphins are closely related compounds) and as a result helps with depression and pain, and acts as an anti-inflammatory: “proven to be beneficial in many human patients with chronic, intractable pain.” The authors also state that a compound such as DPA “may alleviate other conditions associated with decreased endorphin levels such as opiate withdrawal symptoms.”

This paper discusses beta-endorphins and the reward mechanism and how they can induce euphoria, reduce pain and ease addictions and distress: “Long known for its analgesic effect, the opioid beta-endorphin is now shown to induce euphoria, and to have rewarding and reinforcing properties.”

I would love to see DPA used instead of pain meds when possible or used in conjunction with prescription pain medications when they are needed.

I am also very curious to know which opiate withdrawal support website is recommending DPA. I’m so pleased to hear this because it helps so much – for physical pain relief and for weaning off pain medications.

Is DPA the same as DLPA?

DLPA (dl-phenylalanine), although similar sounding, is not the same as DPA and only offers about half as much endorphin support. It also provides dopamine/catecholamine support (i.e. focus, motivation, mood, energy) and this aspect means DLPA has the same precautions as tyrosine. It also means DLPA can affect sleep if used from midafternoon onwards.

I seldom have clients use DLPA and prefer DPA for endorphin support and tyrosine for dopamine/catecholamine support if needed.

Keep in mind, the amino acid DPA, is not the same as the omega-3 fatty acid called docosapentaenoic acid and also abbreviated as DPA.

The brand of DPA that I recommend for my clients

The brand I recommend for my clients is Lidtke Endorphigen. You can read about it and the other supplements I recommend on the supplements blog here.

My recommendation has always been to chew the DPA capsule for the best effects and to get results quickly (in 2-5 minutes). Instead of chewing the whole capsule I now recommend opening the capsule into your mouth. You can read more about using DPA and some client feedback here.

lidtke endorphigen

I’ve used Endorphigen personally too and it’s always with me as part of my travel first-aid kit. I write about using DPA, GABA and acupuncture for pain relief after my back injury and I had DPA, GABA and arnica on hand when I sprained my ankle while hiking in Red Rocks.

Benefits include reduction of emotional/comfort eating too

As I mentioned above, with DPA there is the bonus benefit of endorphin support to help end emotional/comfort eating where you are seeking treats as a reward i.e it helps with physical pain and emotional pain.

You may relate to this if you are someone who would say or think “I just LOVE chocolate-chip cookies!” or “PLEEEEASE don’t make me give up my treats, it’s all I have left after I gave up my coffee and wine! I deserve something nice!”

This emotional attachment to sweet treats and reward-eating is very common with low endorphins.

Using vitamin C with the amino acids and watching for oxalate pain adverse effects

She is correct, vitamin C is best used away from the amino acids so as not to reduce the beneficial effects.

I do caution clients to find the right amount of vitamin C as too much can increase pain in individuals with dietary oxalate issues. I write about oxalate crystal disease here and vitamin C and oxalates here. Both can aggravate insomnia too and increase anxiety.

Address low serotonin, low GABA and/or high cortisol for sleep too

With sleep issues we may also look into supporting low serotonin with tryptophan or 5-HTP,  and/or low GABA levels with GABA and/or theanine. These amino acids can also help with reducing pain in some instances.

Opioids have an endocrine effect via impacts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, affecting sex hormones levels and cortisol levels. Endocrine dysfunction can adversely impact sleep and make anxiety worse, and needs to be addressed. GABA and serotonin support can help with some of the sex hormone imbalances and Seriphos helps when cortisol is too high.

A comprehensive approach is key

Of course, a comprehensive approach is key, so it’s important to remove inflammatory foods (gluten, maybe all grains, sugar, caffeine, unhealthy fats etc), add fish oil if omega-3s are low and include anti-inflammatory nutrients such as turmeric.

And we always want to figure out the root cause of the pain and address it. Also, ruling out if dietary oxalates (and vitamin C) are an issue is important and often overlooked.

I’m a big fan of working with a physical therapist and acupuncturist too.

Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using the amino acids, DPA, tryptophan or GABA, as supplements and want to know more, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and a brief overview here, Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

If you suspect low endorphins, low serotonin or low GABA levels 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 so you are knowledgeable.

Can you relate to any of this? Has DPA helped your pain and/or helped you withdraw from prescription pain meds? And did you even know this was an option?

Did it also help you sleep and make you less anxious/worried because of the reduction in pain?

What about less emotional eating when using DPA/Endorphigen?

Feel free to post your questions too.

Pesticide warehouse fire and spill: environmental effects, detoxification and long-term impacts for anxiety and physical health

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pasticide warehouse and fire spill
The toxic green river/lagoon with poisoned/dead fish piling up (Credit: Drone Fundi)

One month ago, during the political riots in South Africa, a warehouse in Cornubia was burned down causing a slew of pesticides, insecticides and fungicides to be spilled into the nearby river and ocean, and burned into the atmosphere. This happened in a semi-industrial area bordering on residential areas such as Umhlanga Rocks and Sunningdale, and the informal settlement Blackburn. My sister and her family live in Umhlanga Rocks and we frantically communicated (during the riots and after the spill), trying to figure out what was going on, with me offering insights on how to help them mitigate some of the short-term toxic health effects. These included practical steps to avoid the toxic air and water, and some nutritional approaches to start supporting detoxification.

While this blog is specific to the situation in South Africa, something like this could happen near you one day. For this reason, I’m sharing what I have learned and what I already know about environmental toxins so you are aware of the short-term and long-term impacts for anxiety, mood and physical health.

Much of the nutritional support and detoxification recommendations are also applicable if you are dealing with smoke from forest fires too, like much of the western states of the US and Canada right now, and some countries like France and Greece in the EU.

The South African civil unrest and riots that led to the pesticide fire and spill

This article describes the civil unrest and explains how “South Africa suffered an insurrection attempt with two provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng disabled, and national fuel and food supply lines disrupted.” It is thought that twelve masterminds planned and executed it on social media and then lost control after the looting started.

The pesticide warehouse in Cornubia, KwaZulu-Natal, was leased by United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) and was burned down as a direct result of this rioting and looting.

Queen Nandi Drive Durban
One of hundreds of  burning buildings: Queen Nandi Drive, Durban (Credit: Kierran Allen Photography)

The Cornubia warehouse was one of many hundreds of factories, stores and warehouses that were burned down, all contributing to a toxic soup in the atmosphere.

Wildlife photographer, Kierran Allen, captures the above scene and many other shocking images. Check them out on his Facebook page and here.

The pesticide warehouse fire and spill

The UPL product list is long and includes 124 herbicides, 43 fungicides, 52 insecticides and various other chemicals. I looked through some of the categories and found atrazine, paraquat, glyphosate, chlorpyrifos and many more.

As of today, 30 days after the initial fire, the company has not disclosed which products were part of the fire and spill (more on this below).

spilled products

As a result of the warehouse fire and spill, the Ohlanga river and Umhlanga lagoon turned a strange green-blue and thousands and thousands of fish were killed. The beaches and sea water became toxic too. Koi fish in a nearby neighborhood pond died. Surfers reported burning skin while surfing at Umdloti, 12 km north of the lagoon mouth.

Individuals in the community reported headaches, burning skin and eyes, asthma, nose and throat problems, and coughing. I also saw a report of “oily black goop floating on my pool surface” and getting on the paws of their cats and dogs.

Drone Fundi published an excellent 3-minute aerial video on their Facebook page and gave me permission to snag a screenshot of the dead fish image for this blog.

Umhlanga river

umhlanga river
The toxic green-blue river/lagoon with poisoned/dead fish piling up (Credit: Drone Fundi)

Excellent coverage by environmental journalist, Tony Carnie

Environmental journalist, Tony Carnie, has provided the most comprehensive coverage in a number of excellent articles on The Daily Maverick blog:

daily maverick article

Red flags about the fire and spill that concern me

As I read the media articles, the company press releases and reached out to the company, a number of concerning red flags started showing up:

  • UPL hired a risk management company to do the press releases and respond to enquiries. I did correspond with them and although very responsive they didn’t initially provide details of what pesticides were involved and then offered a partial list
  • The first press release on July 17, 2021 mentioned a warehouse storing “plant protection products.” I had never heard this term before and had to look it up – they are pesticides and other chemicals like insecticides and fungicides. It took a good few days for this to make it into media reports
  • UPL consulted with Dr. Gerhard Verdoorn and shared this in a press releases on July 19, 2021:

    He was provided with a list of the crop solution products stored in the warehouse, and was requested to provide guidance on the possible health implications posed by the release of these products into the environment.

    In his view, there is a minimal risk of any long-term effects to the health of people exposed to smoke from the warehouse. However, exposure in the short term to some of the chemicals contained in the crop solution products may result in dermal, eye and respiratory irritation.

This does not mention that Dr. Verdoorn is an industry spokesperson and I have concerns that they continue to downplay the severity and possible long-term impacts.

This same press release did mention some of the chemicals that were in the fire:

Some of the herbicides, such as chloroacetamides (for example, acetochlor, S-metalochlor), phenoxycarboxylic acids (2,4-D, MCPA and benzoic acids, or dicamba) may not have burned out completely. Two pyrethroids – alpha-cypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin – which are dermal, eye and respiratory tract irritants may have been present in the smoke.

  • One of my first thoughts was why is this warehouse located so close to residential areas and why don’t they have safety measures in place
  • 30 days later there is no disclosure of what pesticides and how much (The Daily Maverick blog reports this). One article mentioned they don’t want to provoke anxiety in the community by sharing the list. Not knowing causes anxiety and concerns.
  • 30 days later there is no expert commentary on long term potential impacts (I share more on this below) and long term mitigation/cleanup and detoxification approaches for the community

After watching movies like Erin Brockovich, Dark Waters (the true story of Dupont and Teflon) and Rainmaker, red flags like this need to be documented. I’m more than happy to take all this back if and when things change.

I share all this for the residents of this area who are being impacted right now, and so you can get an idea of red flags to look out for if you encounter something like this in your neighborhood one day.

Update August 17th: The list of chemicals

According to this Daily Maverick article, Here it is: The toxic stockpile of chemicals in torched United Phosphorus Limited Durban warehouse

*More than 26 000 kilograms of Masta 900, an insecticide containing the “very potent neurotoxin” methomyl for which “contact with skin, inhalation of dust or spray, or swallowing may be fatal.”

*Another 1 800 litres of methamidophos, also a “very potent neurotoxin”.

*More than 40 000 litres of products using the herbicide paraquat which poses “high risk for all life forms”.

*Over 19 000 kilograms of Terbufos, another “very toxic” chemical presenting “high risk to all forms of life”.

*More than 600 000 kilograms of products containing tebuthiuron, a chemical classified as “very toxic to aquatic life … with long lasting effects” sold under a variety of brand names including Lava 800 and Limpopo SC.

*More than 160 000 kilograms of potassium hydroxide and 100 000 kilograms of ammonia hydroxide, both intermediate products used in manufacturing that are “extremely caustic” chemicals that burn skin on contact.

*More than 3 000 kilograms of Cyprex, a “highly active herbicide” containing halosulfuron-methyl, a product that “may damage the unborn child”, according to the European Chemicals Agency.

*More than 500 000 litres of Triclon, a product containing triclopyr butotyl and classified as “flammable, harmful and environmentally hazardous” and that “may cause lung damage if swallowed”.

*More than 30 000 litres of MSMA 720, also known as monosodium methylarsonate which has been shown to have “limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect”, and over time converts to inorganic arsenic in soil with the potential to contaminate water sources.

*More than 30 000 kilograms of oxamyl-based insecticides, including products Bandito and Oxadate, that also present “high risk for all life forms”.

*Almost 11 000 kilograms of Tenazole, containing “extremely flammable” fungicide terbuconazole.

*More than 1 000 litres of Colloso, a fungicide containing the active ingredient carbendazim which “may cause heritable genetic damage”,  “may impair fertility”, and “may cause harm to unborn child”.

Practical solutions for short-term immediate exposure

As soon as I learned what had happened I started reading everything in the local media, contacted UPL, looked up the products they carry and immediately shared Dr. Elisa Song’s 2018 blog with my sister and friends: How to Detoxify When Air Pollution is High. Dr. Song published this resource for keeping children and families safe and healthy through the tragedy of the 2018 California fire season.

I knew her advice on “Optimizing Indoor Air Quality” would be perfect for the toxic pesticide situation too:

  • keep doors and windows closed at all times
  • have separate outdoor clothes and shoes
  • vacuum daily and use a HEPA filter
  • bring plants inside to help improve air quality
  • use your air conditioner as another way to clean the air and
  • diffuse essential oils.

My additions were as follows:

  • don’t hang clothes on the washing line
  • keep your pets inside and wipe them down after they go outside
  • ideally go somewhere away from the situation
  • definitely don’t go to the source to see what is happening as exposure will likely be much higher.

I also reached out to colleagues for specific information relating to a pesticide spill and certified Toxicity and Detox Specialist, Sinclair Kennally, very kindly did a write up specially for this situation. In her blog post, Environmental Toxin Exposure: what to do when disasters hit, she shares wonderful advice on:

  • daily best practices during the disaster
  • DIY strategies to reduce toxic exposure when supplies are scarce
  • herbs that can be used for first aid in a pinch
  • most important supplements for recovery afterwards
  • using activated charcoal or zeolite on laundry loads
  • making your own air filter pet care (using apple cider vinegar and bentonite clay/activated charcoal)
  • emergency essentials (especially water).

Detoxification solutions, and respiratory and immune health

Dr. Song’s detox advice on the same blog on “Supporting Respiratory and Immune Health” is very applicable for a pesticide spill such as this and for forest fires (and other environmental pollution): “Daily epsom salt baths to support detoxification and enhance magnesium and glutathione levels,” liposomal glutathione, extra magnesium and essential oils to support detoxification, immune and respiratory health. She mentions citrus and lavender essential oils which offer the added benefit of being calming and helping with sleep too (more on that below).

On Sinclair’s blog she empahsizes “Toxin excretion is the most crucial stage of any disaster” and she discusses sauna, binders, mobilizers and support for detox pathways in great detail.

The stores were all closed because of the looting so I gathered some additional resources in case folks didn’t have certain things on hand:

  • N-Acetyl Cysteine/NAC – improves glutathione levels, is a powerful antioxidant, “acts directly as a scavenger of free radicals” and is a mucolytic (clears mucus and relieves breathing difficulties)
  • Rooibos tea – is neuroprotective and it’s “cell-protective activity …is connected with the ability of reducing glycaemia, inflammation as well as oxidative stress.” It also eases anxiety and supports healthy cortisol levels
  • Apple cider vinegar (preferably organic with the mother) – “could be promising for attenuation of liver cell damages induced by several toxins through its powerful antioxidant properties” due to its major constituents of flavonoids and polyphenols.
  • Broccoli sprouts or extract – “the sulforaphane may be exerting its protective actions by activating a signaling molecule, NRF2, that elevates the capacity of cells to adapt to and survive a broad range of environmental toxins.” The authors go on to say it’s a “frugal, simple and safe means that can be taken by individuals to possibly reduce some of the long-term health risks associated with air pollution.”  A simple way to get some of these benefits is to make your own homemade broccoli sprouts (easy and lots of fun to nurture them and watch them grow!) and to consume them daily!
  • Vitamin D3 – “vitamin D is a significant factor in detoxification and protection against environmental toxins” (used based on vitamin D levels i.e. always test first)

Sleep, stress/anxiety, pyroluria and immunity

Sinclair starts with a reminder to “be gentle and kind with yourself and others” and Dr. Song also mentions the importance of  managing stress: “Psychological stress IS a toxin and fills up our inflammation bucket as much as any physical toxin.” Dr. Song recommends some wonderful kid’s books and breathing/meditation apps.

Of course, I wholeheartedly support their sage advice. I also recommend increasing tryptophan or 5-HTP, and GABA, as needed, if you are already using these amino acid supplements. You’ll increase  tryptophan or 5-HTP for the worry-type low serotonin anxiety and/or GABA for the physical-tension low GABA anxiety.

Supporting serotonin and GABA levels also help with sleep issues and GABA also supports a good immune system.

We know these chemicals can have a direct impact on neurotransmitter levels. One example is the insecticide fipronil impacting GABA levels. In this blog I share how the main mechanism of action is by targeting the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor and that recent research points to increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory problems and even Alzheimer’s disease in animal studies.

Another example is the herbicide glyphosate, which affects gut microbiota, causing anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice, very likely via alterations in GABA and serotonin levels.

I also recommend bumping up your pyroluria supplements because zinc and vitamin B6 are depleted by added stress and worry.

Potential long term impacts on mental and physical health

This paper, Environmental Exposures and Depression: Biological Mechanisms and Epidemiological Evidence shares that pesticides are “quickly absorbed through the skin, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and the placenta” and can cause depression via various mechanisms:

  • Inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which results in decreased degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
  • Interference with the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems

Depression may also be caused by DNA methylation in specific genes, “increased oxidative stress, astrocyte dysfunction, and impaired hippocampal neurotransmission.”  Prenatal exposure also increases the risk of depression.

This chapter, Psychiatric Effects of Organic Chemical Exposure, from the book, Effects of Persistent and Bioactive Organic Pollutants on Human Health, states that:

Clinicians should remain aware that psychiatric symptoms can arise from toxic chemicals in diverse situations including terrorist attacks with chemical agents, mass chemical disasters in industrial or community settings, individual chemical accidents, and intentional solvent inhalation. Emerging evidence also indicates that prenatal exposure to organic compounds adversely affects neurodevelopment in humans and may be associated with later risk of mental illness.

Other chapters in this book cover cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, thyroid function, women’s and men’s reproductive health, bone and joint health, immunity, respiratory illnesses, cognitive function and Parkinson’s disease.

All this is why we need to know what products were part of the fire and spill.

Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using the amino acids tryptophan/5-HTP or GABA as supplements and want to know more in case you need them in a future situation, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the low serotonin symptoms here) and a brief overview here, Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

If you suspect low serotonin or 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 so you are knowledgeable. It also covers all the basics of a healthy diet that Dr. Song recommends.

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 acid products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

With much appreciation to Dr. Song, Sinclair for their helpful resources, the journalists, advocates and photographers, and to all the researchers.

Have you (or a loved one) experienced a pesticide or other environmental spill/disaster (or excessive smoke from a forest fire) and have these detox approaches and anxiety/sleep recommendations helped (or are they helping right now)?

Do you have any additional tips to share?

Feel free to post any questions here too.

Using both tryptophan and GABA supplements together for easing anxiety: questions and answers

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tryptophan and gaba for anxiety

I get many questions about using both tryptophan and GABA supplements together for easing anxiety and today I’m sharing some of these questions and my answers. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions you may have related to using both these amino acids together. You’ll also read about some reasons for the confusion about when to use GABA vs tryptophan, some success stories and some research.

Let’s start with this question since it’s one that I get asked many many times:

Should one use GABA and tryptophan together for helping with anxiety symptoms?

I have many clients who need and use both but it’s because they have low GABA and also have low serotonin, both driving different types of anxiety symptoms. It’s important to recognize that each amino acid supplement addresses a very different set of symptoms.

With low GABA levels they will have physical anxiety, tension, stiff and tense muscles and often self-medicate with alcohol in order to relax. Sleep may also be a problem with lying awake feeling tense. Because they also have low serotonin they will have the worry-in-the head type of anxiety, ruminations, and obsessions. They may also have panic attacks, negativity, anger, irritability, PMS, TMJ, lack of confidence and insomnia. (Here is a list of all the low serotonin and low GABA symptoms).

You should only use GABA and tryptophan together if you have both low GABA and low serotonin symptoms.  This will address these particular root causes.

My anxiety has improved significantly with GABA, should I also try tryptophan/5-HTP?

This is another common question I get about using tryptophan and GABA supplements together (paraphrased from one of the blog comments so I could share my feedback here):

I’m using GABA and my anxiety has improved significantly, however, the anxiety I feel in my body immediately upon waking is still bothersome. What would you recommend for the anxiety in my body on waking (that improves when I get out of bed, start moving around and as the day progresses)?

Could I try 5-HTP/tryptophan in addition to GABA?

We always want to capitalize on what is already working. GABA has improved her anxiety significantly, so I’d want to have her figure out how much it’s improved (for example from say 10/10 with 10 being worse to 5/10 with the GABA). Then we’d bump up the GABA to see if additional gains are seen. This could mean a higher dose at night and could also mean a small dose in the morning on waking. And then figure out the improvement and adjust up again if needed.

There is no reason why she shouldn’t try either tryptophan or 5-HTP too but only if she also has other low serotonin symptoms other than morning anxiety. And also, only once she has established the ideal dose for the GABA. She mentions “the anxiety in my body” so I suspect it’s the low GABA physical-tension type of anxiety. We often see low GABA and low serotonin go hand in hand so it’s very likely she’ll also benefit from serotonin support too.

Some reasons for the confusion about when to use GABA vs tryptophan

One reason for this confusion is that there are many combination products on the market that contain both GABA and tryptophan (and other nutrients). The company is trying to make a one-size-fits-all product in the hope it will help many folks. The problem is that it’s not individualized to your unique needs – which may be low GABA or low serotonin or both. Even if it is low GABA and low serotonin that you suffer from, a combination product may not work if, for example, you need a very small amount of GABA and need a much higher dose of tryptophan.

Another reason is that many well-meaning practitioners do not help their client/patients make the distinction between low serotonin and low GABA symptoms. This happens because they often don’t understand this either.

Another reason is that many folks jump in and start using these amino acids without really understanding how and why they work, how to use them and what to look out for. It’s why I highly recommend that everyone planning to use them reads my book first, The Antianxiety Food Solution.

GABA and tryptophan have helped immensely with ruminating thoughts and PTSD – can I stay on them indefinitely?

KJ posted these great results and her question on the blog:

Hi Trudy, I love your blogs and I’ve read your book, The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution – excellent! I have been taking GABA and tryptophan for about 6 months and they have helped me immensely with ruminating thoughts and PTSD. Sometimes I try to go off GABA and Tryptophan for a day or two, but the ruminating thoughts come back, so my question is, can I stay on GABA and Tryptophan indefinitely? I am 59, have no health problems and take no prescription medications.

It’s super to hear GABA and tryptophan have helped with her ruminating thoughts and symptoms of PTSD. I shared that there is no research on long-term use and we should always keep looking for the reasons serotonin and GABA are low and try to address these. Since she has my book I assume she has also implemented all the diet recommendations (no gluten, no caffeine, no sugar, eating for blood sugar control etc), addressed her gut health (candida, parasites, digestive enzymes etc) and looked at low zinc and low vitamin B6 too. There are many other factors to consider – I list 60+ nutritional and biochemical causes of anxiety here.

Jessica says GABA and tryptophan have been life-changing

Here is some feedback from Jessica about how GABA and tryptophan has been life-changing for her – and in only a matter of weeks:

I started taking Gaba and tryptophan about 3 weeks ago after reading about the benefits on this page. It’s been life changing!

I take 1000mg tryptophan at night and 100mg GABA in the morning. Ruminations and obsessive thoughts are almost non-existent now. I have less tension in the jaw and neck. I feel like I’m able to deal with everyday stressors that were overwhelming me prior to starting these supplements.

She started with the tryptophan and added the GABA after about a week.

Jessica clearly had both low serotonin and low GABA symptoms. The ruminations, obsessive thoughts and overwhelm were likely related to low serotonin. The jaw and neck tension are classic low GABA but serotonin support also helps with TMJ too.

Paula would not be able to sleep without GABA and tryptophan

Paula shared this feedback on the blog post where I write about GABA, Heartmath and EFT easing Micki’s mold-induced anxiety and panic attacks:

This was an interesting article because I use both GABA and Tryptophan and would not be able to sleep if I did not use them. I have also had chronic mold exposure. It never occurred to me that the reason I have to take these things in order to sleep is due to the mold in my system.

Toxic mold can impact neurotransmitter production and GABA and tryptophan can provide some relief while the mold is being addressed.

Some research where tryptophan and GABA have been used with success

Here is some research where tryptophan and GABA (and similar amino acids) have been used with success:

This study shares the case of a 13-year-old boy with an essential tremor that caused severe functional impairment. He responded to a Mediterranean diet and supplementation with GABA and tryptophan and was able to resume his plans to pursue a musical career as a guitar player.

The combination of theanine (an amino acid which also supports GABA levels) and 5-HTP (another precursor to serotonin) led to “significant decreases in parent reports of the children’s behaviour problems.”

Resources if you are new to using GABA and tryptophan as  supplements

If you are new to using the amino acid tyrosine as a supplement, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and a brief overview here, Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

As I mentioned above, 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 so you are knowledgeable.

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 GABA and tryptophan products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

As with all individual amino acids we use GABA and tryptophan for quick relief of symptoms. And we also always focus on the foundations like diet, the gut, adrenals and stress levels.

Do you have questions about using GABA and tryptophan together?

Have you used the combination of GABA and tryptophan with success? How did they help you and what was your timing and dosing?

Feel free to post your other related questions here too.

 

[The above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.]