tyrosine

“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 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.

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 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).

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.

Psychiatric Complications of Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Mild Hypercalcemia: anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, delusions and impaired cognition

July 7, 2023 By Trudy Scott 38 Comments

In samples of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), these disturbances have been identified at a rate of 43.1%–53.0% for anxiety, 33.0%–62.1% for depression, 22.0% for thoughts of death or suicide, 51.9% for anger and irritability, 5.0%–20.0% for hallucinations and delusions, and 37.3%–46.5% for impaired cognition.

In fact, it has been noted that there are more neuropsychiatric phenomena in PHPT than is often recognized and that these symptoms are easily missed, particularly in the elderly population.

This excerpt is from, Psychiatric Complications of Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Mild Hypercalcemia, published in Psychiatry Online.

I’ve recently been reading as much as I can about this condition, for personal and professional reasons. As soon as I learn about something new I go digging to see if there is an anxiety connection. And I must say I was very surprised to read these stats. It’s not something I’ve heard discussed or taught at mental health conferences.

The authors also state this about the condition:

The incidence of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is about 21 cases per 100,000 person-years, and the disorder is usually caused by a solitary parathyroid adenoma. PHPT has traditionally been recognized by its characteristic symptoms, including urolithiasis (“stones”); osteopenia and osteoporosis (“bones”); abdominal cramping, nausea, and peptic ulceration (“moans”); and depression, anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, insomnia, confusion, and personality changes (“psychiatric overtones”).

How do changes in serum calcium levels contribute to mental health and cognitive symptoms?

It’s always helpful to understand the mechanism and it was the first thought that went through my mind – how does hyperparathyroidism and changes in serum calcium levels cause these mental health and cognitive symptoms? The authors share this:

Although the pathogenesis [or cause] of psychiatric symptoms in primary hyperparathyroidism remains unclear, calcium is thought to figure prominently in determining changes in monoamine metabolism in the central nervous system(CNS), thereby modifying neurotransmission and resulting in alterations in mood and cognition.

I went digging and found this paper – Acute psychosis secondary to suspected hyperparathyroidism: A case report and literature review.

The authors also state that the mechanism isn’t known for certain. And although they are referring specifically to psychosis, the explanation could be applied to other symptoms too: “It is thought that the changes in serum calcium level slow down nerve function and neurotransmission rate, inducing psychosis (and other symptoms like anxiety, depression, anger, irritability and suicidal thoughts).

Understanding this possible mechanism helps us find a temporary solution for these symptoms until the hyperparathyroidism is addressed with surgery i.e. using amino acids as supplements.

Using amino acids to ease symptoms while you are seeking the root cause/s

If you’ve been following my work and have read my book The Antianxiety Food Solution, you’ll be familiar with using targeted amino acids as supplements to support low levels of neurotransmitters. These provide quick relief of symptoms (in a day or less) while you are seeking the root cause.

If we look at the above symptoms:

Anxiety can be a sign of low serotonin (worry type of anxiety) and/or low GABA (physical type of anxiety) – and tryptophan/5-HTP and/or GABA help ease symptoms.
Depression can be a sign of low serotonin (negativity), low dopamine (curl-up-in-bed depression) an/or low endorphins (weepy depression) – and tryptophan/5-HTP, tyrosine and/or DPA help ease symptoms.
Irritability and anger are common with low serotonin – and tryptophan/5-HTP helps to ease symptoms.
Low GABA can also be involved with anger and rage
Cognitive issues can be caused by low dopamine and low GABA – and tyrosine and/or GABA help ease symptoms

(You can find the symptoms questionnaire here. As always, amino acids are used based on symptom clusters and dosed according to your unique needs.)

If you find you have been using the amino acids long term and have explored all the possible root causes described in my book and summarized here, it may be worth investigating primary hyperthyroidism especially if you’re menopausal.

Case: “I had to have a parathyroid gland removed a few years ago… I literally felt better from the moment I came round from the surgery”

We always want to find the root cause when we have various symptoms. With this condition, it’s common to observe very quick resolution of symptoms after parathyroid surgery to remove the adenoma/s. Someone in our community shared this:

I had to have a parathyroid gland removed a few years ago … I literally felt better from the moment I came round from the surgery. It’s a miserable disease. I thought I was going to die! Lots of people get so low that they don’t feel like they can go on.

Bone pain was awful. Fatigue, depression etc.

I had had some dental issues around that time. One of my teeth crumbled. My Vitamin D went down to 9 so I am sure that was a large part of the puzzle.

I was actually diagnosed fairly quickly but was retested many times. I self-referred to a surgeon that was in-network in the end as my insurance wouldn’t cover various surgeons that my doctor wanted me to go too.

I had had breast cancer a few years ago and so had had weekly blood tests and, when I went back and looked, my calcium had been high for years. So important to read our own results.

The surgery was so easy.

What an amazing outcome for this woman and I appreciate her for sharing so we all get to learn and benefit from her journey. And yes, I agree, we need to advocate for ourselves and ask for and keep copies of all our labs. And get educated and ask questions. It’s really unfortunate that high calcium and hyperparathyroidism is so often missed.

Not everyone has all the listed symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism. This woman did experience fatigue, depression and bone pain. She did not experience anxiety and didn’t have kidney stones. I do suspect dietary oxalate issues (without kidney stones) can be an issue for some folks because of the calcium disruption.

Some reasons why hyperparathyroidism is underdiagnosed

In the last few months I have learned that primary hyperparathyroidism is underdiagnosed. PTH (parathyroid hormone) is not routinely tested and I believe that it should be. Also, as you read above, elevated calcium levels are often ignored or brushed off as being a non-issue. And to complicate things further calcium is not always elevated. Hyperparathyroidism is also underdiagnosed and undertreated in the elderly.

For many women (and men) the discovery happens after they are diagnosed with osteoporosis and then calcium and PTH are tested, and/or past elevated calcium levels are “discovered.” If the hyperparathyroidism diagnosis happens first then osteoporosis screening is not always done and I believe it should be. And don’t get me started on when I believe osteoporosis screening should start (at 45 and not 65 or 70 years old) and issues with DEXA screening (more to come on this).

The good news is that primary hyperparathyroidism is a well-established cause of secondary osteoporosis which starts to resolve after the surgery too.

I’m still very much in learning mode

Primary hyperparathyroidism only recently appeared on my radar as a result of the 2023 osteoporosis summit, hosted by my friend and colleague, Margie Bissinger, Physical Therapist and osteoporosis coach. Dr. Deva Boone was a speaker on this condition on the summit and her site is a wealth of information. I appreciate them both.

As I mentioned above, I am also amazed it’s not something I’ve heard about at mental health or integrative health conferences and when doing continuing education.

I will admit I’m no expert and I’m still very much in learning mode – for myself and for you and this community. But, as you know, I like to share what I learn. As I continue to learn, I plan to share additional perspectives and the osteoporosis/menopause and oxalate links.

I am also in the process of creating a hyperparathyroidism questionnaire to use with my clients. Not everyone has all the above symptoms and not all the papers and resources list all the symptoms covered here today. For example, fatigue is listed on many sites but not in the above two papers and very few sites emphasize the mental health symptoms.

I’m also learning there are clues to look for – like forearm results on the DEXA scan and a good TBS/trabecular bone score has some significance. Stay tuned.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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.

If you’ve been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism (or a family member has been) you can likely relate to much of this. Please share your/their journey. I’d love to hear how long it took for a diagnosis and treatment and what symptoms resolved after surgery, and how quickly.

Did you find the amino acids helped anxiety, mood and cognition symptoms in the short term, and then were no longer needed after surgery?

If you’re new to hyperparathyroidism, feel free to ask your questions and share what you’d like to hear more about in the follow-up blog.

If you are a practitioner, is primary hyperparathyroidism on your radar and do you recommend PTH testing in addition to calcium testing? Have you found the amino acids to be a good short-term solution for your clients/patients?

And if hyperparathyroidism is your area of expertise, feel free to add to the discussion.

Feel free to post your feedback here in the comments.

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) is an abrupt emotional “drop” that occurs in some women just before milk release

June 23, 2023 By Trudy Scott 4 Comments

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) is an abrupt emotional “drop” that occurs in some women just before milk release and continues for not more than a few minutes. The brief negative feelings range in severity from wistfulness to self-loathing, and appear to have a physiological cause.

The authors suggest that an abrupt drop in dopamine may occur when milk release is triggered, resulting in a real or relative brief dopamine deficit for affected women.

Clinicians can support women with D-MER in several ways; often, simply knowing that it is a recognized phenomenon makes the condition tolerable. Further study is needed.

The above abstract is from this paper published in 2011 – Dysphoric milk ejection reflex: A case report.

Alia Heise (AH) is co-author of this paper and coined the term D-MER. She is sharing her breastfeeding and D-MER experiences as the case.

Many women who are struggling with these feelings don’t ask for help and when they do they are often dismissed. The authors share it’s “a breastfeeding problem for which affected mothers seem only rarely to seek or receive help.” I’m sharing this case and more about D-MER for these reasons and because troubled mothers often stop breastfeeding.

Read on to learn about the dopamine hypothesis and how Rhodiola helped Alia.

Feedback from struggling moms

The authors share this description from a struggling mom:

If you read Harry Potter they talk about the creatures that suck the soul out of you and when they are around it makes you cold and you start to focus on negative things and fall into this abyss of negative thoughts – that is how D-MER was for me at times.

Someone in my community shared this when I posted the case on Facebook:

I experienced an extreme emotional response. I would describe it as a wave of huge anxiety… almost suicidal at times but only during letdown (it lasted only a couple of minutes if that, but it was so severe.)

I started noticing it when I would pump. After I researched it I figured out there was a name for it and a reason. I never could find anyone to help me… I remember mentioning it to my doctor and she had never heard of it. I just suffered through and so my breastfeeding/pumping journey ended at 6 months.

I appreciate Alie and the authors for helping to create awareness and these moms for sharing their experiences. Hopefully this information will mean fewer moms struggle alone with D-MER and more awareness amongst practitioners.

I share some highlights below but be sure to read the entire paper here – Dysphoric milk ejection reflex: A case report.

The spectrum of D-MER symptoms and a drop in dopamine hypothesized as the cause

Here is the spectrum of D-MER symptoms (as listed in the above paper):

Depression, wistfulness, homesickness, apprehension, hopelessness, hollowness in stomach (first 3 months)
Anxiety, dread, panic, irritability (6 to 12 months)
Anger, tension, agitation, paranoia (until weaning)

A drop in dopamine is hypothesized as the cause in susceptible mothers (also from the above paper):

Based on AH’s experiences, and until more is known, it is the authors’ very humble hypothesis that a drop in dopamine either facilitates or parallels each oxytocin spike in lactating human mothers, and that it is this dopamine drop that results in D-MER in susceptible mothers.

What adds value to Alia’s dopamine hypothesis is that bupropion, a dopamine reuptake inhibitor (i.e. a medication that increases dopamine), reduced her symptoms in a day and eliminated her symptoms in 5 days. She did, however, have to stop the medication due to side effects.

Rhodiola prevents the breakdown of dopamine, increasing it’s availability

Alia then learned about a herb called Rhodiola rosea that “is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that prevents the breakdown of dopamine, increasing its availability.”

When she used Rhodiola her symptoms became much milder and when she missed taking Rhodiola her D-MER symptoms were worse. She didn’t notice any changes in her milk supply.

I will add that Alia used Rhodiola when her daughter was 14 months old and her D-MER symptoms were “somewhat reduced, but still extremely troublesome.” I have to wonder if she may have needed to use a higher dose when her daughter was a new-born and Alie’s symptoms were more severe.

Safety of Rhodiola when breastfeeding

The authors quote Sheila Humphrey, author of The Nursing Mother’s Herbal (my Amazon link) who groups Rhodiola with several other “tonic herbs” for which “there are no anecdotes, as yet, to suggest that they will affect breastfeeding babies.”

Dr Aviva Romm, MD, calls Rhodiola “The Spirit Calming, Anti-Anxiety Adaptogen” in this article about adaptogenic herbs

Rhodiola extract helps promote a calm emotional state and supports strong mental performance, optimal immune function, and hormonal balance. It is a key adaptogen for reducing anxiety. It improves mental and physical stamina, improves sleep, and reduces stress, “burn out,” and irritability.

She says to avoid Rhodiola if you have bipolar disorder and during pregnancy (due to lack of safety data), but considers it safe while breastfeeding.

But, as always, when it comes to nursing, I have clients work with their practitioner.

Future research on tyrosine and theanine during breastfeeding, and prevention

I would also love to see future research on the safety of tyrosine and theanine (and all amino acids) being used during breastfeeding, as another option for moms with D-MER.

Tyrosine is well-recognized as an amino acid that helps to boost dopamine levels and improve a low mood and may help ease some of the D-MER symptoms. Some individuals report how tyrosine also alleviates their anxiety and panic attacks and creates a feeling of calm focus.

Theanine, also an amino acid, supports GABA, dopamine and serotonin and I feel has a potential application in D-MER. There may well be a role for tryptophan (for serotonin support and the depression/self-loathing/anger/agitation/panic symptoms of D-MER) and GABA (for GABA support and the anxiety/tension symptoms of D-MER).

They may also help with postpartum anxiety, depression, OCD and intrusive thoughts.

I’d also like to see future research look at possible correlations between D-MER and low neurotransmitters before pregnancy/nursing. And if these women saw benefits with amino acids. Addressing low levels of neurotransmitters and the dietary factors I address in my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution, may help prevent this or at least reduce the severity of symptoms.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

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 you experienced D-MER and were you advised to use Rhodiola? And if yes, how did it help? What else helped?

Or did you get no help from your medical team?

Do you feel there is a possible correlation between your D-MER symptoms and low neurotransmitter symptoms you experienced before pregnancy/nursing? If yes, which amino acids helped you before you were pregnant?

If you are a practitioner, are you familiar with D-MER and have you seen Rhodiola help?

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

A 12 year old’s Diet Coke consumption and obsession with collecting the cans: can tryptophan and tyrosine help him quit with ease?

March 24, 2023 By Trudy Scott 14 Comments

A concerned mother, Rebble, posted a request for help for her 12 year old son who has suddenly started drinking Diet Coke and obsessively collecting the cans. I explain about the biochemistry of addiction and obsession. If your child, another loved one or even you, are hooked on Diet Coke, this blog offers practical solutions in the way of amino acids to balance brain chemistry and make quitting no longer about willpower. I share why I’d consider starting with the amino acid supplement tryptophan for serotonin support and the amino acid supplement tyrosine for dopamine support. And then looking into low blood sugar. I also share some of the many harmful effects of soda/diet soda and some practical tips for her as she encourages her son to make changes.

Here are her questions and what she has already tried to help him quit:

To my horror, my 12yo son has just started buying/consuming Coke and principally Diet Coke regularly from our village shop. He has got obsessed about collecting the cans, some of which are from his friends’ consumption but more and more from his. He used to hate these drinks but now peer pressure has kicked in and he wants to consume what his friends (who live on the stuff and a horrendous amount of sugar) consume.

I’ve pointed out the ingredients, that they are toxic to his brain. He doesn’t care.

I’ve shown him a brilliant video clip of Renaldo removing coca cola bottles from the press table and promoting water instead (with good effect).

Yet still he keeps buying the stuff.

I’ve made it known with the shopkeeper that I don’t approve of my children buying caffeinated sugary drinks full of neurotoxic ingredients but he doesn’t wish to police my children (though he did give me a refund on the 8 cans he had just sold my son!) which I understand.

Do you have a short summary of why it’s so bad, for children in particular? Either something I could show my children, their friends and/or the shopkeeper?

Is it the caffeine that makes it addictive?

My son does exhibit some challenging behaviors (e.g. torturous noise at home, not able to sit still without fidgeting with things at meals, etc.) but seems to be able to turn this on / off at will. I don’t think he does this at other people’s homes or at school. I can’t say they are necessarily linked to the drinks as they precede the start of him consuming them but I’m certain the drinks cannot help.

This is tough but I’m glad Rebble is horrified and working to do something about it. Sadly many parents have no idea how harmful these drinks are for pre-teens and teens.

She mentions his challenging behaviors preceded his diet soda drinking. It’s common that we see someone self-medicating with sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. And it’s likely that that peer pressure was the tipping point for him and then once she started he was well and truly addicted.

This is the feedback I shared for her and my observations on where to start: when I hear obsessed, peer pressure and challenging behaviors, I immediately think neurotransmitter or brain chemicals imbalances and would look into low serotonin and possibly low dopamine because of his inability to sit still. Low blood sugar may also be an issue.

What emotions are driving his addiction and obsession?

With an addiction you need to figure out what emotions are driving the addiction and use the respective amino acid supplement/s (one or more of them) to help break the addiction and improve the mood/behavioral symptoms at the same time.

These are the questions I review with my clients who have a Diet Coke addiction, or other diet soda or regular soda addiction (or even alcohol or carb addiction):

If you drink it to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon into the evening) then your cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety.
If you drink it for an energy boost or to give you focus then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost, and also help with mental clarity.
If you have to drink it when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar. Glutamine on the tongue stops the desire almost immediately and also helps with the low blood sugar symptoms of shakiness and irritability.
If you stress-drink, your cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-drinking and calm you down too.
If you drink it for comfort or a reward then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA (d-phenylalanine) will stop that feeling of “I deserve-it” and also give you a hug-like mood boost.

Ideally mom would have him complete the amino acids symptoms questionnaire in order to figure out which areas are issues for her son.

This is where I would start

I don’t have all this information but based on mom’s feedback this is where I would start: serotonin support, dopamine support and address low blood sugar.

We do know he is obsessed with collecting the cans. Obsession and cravings for a sweet taste is a clear sign of low serotonin i.e. a big clue that #1 may apply to her son and that he may benefit by using tryptophan or 5-HTP.

We do also know he is “not able to sit still without fidgeting with things at meals.” The Diet Cokes may be helping him focus and this is a big clue that #2 and low dopamine may also apply to her son, and that he may benefit from tyrosine. Keep in mind tyrosine also helps to break the caffeine addiction too.

I’m not sure what his “torturous noise at home” could be related to but it may be a clue to #3 i.e. low blood sugar and irritability. It may also be a symptom of rage or anger, also a sign of low serotonin and #1.

I would also look at his diet and make sure he is eating for blood sugar stability (quality protein for breakfast with healthy fats, healthy fats/protein at each meal and healthy snacks). And address everything else I cover in my book – gluten, microbiome etc.

It’s not unusual for someone to have imbalances in multiple areas. If this is the case, I always recommend doing a trial of one amino acid at a time, so it’s easy to see the benefits.

Role models, the harmful effects of soda/diet soda and other things I’d try with this young man

On one hand, you could be surprised that the Renaldo press conference clip removing the Cokes (watch it here) didn’t make enough of an impression because having a sporting hero as a role model is powerful. BUT on the other hand, based on what I know about soda/diet soda.caffeine and addiction, role models are unfortunately just not enough for some folks.

I shared these other things I’d try:

1) Have someone other than mom tell him about the harmful effects of diet sodas – a respected teacher, favorite uncle or nutritionist.

2) Appeal to things that may make him think twice about it like acne and not being fit enough to play his favorite sport. Concerns about weight gain or not being able to get into his desired university (because of impacts on his academic grades) may be a driver too. It’s doubtful that he’d be concerned with tooth decay, adrenal dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, increased risk of osteoporosis or increased anxiety/depression and insomnia.

3) Suggest that he does a school project on the topic so he understands the many harmful effects and facts (the research confirms that adolescents lack knowledge regarding health risks of soda and diet soda consumption. The project could hail Renaldo as a hero and he could get his buddies to help.

4) Help him find something else he likes to drink. Fruit juice isn’t a good option but fizzy fermented drinks are and so is fruit-infused water.

5) Be sure the rest of the family is setting an example at home and when you go out

6) Keep planting the seeds with love and encouragement

However, none of the above or flat-out saying he cannot buy diet sodas will work if there is the addiction aspect and unbalanced brain chemistry.

Keep in mind there is a continuum with sugar/carb/artificial sweeteners/caffeine addiction i.e. some kids (and adults) can quit sugar/carbs/artificial sweeteners/caffeine more easily and others need some nutritional support and some need much more support for balancing brain chemistry with amino acids. If there are also behavioral issues/signs that’s the clue they likely need the amino acid support.

Once he has the facts and understands the harm he also has to be willing to make the changes to break the addiction if it’s severe. I have parents gently recommend a month trial to see if it will work. “No diet soda forever” is too much for a pre-teen/teen (and adults too) to grasp and be ok with especially when they are addicted.

Rebble posed her question on a blog about Diet Coke addiction: I need help with my Diet Coke addiction – when I stop, my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase big time!

Be sure to read the above blog for further insights.

I appreciate her for reaching out and hope this additional information helps her son and helps you too.

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

If you are new to using tryptophan or GABA 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 low serotonin and low doapmine).

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 (which include rage/anger/irritability/self-harm).

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). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

Has one of the amino acids helped with your preteen’s soda or diet soda addiction? Which one/s helped?

What helped your preteen be open to the idea of using the amino acids to quit?

What else helped?

Has any of the above helped you too? Or your clients/patients?

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

Transgenerational transmission of aspartame-induced anxiety and changes in glutamate-GABA signaling: a new study and solutions

January 13, 2023 By Trudy Scott 9 Comments

Do you drink diet sodas or use other sugar free products that contain aspartame? Or did you when you were younger? New research has found aspartame induces anxiety and fear via changes in glutamate-GABA signaling. What is even more concerning is that these effects are transgenerational, meaning you could be living with the anxiety-provoking effects of aspartame via the diet soda habits from your father and his father/your grandfather. This study found it impacts 2 generations via the paternal line but I suspect ongoing research may yet find impacts via your mother and grandmother too. Also, keep in mind, your current or prior use of aspartame is very likely going to impact your children and grandchildren. It’s an animal study but we don’t want to ignore yet another issue with artificial sweeteners.

The good news is that we can use the amino acid GABA to help counter the high glutamate and low GABA, and ease this physical anxiety this imbalance causes. And we can use GABA and glutamine and other amino acids to break the addiction to aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.

Here is the abstract of the paper – Transgenerational transmission of aspartame-induced anxiety and changes in glutamate-GABA signaling and gene expression in the amygdala

We report the effects of aspartame on anxiety-like behavior, neurotransmitter signaling and gene expression in the amygdala, a brain region associated with the regulation of anxiety and fear responses. C57BL/6 mice consumed drinking water containing 0.015% or 0.03% aspartame, a dose equivalent of 8 to 15% of the FDA recommended maximum human daily intake, or plain drinking water. Robust anxiety-like behavior (evaluated using open field test and elevated zero maze) was observed in male and female mice consuming the aspartame-containing water. Diazepam, an allosteric modulator of the GABA-A receptor, alleviated the anxiety-like behavior. RNA sequencing of the amygdala followed by KEGG biological pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes showed glutamatergic and GABAergic synapse pathways as significantly enriched. Quantitative PCR showed upregulation of mRNA for the glutamate NMDA receptor subunit 2D (Grin2d) and metabotropic receptor 4 (Grm4) and downregulation of the GABA-A receptor associated protein (Gabarap) mRNA. Thus, taken together, our diazepam and gene expression data show that aspartame consumption shifted the excitation-inhibition equilibrium in the amygdala toward excitation. Even more strikingly, the anxiety-like behavior, its response to diazepam, and changes in amygdala gene expression were transmitted to male and female offspring in two generations descending from the aspartame-exposed males. Extrapolation of the findings to humans suggests that aspartame consumption at doses below the FDA recommended maximum daily intake may produce neurobehavioral changes in aspartame-consuming individuals and their descendants. Thus, human population at risk of aspartame’s potential mental health effects may be larger than current expectations, which only include aspartame-consuming individuals.

A few notes to highlight:

Aspartame caused anxiety in both male and female mice but the intergenerational effects were along the paternal line i.e.“the anxiety phenotype, its response to diazepam, and changes in amygdala gene expression were transmitted from the aspartame-exposed male founders to their descendants.”
These effects were caused by the equivalent to 2–4 small /8 oz/ 240 ml cans of aspartame-sweetened diet soda.
The anxiety-inducing effects of aspartame in humans are potentially far more widespread than what is currently known

There is still no consensus on adverse effects

The paper also highlights a very concerning aspect: there is still no consensus on aspartame’s effects on brain monoamine content (serotonin and the catecholamines dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline) or behaviors such as memory, depression and anxiety. Despite much research, consensus is also still lacking on aspartame’s carcinogenic or cancer-causing effects and the impacts on weight-gain and obesity, and the bad effects on the microbiome.

In fact, “the US government policy and publications indicate that aspartame is safe when consumed within FDA recommended maximum daily intake value of 50 mg/kg.” In this study it was much less than the maximum i.e. the equivalence of just “8 to 15% of the FDA recommended maximum human daily intake” caused the above anxiety and intergenerational effects.

This paper is adding to the body of knowledge but if you’re still consuming aspartame it is time to make your own decisions and quit. This is often easier said than done and I address this below.

GABA and other amino acids as a solution for your diet soda addiction

I address the addictive nature of diet soda in this blog: I need help with my Diet Coke addiction – when I stop, my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase big time!

I need help with my Diet Coke addiction. I have been using it for 35 years and I am too appalled to tell you how much I drink.

I have tried to quit many times and ended up in utter failure. When I stop, my fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/depression increase big time. I know this drink is literally killing my health and I am desperate for some answers, suggestions….or a miracle.

Kevin shares this in the comments: “I was VERY addicted to diet coke and Pepsi. I found oxycontin and morphine easier to quit.” And Karen shares this: “I can relate to a Coke/Pepsi (diet and/or regular) addiction because I drank 3 every day, Monday-Friday for years. For me, that first sip in the morning was my “hit” in the morning for this teetotaler.”

When it comes to using amino acids to help break the addiction, pretty much everything I write about in relation to sugar addiction or cravings would also apply to quitting Diet Coke or other diet sodas. You need to figure out what emotions are driving your addiction and use the respective amino acid supplement/s (one or more of them) to help break the addiction and improve your anxiety and mood symptoms at the same time.

This could be glutamine if you drink it when your blood sugar is low and crave the sweet taste, GABA if you drink it when stressed, tryptophan or 5-HTP if you drink it later in the day in order to feel happy, DPA if it’s your reward and tyrosine if it gives you a mood and energy boost. It’s all explained in the above blog post.

The amino acids ease alcohol withdrawal symptoms too. I share a study in this blog – An amino acid supplement with DLPA, glutamine and 5-HTP eases alcohol withdrawal symptoms at an inpatient detoxification program – and practical solutions using these amino acids. Read this and simply substitute alcohol with diet soda. And keep in mind it’s always an individualized approach based on each person’s needs, for endorphin and dopamine support (from the DLPA), blood sugar support (from glutamine) and serotonin support (from 5-HTP).

GABA as a solution for the physical anxiety symptoms

In this study the mice responded well to diazepam, a benzodiazepine prescribed for anxiety. However, given the many issues with long-term benzo use, the amino acid GABA, used as a supplement is a safer choice. It also addresses the root cause of low GABA and high glutamate.

The FDA approved aspartame as a nutritive sweetener in 1981 and for use in carbonated beverages in 1983 so I don’t have the intergenerational impacts. I drank Tab in my early 20s and it contained aspartame for a short time. It was very likely part of the perfect storm of factors that contributed to my anxiety. GABA was a life-saver for me.

Here are a few blog posts on using GABA for easing physical anxiety and fears:

Be sure to use the search feature to find other similar articles on the blog.

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using GABA or any of the other 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 and low serotonin).

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, self-medicating with alcohol and more.

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). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

Did you drink diet sodas in the past or do you still consume them or other products that contain aspartame?

Do you suspect they may be one root cause of your anxiety? And has stopping helped?

Did GABA help ease your anxiety and fear? And help with breaking the addiction and quitting? What about other amino acids like tyrosine, glutamine, tryptophan/5-HTP or DPA (d-phenylalanine)?

What about suspected intergenerational impacts from your parents and grandparents?

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