Posted by rianny on October 2, 2003, at 19:23:34
In reply to Re: Supplements for OCD + social anxiety ?lotus, posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 2, 2003, at 18:54:42
Thank you Ame.
So, how much relief are you getting from these natural supplements? I read that you are also a OCD/anxiety patient.Have you taken or are you taking any medication other than supplements? I'm taking Klonopin .25mg in the morning and .25mg at bedtime, but I become too sleepy in morning...so I guess I'll take .5mg at bedtime. I'm going to see my pdoc next week, but I'm not sure if I have to ask for another SSRI to try or not.
Any suggestions?
> The omegas you're taking are a good start. There is a ton you can add on to help both social anxiety and OCD. Inositol is (arguably) the best supplement for OCD -- in very large doses, around 12 grams a day, it works wonderfully in some OCD patients. Only problem is that it may be a little expensive to take that much, though even supplementing with half that amount or so should help a bit, I'd say. 5-HTP is another good choice, though I'd personally buy l-tryptophan if I were you -- it seems to work better in most people. Make sure to supplement with P5P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate; a form of vitamin B6, way better than the usual B6 supplement, pyridoxine HCl) and a very good multinutrient ("Super Earth Formula", manufactured by Bluebonnet, is my favorite) when taking these since they are important to their conversion into serotonin. Take tryptophan with a small amount of carbohydrates (i.e. a piece of fruit, a slice of bread) but on an otherwise empty stomach. Either of these supplements have the potential to help social anxiety as well as OCD.
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> For the social anxiety, I have many suggestions. First on the list is niacinamide, which binds to benzodiazepine receptors and has a relaxing effect. I find that taking one of the 1.5 gram extended-release tablets each 12 hours works best. Picamilon is a truly great option (although you'll probably have to order it online -- Smart Nutrition's website sells it cheapest). Picamilon is a combination of niacin and GABA, bonded molecularly. GABA is the brain chemical that benzodiazepines cause to act more efficiently, but regular GABA supplements don't pass through the blood-brain barrier in sufficient quantity to help. Bonded to niacin however, it's efficiently absorbed into the brain and is an extremely effective antianxiety/antidepressant supplement.
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> I know kava has been banned in Canada (which I think is absolutely ridiculous), but the stuff you buy in stores isn't very good quality anyway. I might suggest you order some good quality Mahakea kava from Hawai'i. Nothing beats anxiety like a properly prepared kava concoction (not even benzos, in my opinion). Other options include valerian root (especially combined with passion flower), St. John's Wort, skullcap, ashwagandha, eleuthero root, reishi mushroom, and lemon balm. I also suggest using the homeopathic remedy "Gelsemium sempervirens" in the most potent form you can find. The potency of homeopathic remedies is denoted by a number followed by usually either an X or a C. The X remedies are much more potent, and the lower the number in front of the X, the more potent it is. You just let these sweet-tasting tiny pellets under your tongue to dissolve several times a day and let them work their magic.
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> That's all I can think of at the moment -- I'll let you know if I come up with anything else!
poster:rianny
thread:264649
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20030903/msgs/265042.html