Posted by JLx on December 1, 2003, at 16:34:26
In reply to Re: How do you feel on that regimen?, posted by Simian on December 1, 2003, at 9:33:56
> I haven't started it yet, thats why I'd like opinions.
> All I'm taking at the moment is a multi, L-tryptophan, vitamin C, picamilon, niacinamide and zinc.
> I don't really feel any better or worse since I started taking them, but I only started them recently.You might want to try the TMG in the morning...some people have found it stimulating and also, you might consider upping the magnesium amount. A good summary by James South, http://www.worldhealth.net/index.php?p=1010
"MAGNESIUM: MINERAL FOR THE MIND
Magnesium (Mg) is the activator mineral for over 300 different enzymes - more than any other mineral. (53) Mg serves as the mineral activator for most of the enzymes of the glycolytic and Krebs’ cycles. (54) Once ATP is produced, it is normally complexed with Mg for stable storage. (55) Mg activates sodium potassium ATPase, the membrane pump which transfers sodium and potassium across neural membranes to allow repeated bursts of electrical nerve activity (56), and which consumes up to 40% of neural ATP. (10) Mg regulates the activity of NMDA glutamate receptors, and thus glutamate nerve activity. (57) Glutamate nerves are the chief excitatory nerves, and are the primary neurons, along with the GABA nerves, in the brain areas connected with attention: the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, hypothalamus, and posterior cortex. (58)
Given Mg’s myriad roles in human physiology, it is perhaps not surprising that cellular Mg deficiency leads to a wide variety of symptoms: anxiety, fear, restlessness, poor attention, confusion, memory loss, mood changes including depression, lack of co-ordination, appetite loss, weakness, insomnia, muscle tremors, disorientation, learning disability, apathy, fatigue, heart disturbances, problems in nerve conduction and muscle contraction, muscle cramps, and predisposition to stress, to name just a few! (59 - 62) Note that many of these symptoms are common to ADHD.
Is Mg deficiency common enough to think that it might play a role in difficulties with attention, memory, learning abilities, restlessness, etc.? Actually, most people in the Western world are probably at least marginally Mg deficient. Dietary surveys show women on typical Western diets to average 175-225mg Mg/day, men 225-275mg Mg/day. A typical modern “junk food” diet, consisting primarily of soft drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, white bread, French fries, cheese, pastries, candy, pizza, snack chips, etc. might fail to provide even 200mg Mg/day. The RDA for Mg has been set at 300-400mg/day. Yet Mg “guru” Mildred Seelig, M.D., has done extensive research which indicates that 8mg/kg bodyweight is probably a more optimal intake level. (63) This would be a 560mg/day requirement for a 70kg (154 pound) person.
In addition, there are many factors that impair intestinal absorption of Mg. High intake of phosphate (common in meat, soft drinks and baked goods) calcium, fat, phytate (found in unleavened bread and wheat bran), lactose (milk sugar), oxalate (found in spinach, rhubarb, chocolate), and alcohol, as well as laxative abuse, all inhibit intestinal Mg absorption. (53, 59, 60) Healthy kidneys may reabsorb up to 95% of Mg before it is lost in the urine, yet many factors promote Mg urinary loss: the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, diuretics (including caffeine), some antibiotics, digoxin, alcohol, high sodium/calcium/sugar intake (i.e. the typical western diet) and birth control pills, among others. (53, 59, 64) Thus anyone who lives the typical modern high stress/ high fat and sugar/ high soft drink/ high coffee and alcohol lifestyle may be an appropriate candidate for Mg supplementation, with increased focus, attention, stress resistance, memory and learning powers as possible benefits. However, Mg repletion at the cellular level is a slow process, and may take weeks to months to achieve maximum benefit. Most people can safely and beneficially take 100 - 200mg Mg 2 - 3 times daily (with some at bedtime for insomniacs). If diarrhoea develops, reduce dosage and /or frequency. Anyone with serious kidney disease should check with a nutritionally knowledgeable physician before adding Mg. Best supplement forms are Mg malate, orotate, succinate, taurinate, glycinate and chloride."
poster:JLx
thread:285426
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031122/msgs/285618.html