Posted by Ron Hill on December 13, 2003, at 15:53:40
In reply to Re: Sleep Problems » Ron Hill, posted by Larry Hoover on December 13, 2003, at 14:25:10
Lar,
> So, given the restraints I've outlined, I don't have too many options, eh?
There are ALWAYS options! Problems are merely solutions waiting to be found. We just have to be smart enough and persistent enough to find one or more of the workable solutions.
> I've just ordered some horse feed. Maybe that will help.You mean tryptophan, right?
I don't know what you think about James South, but he suffered with insomnia for many years. I realize that he is trying to sell stuff, but his writings usually make sense to me. However, you are able to critic his writings better than I. At any rate, here are a couple excerpts from his articles:
<start quote>
Sleep-Aid Program
Chronic insomnia has plagued me since childhood, and so I have gradually perfected a sleep-aid program. I usually take 2-3mg Melatonin, 25mg Dilantin, 1000mg Tryptophan (or 100mg 5-HTP), 1-2 grams GABA, 1-2 grams Glycine, 2-3 grams Inositol, 1 gram Magnesium and 500mg Calcium, I gram Taurine, and various herbs at bedtime. Even with this extensive program I still have my occasional sleepless nights, no doubt due to my intensive nootropic/ neuronutrient intake.
Neuronutrients and nootropic drugs are the core of my supplement program. I routinely take
B1 500-1000mg
B3 500-1000mg
B6 200mg
Biotin 10-15mg and other B’s as well.
Many of the popular neuronutrients, such as ALC, ginkgo, choline and DMAE, simply don’t agree with my system, but I have found NADH, phosphatidyl serine, pregnenolone, CoQ10, Idebenone and Lipoic Acid to be especially helpful.
Since chronic cortisol excess is the "archenemy" of the aging brain, and I have been hypercortisolic since youth, I continually search for cortisol-controlling supplements. I have found Vitamin C, Melatonin, 7-Keto DHEA, Dilantin, Phosphatidyl Serine and GH3 to be useful in minimizing cortisol excess.
<end quote>Above quote taken from: http://www.smartnutrition.info/JamesSouth-program.htm
<start second quote>
Tryptophan and sleep
In recent years, melatonin has gained the reputation as the natural answer to insomnia. Yet the fact that melatonin is made in the pineal gland from serotonin is frequently overlooked.
Thus supplemental tryptophan may induce one’s pineal gland to naturally increase its melatonin production. Also, important sleep regulating nerve circuits in the brainstem (the raphe nuclei) use serotonin as their neurotransmitter, so it is unreasonable to expect melatonin alone to provide optimal insomnia relief.
Low dose melatonin (0.5mg to 1mg) plus tryptophan (500mg to 1500mg) may prove more effective for many people with serious insomnia.
<end quote>Taken from: http://www.smartnutrition.info/JamesSouth-tryptophan.htm
In years past, I had problems with insomnia (due primarily to hypomania). I had some success with low dosage (about 0.5 mg) sublingual melatonin (Source Naturals brand). Melatonin in any form other than sublingual would not even touch my insomnia. I had to take frequent breaks from the sublingual melatonin or else it lost its effectiveness. Also, Sonata worked fairly well for me. YMMV.
-- Ron
poster:Ron Hill
thread:286464
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031204/msgs/289431.html