Posted by Patient on July 19, 2004, at 14:45:43
In reply to Re: Where to start??, posted by Indie on July 18, 2004, at 16:59:49
> Thanks for all of the info Patient and Lar. I will start with a vitamin/mineral supplement and Fish oil tomorrow as well as continuing with B supplements. I am going to do the urine test that my pharmasist gave me just out of curiousity. I just have a few more questions.
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> 1) With a B complex, is there any danger of overload? I have Glycogenics B-Complex which says to take twice daily which seems odd as all of the B's have between 200% and 4000% of RDA per capsule. My doc once mentioned that if you take too much vitamin B your body will quit producing it...Any comments?
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> 2) Should I start the Amino Acid complex at the same time as the rest. I have read some pretty compelling evidence that alot of the AAs are at play in depression, especially L-Tyrosine, L-Tryptophan and L-Glutamine. Is it good to take the complex or should specific amino acids be targeted?
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> 3) In the amino acid class, is L-Glutamic Acid the same as L-Glutamine?
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> 4) Far from having concerns with insomnia, I am experiencing extreme hypersomnia. Today I got up at 9AM and read some, worked out and made some breakfast. I was so tired afterward that I took a nap from 2-4. The other day I fell asleep at 7:30PM and didn't wake up until 9:30 AM the next day. I pretty much need 10-12 hours of sleep a night and then I still barely function. I do not know if it is the meds I am on or a combination of that and depression. Do you have any ideas of what might help with that??
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> Thanks for any input.
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> IndieHi, and your welcome. Good questions. I'll try and be of help, but I'm sure others will be helpful for you as well.
That ratio of B vits you have, sounds like it's in a 50mg to 75mg of all major B vitamins. That isn't too high for you. The body doesn't create B vitamins-you get them through your diet. The B vits are water-soluble and aren't stored, so you must get them through your dialy diet. The only exception to this is Vit B-12 which can be stored for up to 5 years in the body. Maybe he was thinking of supplemental hormones that are created in the body, such as melatonin of DHEA. These supplements should only be taken for no more than a month, then discontinue for two months. If taken daily for long periods of time researchers beleive that the body may forget to produce these hormones on their own. Other cautions include singular amino acids. Researchers warn that individual amino acids should not be taken for long periods of time. A good rule to follow is to alternate the individual amino acids that fit your needs and back them up with an amino acid complex, taking the supplements for two months and then discontinuing them for two months. Moderation is the key. Some amino acids have potentially toxic effects when taken in high doses (over 6,000 milligrams per day) and may cause neurological damage.
Amino acid complex is needed to supply protein, and for normal brain function and to combat depression. You can start by taking the amino acid complex and if you feel you would like to add additional singular amino acids, then the best way to take them is this: When taking individual amino acids take them on an empty stomach to avoid making them compete for absorption with the amino acids present in foods. When taking individual amino acids, it is best to take them in the morning or between meals, with small amounts of vitamin B6 and vitamin C to enhance absorption. When taking an amino acid complex that includes all of the essential amino acids, it is best to take it one-half hour before or one-half hour after a meal. If you do decide to take individual amino acids to target your needs, it is wise to take a full amino acid complex, including both essentential and non-essential amino acids, and to take them at a different time. This is the best way to assure you have adequate amounts of all the necessary amino acids.
Glutamic acid is an excitatory neurotransmitter than increases the firing of neurons in the central nervous system. It is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord. It is converted into either glutamine or GABA. Glutamic acid can detoxify ammonia by picking up nitrogen atoms, in the process creating another amino acid, glutamine. The conversion of glutamic acid into glutamine is the only means by which ammonia in the brain can be detoxified. Glutamic acid helps correct personality disorders and is useful in treating childhood behavioral disorders. It is used in the treatment of epilepsy, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, ulcers, and hypoglycemic coma,a complication of insulin treatment for diabetes. It is a component of folate (folic acid), a B vitamin that helps break down amino acids. If you are allergic to MSG (monosodium glutamate) one should avoid glutamic acid because one of its salts is MSG.
Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Because it can readily pass the blood-brain barrier, it is known as brain fuel. In the brain, glutamine is converted into glutamic acid-which is essential for cerebral function-and vice versa. It also increases the amount of GABA, which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity. It assists in maintaining the proper acid/alkaline balance in the body, and is the basis of the building blocks for the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It promotes mental ability and the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract. Supplemental L-glutamine can be helpful in the treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, fibrosis, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcers, polymyositis and scleroderma, both connective tissue disorders, and tissue damage due to radiation treatment for cnacer. L-glutamine can enhance mental functioning and has been used to treat a range of problems, including developmental disabilities, epilepsy, fatigue, impotence, depression, schizophrenia, and senility. L-glutamine decreases sugar cravings and the desire for alcohol, and is useful for recovering alcoholics.
Concerning the hypersomnia, I haven't any ideas about that. I would want to know your med. dosing schedule, amounts, and how long this has occured. What do you take each med. for? It may offer more insight. What's your normal sleep/wake pattern? It could be one of the meds. or a combination of certain meds. is disrupting your sleep REM cycles. Your body is playing catch up or something. I'd try taking singular vit. B-12 in lozenge form taken at bedtime on empty stomach. I take Twinlabs vit. B-12 dots sublingual, 500mcg. Sometimes sleep pattern changes from meds. do not show up right away after starting a med. regimen. I can sleep like a baby after starting Celexa, then about 4 months later I begin to start waking up several times in the night, unable to go back to sleep. It could also be a cause for any new stressor in your life, any changes in the normal routine can cause it.
Hope this helps, Pat
poster:Patient
thread:367111
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040718/msgs/367817.html