Posted by JLx on November 14, 2004, at 21:39:43
In reply to Re: Tryptophan and anxiety, stomach pain » JLx, posted by jasmineneroli on November 14, 2004, at 20:15:56
> Hey there JLX:
> Well, I'm now on day 13 of Tryptophan. Have no stomach problems at all (which I ALWAYS get with SSRI's on start-up and for an age after). I noticed today and yesterday that I can actually TASTE again!! I hadn't realized my taste ability had diminished. Earlier, I simply ate beause I was supposed to..I had no appetite and never knew I was hungry until I started eating! No pleasure from food. Yay, that's back!
> Did you have stomach problems with SSRI's (if you ever took them)?? You take the Trypt. with similar suppl. to me, so maybe it IS the form you are using.Funny, I had just the opposite reaction -- less appetite. I never had stomach probs with SSRIs except for that feeling that food stays in your stomach forever.
Yes, it could be the horse version. ;)
> HOWEVER, I too am suffering from anxiety the past 2 days. I'm also puzzled by this, because, as you say, anxious depression is s'posed to be helped by Trypt. I think it could be because I dropped my dose from 1500mg to 1000mg on Thurs. night and last night took 1250mg. Maybe I have to be on at least 1500mg????
> My symptoms have been more along the line of agitation and irritable/anger. But this often is a precursor to full blown anxiety/panic attacks in the past. I'm tempted to up my Klonopin dose...just in case...since I have to work tomorrow.I just noticed I was waking up right into an anxious mood as opposed to a feeling of well being first thing in the morning when I first started taking it. I was always more anxious on SSRIs than I was without them.
> Feeling a bit disappointed...hopefully this mini "crash" is to do with lowering the dose.
> Sleep wise, I had a bit of improvement at first (just a few night time wakenings), but at the lower dose I awoke more and couldn't get up this am. I've got a feeling, I really need a higher dose than 1500mg to achieve optimum sleep. I'm going to take 1500mg tonight. This maybe my required minimum dose.Holistic Online says, "Recommended dosage: For depressive symptoms, take 2 grams (2,000 mg) of tryptophan two or three times daily. It should be taken between meals, with fruit or juice (simple sugars) to improve its utilization. It should not be taken with a protein meal, because tryptophan competes poorly with other amino acids for absorption. To convert tryptophan to serotonin, the body must have adequate levels of folic acid, vitamin B-6, magnesium, niacin, and glutamine." http://www.holistic-online.com/Remedies/Depression/dep_nutrition2.htm#
Hmm...that's interesting about the glutamine since glutamine is supposed to be soothing to the stomach. Maybe I will try taking some of that with tryptophan.
Patrick Holford, in ""Optimum Nutrition of the Mind" says about tryptophan, "You need 1 gram for low mood and up to 3 g a day for actual depression....As well as supplementing tryptophan, make sure your diet gives you at least 1 g a day by eating any two of the following meals, each giving 500 mg of tryptophan.
*Oatmeal, soy milk and two scrambled eggs.
*Baked potato with cottage cheese and tuna salad
*Chicken breast with potatoes au gratin and green beans.
*Whole wheat spaghetti with beans, tofu or meat sauce.
*Salmon fillet, quinoa and lentil pilaf and green salad with yogurt dressing."Sounds like 1500 mg is not an excessive dose. Perhaps your brain zaps are not related to trypt.
> I liked the Health Recovery site too. The diff. types of depression/anxiety lists are helpful, and I'm trying to follow the suppl. combo's they suggest for anxious depr. (I already take most). It's interesting to note that they suggest it might be necessary to take up to 3 grams of Trypt.
> Good luck!
> JasGood luck to you too. :)
JL
poster:JLx
thread:414892
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20041108/msgs/416030.html