Archives for January 2016

Fibromyalgia: tryptophan or 5-HTP for anxiety, depression, pain and insomnia

January 29, 2016 By Trudy Scott 39 Comments

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder manifested by diffuse myalgia [muscle aches and pain], localized areas of tenderness, fatigue, lowered pain thresholds, and nonrestorative sleep.

This description comes from a paper titled: Fibromyalgia and the serotonin pathway

The paper discusses how low serotonin is often a contributing factor with fibromyalgia and how beneficial tryptophan and/or 5-HTP can be for the anxiety, depression, pain and insomnia we often see in those with classic fibromyalgia:

Evidence from multiple sources support the concept of decreased flux through the serotonin pathway in fibromyalgia patients.

Serotonin substrate supplementation, via L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), has been shown to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia and somatic pains in a variety of patient cohorts.

I recently blogged about the effectiveness of 5-HTP being a clinically-effective serotonin precursor and how it improves many of these same symptoms:

Therapeutic administration of 5-HTP has been shown to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including depression, fibromyalgia, binge eating associated with obesity, chronic headaches, and insomnia.

5-HTP improves symptoms of fibromyalgia but can also cause agitation when cortisol is high

An open 90-day study in 50 patients affected by fibromyalgia found benefits with the use of 5-HTP:

When all the clinical variables studied throughout the trial (number of tender points, anxiety, pain intensity, quality of sleep, fatigue) were compared with baseline results, they all showed a significant improvement.

It is concluded that 5-HTP is effective in improving the symptoms of primary fibromyalgia syndrome and that it maintains its efficacy throughout the 90-day period of treatment.

UPDATES March 25, 2022:

Despite the fact that 5-HTP is beneficial for many individuals there is no one-size fits all.

I don’t recommend 5-HTP when a client has elevated cortisol levels because we know that it can raise cortisol levels in certain individuals. This can leave you feeling agitated, cranky, as well as “wired and tired” at the same time. You may be able to relate to this if you’ve ever used 5-HTP to help with anxiety and insomnia and ended up feeling more anxious and more wide-awake despite your exhaustion and need for sleep. You can read more about this here: Does 5-HTP make you “wired-tired” and affect your sleep when cortisol is high?

A tryptophan-enriched diet and a combination tryptophan product for fibromyalgia symptoms

As you can see below, a tryptophan-enriched diet and a combination tryptophan product improved some fibromyalgia symptoms and for some individuals, but we still need to customize protocols.

In this study, Psychological and Sleep Effects of Tryptophan and Magnesium-Enriched Mediterranean Diet in Women with Fibromyalgia, “the intervention group received a Mediterranean diet enriched with high doses of tryptophan and magnesium.” Interestingly, the source of extra tryptophan (60 mg) and magnesium (60 mg) was eating walnuts at breakfast and dinner!

This study concludes that tryptophan and magnesium-enriched Mediterranean diet reduced anxiety symptoms, mood disturbance, eating disorders, and dissatisfaction with body image but did not improve sleep quality in women with fibromyalgia.

The addition of additional tryptophan as a supplement would be the next thing I’d recommend for improving sleep. This would be dosed according to each person’s unique needs and after doing a trial and adjusting as needed.

In another study, Comparison between Acupuncture and Nutraceutical Treatment with Migratens^® in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial, the treatment group used product called Migratens^®, a powdered blend of coenzyme Q10, vitamin D, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium, tryptophan (300mg), niacin, and riboflavin.

It was used twice a day on an empty stomach and dissolved in a glass of water, spaced about 10 hours apart.

The authors report that “Migratens^® treatment shows a statistically significant reduction of pain 1 month after the start of therapy, strengthened after 3 months with maintenance of treatment.” They also noted improvement in quality of life.

Unfortunately, gastrointestinal side-effects (diarrhea, nausea, dyspepsia, constipation, and lack of appetite) were reported by 11% of participants in the treatment group. I’d suspect these side-effects were caused by the ingredients used to make the product slow release.

It’s not surprising that the authors also confirmed “the validity of acupuncture in these patients, as stated by the most recent literature.”

If we suspect low serotonin may be a factor, I have my clients do the following (whether or not they have a fibromyalgia diagnosis):

complete the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and check off their symptoms on the low serotonin section. The rating uses scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst.
review the Amino Acids Precautions and figure out if we can do a trial of 5-HTP or tryptophan
do a trial of the amino acid 5-HTP or tryptophan and observe for improvements in anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia and the other low serotonin symptoms

We are all unique and some people do better on 5-HTP and some do better on tryptophan. I typically start with a tryptophan trial since I’ve seen such great benefits with this amino acid. If that’s not working, we’ll do a 5-HTP trial, always watching for high cortisol as 5-HTP can raise cortisol if it’s already high. In this instance 5-HTP may be too stimulating.

Quality is an important issue when it comes to the amino acids and this is especially the case with tryptophan. I find that the Lidtke brand is the most superior. You can see my amino acid product recommendations here.

If you suspect low levels of serotonin and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the team you or your loved one is working with. Blog posts like this are intended to add value to the chapter on amino acids, which contains detailed information on doses and time of the day for dosing.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. It’s an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

Do you have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and have you found benefits with 5-HTP or tryptophan? For your pain? For your sleep? For your anxiety and/or depression?

I’d love to also hear what else has helped with your symptoms?

Feel free to ask your questions here too.

GABA helps with Lyme anxiety (while addressing the underlying disease)

January 22, 2016 By Trudy Scott 42 Comments

GABA is a calming amino acid that helps to reduce anxiety and panic attacks in individuals with low GABA levels and helps to address the anxiety that many individuals experience when they have Lyme disease.

At the recent IMMH/Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference Dr. Suruchi Chandra presented on Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease and shared that:

Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States. It can remain dormant for years and then later mimic a number of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety disorders, mood disturbances, psychosis, and autism-like behaviors. It can be further complicated by the presence of co-infections.

Last month I shared a post called GABA, the calming amino acid: expert opinions and Tricia Soderstrom, creator of the blog Abounding in Hope with Lyme shared it with her online Lyme community with this comment:

Lyme anxiety is real! We’ve used GABA with great success.

Tricia shared further when I asked what had helped:

We’ve used Source Naturals GABA Calm sublinguals with good results. I learned about GABA helping anxiety and because I was treating my young daughter I purchased this because it was easy for her to take.

Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia are all known to cause anxiety and other psychological disorders ranging from mild to very severe. My daughter had it very severely but thankfully is much better now that we’ve treated the tick-borne diseases.

She also shared this excellent article by Pamela Weintraub as a resource: High Anxiety (Neurological Lyme Disease, Part Three)

I asked Tricia if I could share some of her daughter’s Lyme story and how GABA (and other nutrients) had helped with her anxiety while they were treating the Lyme disease. She kindly agreed and here are some excerpts from her blog post: How A Tick Bite Changed My Daughter – Part 2 Using Supplements To Nourish The Brain

When my third daughter turned 7 we had no idea that our whole lives were beginning to turn upside down by severe anxiety and OCD.

As that year progressed I noticed my …daughter incessantly washing her hands, pooling saliva in her mouth, clenching her fists until the skin around her knuckles turned bright white and repeating motions. Her eyes were wider than normal and she became very fearful of things that never bothered her before.

At the same time, she was complaining of deep hip pain, pain in her feet, very bad headaches, motion sickness, nausea, heart palpitations and other symptoms….

Her anxiety grew, her obsessions controlled her and she was incapable of thinking rationally during these episodes. With age her episodes became more frequent and more severe.

Tricia diligently searched for solutions for the Lyme disease that was impacting her daughter and herself. As Tricia learned more, she discovered the psychiatric connection to Lyme and they worked without success, with various doctors, having her daughter try antibiotic treatments and anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications.

Still searching, she discovered Dr. Klinghart teaching about pyroluria and started adjusting her daughter’s diet and adding various nutrients: magnesium, fish oil, trace minerals, vitamin D, evening primrose oil, vitamin B6 and zinc (the latter three are key for pyroluria).

Tricia then came across some of the amazing interviews I did with various experts on season 1 of the Anxiety Summit and it further consolidated what she had already discovered. She shares this:

What I learned was astounding and it was very similar to what [Dr. Kinghart] taught but I began to also learn about GABA, 5-HTP, L-Theanine, and L-Tryptophan.

To my daughter’s routine I added Source Naturals GABA Calm sublingual, Nature’s Way 5-HTP, Nature’s Way L-Theanine/ Green Tea sublingal, and Source Natural’s Melatonin.

At first we used GABA or L-Theanine whenever she would have a panic attack or her OCD was too much to deal with. After awhile I just had her take it first thing in the morning, mid-day and then again in the evenings when her symptoms would be at their worst.

The amino acids and brain nutrients were ONE part of the solution, together with dietary changes, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and homeopathy. As Tricia says:

These supplements did not cure my daughter but they helped her get off the prescription drugs and they helped both of us during our most trying times

This is why I love using targeted individual amino acids such as GABA. They give you immediate relief from anxiety and panic attacks while you are dealing with bigger underlying issues such as Lyme disease. Adding other nutrients (like zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 etc) address nutritional deficiencies that the Lyme disease may be causing.

Keep in mind that Tricia’s daughter did well with Source Natural GABA Calm but there are many other excellent GABA products that can be beneficial too.

Tricia’s daughter has given her the go ahead to share her story and she is now doing so well!

My daughter is now a beautiful 15 year old, looking forward to her 16th birthday and getting her driver’s license.

She is the brave one to allow me to expose how this illness completely changed her and controlled her. At one point she was embarrassed about it but now she really wants to help others.

What an encouraging, heartwarming and inspiring story!

Both Tricia and her daughter are very brave and I appreciate having the opportunity to share their story with you. I encourage you to read the whole story here on her blog.

Tricia also experienced Lyme-induced anxiety and she too found benefits with GABA. You can read more about her episodes of fear, panic attacks, fear of going outside and withdrawing from social situations on this blog post: Where Does Your Fear Come From And What Are You Doing About It? (Our Journey With Neurological Lyme)

Here is a little more about Tricia: She is a mom of 4 and wife of 26 years to Scott. She was living a busy and active life as an outdoorsy homeschool mom, when chronic Lyme disease side-lined her and her entire family. She has spent the past 8 years recovering, advocating and caring for her family and researching tick-borne diseases. Tricia continues to homeschool her youngest two children and blogs about her life as a Christian homeschool mom with chronic Lyme, while homeschooling her children who also have chronic Lyme. She is passionate about educating others about tick-borne disease, and how to prevent, recognize and get the proper treatment. You can read more about her and her Lyme resources here. And you can find Tricia on Facebook here AboundinginHopewithLyme

I’d love to hear if you have used GABA (or one of the other amino acids) to help with your anxiety while undergoing treatment for Lyme disease.

Dr. Klinghart discusses the connection between Lyme disease and pyroluria. I’d also love to hear if you have Lyme disease and also have pyroluria? You can do the pyroluria questionnaire here.

Heal Your Gut Summit: SIBO, microbiome, anxiety, depression

January 18, 2016 By Trudy Scott Leave a Comment

The Heal Your Gut Summit starts this week and runs through January 25^th.

Gut dysfunction can be linked to virtually every disease and can cause conditions like autoimmunity, fatigue, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, food sensitivities, chronic pain, allergies and many more. These conditions are by and large preventable.

Here is the line-up of speakers and great topics on day 5 of the summit.

And some snippets from the Gut-Brain Connection by Dr. Jill Carnahan

What does the gut or stool have to do with my mood?” But as you and I know, there’s a ton of connection here.

And what we know is the composition of the gut microbiome has such a profound effect on the brain. And it talks back and forth, bi-directionally through the vagus nerve. So those gut microbes produce chemicals and cytokines and things that actually talk to the brain through the vagus nerve.

… So what I do is I will test. And I will do organic urinary acids to look at nutritional components and gut microbe markers and heavy metals and fatty acids and get a picture overall. Again, if there’s excess toxic or if something’s missing, and then, I’ll also do a stool profile. And those two pieces of data are core on every single new patient that I see.

And lipopolysaccharide may be one of the most potent triggers, not only for immune inflammation and autoimmunity, but also for depression. And this study after study after study is linking this LPS and depression and anxiety, as well.

So what happens is those excess microbes in the small bowels can create an inflammatory condition where there’s permeability along the lining of the gut. And then those LPS molecules leak into the bloodstream and create this inflammatory cytokine storm.

So TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-2, and some of these cytokines will start the process of inflammation. And we know now that many, many, many cases, if not all cases of depression, inflammation is underlined. So this is one of those triggers from the gut that’s creating inflammation and immune dysfunction and leading to depression and anxiety.

Here is the line-up of speakers and great topics on day 7 of the summit.

And some snippets from the What You Must Know about Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) by Dr. Datis Kharrazian:

Basically what happens is that there’s a valve between the small intestine and large intestine. And bacteria that’s in the large intestine move or translocate into the small intestine. And then we have this abnormal group of bacteria that should only be in the large intestine now in the small intestine. When people get this translocation of bacteria, or this movement of bacteria from their large intestine into their small intestine, that’s called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

… when this happens, this creates this vicious cycle that has consequences in the brain, that has consequences on the immune system

…there are some clear papers in the scientific literature that show that when people take NS medications like protein pump inhibitors, they’re at high risk for developing SIBO. And some have said as high as 50% to 80% of people that take antacid medications on a chronic basis end up with some aspect of SIBO.

…we know that the vagal motor nuclei, for example, that controls gut motility in the gut and controls valves that are so critical for things like SIBO, is just saturated with thyroid receptors. So when people become hypothyroid, we know that motility can really be compromised

Join us for this fabulous upcoming online event that is being hosted by: Dr. Josh Axe, who specializes in functional medicine; Donna Gates, the international best-selling author of The Body Ecology Diet and Dr. Eric L. Zielinski, a sought-after natural health educator, motivational speaker and author, and host of the well-known Essential Oils Summit.

You can register here for the Healthy Gut Summit here https://ju127.isrefer.com/go/healyourgutreg/trudyscottcn/

GABA rapidly absorbed and tolerated – benefits for anxiety and diabetes

January 15, 2016 By Trudy Scott 13 Comments

gaba-diabetes

New research published in November 2015: Study of GABA in Healthy Volunteers: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics shows potential benefits for diabetes:

Our data show that GABA is rapidly absorbed and tolerated in human beings; its endocrine effects, exemplified by increasing islet hormonal secretion, suggest potential therapeutic benefits for diabetes.

This is very interesting because they conclude that GABA is rapidly absorbed and tolerated in human beings. This is very encouraging because we often hear that taking oral GABA will have no impact.

Here are additional details about the study:

Twelve subjects were subjected to an open-labeled, three-period trial involving sequential oral administration of placebo, 2g GABA once, and 2g GABA three times/day for 7 days, with a 7-day washout between each period.

Based on my work with anxious clients, even using 2g of GABA once a day is considered a high dose, especially if they don’t have low GABA levels. Because of this I’m not surprised at some of the side-effects:

Subjects with repeated dosing showed an elevated incidence of minor adverse events in comparison to placebo or the single dosing period, most notably transient discomforts such as dizziness and sore throat.

I have my anxious clients do a GABA trial in order to figure out their ideal dose. I recommend starting with around 125 mg GABA a few times a day.

In this 2012 study: Oral intake of γ-aminobutyric acid affects mood and activities of central nervous system during stressed condition induced by mental tasks study participants used only 100mg of GABA and saw mental stress reduction effects within 30 minutes.

Anxiety is more prevalent in diabetes than we realize and it’s something I seldom hear discussed:

More than 25% of the diabetic women in this 2015 study done in India reported high levels of anxiety
This 2015 study found that severe anxiety in early pregnancy is more frequent in Brazilian women with diabetes
In this 2015 Australian study half of the women with diabetes experienced an anxiety disorder

Diabetes is a growing and serious health issue. As Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution shares in this valuable blog post on 7 Steps to Reverse Obesity and Diabetes

What disease affects EVERY other American and one in four kids? Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Type 2 diabetes in America has tripled since the 1980s, and researchers estimate one in three Americans will have diabetes by mid-century. More than one-third of American adults are obese.

I’d like to highlight two of his 7 excellent steps: Pull the Sugar and Control Stress Levels.

GABA is an amino acid that makes both of these steps much easier to achieve! GABA stops sugar cravings so you don’t need to use willpower. And GABA ends physical anxiety so you don’t have to manage it. Make the food changes, take the nutrients and do the yoga Dr. Hyman recommends, but why not add GABA too?

You can read more about Melissa’s success with GABA in this blog: GABA for ending sugar cravings (and anxiety and insomnia)

So here we have the amino amazing acid GABA that:

we know reduces and often eliminates sugar cravings completely
calms the anxious mind and reduces stress within 5 to 30 minutes
has the potential of offering therapeutic benefits for diabetes

Pretty powerful!

Be sure to check out the other 5 tips that Dr. Hyman offers and do share if you have seen benefits from GABA – for anxiety/stress and sugar cravings. Do let us know if you also have/had diabetes and noticed any improvements in your blood sugar labs.

If you’re a practitioner and use GABA with your patients/clients with diabetes, please share too.

Zinc/copper balance in autism/pyroluria: Dr. Usman

January 14, 2016 By Trudy Scott 23 Comments

This is such a great segment on zinc/copper balance in pyroluria and autism so I really want to share it. Dr. Usman was one of many excellent speakers on the Autism Intensive online event.

An excerpt from Dr. Usman’s interview: Optimizing Metabolic-Immune Communication and Function

Dr. Usman: …. In the 70s, they were breaking down individuals with schizophrenia into three phenotypes: low histamine, high histamine and pyrolurics. At the time this phenotype of pyroluria in schizophrenia was manifest as a B6, zinc deficiency and when they were given high doses of B6 or zinc, their schizophrenia improved.

Dr. Schwartz: So that was kind of your first exposure to nutritional vitamins.

Dr. Usman: Yeah. I was treating patients with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, mental illness with these various protocols that Carl Pfeiffer had developed. I started doing research in copper/zinc imbalances. We had over 500 patients with autism involved in a study that we look at there. We look at plasma zinc and serum copper ratios. When you ratio plasma zinc to serum copper what you’re looking for is a ratio of 1 to 1.

Dr. Schwartz: Balance is more important than the absolute number.

Dr. Usman: Correct.

Dr. Schwartz: Another concept that takes us outside the traditional lab values?

Dr. Usman: Exactly. You’re not looking at a lab number, but you’re looking at a ratio.

Dr. Schwartz: So both zinc and copper could be in the normal range, but the ratio can be way off. That’s something I’ve certainly seen in my patients.

Dr. Usman: Correct. When the ratio of copper and zinc is off, we want that ratio to be one-to-one. And patients with inflammatory issues and patients with various autoimmune issues and sick patients in general, their ratio ends up being disturbed. We found out in the autistic population was that 99% of them, which is a very low P value in statistics.

Dr. Schwartz: Zero, zero, zero, zero.

Dr. Usman: Zero, zero, zero, zero. 99% of them had low zinc, high copper and they had a high ratio of copper to zinc – of over 1.2.

Dr. Schwartz: So very dramatic.

Dr. Usman: Yeah. Then Dr. Walsh, who headed the Pfeiffer treatment center, had a theory that this was due to defect in a protein called metallothionein. Metallothionein is a protein that, in a way, transports copper and zinc through the body.

Winter of Wellness – 60 days to optimal wellbeing!

January 11, 2016 By Trudy Scott 1 Comment

winter-of-wellness

The Winter of Wellness online event runs January 19 to March 18 and you’ll get 60 days of optimal health, healing and wellbeing!

It’s very exciting to be bringing you a fresh, new pathway to a deeply fulfilling life you deserve.

Here are a few of the many speakers I’m looking forward to hearing:

Staying Healthy in an Electromagnetic World – Magda Havas, Ph.D, Associate Professor at Trent University, researches the biological and health effects of electromagnetic pollution including radio frequency radiation, dirty electricity, low frequency electromagnetic fields, and ground current.

Is Your Home Making You Sick? – Erica Elliott, MD is a physician specializing in family practice and environmental medicine, is often nicknamed “The Medical Detective,” attracting people who have mysterious, puzzling medical problems that have not responded to conventional medical care.

The Foundational Biome: Bacterial Communication & the Frontline of Optimal Human Health – Zach Bush, MD, Endocrinology, Founder Revolution Health Center, Founder and CEO Biomic Sciences, is one of the few triple board certified physicians in the country with specialties of internal medicine, endocrinology and palliative care.

Ignite Your Thyroid and Metabolism Naturally – Diagnostic and functional nutritionists Heather and Damian Dubé are the co-founders of e3 Energy Evolved, a thyroid, adrenal and metabolic restoration system helping women and men create their lifetime-best natural wellness and metabolism.

Natural Approaches to Winter Blues – Hyla Cass MD, Integrative Medicine and Psychiatry Expert, Author, Speaker. She helps individuals withdraw safely and comfortably from addictive substances (including medication), and enhance mind, mood and energy with targeted nutritional supplements.

My interview is scheduled to air on Tues Feb 2 at 12:00 pm pacific time: End Anxiety with Real Whole Food & Powerful Targeted Nutrients. I know Robin Benson well (we’ve been room-mates at a few conferences) and we had a great interview!

Here is a heartwarming story I share…a woman had messaged me right after the last Anxiety Summit saying her sister had shared the summit with her, she had tuned in and had felt hope for the first time! Now, 5 months later she contacted me again and shared lovely news:

It’s been about 5 months since I’ve been off my prescription medication for anxiety. I took to heart the information you and the other speakers gave at the Anxiety Summit and it’s truly been life changing for me. My anxiety is under control and I’m at ease….it’s a wonderful feeling. It’s surprising how easy happiness is when fear and worry is eliminated.

I hope you’ll participate in this online series, which will definitely expand your horizons and open you to new levels of wellness! (Note: Please be aware that there are a few speakers that endorse a vegan lifestyle and this is not something that I advocate, especially for folks with anxiety and/or depression.)

winter-of-wellness-speakers

Here’s just a small sample of what you’ll discover during this year’s Winter of Wellness:

The right food choices for you & your family
Practices for eradicating pain & inflammation
Mindfulness meditations & exercises
Ancient Toltec wisdom on the nature of life & death
The power of qigong to reduce stress and heal mentally & physically
Strengthening practices for your intuition & inner guidance
Leading-edge research on DNA rejuvenation to slow aging

And MUCH more…

Hope you can join us! It starts January 19^th and my interview airs Feb 2^nd

You can register here https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/wow161867332/trudyscottcn/