Sylvie learned about my work after hearing me speak about nutritional solutions for anxiety on a summit. I discussed the use of tryptophan for low serotonin type of anxiety and panic attacks. She shared how much just 500 mg of tryptophan helps her and asks about using pharmaGABA too. In this blog I share my insights on next steps for someone in her shoes: using more tryptophan and/or more GABA and/or another GABA product. I also suggest that she reconsiders her vegetarian diet which can definitely play a role in low serotonin and some of the other neurotransmitters. Here is her wonderful feedback about tryptophan and her question in her own words:
I’ve been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for a while. I am a vegetarian and really have no apparent reason why to have these two ghosts (anxiety and panic attacks) stealing the show in my present life. I don’t have anything causing intense stress or trauma and I take good care of myself. I went to see a Ph.D. in Psychotherapy and she couldn’t help me much, then I heard you talking about Tryptophan.
I got it the next day and I have been taking 1 x 500 mg at night daily, for about a month now. I have had almost no negative thoughts and that scary wave of fear in my body. Ok, maybe a couple of times, but really, very minimum. I was having a panic attack about once a week, ever since I took Lidtke Tryptophan so far I think I wanted to have a couple of them in the whole month, but they came very mildly and they disappeared.
May I take advantage and ask a question? When I felt I was going to have a panic attack I tried a 100mg of Pharmagaba that I found at Whole Foods, but I don’t think it did much for me. I know you recommend the GABA Calm, but I’ve suffered from migraines in the past, and I am afraid that the tyrosine will trigger one (one of my triggers for panic/anxiety are migraines), so what other brand/amount could I take that does not have tyrosine?
I don’t take any medications and am very healthy (had a yearly check up with complete lab work done in January), so the minimum dose of Tryptophan seems to be working well for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this information. I now understand the power of nutrition in our brain’s health, thanks to your book, etc…
Use what is already working and increase to find the ideal dose
It’s wonderful to hear how just 500 mg tryptophan once a day had such an impact on her and I appreciate her for sharing this on the blog so I can share here.
When I’m working with a client we always use what is already working well – in this case it’s tryptophan – and increase it to see if we can find the ideal dose and alleviate all the low serotonin symptoms.
Her negative thoughts and the scary wave of fear have been dramatically reduced but do happen from time to time. By increasing tryptophan she may well be able to completely eliminate them.
Panic attacks are a classic sign of low serotonin and with this amount of tryptophan they have decreased from once a week to a mild version once a month. This is another clue that tryptophan is helping and that it’s worth considering an increase. I would start with this before adding in pharmaGABA or another GABA product (but more on that below).
I would also review the list of low serotonin symptoms (you can find these here) and rate what else may still be causing any issues – like insomnia, PMS, anger, afternoon sugar cravings etc.
As far as increasing tryptophan a few options could be considered:
- 500 mg tryptophan mid-afternoon and 500 mg tryptophan at night OR
- 2 x 500 mg tryptophan at night (this would be a good option if sleep is still not ideal)
Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP
There are precautions when using certain amino acids and I always review them with all my clients. If they have been prescribed an SSRI I have them discuss the use of tryptophan/5-HTP with their prescribing doctor so they can be monitored for serotonin syndrome. With careful monitoring and doctor approval I feel comfortable having my clients use tryptophan/5-HTP 6 hours away from their one and only SSRI.
If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.
None of the above applied in this situation but it’s important to be aware of.
When to consider GABA and some products to trial
Low GABA can also be a factor when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks. But it’s best to get a good baseline of serotonin support before adding a new amino acid like GABA.
I would also review the list of low GABA symptoms (you can find these here) and rate which ones may still be causing issues – like how severe her physical anxiety/tension is when she has a panic attack, if she eats more sugar/drinks more alcohol when stressed and has low GABA tension-type of insomnia.
Tyrosine is a precaution with migraines so it was wise not to use GABA Calm but the pharmaGABA dose she used may not have been high enough. It’s worth increasing the dose to see if that helps before adding a different GABA product. A GABA only product like NOW GABA powder or a liposomal GABA/theanine product would be something to consider if the pharmaGABA doesn’t help. I shared a link to many of the GABA products that I use and recommend
The role of a vegetarian diet in low serotonin
I also suggest that Sylvie reconsiders her vegetarian diet which can definitely play a role in low serotonin and some of the other neurotransmitters.
She does share that she is surprised about the anxiety and panic attacks but it’s not really surprising to me because it’s a fact that you can become nutrient depleted on a vegetarian diet: low iron, low vitamin B12, low omega-3s and low vitamin D, as well as low intake of amino acids are common. All of the above are needed to make serotonin and other neurotransmitters.
She says “I now understand the power of nutrition in our brain’s health, thanks to your book.” I do address the issue with vegetarianism in my book so hopefully she is open to considering some changes.
Here are a few blog posts to illustrate the power of eating real whole food that does include quality animal protein:
- Paleo and grain free diets: anxiety and depression success stories
- A lifetime of horrible and bizarre intrusive thoughts eliminated by a low carb/high fat diet (not as strict as keto) – a case study and research
If she doesn’t make changes to her diet it’s possible she may need to use tryptophan and/or GABA long term.
Tryptophan and 5-HTP product options
Sylvie happens to respond well to tryptophan and yet some folks do better with 5-HTP so it’s a matter of doing a trial of each.
Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan, and Pure Encapsulations 50 mg 5-HTP. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).
If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Source Naturals 50 mg 5-HTP are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).
Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan, GABA and the other amino acids as supplements
We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA may be an issue for you.
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters 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 practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all – including the Lidtke Tryptophan 500 mg and some of the GABA products mentioned above – in my online store.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
Have you had success using tryptophan and/or GABA for your anxiety, panic attacks, negative thoughts and scary waves of fear? If yes, how much helps? Did you start low and then increase?
If you’re a practitioner do you have success using tryptophan and GABA this way with your clients/patients?
Feel free to share and ask your questions below.
Hi Trudy! I really appreciate your vast knowledge base and have been enjoying reading you for several years. I’m in Acupuncturist and a functional health, Consultant, and fairly regularly use amino acids. I feel like tryptophan has been pretty amazing and some long Covid symptoms with some of my clients.
My question is about the tryptophan scare, back in the 90s, I believe it was. There wassome “bad” tryptophan that made people really sick with Eosinophilia- myalgia. It was showing that it was some sort of manufacturing problem back then and there were multiple ppm of other substances from the extraction process. However, there have been isolated cases of EMS since then from taking tryptophan or 5htp. Do you feel like tryptophan is always safe? Is there a dosage limit that you use?
Megan
Glad to hear you regularly use amino acids with your clients. I’d love to hear more about how tryptophan is helping some of them with long covid symptoms, and others in general.
Tryptophan was taken off the market as a result of a bad batch that caused EMS. Prior to that it was commonly prescribed/recommended by doctors.
Here is some information on this: “The eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) outbreak that occurred in the USA and elsewhere in 1989 was caused by the ingestion of Showa Denko K.K. (SD) L-tryptophan (L-Trp). “Six compounds” detected in the L-Trp were reported as case-associated contaminants. Recently the final and most statistically significant contaminant, “Peak AAA” was structurally characterized.”…. “The structural similarity of these homologs to case-related contaminants of Spanish Toxic Oil Syndrome (TOS) is discussed.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29800716/
Jeffrey Smith writes about the backstory in chapter 4 of his book “Seeds of Deception.”
The EMS outbreak was serious but I have not seen any issues with EMS in the 15 years I have been doing this work. My mentor Julia Ross, author of “The Mood Cure”, has not seen any issues for over 22 years. Neither of us have had feedback from colleagues reporting issues either. And tryptophan is now freely available but quality is key. We both only recommend Lidtke products (although I am now starting to vet other companies).
Hi Trudy:
I am a therapist and I have a client who I have been seeing for a few years. This client has been diagnosed with Major Depression(by more than one doctor) and has tried several different anti-depressants, none of which seem to have decreased anxiety or depression significantly. This client does seem to respond to SSRIs to some degree. Their diet is not horrible.
Can you recommend someone this client could see in Ontario who would be a qualified professional(like yourself), who understands interactions between SSRIs and naturopath recommendations for anxiety and depression? Or do you see clients yourself virtually?
Thank you for taking the time to reply to this
Best Regards,
Theresa Arsenault
BSW, MSW, RSW, Psychotherapist
Theresa
I don’t have anyone to recommend in Ontario but you may want to share my book with her – The Antianxiety Food Solution https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/ and have her join my mailing list/read my blogs
I do have a waiting list she can get on too https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/services/
I appreciate your interest in incorporating nutrition into your work as a therapist. You may find my practitioner training helpful https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/balancingneurotransmitters/
I also find that 500mg of tryptophan, sometimes every day (usually pre-period), sometimes every other day or even more rarely, really helps with anxiety, panic and irritability before my period. I also use GABACalm if I feel panicky for more instant relief (tryptophan I find takes a little longer to act but evens things out). They are both wonderful! I am prone to headaches and although I find taking either daily is better for mood, I eventually get headaches so now I take it more as needed. I suspect I need a low dose (sometimes I take 1/2 of a 500 mg capsule of tryptophan), so I think the headaches are from when I am taking more than I need. These two amino acids help for anxiety like nothing else (and tryptophan also for low mood) I can’t recommend them enough!
Liz
Wonderful to hear tryptophan and GABA Calm help with anxiety, panic and irritability before your period – and low mood. I blog about tryptophan and PMS here – https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/tryptophan-for-pms-premenstrual-dysphoria-mood-swings-tension-irritability/
Finding the ideal dose is a balancing act and it is different for each person but with headaches I suspect GABA Calm first
Hello. I have sleep issues so I purchased chewable Litke 100mg L-Tryptophan through Fullscript. Just out of curiosity llooked up how this supplement affects the kidneys and liver. I currently do not know that I have any problems with these organs but it seems that there are warnings about using this supplement becaus it may cause damage to kidneys. What I read of some of your patients using 300-500mg of this supplement is very encouraging. But now I’m worried. I know I most likely don’t know the facts. Is there some information that you could give me about this, please?
Thank You
Vee
I have yet to see issues with kidney health and liver health when using tryptophan.
Feel free to share a link to where you read this and I can hopefully comment further
Hi there,
I am wondering if my seven year old could take Tryptophan. I have low seratonin and I am pretty sure she does too with her worry/ocd thinking. Do they make a children form? Another question I currently take 20 mg of prozac for my anxiety/panic and it definitely helps but would love to try this instead. I am not sure if I can take tryptophan with 20 mg of prozac, from what I am told I am still on a pretty low dose of prozac so could be worth a try since I have been considering bumping up my dose so maybe I can try adding this on instead.
Thank you for all you do.
Haley
Lidtke makes Tryptophan chewable in 100mg and I often use this with children. Here is a recent blog https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/tryptophan-3x-day-ocd-and-ruminating-thoughts-are-no-longer-ruling-my-grandsons-life-and-he-has-the-most-beautiful-serene-smile/
Please refer to the precautions in this blog about using tryptophan with SSRIs. This must also be discussed with prescribing doctor.
pleasetell me how to order tryptophan complete on yur site or do you not sell it where is most reasonable price please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Virginia
Virginia
All the supps I use are listed here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/ and at the bottom you’ll find a link for setting up an account in my online store for ease of purchasing.
Trudi-I have been plagued with severe burning tongue for more than ten years . I am a practicing periodontist and have searched as many avenues as I have found to treat this to avoid malnutrition and treat my post menopausal women who have similar symptoms. I have seen you recommend using GABA in more than one place. I have not seen any protocol as to how to use GABA as an oral rinse. Can you please address this more specifically/-how to dilute gaba into solution, how to use frequency wise and whether to swallow after rinsing. This would be immensely appreciated by your post menopausal women whose lives are burdened with eating anxiety-is it leaky gut? Stress? Neurotoxins? Amino acid deficiency?
It would be a lifetime achievement to resolve this pathology so many women suffer.
Christine Ford DDS
Practice Limited to Periodontics
Christine
I am sorry to hear. I can’t imagine being in pain for 10 years. There is no fixed protocol for GABA in this situation as GABA needs vary by person. As for all conditions, I have clients start low with 125mg GABA powder and increase from there. It could be mixed in water and swished in the mouth or GABA placed on the tongue or inside cheek and swished after taking a sip of water. It can always be swallowed. And used as needed, multiple times a day but typically 4 x.
Sharing this blog for other readers – GABA oral rinse reduces burning mouth pain https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-oral-rinse-reduces-burning-mouth-pain/
As I state in the above blog, with any health condition, finding the underlying root causes using a comprehensive functional medicine approach is key. One such root cause may be low GABA and using oral GABA is going to address this one aspect and provide some relief while other root causes are identified and addressed.
These other root causes can be very varied as explained in the paper “Burning Mouth Syndrome” (link in above blog). They can include: age-related reduction in estrogen and progesterone levels, lower cortisol, diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism, allergic reactions to foods, additives and even metals in the mouth, autoimmune connective tissue disorders, nutritional deficiencies (B1, B2, B6, B12. folate, and/or zinc), smoking and candida, and medication side-effects.
I suspect there may be other root causes that could contribute too – such as dietary oxalate issues and low endorphins (the amino acid DPA / d-phenylalanine which boosts endorphins, which when low can cause pain).
It would be helpful for me to hear which of the above possible root causes you have already ruled out.
Dr.Ford,
I found your question to Trudie Scott today and would like to know if you have found anything that helps this condition? I have been suffering for around 2 or closer to 3 years now. It came on very slowly and had no apparent reason for its appearance. I get through the day with various coverups, and haven’t had any real advances. My husband is a Chiropractor in Kansas City, Mo. and we are as holistic as possible. Could you please let me know if you have found any help? I am post menopausal, 75, (yikes I hate saying that!). I think it appeared after I had Covid is my only clue.
Thanks for listening. Kind regards, liz kaplan
Dear Trudy,
A follow-up from a previous comment – would you please explain briefly why you believe that a Tryptophan trial is worthwhile for someone with Histapenia?
I was diagnosed with Histapenia via a blood test. The articles I found discussing Histapenia, however, seem to indicate that it always means an EXCESS of Serotonin, Dopamine, and Noripenephrine. There isn’t much detail on this theory, and it is presented as a blanket rule – not even a theory that is a matter of dispute. Moreover, I can’t find a functional medicine expert who explains exactly what this means regarding the use or SSRIs for Histapenics. Logic would dictate, however, that if this theory is correct, SSRIs (or Tryptophan) will never help a Histapenic. So confusing!
In the past I had a very good and quick response to Effexor at a low dose, which appears to mean that I was definitely benefiting from the increase in Serotonin. I want to try the Tryptophan protocol.
Basically my question is – can someone with Histapenia potentially benefit from Tryptophan? If yes, how can this be squared with the prevailing theory that Histapenics have too much Serotonin?
Is it possible that this prevailing theory could be somewhat faulty?
I hope this makes sense and thank you so much Trudy in advance, you are such a blessing to your readers.
Loring
As I mentioned in my other response, I am aware there are practitioners who state those with histapenia have high serotonin levels and should not use tryptophan or 5-HTP. I believe this comes from the teachings of Dr. William Walsh and I have not found this to be the case clinically. In fact these folks often do very well with serotonin support. Joan Mathews-Larson and Dr. Carl Pfeiffer both state this in their books.
I have found that using the symptoms questionnaire and a trial of tryptophan or 5-HTP is the best clue to knowing if someone has low serotonin and would benefit from it. When someone responds well to an SSRI that is a clue that serotonin support via nutrients may be beneficial too (not always but often).
Feel free to share a link or 2 to some of the articles you’re reading about this
Hi Trudy,
In your book you reccomend taking tryptophan: twice a day, midafternoon and at bedtime. My symptoms seem to arise more in the morning through out the day. i have no issues with sleep. Just wondering what your thoughts are on taking the supplement in the morning or if you still would reccomend afternoon??
Julia
Great question! I have clients adjust the timing based on their needs and many do well using tryptophan earlier. Some folks find the earlier use of tryptophan makes them too sleepy and we may trial 5-HTP instead or use a lower dose of tryptophan. Some find the bedtime dose carries over to the morning too so it’s a matter of doing various trials and figuring out the best combination.
Do let us know when you find what works for you
Hello Trudy,
I have read some of the thoroughly researched information on your site and am so impressed. I feel that you have the keys to figuring out the source of many health problems. However, I am a bit on overwhelm with all the information and the different possible tweaks to finding the right combination. I am wanting to help my daughter (50 years old) deal with a 15-year problem of lack of sleep. She has not had a good night’s sleep in all that time (often getting only 3 hours, sometimes only 2), which started with a first pregnancy. She is worn down from all that lack of sleep. She needs help fast as she is also dealing with breast cancer. A personal consultation with you is what we are looking for but I cannot find a way to do that on your website or emails. Would you please get in touch with me at email address below to advise me on if and how it is possible to get an appointment with you?
Simone
I responded on this blog https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/winter-blues-sad-light-therapy/
Hello Trudy,
Ive been following your excellent blogs for awhile, and I’m motivated to give the aminos a second try after watching your encouraging summit interviews! My anxiety/depression symptoms seem to resonate with several types on the questionnaire, so I’m leaning toward trialing the tryptophan and/or gaba for starters.
Problem is- I’m one of those pixie-dusters, to the extreme. I strongly suspect that I’m reactive to the filler ingredients in many supplements, as well as having salicylate sensitivity (also high histamine, pyroluria, likely MCAS… just a buzzing bundle of nerves most of the time.) This could explain why even a wee bit of GABA Calm set me off into an unpleasant anxiety-type reaction instantly.
I would love to try the pure powder forms as a way to better gauge the effects. Hearing you say that you wouldn’t recommend other brands or products due to quality issues etc, a simple Google search turned up a pure powder form of both the Source Naturals GABA and Lidke Tryptophan (although the latter is quite pricey for trial purposes at $73, and is found at only 2 online stores which share the same single positive review.) Could this be a fraudulent product? Or just something you haven’t come across, or don’t recommend for some other reason?
I wasn’t sure if it’s ok to post links to the products I’m referring to here… I didn’t find them to be available on Fullscript.
At this point my “supplement graveyard” is beyond huge! I can’t afford to keep buying products that make me feel worse. But still I’m hoping there’s a way to find calm with the Amazing Amino Acids!
Thank you for all the good you do,
Sarah
Sarah
I recommend NOW GABA powder and Lidtke 500mg tryptophan (capsule opened). Both can be found in my online Fullscript store
Dear Trudy !
My name is Jane and I am from Denmark in nothern Europe.
I Found your website, While I was searching on GABA on the internet, because I sleep very bad.
Do you only give consultations to Those who live in your country ?
My problem is that in the last two years I had estrogenic breast cancer, and after that I got bit by a tic and had an infection in my skin and was treated with penicillin.
Before all that I was diagnosed with sjøgren an autoimmune disease, and the hospital also told med I have a Gall Stone and a non alcoholic fatty liver and I was also insulin resistens. So i try to loose weight, because I am 20 pounds overweight.
So I have ben very unlucky in my life, and on my Way to get better, I took a microbiome test, because I have Big problems with my digestion.
And it Said I practicaly had no Tryptophan in my body, and I was also a bit low on argenine and Tiny low on Tyrosine.
So since I Cannot fall a sleep every night. I am awake for a couple of hours and Wake up several times during the night.
I Would like to try some GABA and some Trypthofan, but I do not know if I Can combine those two amino acids and how Much dose I should take ? because I am always a little sensitive to supplements and are often a little allergic.
I tried To book an apointment with you, but could see you have a waiting list. So perhaps you Can help me with my one question in this forum.
Because I have been a lot sick the last 10 years. I have a lot of anxiety too. I Seem to get very quickly stressed and overwhelmed very easily.
And I really need some sleep and not be so stressed all the time.
I am also going for a test in february for sleep apnea , because my riticulocytes are very High, so the doktor thinks I perhaps have oxygen need, so that could also be the reason why I sleep so bad.
I also have Big trouble falling a sleep, perhaps because I am always worried , so do you Think GABA or tryptophan is good for me ? If , I could start sleep better end feel better. At the moment I Can not pull myself together . I am so tired and it seems like I have lost my creativity and I have to take myself together to do everything.
Does GABA or tryptophan have a lot of negative side effects ?
I hope you Can help me Trudy.
Have a great day
Best regards Jane
Jane
I’m sorry to hear about your health issues and problems with sleep. Getting good sleep is so important and getting screened for sleep apnea is a good start.
With regards to GABA and tryptophan I can’t offer specific feedback via the blog but can share I have clients do a trial (one at a time) based on the symptoms questionnaire https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
When you are new to the amino acids, my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a good place to start. https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/ It also has info on gluten, caffeine, sugar, low blood sugar, parasites, IBS/SIBO etc all of which can affect sleep and may need to be investigated.
Hi Trudy !
Thank you so much for your reply.
I Will for sure get your book.
Since my microbiom test I had taking , Said I almost did not have any tryptophan in the body. I want to try that out.
But I see on your shop, you do not sell to europe. Can you then recommend some tryptophan. If, how much should I then take?
I also did the questionnaire , and I am also low on GABA and seretonin.
I bought some Now GABA 500 mg a couple of months ago with vitamin b6 in it, that I did not try yet, because I am always worried about trying new supplements since I sometimes react sensitive .
Do you Think I Can take some GABA and Tryptophan together, or should I try with one of the things ?
If it is okay how much GABA should I then start with?
And since I sometimes react sensetive. Proberbly because of poor digegestion, Is it okay to take some of the powder out of the capsule and start f.eks on a lower dose of the 500 mg. GABA , and then put the powder in some youghurt?
Was it not possible to book an consultation with you?
Have a great day.
Best regards Jane.
Hello trudy, I just saw your talk on the brain body summit. I have been taking amino acids with life changing results for about a year now ( on and off when i need them) my boyfriend has good results as well but really suffers with ruminating thoughts. Almost obsessive. He will play the same scenario over in his head over and over even things thst happened a year ago or in some cases 15 years ago. It definitly is worse when under stress.
He also has adhd that is severe when stressed. He talks his ruminating thoughts out loud when hes in these states. Probably because the adhd is so bad and talking releases some of the energy. You said the inositol helps the tryptophan work better for ruminating thoughts?
What kind of dose would you recommend? He currently takes about 500mg tryptophan once or twice a day and also gaba and dlpa. When he remembers or feels he needs it. All have shown to be helpful for him. Also would lithium be beneficial in this case? He cant seem to move on from painful experiences.
Amy
Good to hear the amino acids have been life-changing for you – feel free to share which ones, how much and how they helped you?
I can’t provide doses/specific feedback on tryptophan via the blog but can share we start low and if benefits are seen we increase each week until we find the ideal dose. Tracking is important and so is adjusting one nutrient at a time so we know what’s working. Being consistent with the amino acids is important too. Inositol dosing is up to 18g/day – we start with 500mg to 1g and go up from there.
Lithium orotate can help with ADHD and mood issues – here is more info to help with that decision https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/low-lithium-questionnaire-and-how-we-use-lithium-orotate-with-the-amino-acids/
Presumably he has the dietary stuff sorted – gluten-free, no sugar, no caffeine, quality animal protein/health fats, eating for blood sugar stability etc etc. If not it’s all explained in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Finally, with his painful experiences, trauma may need to be addressed too.
I started out with gaba after hearing you talk about it on a summit. ( I can’t remember which one) I took just a pinch between the fingers which is about 1/8 of a tsp I think. it worked instantly like magic. I only took it when I felt anxiety in my chest or could feel tense. It really made me realize the difference between thought based anxiety and body based anxiety. I only needed more than a pinch a couple times when I was having a full blown panic attack. then a few months later I had a major surgery and the medication made me really depressed, but this time it was different than the usual depression I experienced. I purchased your book and Julia Ross’s book and compared the results from both questionnaires. My depression was more like extreme boredom but absolutely no motivation to even turn the TV on. It was a horrible feeling. the questionnaire made me realize I was low in endorphins and also catecholamines. I believe the beta blockers I was on caused the issues although my pharmacist assured it wasn’t. I had never before felt this type of feeling until after starting the medication.
I ordered dlpa powder ( i couldnt find straight dpa), tyrosine, 5-htp and some more gaba to start a trial. the tyrosine did not agree with me. it gave me a splitting headache and made me feel more anxious. I then tried the dlpa in hopes it would work on both the endorphins and catecholamines. The results were subtle for me but progressively improved. in hindsight i probably needed more. I think i was taking a half tsp once or twice a day. My boyfriend however tried the dlpa and within minutes felt better. I then felt really good mentally ( still physically recovering from open heart surgery) and then a month later had major relationship issues which brought on typical depression. I then tried the 5-htp. it worked gradually for about a week and then I relapsed horribly and after doing some research found out 5-htp doesn’t work well for everyone. I then ordered tryptophan. I mixed it half and half with pudding mix to be able to tolerate the taste. 1/4 tsp tryptophan and 1/4 tsp pudding mix, twice a day. the results were noticeable in a few days and quickly brought me back to normal. I also at this time took some NAC and that really skyrocketed the results. I was feeling great again in about a week. I still had major stress going on but was dealing with it very well.
That was a year ago and I’m happy to say my relationship survived and we’re doing better than ever. when I get a small bout of depression I now take the tryptophan once or twice a day and it’s cleared up in a few days. before I discovered the amino acids i was chronically depressed and had been on many antidepressants but I eventually weaned off them because the side effects were worse than the depression. I still use the gaba when I feel anxiety in my chest, which is actually very rare now. The odd time I get that blah, super unmotivated feeling, and the dlpa curbs that feeling. Now for some reason all of the amino acids I notice the affect within seconds or minutes. Even the tryptophan is a nice calm right after. not as strong as the gaba but still noticeable and quickly.
My boyfriend is finally also trying the amino acids. He was very resistant for some reason. The tryptophan really helps with his ruminating thoughts which also helps his adhd because it gets worse when he’s stressed or over thinking things. He finds the dlpa to work the best for him. I believe because of decades of emotional hurt that he’s been carrying, the extra endorphins helps soothe his emotional issues, plus the dopamine is likely helping his adhd. he’s finally now with the help of the amino acids able to process some of his past traumas. Before he was so easily triggered and it would lead to days of anger and rage and ruminating thoughts which made him too unfocused to even answer questions or have a conversation, so he was clearly not capable of attempting to do any trauma work. He’s a different person when hes taking the amino acids, now we do tapping and somatic experiencing together and hes made a lot of progress.
Hes still quite resistant but on a good day he can work through a little and he’s gotten a lot better at taking the aminos without me telling him to. He is taking 1/4 tsp tryptophan usually just once a day before bed ( if he thinks of it he takes it twice) and the dlpa, 1/4 tsp once or twice a day. if he felt really worked up he’d take a pinch of gaba as well. His sleep is also sooo much better when he’s consistently taking the aminos and I have the blackout curtains closed. He was barely sleeping previously which meant I also wasn’t sleeping because he was rampaging around angrily in the night because he was bombarded with anger inducing ruminating thoughts. thank you so much for all you do. It’s almost infuriating to know that so many doctors aren’t educated on this or at least won’t tell you about it, so many lives could be saved/ improved if everyone had this knowledge.
Amy
Thanks for sharing all this – it’s wonderful how much the amino acids have helped you and how you have used them so wisely and intuitively… using the symptoms questionnaire, trialing something and then stopping if it didn’t work.
So glad to hear your relationship survived and that your boyfriend is getting better at taking them and seeing good results.
Hi Trudy
I have been trying to phase out my prescription medication for a few years with the support of my doctors and yearly reviews with William Walsh. My supplements include: zinc,P5P, mag; nac, inositol, lithium orotate, SAMe, gaba, taurine, thiamine. All have helped!
My only remaining prescription that i am reducing is clomipramine 125mg, however I become extremely irritable when attempting this. 5htp may of added to my irratability, so my doctor has suggested tryptophan but he is unsure of dosage. I would be open to discontinuing the SAMe 800mg due to the expense in excipient list and any potential interference it may have with the tryptophan.
Based on your surveys and questionnaires, tryptophan dose seem appropriate. Any general advice would be greatly appreciated.
Steven
Wonderful to hear these nutrients have helped – feel free to share how they have helped
It’s best to discuss and be monitored by the prescribing doctor. Feel free to recommend my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” to your doctor. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/