10 replies to this topic

[Jim2000]

I have been experiencing phases of moderate depression for the past 2 years, sometimes lasting a few months and then dissapearing out of nowhere for no particular reason. Also fatigue, brain fog, insomia, short term memory issues and general anxiety for a while.

Got some blood tests done for my thyroid and some other things. Everything they tested came back fine apart from abnormally high levels of B12 serum and abnormally high levels of Eosinophils (0.7 where the norm is 0.4)

I decided to start supplementing as I figured there may be defficiencies considering my bad diet growing up and being such a fussy eater in the past. This past year i've gotten into bodybuilding, so now I eat minimal sugar and processed foods on a high protein diet, and exercise 5 times a week (although this had no impact on my phases of depression / anxiety).

I first bought 5-HTP to try, which went bad and actually made my anxiety alot worse after a week or so of taking it. It gave me heart palpitations too, so I came off of it. It did help with sleep though.

Then I tried Ashwagandha aftering reading all the praise it gets here, which I dosed up to 900mg over a few weeks and didn't really feel much apart from some drowsiness and noticing that I would snap at people and get really pissed off at almost anything so I stopped taking it.

Bought a Vitamin D3 spray, I think this one actually helped with my depression because I feel much better now after a month of use. However, whenever I have taken it in the past 10 days or so it's given me majorly increased anxiety about 10 minutes after which lasts about 2 hours every time for some reason.

Anyone know why this could possibly be?

Been taking high EPA fish oil for 10 days (800mg EPA / day) and I actually felt amazing for the first 3 days. Felt like I was on something man but it could've just been placebo because the feeling went. My sleeps definately improved though.

Finally just bought some Chelated magnesium (glycinate / lysinate) after reading all the hype about it and I might be defficent in it, how much elemental should I be taking a day? There's 200mg elemental in 2000mg.

Whats your opinion on magnesium?

Im glad my depression and sleeps sorted, now I just need to sort out this general anxiety and brain fog. What other supplements should I have?

Cheers

[blood]

Did your doctor comment on the high white blood cells or high B12 level? Do you take a B12 supplement?

[Jim2000]

Did your doctor comment on the high white blood cells or high B12 level? Do you take a B12 supplement?

No, he didn't want to see me about anything. He's a pretty bad doctor to be honest, straight away when I told him about my symptoms he tried to shove anti-depressants at me and looked pissed off when I said I didn't want them and wanted blood tests for any defficiencies. Nah I don't supplement vitamin B12, just the supplements I listed. I heard the Serum B12 results can be pretty useless anyway.

[Guardian4981]

I think there is some research that indicates vitamin D may lower blood sugar, this likely explains why you "feel bad" after taking it for an hour or two. It could also explain your anxiety in general.

I find selenium seems to eliminate my anxiety, or at least keeps it at bay and from becomining panick. Selenium may raise blood sugar, for diabetics this obviously may be bad. If your blood sugar is on the low side like me (upper 60s fasted) then selenium could help. Anxiety can cause blood sugar to lower, but its also plausible that low blood sugar also causes anxiety.

The 5-HTP likely may your anxiety "worse" because it boosted serotonin, if you started getting toward serotonin syndrome it can cause anxiety. Its a myth that anxiety is from low serotonin, well not a complete myth for some this is true. But for others increasing serotonin can make anxiety worse. Any transmitter too low can cause anxiety, namely gaba, serotonin, or dopamine. If you increase one that is not the bottleneck you may feel worse. Judging by your mediocre ashwaghanda experience gaba may not be your issue either.

I would try supplements that target the dopamine system. I have found cordyceps to work well recently.

The high b12 I am not as knowledgable on, my guess would be something in your diet or supplements, some whey protein even has b12. You may want to try meythlfolate to balance the b12, did they test folate levels?

[Jim2000]

I think there is some research that indicates vitamin D may lower blood sugar, this likely explains why you "feel bad" after taking it for an hour or two. It could also explain your anxiety in general.

I find selenium seems to eliminate my anxiety, or at least keeps it at bay and from becomining panick. Selenium may raise blood sugar, for diabetics this obviously may be bad. If your blood sugar is on the low side like me (upper 60s fasted) then selenium could help. Anxiety can cause blood sugar to lower, but its also plausible that low blood sugar also causes anxiety.

The 5-HTP likely may your anxiety "worse" because it boosted serotonin, if you started getting toward serotonin syndrome it can cause anxiety. Its a myth that anxiety is from low serotonin, well not a complete myth for some this is true. But for others increasing serotonin can make anxiety worse. Any transmitter too low can cause anxiety, namely gaba, serotonin, or dopamine. If you increase one that is not the bottleneck you may feel worse. Judging by your mediocre ashwaghanda experience gaba may not be your issue either.

I would try supplements that target the dopamine system. I have found cordyceps to work well recently.

The high b12 I am not as knowledgable on, my guess would be something in your diet or supplements, some whey protein even has b12. You may want to try meythlfolate to balance the b12, did they test folate levels?

Cheers for the reply. I wouldn't think I have low blood sugar often because I eat very regularly, loads of carbs. Sounds like a good explanation for the 5-HTP though, thanks. The B12 could be my high protein diet yeah, or just an ineffective test in general not too worried about it. Yeah my folate levels were normal.

I'll look into selenium i've seen alot of praise for it, and some dopamine supplements thanks.

[niner]

The 5-HTP likely may your anxiety "worse" because it boosted serotonin, if you started getting toward serotonin syndrome it can cause anxiety. Its a myth that anxiety is from low serotonin, well not a complete myth for some this is true. But for others increasing serotonin can make anxiety worse. Any transmitter too low can cause anxiety, namely gaba, serotonin, or dopamine. If you increase one that is not the bottleneck you may feel worse. Judging by your mediocre ashwaghanda experience gaba may not be your issue either.

Would 5-HTP (at non-crazy dose) get you anywhere near serotonin syndrome? That's a serious problem. I'd be surprised to see it unless the user was also taking SSRIs or a few other drugs (tramadol, DXM, demerol, triptans).

Jim2000, how much 5-HTP were you using? Do you take any pharmaceuticals?

[Guardian4981]

The 5-HTP likely may your anxiety "worse" because it boosted serotonin, if you started getting toward serotonin syndrome it can cause anxiety. Its a myth that anxiety is from low serotonin, well not a complete myth for some this is true. But for others increasing serotonin can make anxiety worse. Any transmitter too low can cause anxiety, namely gaba, serotonin, or dopamine. If you increase one that is not the bottleneck you may feel worse. Judging by your mediocre ashwaghanda experience gaba may not be your issue either.

Would 5-HTP (at non-crazy dose) get you anywhere near serotonin syndrome? That's a serious problem. I'd be surprised to see it unless the user was also taking SSRIs or a few other drugs (tramadol, DXM, demerol, triptans).

Jim2000, how much 5-HTP were you using? Do you take any pharmaceuticals?

I agree, but realize that such things are a scale, I'm sure he wasn't at serotonin syndrome, but if he was heading in that direction the very earliest warning is anxiety.

I have experience with this, I had a couple occasions where my anxiety went way up, I was sweating, hear was speeding up, could not relax, had to go outside for fresh air. If I was in true serotonin syndrome I probably would of required medical attention, but I was very close. What I did in those situations was start running, I suspect the increased adrenaline may ironically lower the serotonin.

[Jim2000]

Would 5-HTP (at non-crazy dose) get you anywhere near serotonin syndrome? That's a serious problem. I'd be surprised to see it unless the user was also taking SSRIs or a few other drugs (tramadol, DXM, demerol, triptans).

Jim2000, how much 5-HTP were you using? Do you take any pharmaceuticals?

I was using 100mg / day. I don't take any pharmaeuticals

[Jim2000]

I would try supplements that target the dopamine system. I have found cordyceps to work well recently.

Would you recommend a dopamine supplement like this? L-Tyrosine
http://www.amazon.co...howViewpoints=1

[Guardian4981]

I have used tyrosine with limited benefit, that doesn't mean it won't work for you.

There are multiple areas of the dopamine system, receptors, production, degradtion, etc. Different supplements target different areas, sometimes this can even have an influence on another area indirectly.

I have read the issue with tyrosine is it ends up increasing adrenaline more so then dopamine alone.

Things to try

Meythfolate
SAm-E
Uridine
Mucanna
Cordyceps
Tumeric
P-5-P

[Jim2000]

I have read the issue with tyrosine is it ends up increasing adrenaline more so then dopamine alone.

Things to try

Meythfolate
SAm-E
Uridine
Mucanna
Cordyceps
Tumeric
P-5-P

Thanks. I'm gonna try Rhodiola too.

One unrelated thing that I noticed on Ashgwanda was randomly getting childhood memories pop into my head, happened quite often which was strange.