2 replies to this topic

[Nrrdthlete]

[I want to narrow down my list of supplements. I feel I'm taking too many pills. However, I don't want to spend another year trying to figure out what affects me how and going through that emotional minefield. My long-form post is below. Short version is: [TBI, high stress, low neurotransmitters, globally elevated hormones, trouble with sexual function and chronic pain; supplements are helping; which do you think are responsible for what benefits?]

 

 

I am a 28 year old elite amateur/semi-pro athlete. I come from an incredibly stress-heavy home/upbringing, and suffered a massive TBI at age 12.

 

I have struggled for a long time with chronic joint pain, anxiety, depression, and an irritable inability to relax or keep invasive thoughts out of my head. I have therefor always had difficulty with the following:

• Getting to sleep at night
• Wanting to socialize
• Feeling sexual arousal
• Getting/maintaining an erection
• Squatting or walking up stairs

 

I did a urine neurotransmitter test that showed relatively low Dopamine, GABA, and PEA, and severely (<2.5% well under ref range) low Serotonin.

I did a urine complete hormone panel that showed elevated levels of nearly every hormone (Progesterones, Androgens, Estrogens, Cortisols, Metabolites of all, and Melatonin.) The only hormone in reference range was Creatinines. Again, every other hormone measured was well ABOVE its reference range.

 

My doctor, who also practices some naturopathy, introduced me to some supplements that have definitely helped. I am taking:

• 5-HTP (time release, for serotonin)
• D,L-PA (twice daily, for dopamine et al)
• Phenitropic (twice daily, for gaba)
• Liposomal Vitamin C (twice daily, for inflammation)
• Curcumin (once daily, for inflammation)
• Slippery Elm Gruel (when I can remember, for gut repair)
  These definitely helped get my mind more positive, and I noticed better sexual functioning.
  
  I then added...
• Seekinghealth Optimal Multi (once daily, for possible deficiencies)
• Beet root (twice daily, for blood pressure)
• Hydro B-12 (as needed or before exercise)
• Coq10/NADH (as needed or before exercise)
  Again, I noticed another subtle improvement in sexual functioning and a DRAMATIC improvement in cardiovascular exercise. I'm talking "couldn't figure out why everyone else could run so much," to "I'm the fittest player here."
  
  I then added...
• Rhodiola Rosea
  With the Rhodiola, I feel much more calm. I even flirted with the idea of stopping the 5-HTP/DLPA. Things that did severely rouse me, like traffic on the highway passing me, my parents trying to get at me, etc... just didn't bother me as much anymore. And along with that, another subtle sexual improvement.
  
  I am now adding...
• Tongkat Ali
  I have used this before and it definitely gives me a sexual boost, as well as much more motivation in the weight room. I believe it does help raise free T because of this experience.​

 

My doctor's opinion is that I either have a chronic infection that is constantly elevating inflammation and overstimulating/exhausting my immune response, or that stress pre-disposition from childhood combined with a heavy brain injury has thrown my HPA axis out of wack and I am literally wired/sensitized to perceived stress and that my adrenals are dumping inappropriately all day long.

 

I have a lot of respect for this community and would love to see if my information could help someone else dealing with similar issues. I'd also love it if anyone had input that could help me figure it all out.

 

Thanks for your time!

[Blackkzeus]

What's your diet like? Check out a scientist called Raymond Peat, visit his website. He's created a diet that specifically addresses hormone and thyroid issues by focusing on foods that provide the most cellular energy to the nervous system. The diet is strict and tedious but many have reported it's very beneficial. I've heard from a few sources saying the diet has improved their chronic fatigue, anxiety, as well as brain fog issues. You maybe eating foods that are causing stress to your body, such as gluten, dairy and meat products containing high amounts of pro-hormones and steroids, which tamper our hormone levels and have been reported to increase estrogen in both men and women causing all type of problems. 

 

I'd also add flaxseed, milk thistle, vitamin d3, and Ashwaghanda to your supplement regimen. Those supplements may help with inflammation and milk thistle will detoxify your system of excess estrogen and other harmful substances in your body. 

 

Also, I'd highly recommend meditation. It sounds like your body is incessantly in the sympathetic nervous system mode aka fight or flight, which is causing you to constantly feel wired and on high alert, meditation helps revert your system back to the natural parasympathetic mode, which as you can guess is a more relaxed, elated state of the mind and body. Do about 20-30 minutes of meditation or even more if you want daily and you'll soon notice that wired feeling start to slowly fade, at least that was my experience. I constantly felt wired, I would get startled easy, and kind of felt like I was in a daze with severe brain fog, meditation, a good diet, and exercise improved my symptoms of anxiety and chronic stress and fatigue by I believe lowering neuro-inflammation. I'm not 100% yet but I'm getting there, slowly but surely. 

 

 

Edited by Ed Ntuk, 04 March 2015 - 11:01 PM.

[Nrrdthlete]

Thanks for your reply!

 

I eat a regular diet, except that I am 100% gluten free and eat very little dairy.

 

Unfortunately, sexually speaking the only way to tell if something is working or not is to self-stimulate, and then you get into wondering if daily masturbation itself is depleting you. Today things didn't really work out very well, but I've kinda been going 2 a day for the past three or four days. If I don't "test" regularly, however, I get intense anxiety over whether my system is works. As you can see... I have very, very bad anxiety issues.

 

Thanks for the suggestions on additions to the stack.