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What exactly does it mean when something is a MAO inhibitor ?

juniemarie

Senior Member
Messages
383
Location
Albuquerque
Something is making me so sleepy, can barely keep my eyes open even after taking Adderall, No-Doz and a cup of coffee.

3 weeks ago I began taking Rhodiola and I just read it was a an MAO inhibitor.

I am MAO +/+

Could it have anything to do with the sleepiness? I know its an adaptogen which I thought would decrease fatigue, but theres more to these adaptogens than I thought…..as far as how they interact with the body chemistry.

Sometimes things that make others awake and jittery have the exact opposite effect on me
 

ppodhajski

Senior Member
Messages
243
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Are you homozygous for MAOB as well?

MAOI's inbit the the MAO enzyme from breaking down catecholamines like serotonin, dopamine, norepinepherine.
http://img.medscape.com/slide/migrated/editorial/cmecircle/2007/6769/images/mod1/slide37.jpg

MAOA preferentially degrades serotonin. I am making the assumption that Rhodiola preferentially inhibits MAOA.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19168123

My other assumption is that your MAOB genes are fine since you would probably have had greater anxiety taking Rhodiola.

The More serotonin you have hanging around the more it will turn into melatonin which might make you sleepy.
http://www.pharmacorama.com/en/Sections/images/Serotonin_2_clip_image004_0000.gif

MAOB is the back up degrading enzyme for Serotonin.
 

belize44

Senior Member
Messages
1,662
I have just found this thread and wanted to reply that since starting to take Rhodiola, I have felt like I was in a severe crash for going on ten days now.
 

Paralee

Senior Member
Messages
571
Location
USA
I can't take Rhodiola for some reason, but as a last thing to try when I needed something I would take some St. John's Wort. I have read it has MAO properties of some type, but I haven't used it in years, because it also can raise blood pressure in some people.
 

belize44

Senior Member
Messages
1,662
Since I wrote that last post, I have swung to the opposite extreme. I started feeling really wide awake, and then found it difficult to fall asleep!:confused: