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Glutathione and sleep

Messages
5
Hi there

I have been struggling with my sleeping patterns.

About 18 months ago I was diagnosed with the A1298C homozygous SNP (and Pyrroles). I’ve had CFS in varying degree’s since 1988.

A few months after starting on B12 I found I had massive insomnia. I have been working with a biomed and we tried a few things which didn’t work – until I came across a post on this forum by Rich Vank, where he suggested glutathione might help with this type of insomnia (caused by the B12).

I tried taking both glutathione and NAC. This worked fabulously for about 6 months until about August this year. I became very unwell with a virus (suspected swine flu). During this time my supplement intake was really all over the place. After about a week I felt better and started taking my supplements with more discipline. Within a few days I started to need to sleep all the time – like all day. I found felt better when I reduced the glutathione and NAC intake. Eventually I stopped taking it all together – and felt reasonably good for a few months until my insomnia returned in December.

I tried to take the glutathione and NAC again, but each time I try it I get very sleepy – like I just sleep all day and all night. I’ve tried them both separately, and in small quantities. I sort of figured that maybe I could take something like half or a quarter of a tablet every 2 or 3 days and get some sort of balance. But so far, no luck. No matter what I try I end up getting overly sleepy. But then when I just don’t take it I will suddenly get intense insomnia.

I’ve tried other things herbal, GABA and melatonin but they’re not right either for various reasons.

I’ve searched these forums and someone else mentioned that they felt very sleepy and it was suggested they take a glutathione recycler. I didn’t know what this is but now I’ve learnt that NAC is a glutathione recycler – so am very confused.

I want to know what other peoples experiences are with glutathione and sleep. Has anyone had this sort of problem before.

Thanks a million

Kylie
 

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
I find that 200 or at most 300 mg of NAC makes me sleep deeply and well. I take it in the evening but it can be a few hours before bed. I also take low doses of two other things for sleep and pain. I don't use it every night. If I go without for while, my sleep gets worse on the other meds. I haven't taken it every night because I heard it could be counterproductive. I know the NAC increases my low blood pressure problem in the morning. One thing I haven't used at all is plain glutathione as I heard that would have some adverse consequences.

I can't help with real knowledge, but what about dropping the glutathione and just taking NAC in some small amount? Maybe every other day or less, in a rotation with other type of sleep remedies or meds--
Can't help further other than to direct you t o the other sleep threads.
 
Messages
19
Glutathione is a tricky supplement, at least to supplement it correctly.
Right now I take a GSH complex containing L-glutathione, NAC, B12 (methylcobalamin), Folate (5-mthf), ALA, ALC, Milk thistle, Selenium and a few other vitamins.
At first I noticed I felt a bit bogged down, almost felt like I was coming down with the flu. Once I was about 2 weeks into the program I felt much better. After looking into a bit, if you are taking a robust glutathione enhancing supplement, you should expect to detox. This will manifest flu like symptoms, cause tiredness and even blemishes.
It seems odd that you experienced symptoms like this after 6 months, but it could still just be your body detoxing.
I also talked with the company that made my supplement, and from what they say, it seems very important to not just supplement with glutathione, but with the precursors and methyl donors as well.
All I can say from my experience, is after the first bout of detoxing, I have slept better, have more energy and plan on sticking to it. Hope this helps some, if you have any questions I will do my best to help you out further.
 
Messages
5
Thank you very much for your replies. I really appreciate it. And I have to say that it’s also such a relief to be able to say 'NAC' and 'glutathione' and have people know what you mean (and, I’m presuming, not having eyes glaze over).

I do feel like I have the flu big time when I take it, so maybe my body is still detoxing.

Yes – I’ve already dropped the glutathione... thanks.

I’ll also reduce the NAC. I thought I was taking a low amount – 1 capsule occasionally (when the recommended on the bottle is 3 per day. But the 1 capsule is 400 mgs so that’s still double what you’re taking, Sing. I’ll try taking half again and see what happens.

That’s a good idea to talk to the company who makes the supplement, TheWig. I might do that too. I’m also interested in the GSH complex too. I like the idea of taking a broader spectrum of things, although am wary of taking anything with folate in it as it can make me unwell (possible COMT SNP). Maybe a little bit will be OK or I can find something similar without.

This makes me think that I may not be getting enough methyl groups for it to work optimally (as suggested by the supplement company).

This has given me a lot to work with – thanks so much. I really appreciate it.

Kylie
 

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
Glutathione is a tricky supplement, at least to supplement it correctly.
Right now I take a GSH complex containing L-glutathione, NAC, B12 (methylcobalamin), Folate (5-mthf), ALA, ALC, Milk thistle, Selenium and a few other vitamins.
At first I noticed I felt a bit bogged down, almost felt like I was coming down with the flu. Once I was about 2 weeks into the program I felt much better. After looking into a bit, if you are taking a robust glutathione enhancing supplement, you should expect to detox. This will manifest flu like symptoms, cause tiredness and even blemishes.
It seems odd that you experienced symptoms like this after 6 months, but it could still just be your body detoxing.
I also talked with the company that made my supplement, and from what they say, it seems very important to not just supplement with glutathione, but with the precursors and methyl donors as well.
All I can say from my experience, is after the first bout of detoxing, I have slept better, have more energy and plan on sticking to it. Hope this helps some, if you have any questions I will do my best to help you out further.

Hi to TheWig, I am interested in your experience--that you felt a lot better after a couple of weeks and felt you had been detoxing before. The supplement you describe has a lot in common with the formula that Dr. Jon Kaiser of KPAX Pharm in San Francisco has been testing on ME/CFS patients. I wrote about his presentation at the Nova patient conference last Saturday. I personally wouldn't take as much as he has in the KPAX formula--there is a lot more NAC in it, for instance, than I am taking now. Dr. Sara Myhill has a program too to help the mitochondrial status, but I don't want to try to replicate a complicated program on my own. Anyway, I am glad you are feeling better and have found something that works for you!

And Kylie, good luck with your experimentation!
 
Messages
19
I will have to check out that formula by Dr Kaiser.
The one I am taking is called GSH Gold, it is quite new from what I gather. The customer service is fantastic though, very helpful, unlike a few others I have been in contact with over the years.
 

charlie1

Senior Member
Messages
315
Location
Canada
@Sing I've been trying to figure out why I'm so sleepy on the KPAX Immune and not the Energy formula. You may have provided the answer!!
I bought the KPAX fatigue trial kit on-line a few months ago but am still on low doses. I found that the Immune formula (1/2 tablet) gave me heartburn and I would get so EXHAUSTED within an hour or 2 of taking it. I was not taking the Energy formula at the time because I was nervous about the addition of caffeine to the formula.
When I spoke to the KPAX rep, she didn't know why I'd be tired but suggested taking the Energy instead b/c the caffeine will act as a 'transporter' to get the nutrients into the mitochondria and that most likely, I will not feel stimulated by the low dose caffeine and that in fact it may prove to be even more beneficial than the Immune tablet.

Since that time I've taken 1/2 Energy tablet in morning and another 1/2 Energy tablet in the afternoon without any problems regarding heartburn or sleepiness. Then today, thinking that maybe the sleepiness thing had been all in my head or due to something else, I took 1/2 Immune tablet in hopes of getting a larger amount of nutrients into me (Immune is more potent in vitamins, not sure though if the amino acid concentration is also increased?)
About an hour after the 1/2 Immune tablet, I was super tired. And I was fighting heartburn. So I don't believe this is a co-incidence and am wondering what's going on!! The nutrients and their amounts are listed on the bottles except when it comes to the amino acids, NAC being one of them. They are named but the amounts are not given. They are listed as a 'Proprietary blend of Energy and Immune Boosting Nutrients"

I wrote about his presentation at the Nova patient conference last Saturday. I personally wouldn't take as much as he has in the KPAX formula--there is a lot more NAC in it, for instance, than I am taking now.

Do you know how much NAC is in the Kpax Immune and also in the KPAX Energy? Or can you think of another reason the Immune tablet would make me so sleepy??

Thanks :)
 
Messages
15,786
@charlie1 - Foods I'm intolerant of will often make me feel that sort of fatigue an hour or so after eating them. There might be something in the ingredients which you react to.
 

charlie1

Senior Member
Messages
315
Location
Canada
Foods I'm intolerant of will often make me feel that sort of fatigue an hour or so after eating them. There might be something in the ingredients which you react to.
Thank-you for the suggestion which would make sense but I pretty well eat the same breakfast foods each day so I don't think it's that.
 

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
@charlie1 I have forgotten how much NAC is in KPAX, due to forgetting problem, but may have noted it in another post somewhere. My vague sense is that it is considerably higher than I can tolerate. Not only do I fall deeply asleep on even 300 mg NAC but I also feel the effects the next day. In my case that means extra low blood pressure in the morning, maybe until mid afternoon. This is worth it to me to get the deep sleep which I feel restored by. It doesn't cause more brain fog, interestingly, the next day, just disablingly low blood pressure.

Your body is the expert. If something makes you too tired during the day, don't take it, would be my advice. If it were me, I would only take that pill before bedtime, then see how I do. If the other formula sits well with your body during the day, then just take that.

By the way, has their research project been completed? Are Kpax's results somewhere? I had sent them an email months ago to be notified when their study results are in, but never heard from them.

Thanks,

Sing
 

charlie1

Senior Member
Messages
315
Location
Canada
@Sing - I also replied to the email they sent out by saying I'd like to receive the results when they're released. I've heard nothing yet either.
Ya, I won't take it in the day anymore but will try it at night. The thing is they suggest not taking it after 3pm as it can keep people awake at night! I'll experiment with that on a night that I'm not already sleep deprived in case the experiment backfires.
I thought you might know the actual amounts of each of the 3 amino acids that are supplied in the KPAX formulas but that's ok. I can always ask one of the reps....they're very helpful.
 

charlie1

Senior Member
Messages
315
Location
Canada
@Sing I received my first Synergy Report Update as an attachment to an email this morning. Did you also get one? It's called "Synergy Report Update #4" yet its the first one I've received. I won't have a chance to read it till later.
If you've rec'd yours, let me know what you think and we can compare thoughts.
 
Messages
13
Interesting thread. I've had some health issues and discovered some higher than usual levels of toxic metals in a urine test (nothing crazy, but should be lower). I'd previously had a boost in energy from adding one particular type of magnesium - Drs Best - but now that I look at the ingredients list, for every 100mg of magnesium there's 900mg of glycine and lysine 'chelate'. And glycine is one of the three components of glutathione. So perhaps the benefit is coming from additional glutathione synthesis and the detox process...

...so for the last week I've been taking 600mg NAC (one of the other precursors to glutathione) morning and night, and for the first two days I felt great, and urine was much darker and stronger smelling (sorry for the detail but thought it would be relevantly!) so looks like something was being flushed out. But since then I've been gradually more tired by the day. Sounds like a similar experience. I'm going to give the NAC a pause and see if that makes a difference.

I wonder if it's something that's useful on occasion, or in cycles, or just at a lower dose?
 

npeden

NPeden, Monterey, CA
Messages
81
Hi there

I have been struggling with my sleeping patterns.

About 18 months ago I was diagnosed with the A1298C homozygous SNP (and Pyrroles). I’ve had CFS in varying degree’s since 1988.

A few months after starting on B12 I found I had massive insomnia. I have been working with a biomed and we tried a few things which didn’t work – until I came across a post on this forum by Rich Vank, where he suggested glutathione might help with this type of insomnia (caused by the B12).

I tried taking both glutathione and NAC. This worked fabulously for about 6 months until about August this year. I became very unwell with a virus (suspected swine flu). During this time my supplement intake was really all over the place. After about a week I felt better and started taking my supplements with more discipline. Within a few days I started to need to sleep all the time – like all day. I found felt better when I reduced the glutathione and NAC intake. Eventually I stopped taking it all together – and felt reasonably good for a few months until my insomnia returned in December.

I tried to take the glutathione and NAC again, but each time I try it I get very sleepy – like I just sleep all day and all night. I’ve tried them both separately, and in small quantities. I sort of figured that maybe I could take something like half or a quarter of a tablet every 2 or 3 days and get some sort of balance. But so far, no luck. No matter what I try I end up getting overly sleepy. But then when I just don’t take it I will suddenly get intense insomnia.

I’ve tried other things herbal, GABA and melatonin but they’re not right either for various reasons.

I’ve searched these forums and someone else mentioned that they felt very sleepy and it was suggested they take a glutathione recycler. I didn’t know what this is but now I’ve learnt that NAC is a glutathione recycler – so am very confused.

Hi, lost your name....have not heard of glutathione for sleep. Here is my question: what form of b12 are you taking? You may be mutated with COMT esp ++ and thus methyl-sensitive so need to be on non-methyl supps as they will make you anxious. I have COMT++ and sleep issues. I use lysine and low dose p5p to calm glutamate, inositol at night for anxiety and you can find many recs for this even NIH, and my favorite is magnesium threonate. I am not a geneticist but I am an educator and I work with Sterling Hill. I have never heard of glutathione for sleep. As a matter of fact, we were just discussing on MTHFRSUPPORT whether NAC is tiring or stimulating...NAC, as I am sure you know, is the precursor to glutathione. Like I said I wonder if you are the rare bird and Sterling is expert on this that is methyl-sensitive and if you are using any methyls...many do not recognize how sensitive COMT can make us. Hope something here helps and am glad you have a practitioner helping. BTW I also listen to hypnotist Micheal Sealey on YouTube all night. Just make sure your modem is in another room. Good luck.
 

Tuukka

Medical Travelling
Messages
12
Location
Finland
This is an old topic so I'm not sure if this helps, but I found this sentence that peaked my attention; "Just make sure your modem is in another room."

I would say get rid of WLAN completely, day and night, and try to negotiate with your neighbors to turn it off as well. In addition to higher microwaves it radiates the beacon signal of 10 Hz that is equivalent of the wake state Alpha brain waves.
 

Belgiangirl

Senior Member
Messages
108
I am completely shocked...

For who-ever what reason I know I do take NAC and ordered my second recipient, so I take it nicely in the MORNING (this is almost noon).

Would it ... make me sleepy? ...
Would that clarify why I worsened so much

Also have glutathion at home (i am now in another place, contemporary flat). Did never dare to take it because I also heart scary things about it?
Like toxins getting freed out of your fats, so being able to flow freely in your body potentially damaging organs.

Freed from your fat cells, the catch: my BMI is 15-16, not much fat to be found. So where are my toxins being saved?

To make thing worse: according to my other doctor here (where I am now) I am overdosed with Vit B12...
a doctor put a baxter in me with a Bcomplex vitamine and a syringe, but I do inject myself also. I thoough: other forms probably, won't harm anyone.
And labs apparently don't measure >2000 where I live. Here they do I guess and he warned me to stop immediately with all vit B12 supplementation. Never thought it could actually withdrew you from sleep...

My sleep problems did increase heavily the last months but I thought this was stress related. It got so bad I needed to take lormetezepam more often (normally I only do it to prepare my body for longer days so proactively in order to be less tired the next day) and to elevate the dose... now in a couple months I have taken as much boxes lormetezepam as I do normally in +2 years I think, while I already use them sporadically for +10 years... (not that i am fond of it, but I am very glad if they make it possible for me to get trough a day, the day after I took them so I don't have to cancel trips or meetings!)


I started glutathion it for a week but felt headache and for me that was the sign to stop it untill more information appeared, but never took the time to do this. Unfortunately and strange enough I am lazy with all these things and not disciplined: as it comes to symptom management of CFSME whilst if I see all you guys here you analyse everything to its deepest core.
I can't go this far inside.
But maybe it does improve QoL?
In that case it is worth it I guess?? But I am afraid this won't work for me and then what am i going to do? Spending my life which is so short awake talking about this disease?
 
Last edited:

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
Wow, I sympathize with you, @Belgiangirl ! About all you wrote here.

Re: glutathione
I vaguely recall reading that glutathione itself doesn’t work to replace low glutathione in the body because it gets turned into something else and has more of the opposite effect than intended, meaning, it might cause more of the symptoms one wished not to have. This is to do with how it is processed.

Re: NAC
It is a precursor to glutathione that is more useful and can have the intended effects (or some of them?) Anyway, it does help me with sleep and does seem otherwise constructive for my system. I wouldn’t take it myself during the daytime. What works for me now is the 600 mg of NAC in a sustained release form.

However, if a patient here has a negative or unhelpful reaction to any supplement or medication, it is my own opinion that it would be better to stop taking it. That is what I would do myself. Or, I might try to learn more about it first. Perhaps if an experienced doctor with ME/CFS—and there are so few of them—wanted me to take it for reasons that could be well explained, reasons based on good scientific evidence, I would do so anyway—-up to a point. However, if my body were still complaining and not showing any benefit, I personally would stop.

So much is not entirely understood about this condition, and there are many individual differences, so I feel that it is a good practice to act more in accordance with my own experiences with any supplement, medication, or treatment, than what another recommends, even a doctor.

Re: Quality of life
I try to do what I personally find offers me the best quality of life I can have with. I am not always wise about pacing though, that is my own main shortcoming. I could improve here. At least, I usually avoid excessive exertions, in terms of my regular habits and choices, but sometimes life either requires more exertion or seems to offer more to me if I make some extra exertion, so I tend to go with that. Naturally, I then need recovery time later. But, « paying more » in terms of occasional exertion for something joyful to me, like being with people I love, or doing something that means a lot to me, seems worth the recovery time I will need afterwards.

I don’t like making my whole life revolve around this illness, through seeing myself entirely in terms of it, thinking or studying about it all the time, either. I try to give it my attention, effort and « subordination », up to a point only—I am still a whole human being beneath/around/beyond this illness—a whole soul—and need to respect that first.
 
Last edited:

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
@Sing I received my first Synergy Report Update as an attachment to an email this morning. Did you also get one? It's called "Synergy Report Update #4" yet its the first one I've received. I won't have a chance to read it till later.
If you've rec'd yours, let me know what you think and we can compare thoughts.

Sorry, not to reply to your post sooner. I don’t check in with the forum as often as I might. I wasn’t part of the KPAX Synergy trial. I read that this didn’t pan out, in terms of showing benefit to the test group, afterall.