baclofen/ deep sleep/ increased igf and growth hormone

[heapsreal]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8852867
Growth hormone (GH) response and baclofen levels were measured in seven healthy adult men following a 10-mg and a 20-mg dose of oral baclofen (gamma-aminobutyric acidB agonist) to determine the preferred dose in baclofen challenge studies. Multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures revealed no differences between the doses. However, when a univariate ANOVA with repeated measures was performed for each dose, the 10-mg dose showed no significant GH response over time, whereas the 20-mg dose showed a significant GH response over time. The average delta GH (change in GH from baseline) was 7.84 ng/ml (SD = 10.17) for the 10-mg dose and 3.34 ng/ml (SD = 3.64) for the 20-mg dose. The variability in the delta GH response to the 10-mg dose was significantly greater than the response to the 20-mg dose of baclofen. This variance in GH response was not explained by the differences in serum baclofen levels. Thus, a 20-mg baclofen dose appears to be preferable to a 10 mg-dose in baclofen challenge studies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16554457
Patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition associated with reduced physical function, have been reported to have lower plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels than able-bodied persons. We evaluated the potential for daily low-dose baclofen administered over several weeks to increase plasma IGF-I levels. Ten healthy male outpatients with chronic SCI were studied prospectively. Patients received escalating doses of baclofen for 4 weeks at each dose level (5, 10, and 20 mg/d). At each dose of baclofen, an increase in the plasma IGF-I was noted; significant increases in plasma IGF-I occurred at 2 weeks after administration of drug at doses of 10 and 20 mg/d, with a subsequent rise to peak levels on baclofen 20 mg/d [baseline, 205+/-74; peak, 218+/-76 (not significant), 239+/-83 (P<.05), 263+/-87 microg/L (P<.05), at baclofen 5, 10, and 20 mg/d, respectively]. In conclusion, low-dose baclofen administration for 4 weeks stimulated the growth hormone-IGF-I axis in persons with SCI, with the potential for beneficial effects on body composition.

My experience is that on its own i dont find it sedating but with other sleep meds it improves my sleep quality. The above studies might be why i find improved sleep quality.
Others may find baclofen on its on enough for sleep.

cheers!!!

 

[penny]

My experience is that on its own i dont find it sedating but with other sleep meds it improves my sleep quality. The above studies might be why i find improved sleep quality.
Others may find baclofen on its on enough for sleep.
cheers!!!

I think it has the same effect for me. It doesn't put me to sleep but it seems to improve my sleep -- more deep/slow wave sleep, less waking up, more restorative.

From "A Review of Sodium Oxybate [GHB] and Baclofen in Treatment of Sleep Disorders" (fibromyalgia is mentioned)
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cpd/2011/00000017/00000015/art00004
"Baclofen appears to increase SWS and decrease sleep fragmentation in humans although therapeutic benefits appear distinct from that of sodium oxybate. There are significantly less studies involving baclofen and further research is needed examining baclofen in the sleep of healthy subjects and those with sleep disorders."

I had reduced slow wave sleep in my sleep study, so it certainly seems that helping correct that imbalance would be a good thing. And I did have improvements around the time I started taking it and again when I increased my dose (of course there were other supplements/changes as well so I can't draw a clear line).

 

[heapsreal]

good find the study. I too had crappy SWS in a sleep study and very little total sleep at that, yes it does help.

cheers!!!

 

[ukxmrv]

Thanks Heapsreal and Penny,

That's really interesting. I've been taking 10mg of Baclofen most nights (prescribed for restless legs and fibromyalgia) but not tried 20mg doses consistently. I did notice that a few times when I did take 20mg I had insomnia and restlessness but that may have been due to being in a lot of pain at the time (and hence trying more baclofen).

I'll see if my GP will prescribe a trial of it at a higher dose.

 

[heapsreal]

Thanks Heapsreal and Penny,

That's really interesting. I've been taking 10mg of Baclofen most nights (prescribed for restless legs and fibromyalgia) but not tried 20mg doses consistently. I did notice that a few times when I did take 20mg I had insomnia and restlessness but that may have been due to being in a lot of pain at the time (and hence trying more baclofen).

I'll see if my GP will prescribe a trial of it at a higher dose.

Works well with zopiclone or something similar??

 

[Firestormm]

Evening Heaps,

I'm on 2 x 10mg Baclofen 3 times daily. Does that qualify me for being a 'junkie'?!

I have to say that Baclofen was prescribed primarily as a muscle relaxant for day and to take last thing at night. And it does the business.

I couldn't say that it helps 'deep sleep' because it my case it doesn't. Sleep remains a chronic problem for me I am afraid, but it has also helped with the 'restless legs' and muscle spasms generally.

Best thing about this stuff for me is that it makes payback post-exertion more tolerable in terms of pain. I think Baclofen is one of my drugs that I would certainly consider of the more helpful variety.

Life with compared to life without is far more manageable. Like all the prescription meds I take though it serves to 'take the edge off' some of my symptoms.

Glad it's in my cabinet though

 

[heapsreal]

Evening Heaps,

I'm on 2 x 10mg Baclofen 3 times daily. Does that qualify me for being a 'junkie'?!

I have to say that Baclofen was prescribed primarily as a muscle relaxant for day and to take last thing at night. And it does the business.

I couldn't say that it helps 'deep sleep' because it my case it doesn't. Sleep remains a chronic problem for me I am afraid, but it has also helped with the 'restless legs' and muscle spasms generally.

Best thing about this stuff for me is that it makes payback post-exertion more tolerable in terms of pain. I think Baclofen is one of my drugs that I would certainly consider of the more helpful variety.

Life with compared to life without is far more manageable. Like all the prescription meds I take though it serves to 'take the edge off' some of my symptoms.

Glad it's in my cabinet though

dr jay goldstein said that baclofen was hit or miss with cfs patients but when a patient got a hit it worked well. I dont use baclofen every night either which might be why it helps me plus i also use it with imovane or stilnox, not on its own as i find it not very sedating by its self. I have also been using 50mg of late too.
Yes im a junkie too. If i didnt treat sleep i would be more of a basket case, lol.

cheers!!!

 

[penny]

i find it not very sedating by its self. I have also been using 50mg of late too.
Yes im a junkie too. If i didnt treat sleep i would be more of a basket case, lol.

cheers!!!

Yeah, I take ambien as well (same thing as stillnox I think) otherwise I'm still awake hours past my bed time - like tonight! Even though I still need a sleeping pill, I do think it helps me to take half my baclofen after dinner and the other half once in bed with the ambien. It seems to work better than all at bed time. Also reducing my pain levels made a big difference (LDN, regular NSAIDs, vit d avoidance, who knows what else), not that that's an easy thing either. It's all so darned complex and interdependent!

 

[*GG*]

I couldn't say that it helps 'deep sleep' because it my case it doesn't. Sleep remains a chronic problem for me I am afraid, but it has also helped with the 'restless legs' and muscle spasms generally.
:

Haven't been following this thread, hope I don't disturb anything, but just wanted to say that I used to have a major issue with sleep, but now take an anti-depressant, and doing better than ever!

GG

 

[penny]

Hi GG,
That's great!
Can I ask what type of sleep issues you had, initiation, maintenance...? And what antidepressant helped?

 

[*GG*]

Hi GG,
That's great!
Can I ask what type of sleep issues you had, initiation, maintenance...? And what antidepressant helped?

Initiation and maintenance, and once I got 4to 5 hours of sleep, I couldn't fall back asleep!

GG

 

[knackers323]

Anyone know why baclofen is thought to help? Is it the effect it has on growth hormone or neurotransmitters etc.?

 

[heapsreal]

Anyone know why baclofen is thought to help? Is it the effect it has on growth hormone or neurotransmitters etc.?

it works on gaba B receptors, normal sleep meds work on gaba A. gaba B are the same receptors that xyrem work on, deep sleep they induce that is suppose to help increase growth hormone. My experience is that it does help improve sleep quality but its not something that works all the time, like everything else, it needs to be used intermittently to keep its effects??

 

[knackers323]

So you think it's the raising of growth hormone levels that give improvement?

 

[heapsreal]

So you think it's the raising of growth hormone levels that give improvement?

I don't know but think anything that improves sleep would help us feel better. If it was gh it would help people lose weight/fat , can't say it did that for me.

 

[knackers323]

Anyone know if a single dose of baclofen increases GH levels or not, and if so, how soon after dosing?

 

[EnduringAngel]

My GP has just agreed to give me baclofen. I also have GH deficiency so thought it may help.
Can anyone advise what dosage to help with increasing GH? is this at night, or take throughout day?

Any help appreciated
And GG which anti depressant helped you?

A x

 

[*GG*]

@EnduringAngel and @penny Just realized I did not answer Penny's question a while back

Remeron (max dosage is 60mg, usually taking 45 mg up to 60 for more sleep) helped me the most, still on it, since late 2009, so coming up on 6 years! Was on Trazadone for a few years before that. Got to the maximum dosage of 150mg, and was in the middle of a flare, it stopped working!

GG

 

[EnduringAngel]

Thanks so much.

@heapsreal with the studies you have mentioned before, can you help me understand them, sorry I'm being a bit thick. Are they saying 10mg or 20mg is better for producing more GH? would even higher doses produce more?