Completely eliminated my severe anxiety symptoms with three supplements!

[Hip]

I had hellish, unrelenting generalized anxiety disorder for several years, and, having tried hundreds of supplements (as well as SSRI drugs and TCA drugs) in my frantic efforts to treat it, I recently found 3 supplements that seem to pretty much eliminate my anxiety!

➤ The first and most potent anti-anxiety supplement is N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG), taken at a dose of 700 mg twice daily on an empty stomach; the dose can be reduced once daily after a few weeks. You can go from terrible mental tension to relaxed calm within two hours of taking NAG.​

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NAG should not be confused with glucosamine sulfate, which will not work for this anti-anxiety purpose. NAG may be inadvisable in Lyme disease (see here). NAG can aggravate asthma. If you are on warfarin, glucosamine can increase the risk of bleeding (see here). Glucosamine may raise intraocular pressure (see here). NAG is usually shellfish derived (however Swanson NAG is derived from fermented yeast, though Swanson say they cannot guarantee it is shellfish free).​

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➤ The second most potent is flaxseed oil (aka linseed oil), one level tablespoon (15 ml) daily. 15 ml of flaxseed oil is 13,000 mg in weight. Flaxseed oil is best absorbed when taken with food. It is the alpha linolenic acid (ALA) in flaxseed oil that I believe has the anti-anxiety effects (flaxseed oil is 55% ALA; chia oil is 64% ALA).​

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➤ The third is the herb turmeric, at a dose of 1000 mg twice daily, best taken on an empty stomach (but if it causes irritation, take with food). This herb can be bought cheaply as turmeric powder for cooking. 1000 mg equates to just under one level teaspoon of powder.​

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Turmeric is not to be confused with curcumin (turmeric contains curcumin, but turmeric has many other active ingredients, including: ar-turmerone, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, atlantone, and zingiberone; I suspect the ar-turmerone in turmeric may have the main anti-anxiety effect, as ar-turmerone is thought to reduce microglial activation). So don't buy curcumin thinking it is turmeric; they are not the same.​

My anxiety was so severe that on bad days it would often border on mild psychosis. So it is quite amazing that just by taking these 3 supplements together, I have pretty much eliminated my anxiety disorder symptoms. OK, I still have chronic fatigue syndrome, but ditching the anxiety is a great improvement. Note that generalized anxiety disorder involves mental tension and/or worry; in my case, there was no worry, just severe mental tension. This anti-anxiety protocol worked very well to eliminate the mental tension.

Most of these supplements should start working within two hours or so of taking them; if you don't feel the benefits within a few hours, then they are probably not going to work for you.

Note that NAG either works very well (in around 50% of people), or it does not work at all (in the other 50% of people).



Mechanisms of Action

➤ Anti-inflammatory effects. NAG, turmeric and flaxseed oil are all anti-inflammatories, and they may work by reducing inflammation in the brain. Recent research has shown that brain inflammation can cause many mental symptoms, including anxiety symptoms, depression, ADHD, and many others. So the anti-inflammatory properties of these supplements may be the mechanism by which they eliminate anxiety.

By reducing the brain inflammation that may be causing your anxiety symptoms, you are treating the very source of anxiety.

➤ NAG reduces Th17 cell production. Th17 cells release the cytokine IL-17, NAG may reduce IL-17. Now Th17 and IL-17 are linked to anxiety (see here and here), so by lowering Th17 and IL-1, NAG may reduce anxiety.

➤ IL-17 is also linked to blood-brain barrier breakdown, which can lead to brain inflammation and this may cause anxiety.

➤ Glucosamine inhibits microglial activation, and this might in part explain the anti-anxiety effects of NAG (the acetyl molecule added to glucosamine to make N-acetyl-glucosamine allows its to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain). On this other thread I wrote on anxiety, I hypothesize that anxiety disorder may be caused by excessive levels of glutamate in the brain, resulting from brain inflammation and microglia activation. This excessive glutamate overexcites the NMDA receptors on neurons, causing neurons to get into an overstimulated state. This overstimulated state I think then leads to anxiety disorder.

➤ NAG is a component of mucin, the protective coating of the intestines and sinuses. The mucin coating fights infections, so if NAG helps produce more mucin, this may have an anti-inflammatory effect in the gut and sinuses, which will help lower overall inflammation in the body and brain, leading to less anxiety (by my hypothesis).

➤ NAG binds to wheat agglutinin, a lectin in the diet (such lectins can elicit an inflammatory response), so this may have an anti-inflammatory effect.

➤ NAG is a regulator of neuronal excitability. This might well explain its anti-anxiety effects, since excitability may involve high glutamate and low GABA.



NAG Success Stories on This Thread

On this thread there has been a lot of feedback from people trying this NAG to treat their generalised anxiety disorder (along with flaxseed oil and turmeric). Around 50% report excellent results, but equally the other 50% say that this combination of supplements did nothing at all for their anxiety.

Here are a few of the positive reports about NAG etc that were posted in this thread by forum members who tried it (click on the person's name to go to their post in this thread):

Hello there
I have been taking CoQ10, with Omega 3 oils, plus a heaped teaspoon of tumeric twice a day, and 1x NAG 750gm twice a day...
And I am feeling HUGE benefits!! I read all of this and how you are being helped with anxiety, which i have, but wouldnt be my first priority to remedy, but i was interested in the inflammation side of it all and that the NAG works on the gut. I have been taking this regime for 7 weeks now and I am hugely happy over the results.

Hi Hip,

I got a hold of the 3 supplements NAG, Flaxseed oil and Curcumin.

Firstly, OMG! N-Acetyl Glucosamine is amazing within 2-3 hours of taking it, all of my physical symptoms of my GAD vanished like nothing else and has been sustainably for the past 10 days. I really feel like I've finally found a solution thanks to you.

Anyway, I decided to get some NAG, Inositol, Flax, and Tumeric.

I dosed it all for the first time about two hours ago....I feel VERY sedated. I am in absolute peace right now.

Hip, I started using N-A-G at 1g 3x per day and the anti-inflammatory effect has been amazing. I have persistent sinus inflammation (and burning mouth) and it is the only supplement so far that has helped. I also have anxiety and insomnia. I have noticed some improvement with anxiety, but not help with insomnia... yet. I am hoping the benefits keep coming from taking the N-A-G, perhaps by gut healing. Anyway I just wanted to say thanks for starting this thread!

Wow, OP this has calmed my nerves. Thank you for sharing.

Feeling really relaxed and good after that second 700mg. Of course, I am sitting at home playing video games, but still very happy with results so far.

I been taking NAG and turmeric powder for three months now. I still notice a moderate drop in anxiety and the ability to breathe better every time I take NAG.

Hey guys just wanted to post that turmeric which I bought at local store had been super amazing for my anxiety. I have been taking it for 2 days so far but man let me tell you after an hour of taking it, my anxiety decreased like 90%. It was a huge relief.

Hi Hip,

First I really want to thank you for the miracle combination (NAG, curcuma and flaxseed oil) that really helped me!!

Thought you might be interested @Hip: Two relatives of mine who don't have cfs both have Generalised Anxiety Disorder diagnoses & medication (which doesn't seem very effective for either of them). I bought NAG,Turmeric & flaxseed oil for one of them to try - but they don't appear to have had much effect. However, the other person tried 3 NAG capsules over 36 hours and is quite convinced they had a very positive anxiety-decreasing effect.

Supplement Sources:

N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) can be bought online. I found the Jarrow brand of NAG is good value and good quality. Swanson N-Acetyl D-glucosamine is another good value NAG.

You can also obtain NAG more cheaply as a bulk powder.



Further Reading:

This thread is an update and advancement on my older anti-anxiety thread here: Non-Standard Anti-Anxiety Treatment, where I detail the mechanism by which I think brain inflammation may cause anxiety. Basically my theory stated on that thread is that:

Inflamed brain ➤ chronic microglial activation ➤ excess glutamate production ➤ NMDA overstimulation ➤ induces anxiety state.

 

[Hip]

Note that N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) was by far the most potent anti-anxiety supplement I found, with turmeric and flaxseed oil also being quite good.

However, these were not the only supplements that I discovered were effective in treating my anxiety: I found a list of 29 anti-anxiety supplements and drugs that had good anti-anxiety effects, which I will post below.

If for any reason NAG, turmeric and flaxseed oil do not work to reduce your anxiety, then you may wish to try some of the another anti-anxiety medications from the list below. It can take a little trial and error before you find the supplements that work best for you.



List of My 29 Anti-Anxiety Supplements

The most potent anti-anxiety supplements are towards the top of this list:

• N-acetyl-glucosamine 700 mg twice daily (the most potent anti-anxiety treatment)
• Flaxseed oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of this oil daily (taking more may cause diarrhea)
• Turmeric 2000 mg twice daily (not to be confused with curcumin)
• Arginine pyroglutamate 100 mg of powder snorted into nose (works fast within 20 mins)
• Citrulline malate 3 grams twice daily
• Vinpocetine 10 mg daily (take with food)
• Vitamin A in high doses of 25,000 IU daily
• Taurine 4 grams when needed (best to use short-term for a few days, as tolerance can appear)

• Saccharomyces boulardii yeast probiotic 3 capsules daily (takes a day or two to kick in)
• Jarro-Dophilus EPS probiotic 5 capsules daily (takes a day or two to kick in)
• Inulin (prebiotic) 3 heaped teaspoons daily (takes a few days to kick in; more info on prebiotics here)
• Inositol powder 2 heaped teaspoons (15 grams) daily (takes 12 hours to kick in)
• Choline bitartrate 500 to 1000 mg once or twice daily (also treats social anxiety well)
• Progesterone cream ½ gram of cream on skin (Source Naturals cream = 17 mg progesterone per gram)
• Aloe vera juice 1 tablespoon (15 ml) twice daily
• Transdermal magnesium cream applied to skin once or twice daily (how to easily and cheaply make your own magnesium cream described here)

• Horsetail herb extract 600 mg daily (contains 10 mg of silica)
• Evening primrose oil 5 ml (4000 mg) twice daily
• Pregnenolone 25 to 50 mg daily
• Propolis 4000 mg twice daily (but don't take before bed, as it may keep you awake)
• Curcumin 1000 mg twice daily
• Terminalia chebula herb 1500 mg twice daily
• Grape seed extract 500 mg once daily

• Acetyl-L-carnitine 500 mg twice daily
• L-carnitine 1000 mg twice daily
• Bacopa monnieri herb 1 to 2 grams daily
• Phosphatidylserine 400 mg once or twice daily (works best with omega 3 oil)
• Cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine 10 mg daily (antihistamines have anti-anxiety effects)
• Piracetam 1000 mg has an anti-anxiety effect, especially in combination with choline bitartrate

The anti-anxiety effect of the above supplements will kick in within an hour or two of taking them (except when otherwise indicated).

The supplement N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) may not be advisable in Lyme disease, since NAG might feed Borrelia bacteria.

Arginine pyroglutamate (also written as L-arginine L-pyroglutamate) can be bought most cheaply as a bulk powder. Citrulline malate can be bought cheaply as bulk powder. Inositol can be bought cheaply as bulk powder.

I also find this drug good for anxiety, depression and ME/CFS sound sensitivity:
• Very low dose amisulpride 12.5 to 25 mg daily (more info on this effective drug here)

Another supplement which I found substantially reduces anxiety is prebiotics like inulin, which help address gut dysbiosis. See this thread.



Anti-Anxiety Supplements and Drugs That I Found Also Have Anti-Psychosis Effects

It is known that mild psychosis can manifest in people who have severe anxiety disorder. This is sometimes called anxiety psychosis. Along with my severe anxiety levels, I often experienced psychosis symptoms (thankfully relatively mild psychosis), especially on days when my anxiety was more severe than usual.

Psychosis is defined as a loss of contact with reality (involving confused or disorganized thoughts, lack of self-awarenes, lack of insight, unwarranted suspiciousness, paranoia, false beliefs).

Fortunately, I found that certain specific supplements had both anti-anxiety and anti-psychosis effects, and these were very useful for me. The supplements that I found reduced both my anxiety and psychosis symptom are these (listed in approximate order of efficacy):

• N-acetyl-cysteine 600 mg daily often completely prevents my psychosis symptoms from manifesting.
• N-acetyl-glucosamine 700 mg (or more) twice daily — works very well.
• Amiloride 5 mg once or twice daily— works very well.
• Amisulpride in very low doses 12.5 to 50 mg daily — works very well. At much higher doses this drug is an antipsychotic, so it is not surprising it helps to reduce psychosis even at very low doses.
• Vitamin C powder 3 grams in a glass of water, taken three times daily — much cheaper if you buy in bulk powder. This works fast and well.
• Phosphatidylserine 50 mg to 200 mg or once or twice daily (works best with omega 3 oil) — much cheaper if you buy in bulk powder. Higher doses may worsen anhedonia, but doses around 50 mg daily are fine.
• Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) 1000 mg twice daily (though I found higher levels of niacinamide may cause some slight emotional blunting, but this side effect will probably not occur in other people).
• Flaxseed oil one level tablespoon (15 ml) daily (more may cause diarrhea).
• Ozone therapy using my easy ozone method.
• Transdermal magnesium cream applied to skin once or twice daily (how to easily and cheaply make your own magnesium cream described here)
• Horsetail herb (silica) 600 mg daily

• tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) across temples shown to reduce psychosis symptoms.

 

[taniaaust1]

Being "Wired" Related to Anxiety?

I have the impression that the "wired" feeling in ME/CFS patients is related to anxiety. Feeling wired (as in "wired but tired") may be a mild version of anxiety, or be related to anxiety. I certainly find that I never feel wired when I take these anti-anxiety supplements. So these anti-anxiety supplements may also help people eliminate the "wired" state of ME/CFS.

Feeling wired can coexist with anxiety..but Ive found it to not always be the case at all.

I can get into this wired but tired but still very happy state at times.. like im on some kind of happy wired drug high. (which also at times can feel like if I'd had a massive boost of caffiene). Ever seen a child who on staying up too late goes all crazy and silly.. starts running about a room making noises or whatever (not all get cracky when over tired and gone into wired, it can be more like a child who's had too much red food colouring and has all this energy which one just cant get out). That's how I sometimes feel...with no negative emotions connected to it.

Other times (it all depends on if I have had anxiety or not as part of my recent ME/CFS symptoms) being wired will increase the anxiety I had at the time. (what im saying.. as if it wasnt there already a bit of anxeity there already, I dont get anxiety with being wired.. wired just intensifies anxiety if its already there).

for myself.. feeling wired occassionally, can be an enjoyable state to be in (as can be very useful as it makes me feel more energy to go and do things which in turn..knowing im doing things without having to push myself is pleasurable, thou the crash from it later can suck).

It is annoying thou if one is wired right before bed..or at other incovenient times...(in those causes it can lead to anxiety esp all if one really wants to do is go to bed and actually sleep).
.....

Great post thou with all those anti anxiety ideas.

 

[Hip]

One theory I have is that the "wired" feeling in ME/CFS might come from overall brain inflammation — particularly from the brain's microglia cells, activated as part of the inflammatory response, and pumping out lots of glutamate (as they do when they are activated). Glutamate acts as a powerful excitotoxic stimulant in the brain, as it stimulates the NMDA receptors.

So that's an idea I had about the cause of the "wired" feeling: the brain's NMDA receptors overstimulated by the glutamate released by chronically activated microglia during inflammation. One study in Japan did find that microglia are activated in ME/CFS patients.

Perhaps anxiety only arises when this glutamate overstimulation specifically occurs in the amygdala, which is the main area of the brain responsible for mediating anxiety. If the glutamate overstimulation happens in other areas of the brain, then maybe different mental symptoms arise, but not anxiety.

This might explain why sinus inflammation is often linked to anxiety: the sinus cavities lie very close to the amygdala, so inflammation occurring in the sinuses might conceivably precipitate inflammation in the nearby amygdala, causing the amygdala's microglia to activate and pump out glutamate, leading to amygdala overstimulation, and anxiety.

 

[Sasha]

Hi Hip - I'm really pleased to hear that you've got rid of your severe anxiety. That must be a huge relief.

I have just started getting treatment for chronic sinusitis and am very interested in whether the anti-inflammatories that you mention might help with that. I don't want to hijack your thread so I've started another one specifically on that topic if anyone would like to comment.

 

[gu3vara]

Then I guess LDN is a good choice for anxiety as it decreases activation of microglia in the brain. I've been feeling less wired since I'm on it. (Though I added manganese afterward and it caused me to be more agitated, but in a different way).

 

[globalpilot]

I'm glad to hear you got relief from that horrible anxiety.
I listen to all the DAN! talks (extremely useful) and Dr. Mary Megson said one time that inflammation in the gut goes everywhere, including the brain.
She didn't provide a reason why or any proof but it is intriguing.

 

[nanonug]

I listen to all the DAN! talks (extremely useful) and Dr. Mary Megson said one time that inflammation in the gut goes everywhere, including the brain. She didn't provide a reason why or any proof but it is intriguing.

Have a look at this, maybe it rings a bell (particularly table 3):
Mast cell activation disease: a concise practical guide for diagnostic workup and therapeutic options.

Given that you have gastrointestinal issues, I think it would probably be worth giving cromolyn sodium (GastroCrom in the US) a try...

 

[Lala]

Hi hip, thank you for all this info, I am glad you improved so much. I just started NAG today. How long does NAG take to start working? Also which brand do you use? I have Jarrow NAG 750mg.

 

[globalpilot]

Have a look at this, maybe it rings a bell (particularly table 3):
Mast cell activation disease: a concise practical guide for diagnostic workup and therapeutic options.

Given that you have gastrointestinal issues, I think it would probably be worth giving cromolyn sodium (GastroCrom in the US) a try...

Who is this directed towards ? Many of us have GI issues - it's quite common.

 

[maryb]

Hip really good news that you've found supplements that've helped you. Must admit not heard of
N-acetylglucosamine, looks quite interesting from the read up.
Can anyone explain what the N-acetyl means?

I did try N-acetylcysteine (NAC) a couple of times which was disastrous, and to boot didn't realise you shouldn't take it if you have amalgams - double whammy. Which has absolutely nothing to do with the above

 

[adreno]

Haven't felt anything from NAG. Curcumin and Holy Basil, on the other hand, has an anxiolytic effect on me.

 

[adreno]

Can anyone explain what the N-acetyl means?

It simply means that the compound is acetylated.

 

[Sparrow]

I think a gut connection is certainly possible. There are so many similarities and overlap in neurotransmitters, etc. between the digestive tract and the brain.

I know that for me personally, when I accidentally triggered some major gut issues with a supplement, my mood went haywire. Evened out again when my gut did.

 

[nanonug]

Who is this directed towards ? Many of us have GI issues - it's quite common.

I was replying to you, globalpilot...

 

[globalpilot]

I actually did do a trial of this years ago. It didn't do anything for me but it certainly would be worth considering for others with gut problems. Maybe a new post with this info would reach more people. It's buried here deep in the thread.

Sparrow - I had a complete resolution of symptoms on a very strict diet years ago. I have always thought there is an overgrowth and I've been addressing that with good success finally after trying many approaches. My doctor thought it was allergies.

 

[Hip]

Have a look at this, maybe it rings a bell (particularly table 3):
Mast cell activation disease: a concise practical guide for diagnostic workup and therapeutic options.

Given that you have gastrointestinal issues, I think it would probably be worth giving cromolyn sodium (GastroCrom in the US) a try...

Thanks nanonug, I am going to look into that. I understand that mast cell activation is associated with IBS, but I had not heard that there was a way to treat this, in the form of cromolyn sodium.

 

[Hip]

Hi hip, thank you for all this info, I am glad you improved so much. I just started NAG today. How long does NAG take to start working? Also which brand do you use? I have Jarrow NAG 750mg.

I find my sinusitis / nasal congestion gets rapidly cleared within an hour or so of taking NAG, and my anxiety levels will reduce in the same time period. It is a very noticeable effect for me. Hopefully it will work for you too.

The effects of NAG begin to wear of after around 10 - 12 hours, so that is why you need to take another dose later in the day.

I have just switched to Jarrow NAG 750 mg myself, and I take 2 x 750mg in the morning, and another 750 mg in the evening.

I usually take NAG, flaxseed oil and turmeric together, as these three make up my anti-anxiety armory, and together more or less eliminate my anxiety symptoms.

If I want to be super-chilled out, I will take several more of the anti-anxiety supplements in my above list, in addition.

 

[Hip]

I'm glad to hear you got relief from that horrible anxiety.
I listen to all the DAN! talks (extremely useful) and Dr. Mary Megson said one time that inflammation in the gut goes everywhere, including the brain.
She didn't provide a reason why or any proof but it is intriguing.

I have seen a number of articles on the general idea that inflammation in the body's peripheries can significantly affect the brain. These three papers are interesting:

• From inflammation to Sickness and Depression: When the Immune System Subjugates the Brain

• Cytokines and the Brain: Pathways and Mechanisms for Cytokine Signaling of the Central Nervous System

• Cytokine, Sickness Behavior, and Depression

A quote from the second paper: "recent work has demonstrated several routes by which peripheral cytokines can either directly cross the BBB or indirectly signal the brain through other informational substances".

The third paper talks about how pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body can activate the vagus nerve, and this nerve then signals this activation to the brain, and thereby instigates an inflammatory response in the brain.

In other words: you could have inflammation in your gut, and the inflammatory cytokines can travel to and precipitate inflammation in the brain, or can precipitate inflammation in the brain by activating the vagus nerve within the gut (the vagus nerve innervates the gut area).

And I imagine that, if you have inflammation in your sinuses (which are located just millimeters away from the brain), inflammatory cytokines from the sinuses may have a significant inflammatory impact on the brain as well.

 

[nanonug]

Thanks nanonug, I am going to look into that. I understand that mast cell activation is associated with IBS, but I had not heard that there was a way to treat this, in the form of cromolyn sodium.

You may also try ketotifen if you are outside the US.