Increasing GABA naturally

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

To avoid the gastro side effects of high doses of mag (I was taking as much as 800-1200 mgs a day at my worst), I used chelated magnesium, mag glycinate by Solgar.

So how much magnesium would you recommend I take daily if I’m not getting anywhere with 200mg of magnesium glycinate and applying transdermal magnesium once daily? Would you say I ain’t taking enough?

 

[perchance dreamer]

Cannabis helps, but I don’t think it increases GABA, it just works on the glutamate. Plus I don’t want to use cannabis every day

Have you tried CBD oil? I find it very relaxing and helpful for sleep. Also, it reduced the swelling in my knuckles so I can wear rings again.

Brand is important with CBD. I tried several different kinds, but the one that helped me the most is Waayb. I use 25 MG before bed and another 5 MG when I wake during the night. I had used the Plus brand of CBD, but it didn't help me although other people on this forum do like it. Here's the one I use.

https://waayb.com/

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

Have you tried CBD oil?

Yes I have. It didn’t do anything, however I only used one brand and was so discouraged that I stopped using. However, I use hemp flower with a tiny mix of indica strain and we have lift off. If I use CBD or cannabis for a long period of time, I have a horrible time with stomach pain. During the summer I was bed bound thinking I had a horrible virus. It turned out after 12 days of being unwell it was the cannabis/CBD. The same goes for ashwagandha.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Now my books not only have food stains. They also have water stains.

@perchance dreamer
Some of mine, sadly, have received the fully submerged baptism when hand muscles spasmed. Most have come thru just fine, if with greatly expanded thicknesses.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

It turned out after 12 days of being unwell it was the cannabis/CBD. The same goes for ashwagandha.

@SmokinJoeFraz93
I had similar reactions. CBD increased my anxiety, so I regretfully stopped using it, may try again when I'm ready to roll those dice, as t'were. Ashwagandha, which I had high hopes for, made me seriously sick-feeling, before I knew what I was dealing with ME-wise. Tried it three different times, I think I've worn out those dice but we'll see. Hope springs etc etc etc

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

I had similar reactions. CBD increased my anxiety, so I regretfully stopped using it, may try again when I'm ready to roll those dice, as t'were.

Cannabis is a funny one to be honest. On one hand it relaxes me and help anxiety, but also amplified certain anxieties when I was ‘sober’. Very strange. (I’m assuming the CBD you try is derived from the cannabis plant and not the hemp plant).

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

So how much magnesium would you recommend I take daily if I’m not getting anywhere with 200mg of magnesium glycinate

At my worst, I was taking 50 mg every hour, which seems to make a difference vs. a 100 mg dose 2x a day, or 200 mg 1x a day. I'd often add a higher dose at bedtime to help with the schizoid sleep patterns. I think the steady flow of relatively low dose mag did the trick for me. It took several weeks to build up in my system, but I could feel modest, then increasing benefits from the start.

So yes, I think that for me your 200 mg dose, whether once or twice a day, would have done zip-a-de-do-dah. But only you can figure out what works for you.

transdermal magnesium once daily

Transdermal never did much of anything for me, and was both stick and grainy, so uncomfortable. I take an Epsom Salt bath nightly, but until I started dosing with mag glycinate, those did nothing, either.

If you're uneasy about diving right in, do the low and slow method and chart your reactions and progress. But until I boosted to 50 mgs/hr, I didn't get palpable results.

Usual caveat: we're all different, so what works for me, yadda yadda, and .......I'm no kind of medical professional, I'm speaking from my own experience and experiments, in the hope that it might help you and others. There. That's over with.

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

I think that for me your 200 mg dose, whether once or twice a day, would have done zip-a-de-do-dah

Awesome, thanks!! I’ve upped to 400mg now and I’ll see where that takes me. Have you consumed Kava?

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Awesome, thanks!! I’ve upped to 400mg now and I’ll see where that takes me. Have you consumed Kava?

Keep in mind the small, regular doses as opposed to one or two larger ones. I can't stress that enough. Though I think I've pretty well pounded it into the ground.

I'm a little uneasy about the kava, for the reasons @Mary mentioned: a sloppy compound that contains even minimal amounts of leaves and other contaminants could create problems I'm not ready to deal with. Or kill me liver. Neither one is a good choice for me right now.

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

Keep in mind the small, regular doses as opposed to one or two larger ones. I can't stress that enough.

Okay, no problem. I’ll perhaps take 200mg twice daily.

I'm a little uneasy about the kava, for the reasons @Mary mentioned: a sloppy compound that contains even minimal amounts of leaves and other contaminants could create problems I'm not ready to deal with.

That’s totally understandable. I’ve been recommended a company called Kalm with Kava, and by what I’ve read, they’re ‘on the ball’ when it comes to shit kava and good kava. One factor being purchasing certified ‘noble kava’ only. I’m telling you this and I am sure you already know this haha!

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Okay, no problem. I’ll perhaps take 200mg twice daily.

You seem to missing my message: larger doses did NOTHING for me. SMALL DOSES, i.e, 50 mgs every hour, are what turned the tide. At least for me. 200 mg two times a day constitute 2 LARGE DOSES. If you're leery of 50 mgs every hour, try 50 mgs every two hours.

It seems to be the steady, low dose magnesium that makes the diff. As you probably already know, the dosage and timing are almost as important as the substance.

One factor being purchasing certified ‘noble kava’ only

Yeah, somewhere I have a whole file of info on Kava and various companies that guarantee that their product is noble Kava only. If I can dig it out, I'll post some supplier input here for you. No promises. I'm working on the tail end of a fairly long, if moderate PEMS, and am very low energy.

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

It seems to be the steady, low dose magnesium that makes the diff. As you probably already know, the dosage and timing are almost as important as the substance.

Ah I see. Sorry about that. That’s what I’ll do from now on. I may as well stop the transdermal magnesium because it’s not doing anything for me.

As for the kava info, that’ll be appreciated

I'm working on the tail end of a fairly long, if moderate PEMS, and am very low energy.

I’m sorry to hear about that. I hope you can recover back to ‘baseline’ ASAP!

 

[frozenborderline]

I Don’t see a problem w occasional low dose benzo use in a crisis. Before I was very sick I also did much higher doses of phenibut and it was fairly benign.

Kava seems more promising tho due to it increasing gaba transport or something that creates reverse tolerance. It should have effects somewhere between a gabapentinoid, benzos, and weed

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

I Don’t see a problem w occasional low dose benzo use in a crisis. Before I was very sick I also did much higher doses of phenibut and it was fairly benign.

Kava seems more promising tho due to it increasing gaba transport or something that creates reverse tolerance. It should have effects somewhere between a gabapentinoid, benzos, and weed

Whilst we’re on the topic of Kava, I’m wondering if I can take serotonin boosting drugs/supplements whilst taking Kava? I did read on a article saying that don’t take 5htp or St John’s Wort with Kava.

Now I respond VERY well to serotonin boosting substances, but I know that I need to increase GABA levels also. At the moment I’m microdosing with psylocibin truffles which are legal in the UK/Europe where as the mushrooms are illegal. But yeah, I’m responding well with them. Any wisdom will be appreciated

 

[frozenborderline]

Whilst we’re on the topic of Kava, I’m wondering if I can take serotonin boosting drugs/supplements whilst taking Kava? I did read on a article saying that don’t take 5htp or St John’s Wort with Kava.

Now I respond VERY well to serotonin boosting substances, but I know that I need to increase GABA levels also. At the moment I’m microdosing with psylocibin truffles which are legal in the UK/Europe where as the mushrooms are illegal. But yeah, I’m responding well with them. Any wisdom will be appreciated

Kava has mild maois I believe. But mild and reversible. But even if they were irreversible Maois it would be fine to mix with tryptamine psychedelics. The way those substances work re: serotonin seems to be very different than serotonin releasers like mdma. I wouldn’t worry about the interaction in the least.

 

[frozenborderline]

Whilst we’re on the topic of Kava, I’m wondering if I can take serotonin boosting drugs/supplements whilst taking Kava? I did read on a article saying that don’t take 5htp or St John’s Wort with Kava.

Now I respond VERY well to serotonin boosting substances, but I know that I need to increase GABA levels also. At the moment I’m microdosing with psylocibin truffles which are legal in the UK/Europe where as the mushrooms are illegal. But yeah, I’m responding well with them. Any wisdom will be appreciated

Kava has mild maois I believe. But mild and reversible. But even if they were irreversible Maois it would be fine to mix with tryptamine psychedelics. The way those substances work re: serotonin seems to be very different than serotonin releasers like mdma. I wouldn’t worry about the interaction in the least.

 

[SmokinJoeFraz93]

Kava has mild maois I believe. But mild and reversible. But even if they were irreversible Maois it would be fine to mix with tryptamine psychedelics. The way those substances work re: serotonin seems to be very different than serotonin releasers like mdma. I wouldn’t worry about the interaction in the least.

That’s okay then. Like I said, it’s only microdosing and it’s only my 4th day microdosing. Other serotonin supplements work, but they aren’t as strong as the psilocybin truffles.

 

[gbells]

Black or green tea has theonine which helps also magnesium and meditation raises GABA.
There is also a product that has ready made GABA bound to niacin called picamilon.
https://blog.bulletproof.com/gaba-neurotransmitter-supplement-anxiety-sleep/

https://www.allstarhealth.com/de_p_...SWZ-m9T1MwCTj5kFb5aWq-lEQOG93iTkaAhApEALw_wcB

 

[gbells]

Correction, lavender is great for anti-anxiety however it doesn't work through GABA. It is through NDMA. The rest is correct. I also added meditation which definitely works (go for longer sessions at least 25 min).

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Black or green tea has theonine which helps also magnesium and meditation raises GABA.
There is also a product that has ready made GABA bound to niacin called picamilon.

@gbells , @SmokinJoeFraz93
These played merry hell with my anxiety, particularly green tea and theanine, and adding to stressed, imbalanced GABAa receptors with any kind of GABAa stimulator is generally a very bad idea, will further down-regulate GABAa receptors, and will bite you hard in very sensitive places ......

As I think I've already said somewhere here, oral GABA has a very hard time crossing the BBB ......

Picamilon is fairly addictive fairly quickly, and carries its own difficulties ....