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Supplements that Repair the BBB

acrosstheveil

Senior Member
Messages
373
I'm looking for supplements that help repair the blood brain barrier. I am also trying to strengthen my gut lining as well.

So far I've found that these help:
  • l-glutamine
  • choline
  • resveratrol
  • b12
  • hemp oil
  • alpha lipoic acid / r-lipoic acid
does anyone know of anything else that helps?
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Before you take any supplements to repair a leaky blood-brain barrier (BBB), you might first want to test to see if your BBB is actually leaky or not.

The GABA challenge test is a test for blood-brain barrier leakiness that can be performed easily and cheaply at home. This test uses the dietary supplement called GABA to determine if your BBB is leaky. I am not sure if this test has been properly validated by published studies, but the principle of it seems sound.

Here is some info on performing the GABA challenge test:
How do you know if your blood-brain barrier is leaky? A simple and easy way to find out is to do Blood-Brain Barrier Challenge. To do this, simply take 1000 mg of straight GABA (not GABA precursors such as theanine).

GABA is a neurotransmitter synthesized in the brain and is responsible for calming or inhibiting over activity. Although some companies sell GABA supplements, the reality is the GABA molecule is too large to pass through an intact blood-brain barrier. The fact that this supplement sells so well is a testament to the integrity of the average American’s blood-brain barrier.

So, if several hours after taking 1000 mg of GABA, you feel calm, relaxed or sleepy, you know that GABA, a molecule too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, has nevertheless made it into your brain and is performing its calming duties. This means your blood-brain barrier has become compromised and your brain is highly susceptible to the immune rampages I discussed above.

Some people, instead of feeling relaxed, will find GABA makes them feel more anxious or jittery. There are other reasons for this that will be discussed in my next book, however any reaction at all indicates a leaky brain barrier.

If you felt no change after taking GABA, that is a good sign that your blood-brain barrier is intact and functioning well. (For accurate results, be sure to take this test during the day and not at bedtime.)

Dr Datis Kharrazian talks about this GABA challenge test in his book "Why Isn’t My Brain Working?"
Thanks to @Ema for originally posting the link to the above info, on another thread.

More info on the GABA challenge test: Get The Right Diagnosis!: The GABA Challenge
 
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Cheesus

Senior Member
Messages
1,292
Location
UK
The GABA challenge test is a test for blood-brain barrier leakiness that can be performed easily and cheaply at home. This test uses the dietary supplement called GABA to determine if your BBB is leaky. I am not sure if this test has been properly validated by published studies, but the principle of it seems sound.

Sounds pretty good, but the only thing I would wonder about is whether it might be the placebo affect exerting influence.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
Sounds pretty good, but the only thing I would wonder about is whether it might be the placebo affect exerting influence.

Yeah this is definitely a good point to make!

Also what is the cause of a leaky BBB, as far as I know at least in my case it is notorious for Lyme, and maybe some parasitic infections but it doesn't seem like something that just sort of happens with stress, bad diet, etc.. Like the gut lining seems to be effected.. Any theories on other causes besides infectious agents?
 

acrosstheveil

Senior Member
Messages
373
i know i'm dealing with a leaky gut/brain...have been for years. I have done the gaba challenge test many times.

L-glutamine seems promising but sometimes it makes me feel very panicy and gives me insomnia. but it also seems to be the only thing strong enough to really heal things .
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Sounds pretty good, but the only thing I would wonder about is whether it might be the placebo affect exerting influence.

Well, if you think the placebo effect interferes with the accuracy of interpretation, that applies to all supplements and drugs that ME/CFS patients experiment with. This forum is full of reports of the improvements or side effects observed from supplements and drugs. I personally doubt that placebo effect does affect interpretation; many ME/CFS patients are highly experienced testers of supplements and drugs, and tend to check their results over and over again to verify them.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
@acrosstheveil
You might want to do some online research on the causes of blood-brain barrier permeability, and then try to address the causes. For starters, high TNF-alpha can cause BBB permeability.

Some potent TNF-alpha inhibitors include:

Etanercept (Enbrel) — blocks the effects TNF-a by binding to it. 1

Cat's claw — a remarkably potent inhibitor of TNF-alpha production 1 2

Taurine — significantly reduces TNF-alpha production 1
 
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acrosstheveil

Senior Member
Messages
373
thanks hip. I've taken taurine in the past and it seems to help initially, but the effect levels off rather quickly. I take cat's claw on a pretty regular basis as well, although I have been on it so long and I can't really discern any effects.
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
This study shows pretty persuasively that satratoxin (made by the toxic mold Stachybotrys) can cause holes in the BBB, opening them up to brain injury from a variety of toxins or pathogens that should not be getting into the brain.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20549560

A bunch of other studies on other trichothecenes show that that class of mold toxin is very efficient at causing intestinal permeability ("leaky gut") as well. Those two phenomena working together would provide a good explanation for why it is that food sensitivities in this disease can be so neurological.

Lisa
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Another thing you might look at, @acrosstheveil, are the supplements that are known to help repair leaky gut. I compiled a list of proven leaky gut healing supplements in this post here. Some of these might conceivably work for leaky BBB too.

I understand that leaky gut and leaky BBB occur by the same mechanism: a dysfunction in the tight junctions between epithelial cells.

However, I assume that not all supplements that help leaky gut when taken orally, may actually reach the brain, and so not all of them will help leaky BBB. Probiotic friendly bacteria are one example of a supplement which helps leaky gut, but obviously will stay in the gut, and not reach the brain (though its conceivable that probiotics may help reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS) toxin levels, and LPS causes increased BBB permeability).
 
Messages
21
Location
Sweden
Before you take any supplements to repair a leaky blood-brain barrier (BBB), you might first want to test to see if your BBB is actually leaky or not.

The GABA challenge test is a test for blood-brain barrier leakiness that can be performed easily and cheaply at home. This test uses the dietary supplement called GABA to determine if your BBB is leaky. I am not sure if this test has been properly validated by published studies, but the principle of it seems sound.

Is this test still being considered as having value? I see people mentioning the test but few reports of it actually being put to practice.

Since I had some GABA lying around I thought I'd give it a try. I took 600 mg of "ZOI Research, PharmaGABA".

I was already relaxed and not anxious when I took it. I was however not tired, seeing as I had eaten two hours since and it is usually after that amount of time that I'll start to wake up again and have more energy.

30 minutes after taking GABA I noticed:
- heavier breathing, kind of like leaning in on my own breathing
- heavy arms, increased relaxation
- some tingling in my head, feeling of increased pressure in my head and especially around my forehead
- a little spaced out
- shutting my eyes felt comfortable, like I could fall asleep easily (but not like it would be necessery to lie down)

Some of this may be placebo. But it seemed to me that something happened.

Has anyone else done this test?
 
Messages
28
Following Sarah Ballentyne's autoimmune-paleo diet has helped my leaky gut out incredibly. It's called The Paleo Approach and is hands down the best researched gut repair/diet protocol around.

Also, I'd be careful with the dosage of the GABA challenge. I tried a full capsule and I was scratching at the walls. If you have a leaky brain, the reaction to GABA will not be confused with a placebo effect. For me, at least, it was extreme.
 

acrosstheveil

Senior Member
Messages
373
there are two supplements I have found that have consistently provided the best results against mcs and strengthening the bbb. Stresscare & immunocare by himalayan herbal health. They are also the only supplements that can solely keep my lyme in check. I recently ran out about a month ago and almost had to quit my job two days ago I was deteriorating so fast. I got these two supps in the mail yesteday and I'm already back to where I was a month ago! so happy I've found something that works well. Here is a rundown of the ingredients (it's a ton!):

stresscare: bael tree, Clerodendrum phlomidis, oroxylum, Malay bush beech, fragrant padri tree, heart-leaf sida, sarivan, Uraria picta Desv., three-lobe-leaf cowpea, blue wiss, long pepper, tribulus, solanum anguivi, yellow-fruit nightshade, chinese pistachio, phyllanthus, grape, leptadenia, India elecompane, holy basil, chebulic myrobalan, Indian tinospora, air potato, spiked ginger lily, cyperus, boerhavia, shatavari, cardamom, vetiver, water lily, Indian kudzu, Malabar nut tree, ashwagandha, Pentatropsis capensis Lf., amla, bamboo, cinnamon, Indian cassia, mesua, gotu kola, licorice, caper bush root, chicory seed, elephant vine stem, curculigo root, teri pod root, eclipa, velvet bean seed, nutmeg, saffron, black nightshade, arjuna bark, ajowan seed, celastrus fruit, turmeric, clove bud, yarrow, coffee senna seed, tamarisk, shilajeet, and mace.

immunocare: chebulic myrobalan (fruit rind), belleric myrobalan (fruit rind), amla fruit, India fagonia, heart-leaf-sida, castor, deodar cedar (heartwood), spiked ginger lily, Malabar nut tree, ginger, Javanese long pepper, cyperus, boerhavia root, India tinospora stem, finger-leaf morning glory, dill seed, tribulus fruit, ashwagandha, Indian laburnum (fruit pulp), shatavari root, long pepper fruit, barleria, coriander, yellow-fruit nightshade, solanum anguivi, guggul resin, India madder root, horseradish tree leaf, and licorice root.
 
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Messages
22
Can you heal a leaky gut without treating leaky brain? My gut is good one day and bad another. Do you get sensations and can you feel tingling in your brain? I feel this weird tingling in my brain. I'm not sure what it is.
 
Messages
43
Hey BadgerGB7
Can you heal a leaky gut without treating leaky brain? My gut is good one day and bad another. Do you get sensations and can you feel tingling in your brain? I feel this weird tingling in my brain. I'm not sure what it is.

Hey Badger,

How long have you been on this symptom? does your sensation in the brain have any rythm like tak-tak-tak...........just like pusle.
 
Messages
22
For about 4-5 months. My roof of my mouth is all yellow. I'll keep an eye out for the rhythm tak-tak-tak. I haven't noticed anything like that.
 

student

Senior Member
Messages
166
I am sorrry for y. @Badger. Like with us. It can be a long jouney to look at symptoms and root causes, genetics, strategies - than later on puzzle out individualised therapie. And Yes, a carefull mouth routine. Is needed. I do srcub my tonge morning and nights. Oil-drawing once or twice a day is advisable. I add Salt ad (anti Candida solution)-. Yesterday the dentist scrabed Touth-“stone“ material away.

Hi @acrosstheveil and others! my brain supports are more simple....
The L- Ornithin and Citicholine - https://www.intellimeds.co.uk/citicoline
(perhabs Arginin also.) are extremly helpfull products.
Curcumin (as tumarek carrots) with Pepper and oil supported my brain vigilance.
Myrrhe as alkohol tincture http://www.apo-rot.de/details/myrrhentinktur-hetterich/2249005.html?_nav=suche&_searchkeyword=myrrhe in the nose - has opend my olfactorius and influenced MSH (hypophysis) regulations.
Simply blocking my nose – with Propulis powder support has helped not to developed the feard MCS much.

The RS -Starch and fibers grownded me. They had stabiliesed my bowl-brain health support after 3 or 4 weeks. (So I do eat low carb but support with a lot of starchy knowledge.)
For me as genetic MTFHR -/+ the Folate /m.folat (plus B 12 methylation) support has proven to be verry helpfull.
A strong help were given through Gupta/ and now DNRS psycho techniques. The regular stop-routine and morning training.
Not the least- the willing prayers of the verry good friends in Church here- have turned out to be great support in my daily walk here. For shure eaven these good psycho-Contacts firmly support our good BBB stabilisations.
 
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kyzcreig

Senior Member
Messages
141
Location
Houston
Glutathione is the number one supplement for leaky BBB, which is caused by oxidative stress. Glutathione is the number one counter measure to oxidative stress, not fancyberries or whatever.

The exotic antioxidants can be good in very special cases and so are good as a broad diet, but not for a chronic problem.