Why does choline cause me to yawn and feel groggy/sleepy?

[tayaway]

I have tried phosphatidyl choline a couple of times and it always makes me start yawning incessantly for a few hours and become groggy and sleepy. Then I just feel dazed and, well, "blah". I recently tried an EPA/DHA supplement extracted from fish oil (Thorne brand) which had a similar effect. Now my regular methylation supplements are starting to cause this reaction as well (when I had been having some good results during the past couple of weeks with increased alertness and somewhat more physical energy on Fredd's protocol).

Are these all related to a certain snp? Is there a pathway that is possibly overburdened which I can support by using a particular supplement? I have been pretty happy with the trial-and-error process so far and have been able to figure out what I needed to add just by searching the forum here. But this one has me stumped right now.

Any theories?

Stacey

 

[tayaway]

Supplements I am currently taking (wow, it looks like a lot):

Transdermoil Adenosyl/Methylcobalamin - 2 pumps (morning)
Thorne 5-MTHF - 2mg+ 2xday (morning/afternoon)
Douglas Labs B-Complex w/Metafolin - 1 (morning)
Thorne P-5-P - 33.8mg (morning)
Thorne R-5-P - 36.5mg (morning)
Doctor's Best L-Carnitine Fumarate - 213mg (morning)
Jarrow Pantethine - 450mg (morning)
Biotics Research Mo-Zyme Forte (molybdenum) - 150mcg 5xday
NOW Opti-Zinc - 30mg (morning/night)
Cardiovascular Research Magnesium Taurate - 250mg 3xday
NOW Potassium Gluconate - 67.5mg 3xday
Country Life Biotin - 10mg (morning/night)
Doctor's Best Benfotiamine (B1) - 150mg (morning)
Biotics Research Se-Zyme Forte (selenium) - 100mcg (morning/night)
Biotics Research Mn-Zyme (manganese) - 10mg (morning)
Carlson Natural Vitamin A (from fish liver oil) - 25,000IU (morning/night)
Thorne Vitamin D - 2000IU (morning/night)
Thorne Vitamin K2 (MK-4) - 400mcg (morning/night)
Carlson Vitamin K2 (MK-7) - 45mcg (morning/night)
MegaFood Balanced Minerals - 2 tablets (morning/night)
Magnesium chloride (topical) - 10 sprays on my abdomen every few nights (too itchy to tolerate more)

Recently added:
Thorne R-Lipoic Acid - 100mg (morning)
NOW SAM-e - 200mg (occasional/not every day/just testing for a reaction)
NOW DMG - 125mg (occasional/not every day/just testing for a reaction)

Lipoic Acid *might* help a little bit with the yawning/grogginess but not sure (haven't gone crazy with this one due to sulfur). SAM-e brought on calm alertness the first time I took it but not since. SAM-e and DMG I think now both push the groggy feeling and make it worse. Also anything else that increases methylation (tried adding more folate in the afternoon, etc.) just makes it worse. I wish I knew where the possible blockage was and why choline, EPA/DHA, and the basic methylation supplements cause this reaction now.

I know I have a bunch of sulfur supps in there but my only sulfur symptom is isolated joint pain, and I usually take enough of the molybdenum to keep that from happening so I think I am okay for now with those. I had been taking the mag taurate for a few years before learning about my CBS issues but it is the most effective oral form of mag for me so I am continuing it. I don't feel any difference from taking the manganese, maybe I don't have much of an ammonia problem?

Also, in case this is useful--the supplements that have made the biggest difference for me so far are the B12 oil, methylfolate, R5P, P5P, LCF, and benfotiamine.

Stacey

 

[adreno]

The choline is probably suppressing norepinephrine (NE). Acetylcholine and NE have opposing effects.