Why glycine and GABA can be stimulating and excitatory

[BadBadBear]

Chris Masterjohn has an interesting answer for this. If I understand correctly, glycine is supposed to be inhibitory or calming by opening cell channels that let chloride in. In the case of metabolic derangement, it lets chloride out which is stimulating.

Hence I accidentally took a few nights of my partners mag glycinate rather than my usual mag citrate and wrecked my sleep, and now I understand why it wakes me.

https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/lite-videos/2018/12/25/glycine-gaba-wake/

 

[Mary]

@BadBadBear - interesting! I have the opposite experience - glycine does help me sleep and mag citrate causes insomnia for me, due to the connection between citrate and MSG. (see https://www.truthinlabeling.org/names.html ) We are all so different, and yet so much alike at the same time!

 

[BadBadBear]

@Mary Just out of curiousity, do you have electrolyte balance issues with sodium? I am curious if this might be part of the picture.

Also interesting about citrate. I don't have MSG issues, not that it is good for me, but it does not seem to cause the problems some people experience from it. That particular pathway does not seem to be part of my picture, and yes, we are all so different!

I have been thinking of trying mag malate. Maybe. Hate changing up something that isn't broken!

 

[Mary]

Just out of curiousity, do you have electrolyte balance issues with sodium? I am curious if this might be part of the picture.

I don't think I do - I'm guessing I would probably know if I did! I do crave salt, and eat a lot of salted sunflower seeds. I do have problems keeping my potassium levels up and so I take potassium 4 x daily and that works for me.

I have been thinking of trying mag malate. Maybe. Hate changing up something that isn't broken!

Years ago, before I developed full-blown ME/CFS with PEM, mag malate did increase my energy, but no more. But I know what you mean about changing things and if it ain't broke, don't fix it! It's great you do well with the mag citrate, so I don't think you need to change it. But you might try mag malate for the heck of it, just to see if it helps your energy at all or if you feel any different with it.