Brain Health Thread

[GTR-N1]

Brain Neurotransmitters aka Chemical Messengers aka Brain Hormones aka Endorphins

...fluctuate up and down according to

* how much of the precursors you manufacture

* whether or not the precursors cross the blood/brain barrier

* your diet

* allergies and sensitivities

* toxins ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin

* alcohol consumption

* usage of prescribed drugs

* usage of recreational drugs (which may cause a sudden spike > then often, a bad dip > further gradual dip)

When neurotransmitters are out of balance, the body and mind can complain with

* insomnia

* fear or panic

* anxiety

* depression (endogenous or clinical rather than reactive)

* absentmindedness and ADD

* ADHD

* paranoia

* headache

* compulsions

* obsessions

* withdrawal, shyness and selfconsciousness

Notable Neurotransmitters include

* serotonin

* melatonin

* noradrenalin or norepinephrine

* dopamine

* acetylcholine

* GABA

* phenylethylamine

* opiods

* adrenalin

* histamine

* cortisol

Detection and Diagnosis and Treatment

* cannot be done via blood tests

* cannot be done via urine tests

* can partially be done via hair testing

* is mostly done by quasi psych testing (Uni Saskatchewan or Uni Qld)

* is starting to be done by measuring bowel stool metabolites

* is sourced by gene tracking

I don't profess to know all the answers to any configuration of symptoms myself. But what I don't know, I have a network I trust.

[Mr Eps]

i heard from a kinisiologist (spelling?)

they said that they beleive there is an unproven link between aspartame, and saccarin... and parkinsons disease... heard of that, Terry?

[GTR-N1]

^ ^ ^ He/she (kinesiologist) could be right Rowan.

I'm more suspicious of aspartame aka #951

Aspartame and Acesulphame aka #950 got in under the radar via a pharmaceutical company that was at the time receiving lots of positive publicity with a new antidepressant drug.

The synthetic sweetener called "Equal" is responsible with exacerbation of several forms of breast cancer, and lymphoma. They can also cause Grave's disease (thyroid), hyperglycemic swings (via Beta cells in the pancreas) and Gliomas (the same brain cancer that the famous Aust oncologist Prof Chris O'Brien died from last yr).

The safest sweetener on the market is Stevia (aka Sweet leaf of Paraguay) since it's natural.

FOS (aka fructo-oligosaccharides) is also safe ie. natural.

Synthetics like Splenda, Xylitol and Sorbitol are regarded as semi-safe. Saccharin has been proven to induce cancers in rats - under a cloud still.

Many products try not to label their products with the words aspartame or acesulphame any longer; but to use the additive codes #951 & #950 - bastards!

[SoFreshSoClean]

Very interesting Terry.

Don't forget endorphins are also released after/during excercise

[Trozzle]

Very interesting Terry.

Don't forget endorphins are also released after/during excercise

And sex.

That's all that matters.

[StealthX]

Terry, have you ever heard of any long term brain damage of DMT usage? DMT as in dimethyl tryptamine, the psychedelic drug. Or any other psychedelic drug (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline) for that matter?

Have a friend who uses it a fair bit.

[Mr Eps]

Cam I have a friend who took LSD a fair bit in his younger youth days... When he was 19 he took a trip and ... Let's say he had an episode...

When he came to - he suffered accute agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) the guy was not able to leave his bedroom until age 21.. That's two years he was unable to leave his bedroom. Not boring years to be either. This is age 19, 20 and 21...

Think of those years for you.. Going out with friends, sharing good times.. Party after party.. Spending time with girls you meet... Going up to kings park with them to share intimate conversations and more.. Getting your heart broken.. Studying.. Losing jobs.. Getting jobs .. Reconnecting with old friends.. Etc etc...

He was a prisoner in his bedroom. After two years a psychologist managed to convince him to walk around the house n back yard if medicated

A few moths later he was able to walk outside n go out to venues etc if medicated... Etc etc natural progression story from here

Today the guy in question is 27... He's totally normal now.. No meds and doesn't have to get drunk to build up courage prior to going out.. He leads a normal life now!

..personally I think LSD and other psychedelic drugs are pretty hit n miss...

I have a bit of an opinion that I'll divulge...

I mean personally I don't touch drugs. It's not my thing... But many psycadelics ie magic mushrooms are defended cos they're "grown in the ground naturally" and are therefore better than ecstasy because you "never know what the chemist is putting in them"

but what the average drug user doesn't realize is - what is in the soil they're grown in? What happens if the heat this year has caused heavy levels of alkaline in the soil, or pollution / industrial fallout has affected the soil? How will that change to the soil affect the magic mushroom? And how will that change to the mushroom affect your mind??

In short in my personal opinion I think that psycadelics can be more dangerous and inconsistent than a manufactured drug... But that's just me!!

I alsothink that if you have any underlying issues or dormant mental illnesses etc.. I personally have a theory that taking drugs willoften be a sure way to bring those underlying mental health problems to the forefront of your brain...

Ie schizophrenia ... If you suffer mild or dormant schizophrenia then LSD will be a good way to bring it to full blown debilitating problem

My general thoughts on drugs are, life is f**ked up enough as it is... There's bills.. Debts... Losses of loved ones... Breakups.. Divorce.. Accidents.. Law suits. Parking finesspeeding tickets and moth holes in tshirts....

.... Don't make things worse my weakening your mind by taking drugs. When shot hits the fan. It's best to be able to cope with it

[StealthX]

Yeah of course! Any sort of dormant psychosis is gonna be exacerbated by LSD, and in those cases, high levels of stress or social pressure (i.e. stressful job or loss of family) will bring those out anyway! Not so much DMT or anything else, infact I think you'll really struggle to find any negative acute or chronic side effects of DMT... Apart from severely opening your mind to a deeper understanding of what reality actually is... I find I've learnt more about myself and the way life works by the use of psychedelic sessions, than I ever have in the rest of my entire life. And there's nothing solid (only anecdotal) that defines what and how psychedelics cause any damage, if at all.

I strongly believe there is a larger purpose for psychedelic drugs; educated, supervised and purposeful psychedelic sessions can be some of the most eye-opening and educational times in a person's life. Not to sound like a tripper, and most people will shake their heads at this, but I feel I've only improved my outlook on life and brushed off a mild case of depression through some revelations I've experienced through psychedelics - how much of the latter was attributed to growing up, I don't know, but I feel there is definitely a purpose for these sort of substances. There's too much negative stigma surrounding them for them to be able to be socially accepted, but give it time - most people still don't even know what the difference between MDMA and LSD is, let alone even heard of DMT.

Look into the work of Dr. Rick Strassman, he and a fair portion of modern science, believe that DMT is indeed the 'spirit molecule' that is responsible for humans being more than a lump of meat. Nothing else in science has even started to provide a theory of how 'life' works, and how we come into being. But DMT has.

/tripper's ramblings.

p.s. i have never nor to I condone the use of illegal drugs.

[GTR-N1]

I haven't been familiar with Dimethyltryptamine > looked it up on Wiki I must admit.

I'll soon have a look at where it is on my Biochemistry Pathways chart as it'll be stuck somewhere near tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan which are direct precursors of the major brain neurotransmitter serotonin.

I can't see it having the same deleterious effects as lysergic acid (aka LSD or trips) either. This is because lysergic acid can affect ones genes > next generation/s of offspring + it's not naturally occurring in the human body like DMT is.

You'd be correct in assuming that if a person is schizoid (genetically or drug induced), the DMT withdrawal can tip a person into psychosis. Lysergic acid more so.

Shortages of serotonin > passive &/or aggressive mood swings ie self-consciousness &/or paranoia.

Too much of a spike in serotonin eg with a drug > a migraine headache ie a serotonergic effect within hours of using that drug > then withdrawal happens of course.

If Rowan that acquaintance had severe agoraphobia, he would likely have had a dopamine deficiency as well as serotonin.

Being a male, he would have had a hormonal change at around 22. Us males have hormonal shifts at 12, 22 and 50 + or - a bit.

[GTR-N1]

Don't forget endorphins are also released after/during excercise

Absolutely, point taken...

And Princess T has contributed with her information as only she knows how

[W0rp3D]

Out of interest what do you do that makes you have all this information in your head terry?

[GTR-N1]

^ ^ ^ now I don't know what to say

[W0rp3D]

Well you know a lot about this stuff, are you a medical researcher? Pharmacist? Doctor? Psychologist? Just curious that's all.

[Trozzle]

From what I've read, he's a pharmacist.

And what's this SHE business? Oh...my name....FFS SHELL!!!!

[JKR-32]

Pharmacist I believe?

amirite?

edit: Princess beat me to it.

Edited May 18, 2011 by JKR-32

[GTR-N1]

Pharmacist > Psychologist > Psychopharmacologist

[xALmoN]

Do i come to you when i need my codeine fix?

[Nee-san]

What's something you can eat that will aid motivation and concentration ?

I mean, besides Ritalin and Dexamphetamine as I have those already LOL.

I've always meant to look into, what sort of long term studies have been performed on these types of drugs ?

[vspecIInur]

Terry already had a brief run down on neurotransmitters in his first post but I will add to it:

Eating good essential fats and vegetables will help with prevention of neurotransmitter imbalances. Fats that are good include nuts, flax seed oil, fish, oilve oil and avocado. Vegetables eaten should be mostly greens as they are full of vitamins, minerals and are very low in calories. Shitty foods will make you feel like crap hence affect your neurotransmitters.

There are several neurotransmitters that are excitatory which include dopamine, PEA and glutamate. Keeping the balance of these will definitely aid in motivation and concentration.

I miss the days when I studied pharmacology and toxicology

[GTR-N1]

What's something you can eat that will aid motivation and concentration ?

I mean, besides Ritalin and Dexamphetamine as I have those already LOL.

I've always meant to look into, what sort of long term studies have been performed on these types of drugs ?

Usually, doctors are reluctant to prescribe Ritalin (aka Attenta) and Dexamphetamine (used for ADD and ADHD) after the age of 18.

But the problems that the patient has been suffering from don't necessarily cease then.

So you're right in investigatiing 'alternatives' aka nutrients now. The nutrients would/will help you gain leverage to ultimately get off the Ritalin and Dexamphetamine.

So...

What NOT to eat/consume:- Anything that taxes the liver such as sweets and alcohol. These are no-nos. By sweets I mean anything that is top-heavy with glucose (aka dextrose) and sucrose like lollies, ice cream (unless low carb), sugared drinks, chocolate (unless no added sugar), jams (except St D'Alfor), > use complex carbs instead for necessary sugars.

If you doubt this process, try this...

Go for 3 weeks without sweets or alcohol: then one weekend, take plenty of either and see how you feel the day after. Is your focus all over the place? Cognition gone to s**t?

I had a child recently who'd been to two birthday parties and was on Attenta (aka Ritalin). He'd come back so ratty after the first one what with taking fairy bread, icing on the cake, chocolate crackles, soft drink and hoeing into the loot bag. After the second, he was calm and settled into home life well after walking in the door.

What to eat:- fish (especially heavier oil type), eggs at lunch (4/wk for chromium to control blood sugar and prevent hypoglycemia or mid afternoon listlessness), nuts (especially walnuts for l-Tyrosine), legumes, and so on

Nutrients:- Now this is a crucial bit that underpins your brain chemistry. Motivation loss is often due to a shortage of dopamine and noradrenalin (an endorphin that is stimulated by physical activity for at least 30 mins - albeit for a couple of hours' benefit). Concentration loss can be caused by many things. You can get an assessment done by any practitioner who has the Hoffer-Osmond Test or Computer Test for Neurotransmitters. Is Eatons Hill anywhere near you? There is a practitioner there.

Without testing, I won't know what configuration you have in order that you take a set of supplements that can act within 10 days. Someone will or should.