Serotonin Deficiency Syndrome

[ScarletBegonias]

A lot of times those sites with cheap vitamins sell mostly "pills" instead of capsules, which are digested better. Plus, they put all those other things in... Silica is sand, right?

_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica (from the Latin silex), is an oxide of silicon with a chemical formula of SiO2 and has been known for its hardness since antiquity. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms.

It looks like you are right, Mrs. Peel! :O Also, thanks for calling it to my attention that tablets are more difficult to digest than capsules. I never really thought about it before, but that makes perfect sense. And yeah, some of the vitamins I purchase from there are in tablet form, but the 5-HTP is in a capsule and it is really helping me.

Thanks for the reference Scarlet, that does look about a penny cheaper per pill :P. As far as the additives, I've accepted long ago that I'm not going to be able to have a supplement that is free of magnesium stearate. The other stuff looks ok, including the sand.

Hi 3D Student and I'm glad I could help! :D Yeah it seems really difficult, if not impossible, to find supplements that are free of it. FWIW my parents and friend also have been buying from this site for years now. They have great customer service and accepted a return without any problems on a bottle I could not open a couple months ago. They even paid for the return shipping. Of course, this doesn't mean their supplements are better than others you may have found, but I do believe this company is reliable.

 

[Tina]

_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica (from the Latin silex), is an oxide of silicon with a chemical formula of SiO2 and has been known for its hardness since antiquity. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms.

Hi Scarlet,

The Silica should be fine. From your wiki link:

In respects other than inhalation, pure silicon dioxide is inert and harmless. Clean silicon dioxide yields no fumes and is insoluble in vivo. It is indigestible, with no nutritional value and no toxicity.[citation needed] When silica is ingested orally, it passes unchanged through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, exiting in the feces, leaving no trace behind.[citation needed] Small pieces of silicon dioxide are also harmless[citation needed] as they do not obstruct the GI tract, if they are not jagged enough to scathe its lining.

A study which followed subjects for 15 years found that higher levels of silica in water appeared to decrease the risk of dementia. The study found that with an increase of 10 milligram-per-day of the intake of silica in drinking water, the risk of dementia dropped by 11%.[46]

From Ehow:

Silica is more prominent in the body than even iron. It's necessary for many of the bodily functions and metabolic reactions. Professor Adolf Butenant established its importance in 1972. He noted that it was a necessary mineral for life and needed to be consumed daily in food sources.

Bones
1. Silica is important in the development of the skeletal system. Without it, there are bone deformities.
Balance
2. If there's an imbalance between the calcium and magnesium in the body, it causes disturbances in the hormonal system. Silica restores the two to a balanced state.
Catalyst
3. The body can't assimilate phosphorous as easily without silica. Phosphorous is important in making bones, repairing tissue and filtering waste.
Remineralization
4. Research finds that silica may be more important for osteoporosis than calcium. Silica does the job of depositing minerals into the bone and speeds healing, if there's a fracture.
Osteoporosis
5. The addition of silica to the diet not only might restore the ability of the body to remineralize, but it also relieves the pain of osteoporosis.
Plump Skin
6. Silica is one of the primary components of collagen, the connective tissues for your skin. It may help to retain moisture and keep you looking younger.
Hair & Nails
7. Silica is a major element in hair and nails. If you have enough silica in your body, you have the building blocks for strong, healthy nails and hair. ;D


Read more: The Health Benefits of Silica | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_4924241_health-benefits-silica.html#ixzz0wLYYA6lg

 

[1984]

FWIW, I buy GABA in powder form through vrp.com (Vitamin Research Products) out of Carson City, NV. It contains no added sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, corn, coloring, flavoring, dairy products or preservatives. An 1/8 Teaspoon equals 320 mg per serving, and there are 312 servings per bottle for US$14.95. I just mix it with the water I take for my night time regime of melatonin, etc. There is barely any noticeable taste. VRP does restrict shipping outside of the US on some items. I've been researching other companies (NOW Foods, NutriBio, etc.) and other companies that sell in larger quantities for even better pricing (and for stocking up). :)

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Thank you for your considerate and informative post, Incognito! :D Also, thanks 1984 for the telling me that GABA is also sold in powder form and where you purchase it. If the GABA supplements I ordered from Puritan's Pride aren't effective I will consider this seller you have mentioned. BTW many people agree that NOW brand is good quality. I have read numerous reviews on Amazon.com that support this. :)

 

[ocean59]

One solution to the additives present in supplements to buy and fill your own empty capsules, which would also allow for bulk purchases (I'm guessing cheaper?). I was researching a little, and found this ultra low price for 100% vegetable cellulose capsules. The caps are $6.99 for 250 count, and they also sell a cap filling machine for $8.50, and a tablet crusher/pulverizer for $6.45. I can't vouch for the site as I just found it, but it looks pretty legit. _http://www.herbalremedies.com/gelcapsin300-1.html This would be for fast dissolving supplementation only, and not ideal for 5-HTP, but not terrible either since most preparations aren't enterically coated anyways.

My favorite brand of 5-HTP to take is Solaray, but it is the most expensive so I generally don't go for it. It is both enterically-coated, and vegan, and seems to be very potent and effective, even at lower doses.

Thanks for the reference Scarlet, that does look about a penny cheaper per pill :P. As far as the additives, I've accepted long ago that I'm not going to be able to have a supplement that is free of magnesium stearate. The other stuff looks ok, including the sand.

Hi 3D Student and I'm glad I could help! :D Yeah it seems really difficult, if not impossible, to find supplements that are free of it. FWIW my parents and friend also have been buying from this site for years now. They have great customer service and accepted a return without any problems on a bottle I could not open a couple months ago. They even paid for the return shipping. Of course, this doesn't mean their supplements are better than others you may have found, but I do believe this company is reliable.

This got me to thinking about what is magnesium stearate exactly? I didn't like what I found, and then I saw it has already been posted in the forum here. The title of the paper is "Stearates – Hydrogenated Fats Used in the Production of Most Supplements– Decrease Absorption and May Be Toxic and Immunosuppressive" and basically says that supplements containing stearates reduce the body's absorption rate by 65%! Also, it is considered a hazardous substance with an MSDS sheet. Many disturbing adverse effects on humans and is used in very harsh industrial applications also.

I never realized this before, as most of my supplements contain it, and I assumed it to be benign until now. But the things this report say sound pretty serious, I'm going to start to eliminate that substance for sure.

Another poster say that it has been banned in Australia as well, and reported feeling many side effects that went away after discontinuing

There is also a thread here with a collection of resources and tips on finding additive free supplements.

 

[Skyfarmr]

This is a great topic, thanks Laura and all posters. I hope continuing with the mag-stearate issue isn't considered hijacking/derailing the thread, but since supplementation is being suggested throughout, using careful discernment in the choice of supplements seems wise. There's so much junk out there being peddled to the unsuspecting consumer. It was peddled to me! I was curious about this additive, but reasoned that since it was a magnesium compound found in supplements purchased from companies I thought were reputable and sold in stores I thought were researching products for the safety of their clientele, that it must be harmless. Caveat emptor! And beware (be aware), indeed, after finding out more about Magnesium stearate...

Jason (ocean59): Another poster say that it has been banned in Australia as well, and reported feeling many side effects that went away after discontinuing

(apologies... still trying to master this quote business when posting)

No surprise that California's on top of this; while they haven't banned it they have mandated a warning label.
The following is copied from section 15 of the MSDS for Magnesium Stearate
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927217:

Federal and State Regulations:
California prop. 65: This product contains the following ingredients for which the State of California has found to cause cancer,
birth defects or other reproductive harm, which would require a warning under the statute: Magnesium stearate California prop.
65: This product contains the following ingredients for which the State of California has found to cause cancer which would
require a warning under the statute: Magnesium stearate TSCA 8(b) inventory: Magnesium stearate

Only the state of California has found it to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm?

Also from the MSDS:

Section 11: Toxicological Information
Routes of Entry: Ingestion.
Toxicity to Animals:
LD50: Not available. LC50: Not available.
Chronic Effects on Humans: May cause damage to the following organs: liver, skin.
Other Toxic Effects on Humans:
Hazardous in case of ingestion. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of inhalation.
Special Remarks on Toxicity to Animals: Not available.
Special Remarks on Chronic Effects on Humans: Not available.
Special Remarks on other Toxic Effects on Humans: Not available.

(bold emphasis mine)

Some other interesting facts found on WIKI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_stearate:

Magnesium stearate is used to bind sugar in hard candies. It is also a common ingredient in baby formulas.
Magnesium stearate is a major component of "bathtub rings". When produced by soap and hard water, magnesium stearate and calcium stearate both form a white solid insoluble in water, and are collectively known as "soap scum".[9]

A common ingredient in baby formula, supplements and pharmaceuticals, but the toxicological studies are not available?
Again, caveat emptor!


On the subject of sunshine for serotonin deficiency... thanks for the reminder. I got to thinking and have been assuming that just because it's summer I'm naturally getting enough rays. In actuality, the combination of the previous heat wave/humidity and the record breaking rains here in WI causing a population explosion of mosquitoes (we actually had skeeters as early as end of March!...which got frosted, fortunately) has kept many of us inside during the day or covered if out during daylight. Sort of feels like "cabin fever" during the Winter months. So after reading this thread and nodding my head to many of the deficiency symptoms, I realized I'm probably not getting enough shine on the melanin cells.

 

[ocean59]

I'm almost finished creating a thread dedicated to Magnesium Stearate and enteric coatings. It should be up this afternoon, and maybe we could have a mod merge the discussions?

I found what you posted here Skyfarmr, and a bunch more, and have been working on it for a few hours. It's pretty crazy!!

[edit: I went ahead and posted what I have so far, it is here.

 

[Harold]

Great thread. I started 5-htp yesterday, I took 100mg, 1 in the afternoon and 1 in the evening. I am very happy to report that my anxiety has disappeared, my appetite today is better than I can remember since I have been feeling nausea(no nausea since taking it) for about 5 months. I even ate 2 burgers today, they have been sitting in my freezer for many months. I could not bring myself to eating them, as I have been extremely sensitive about eating.

I have had crying bouts during my prayers at meal time, during the meal and too sometimes during evening prayer. It is always linked to eating 1d and 2d entities. And all the children who have died today. I was so amazed at getting my appetite back, and actually enjoyed them. Enjoying eating has been a challenge and a worry. Depression is easily seen after the fact. I still do not consider that I was depressed, but my mood has improved greatly in the last 24hrs.

I have seen a wide variety of doses being suggested here, the label on my bottle (Now brand, 50mg, $19.81, 90 capsules, L-5-hydroxytryptophan, Griffonia simplicifolia, graine)(I hope I spelled that right, as 5-htp has done nothing to help with elder onset near sightedness...lol) says to take 2-4 a day, 30-45 min before bedtime with food. I am not following this, as sleeping is not my issue, I sleep usually 8hrs, with no interuptions. I am thinking of taking 1 cap with every meal. Is taking it with a meal ok? I don't feel sick or anything. I plan to take this regularly, no cycling on and off, but I will take it 'one day at a time'. I will start the 1 per meal regimen tomorrow. Please share your thoughts on this dosing topic.

I had an interesting experience during my EE today.... yes I'm back to doing EE, since the anxiety has gone. So during my EE, in one of the rest periods, eyes wide open, it started out as a small pin size, grew to take up about half my vision, so I still could see around it, (the edges around it were fuzzy) and then shrunk back quickly. What I saw was my workshop, extremely clearly.....hmmmm. Very vivid. Totally real, like it was really there, not like any hallucination I can remember, it did not appear to be a hallucination, it was really there, it was so vivid. And then gone just as quickly. I don't think I should share that on the EE forum web site.

So I took one last night (50mg), I could not sleep and stayed up very late, I was in a very 'high' state of mind, laughing etc. Really good, almost manic though, but not, just awake! I played some poker, I had such a blast, I won a few hundred (play) bucks, I was chatting away with the other players, having a hoot! Not making my usual morose comments about the Queen being a soul sucking, drug dealing, Lizard Alien Hybrid. (that never went over well anyways) I really had fun last night.

Today has been an even keel day, no mood swings, no outbursts, although a guy did almost hit me with his bike as he passed me without warning me. I did say rather loudly, "Its called a bell ya tool!" Just a nice day in general.

My next couple of steps I plan to take are the Ultra Simple Diet, getting some baking utensils.... going buckwheat, and the Mercury detox. If anyone would like to make a suggestion, I am open to it and would appreciate your input. I also am going to take the Ultra Mind Quiz. I am planning to get a daily log book specifically for experiences with EE, diet, general feelings, thoughts and so fourth, again... any suggestions? I journal allot, but it is more philosophical and creative, I do not want to stop that, just add a new/old dimension to my daily writing, plus I want to be more productive to the membership here on the forum. Baby steps though, progress, not perfection. Each moment is perfect on its own anyways.

Today I thought about going to see a doctor. I want to get checked out, but on my terms. So I require the forums help here. I don't want to waste my time, I want it to be a productive visit. I want to instruct (the poor soul, who will have to put up with my attitude) , this lucky person, on what I want done regarding my blood work. But I don't know where to start. What to ask, and so fourth. I want to leave a doctors office for once feeling empowered with information, that I can actually use. So where can I go to find this info? Or who knows what I should instruct them to do. Any help would be really, really appreciated.

I just want to express my appreciation to all again for the info., help and support. This forum has really made a difference in my life.

I am getting much more organized on here, I have a focus, a number of threads, bookmarked, to read. I hope to participate with some of my own research even. I don't quite know what it will be, but, I am making progress. I look forward to that.

cheers
Harold ;)

 

[Laura]

If I take 5-htp in the later evening, I don't sleep well. I have to take it at noon and early evening, like before 7 p.m. I only take 50mg now though, when I started, I was suffering inability to sleep at night and eventually worked up to 500 mg per day, 300 at lunch and 200 at dinnertime. But then, after a period of sleeping very well, I started not sleeping so well, so I backed down the amount and am at the present level which I take only about every other day.

 

[Harold]

cool, maybe I'll just stick to the 50mg then.

 

[henry]

I have had the same problem of being unable to sleep if I take it too late in the day. For awhile, 100mg before bed was working great. Now, I take 100 at lunch and it seems to work better.

 

[Harold]

Today is difficult, lots of sweating out my palms of my hands and feet, headache, I never get headaches. I took another 50mg of 5-htp.
Too I'm having lots of anxiety, chest discomfort etc. should I take more?
I'm eating at least. 3 apples, 3 eggs, some green onion. I do not know what else to do, did POTS, gonna go do it again, take a cold shower, this is wild!

Thats it no more ba ha for now. Did it yesterday. I think I'll lay off the whole EE thing for today.

 

[ana]

Today is difficult, lots of sweating out my palms of my hands and feet, headache, I never get headaches. I took another 50mg of 5-htp.
Too I'm having lots of anxiety, chest discomfort etc. should I take more?
I'm eating at least. 3 apples, 3 eggs, some green onion. I do not know what else to do, did POTS, gonna go do it again, take a cold shower, this is wild!

Thats it no more ba ha for now. Did it yesterday. I think I'll lay off the whole EE thing for today.

Please call the medical service now Harold.

 

[Harold]

k.... I'll go to a clinic....k? ;)

Just out of curosity, why are you saying this?

 

[ana]

k.... I'll go to a clinic....k? ;)

Just out of curosity, why are you saying this?

Because you seem to be in a very anxious state and it is better to be with someone who can help