Posted by JLx on September 17, 2005, at 12:27:49
In reply to hormone hell, posted by tiffanywp on September 16, 2005, at 21:13:45
I suggest magnesium. Preferably magnesium glycinate. If you can't get that, then magnesium taurate. The reason for this is that both chelating aminos, glycine and taurine respectively, are in themselves relaxing.
In fact, you might try aminos of glycine, taurine, or GABA as well. Sometimes you can get a "mood formula" that might have these in some combination with B vit or other things.
B vitamins would be my next suggestion, particularly niacinamide. Niacinamide on an empty stomach, 500 mg, taken by itself, up to 3 times a day. A B complex if you aren't already. B's are water soluable so a smaller amount more often is better than one large B-100. Also B12, preferably methylcobalamin, sublingual. A B complex will have 400 mg of folic acid, but you can take more, up to 1600. Folic acid and B 12 together are good for methylation which is helpful in neurotransmitters working well.
Also, take Vit C if you aren't already. 500 mg to 1 gm/day or more.
The irritability especially suggests to me that magnesium will be the most helpful. Other types of well absorbed magnesium are malate and citrate. Don't waste your money on magnesium oxide as its absorbability is said to be only 5%. Don't take magnesium aspartate or mg glutamate (excitatory to the brain).
The calcium/magnesium ratio is important so if you ordinarily supplement with calcium, try doing without it while first taking magnesium. Also cut down on calcium rich foods until more balanced. (It's more likely that you are deficient in magnesium than calcium. Magnesium is depleted by stress and ordinary dietary transgressions such as sodas, high protein, sugar, white flour, etc.) Check out the quiz and excellent info on this page (by a psychiatrist who treats alternatively):
http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081501.htm
Try soaking in an Epsom salt bath if you have the time, as that is magnesium sulphate and it will be absorbed by your skin.
Magnesium supplementation can cause diarrhea if too much all at once. Take it on an empty stomach, between meals, depending on what kind you get, it will probably be 125 mg to 200 mg per capsule/tablet. Take 2.7 - 4.5 mg magnesium per pound of body weight, preferably the higher end.
Also add more magnesium through diet (such as most nuts) and water. Some bottled water has little magnesium, or calcium 3-4 times magnesium. Fiji water has nearly as much magnesium as calcium. Some other brands, usually non U.S-based, also have mineral content on their labels.
Check on your water here if you live in a big enough city: http://www.mgwater.com/mgrank.shtml
On bottled water here: http://www.pmgeiser.ch/mineral/index.php?func=country&parval=112
Tons of info on magnesium here: http://www.coldcure.com/html/dep.html
Other here: http://www.krispin.com/magnes.html
I'm sure magnesium will help. The effects may be gradual or maybe not. When I first started taking magnesium, I felt like a million bucks. :) (That was mg glycinate and no calcium in diet.)
Good luck, let us know how you do.
JL
poster:JLx
thread:555852
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20050812/msgs/555990.html