1 reply to this topic

[thedevinroy]

Been working on a morning shake to speed up my routine. I'll keep this thread updated with my latest progress.

 

Purpose

 

To achieve the following cognitive enhancements:

1. Alertness
2. Attention Span
3. Fluidity
4. Working Memory
5. Recall
6. Motivation

While reducing time to get ready in the morning by replacing my coffee, matcha, and breakfast into one drink.

 

Method

 

The basis for this formula is Matcha. I find it one of the best cognitive enhancers for low-stress ADHDers like myself, I suspect due to the potency of caffeine and COMT / MAO-B inhibiting catechols. However, I must combine it with some type of sustenance or else it gives me serious nausea.

 

I also find coffee to be one of the best alertness and fluidity enhancers, but it is not friendly to my taste buds when combined with matcha, so I would have to take them separately. To take them together, I will need a proper substitution. To replace coffee, I add cacao powder, since it has harmala alkaloids like those in coffee to create a more wholistic MAO inhibition. Between the cacao and matcha, I should be able to find a potency that works.

 

A problem with replacing coffee in this manner is the lack of laxative effect. I never really considered how potent this effect was until it interacted with CDP Choline / Citicoline, whose side effect is constipation. To counter this effect, I added chia seeds. I started breaking open my Citicoline capsules and adding them to my shake. While they are not tasteless, the taste is neutral like clay. I take Citicoline for its dopaminergic and cholinergic properties, helping with my recall, working memory, and motivation.

 

The constituents of a whole breakfast for me to replace are: 1) protein, 2) fats, 3) starches, and 4) fiber. For the protein, I add pea protein (staying away from milk products for ethical reasons). For the fats, I add almond milk and butter. For the starches and fibers, I add fruit.

 

Finally, I top it off with some sweetness to make it palatable. Currently, I use Stevia but am open to suggestions, since the filler used is either erythritol or maltodextrin, neither of which are very good for your gut health.

 

For other medicines, I take my multivitamin/mineral for general health and dietetic for blood pressure every day. Occasionally, I will have Ashwagandha (KSM-66), Turmeric extract, or Ginkgo extract if I feel I need a boost or have some aches and pains Tylenol doesn't work on. I still have coffee or an energy drink as needed to make up for sleep throughout the day, though far less with this formula.

 

Current Formula

 

1 MTBSP -- Matcha Powder

1 MTBSP -- Cacao Powder

1 STBSP -- Pea Protein Powder

4 MTBSP -- Stevia Extract (w/ Maltodextrin filler)

1 MBTSP -- Almond Butter

1000 mg -- Citicoline

1/2 TBSP -- Chia Seeds

~1.25 Cup -- Frozen Tropical Fruit Blend

~1.25 Cup -- Almond Milk, Unsweetened

 

Add ingredients together and blend, making sure the powder and butter is at the end with the blades. Should make about 16 oz of a chocolate-flavored shake.

 

Legend

 

TBSP = Tablespoon

MTBSP = Mounded Tablespoon

STBSP = Super Mounded Tablespoon (steep peak)

mg = Milligram

Cup = Cup

 

Other Supplements

 

Daily:

 

1 Multivitamin/Mineral

1 Diuretic, Hydrochlorothiazide

2-6 Servings of coffee or energy drink as needed.

 

Future

 

I am thinking of adding the following to the shake:

 

* Potassium, since I tend to run low thanks to my diuretic.

* A blend of standardized Lion's Mane, Reishi, and Cordyceps mushrooms. Looking for a source, if you know of any.

* KSM-66 Ashwagandha

[thedevinroy]

Increased the matcha from mounded tablespoon to super mounded (steep peak) tablespoon. Tastes like sludge, so I added another rounded tablespoon of sweetener. Can't taste the fruit anymore.

Yesterday was a great ADHD day. The night, however, was not. I took Losartan for the first time - a classic ARB for blood pressure. Having ADHD and high blood pressure makes this thing very hard to treat. I can't focus if I am falling asleep all day from lower than my normal blood pressure. Last night I lost track of time, hyperfocused on distractions starting about 2hrs from its administration.

I think I rely too much on my adrenal function and need a way to keep the central nervous system charged while the peripheral stays calm. While a quick glance by a lay person may conclude this to require a lifestyle adjustment to get more sleep while simultaneously being more productive and working out more (the holy grail of time management, right?), if this ARB was anything like the ACE inhibitor I tried, somnolence for me happens no matter the amount of sleep. In other words, sleep isn't the issue. I'll know better tomorrow if it is the issue, and then I'll know if I need the holy grail of cognition or lifestyle first.