816 replies to this topic

[Adaptogen]

Brand recommendations for cordyceps, please. I have used Fungi Perfecti and they were absolutely excellent in terms of energy and mood support, but pricey. If somebody has found good effects with a less expensive brand I'd be all over it.

 

i've come across a few brands of interest, but have yet to try any of these.

 

The Aloha Medicinals does seem like a pretty good product for the price. It tested at 40% polysaccharides, which is pretty potent in comparison to standard CS-4, such as what is sold by mushroom harvest (15% polysaccharides). I would speculate that it is an extract, but i can't find anything in writing saying this much.

 

However, they also offer a product "Performax Forte" which has a blend of 5 strains of cordyceps, along with chromium and rhodiola. I would personally try this product over their standard cordyceps product, simple because there a lot of interesting research (and lack of research) in other cordyceps strains - particularly the militaris strain.

http://www.iherb.com...CFZGDaQod4RQApA

 

A third product I've came across is Cordygen-5, which is a whole lot like the Performax Forte (a blend of 5 strains), but without rhodiola and chromium - which may be desirable if you are trying to really ascertain the effects of the cordyceps alone.

http://www.allstarhe...CFQuraQodQjkA4Q

Edited by Adaptogen, 21 April 2015 - 09:45 PM.

[VerdeGo]

As far as cordyceps is concerned, I also experienced hot sensations occasionally when using it (though it was when I was already experiencing weird after-effects from the sulbutiamine). I actually thought I was experiencing thyroid storm, though subsequent blood tests showed no elevated thyroid levels, even after consuming cordyceps a few days prior to the blood tests (I have had no hot sensations since last year). I was convinced I had hyperthyroidism at the time, but now it seems to fit more closely to high acetylcholine/low GABA levels possibly caused by the sulbutiamine or some other underlying cause. Adaptogens are certainly strange beasts, and unpredictable at that. But with cordyceps, it really helped awaken me somehow. I did things I normally wouldn't do because of fear. It stopped all my CNS symptoms I was experiencing at the time. I felt more alive and awake than I ever was up to that point (well, maybe not, but close). It's something I'll continue to use sparingly for a nice energy and libido boost. 

 

As far as taurine, I'd have to agree with mangoa. It seemed far too sedating to me for daytime use, and I only consumed about 300 mg dissolved in water (I'm pretty sensitive to supplements). It actually made me feel a little weird, and I can't quite describe it, but I walked into work and made several mistakes. I also felt a little on edge and restless. It felt like a passionflower hangover, which makes me wonder exactly the action it has on GABA as opposed to something more benign and subtle like theanine. I ended up taking a small amount of theanine about four hours into the experience, and this returned me to a normal, happy, talkative state. I'm loving theanine more and more every day, but lysine does sound promising.

 

And @Holding, the friend who originally turned me onto cordyceps used Hyperion. I thought they were a tad expensive, so I went with Aloha. He eventually tried it, and thought it was more powerful than Hyperion's, but I don't believe Hyperion uses an extract like Aloha does. I'm sorry that brand didn't work for you. It could've been a bad batch or just some complex chemistry involved. Who knows? Everyone is unique in their own right. 

[Sol23]

 

As for taurine, I can't recommend a brand yet until I try it. I bought 1000mg caps from Amazing Nutrition on Amazon, cost me only $10 with shipping. Most taurine supplements contain vitamin b6, which helps synthesize it. Since i'm somewhat sensitive to b6, I'll be trying taurine by itself at first, and the capsules I have only contain taurine by itself. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Unfortunately, Amazon does not sell that in Europe. Through uk.iherb.com, they are offering Taurine products by Now and Jarrow, I believe both brands have buyers in this forum. Any suggestions re: brands? This is the link of available brands on iHerb.com (http://uk.iherb.com/...?kw=Taurine#p=1) 

 

As regards Ashwaganda, this is my 3rd day free of ASH and I can report the following:

 

1) Weight-lifting - Considerably improved despite I had a blood test this morning and I trained really late (9.30PM)

2) Regularity - No longer that regular.

3) Mood - Anxiety is more pronounced but I feel I have more energy to tackle it.

4) Hunger - Back to normal levels - managed to spend a whole morning with just an egg, some salmon trimmings and various vegetables. When I tried this with ASH last week I was getting ferociously hungry.

 

I can conclude that ASH did have some effect on me and despite these seem to be overly negative; I plan to retry it with a smaller dose in the future. I think it's effect was lighter than what Rhodiala did to me. When I took Rhodiala the first time I couldn't sleep and felt very hot (increased thyroid function?) despite it was cold in the room and my gf was feeling cold. Usually I am the one who feels cold. 

 

I think Rhodiala and ASH have similar effects on me, with the former having a stronger effect than the latter.

 

 

 

What dosage of ashwagandha did you take?Rhodiola doesn't stimulate thyroid,although it has shown to create a warm feeling.

 

http://www.naturalne...ha_thyroid.html

''From animal studies with mice, researchers at D.A. University in Indore, India suggest that Ashwagandha root extracts have the ability to stimulate thyroid hormones. Basically, the data suggests that Ashwagandha increases serum concentrations of thyroid hormones; thus, one case study states that excessive hormonal effects, or thyrotoxicosis, may be quite a serious side effect of the root. This may mean that those suffering hypothyroidism will temporarily suffer hyperthyroidism and vice versa. Studies also provide evidence that ceasing supplementation corrects thyrotoxicosis.''

 

 

Therefore, for anyone who plans to try ashwagandha, If hyperthyroidism symptoms are noticed cessation might solve the problem.Also, check this out  

https://www.consumer...ts/ashwagandha/

As far as taurine is concerned, for me it increased anxiety and even gave me palpitations.Lysine in high doses made me feel ill.

Edited by Sol23, 22 April 2015 - 01:28 PM.

[jetmango]

yah, and re taurine- no doubt they adding it to stuff like red bull just to erase the edge from very high amount of caffeine in it- normally without taurine such amount would cause too high diff in heart rate etc that might be too unpleasant for more sensitive ppl.

 

 

but its nothing magic in it, just pure GABA. might be useful with lower doses, if one finds his threshold dose- but its too easy to take more and too inconvenient if you do.

 

lysine acts far more subtle.

[Chris_T_Malta]

 

 

As for taurine, I can't recommend a brand yet until I try it. I bought 1000mg caps from Amazing Nutrition on Amazon, cost me only $10 with shipping. Most taurine supplements contain vitamin b6, which helps synthesize it. Since i'm somewhat sensitive to b6, I'll be trying taurine by itself at first, and the capsules I have only contain taurine by itself. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Unfortunately, Amazon does not sell that in Europe. Through uk.iherb.com, they are offering Taurine products by Now and Jarrow, I believe both brands have buyers in this forum. Any suggestions re: brands? This is the link of available brands on iHerb.com (http://uk.iherb.com/...?kw=Taurine#p=1) 

 

As regards Ashwaganda, this is my 3rd day free of ASH and I can report the following:

 

1) Weight-lifting - Considerably improved despite I had a blood test this morning and I trained really late (9.30PM)

2) Regularity - No longer that regular.

3) Mood - Anxiety is more pronounced but I feel I have more energy to tackle it.

4) Hunger - Back to normal levels - managed to spend a whole morning with just an egg, some salmon trimmings and various vegetables. When I tried this with ASH last week I was getting ferociously hungry.

 

I can conclude that ASH did have some effect on me and despite these seem to be overly negative; I plan to retry it with a smaller dose in the future. I think it's effect was lighter than what Rhodiala did to me. When I took Rhodiala the first time I couldn't sleep and felt very hot (increased thyroid function?) despite it was cold in the room and my gf was feeling cold. Usually I am the one who feels cold. 

 

I think Rhodiala and ASH have similar effects on me, with the former having a stronger effect than the latter.

 

 

 

What dosage of ashwagandha did you take?Rhodiola doesn't stimulate thyroid,although it has shown to create a warm feeling.

 

 

 

I used the following:

 

Ashwagandha 400mg (3% Withanolides) (Brand: healthtonics.co.uk) - 2 times a day - morning and evening

[Chris_T_Malta]

 

Therefore, for anyone who plans to try ashwagandha, If hyperthyroidism symptoms are noticed cessation might solve the problem.Also, check this out  

https://www.consumer...ts/ashwagandha/

 

 

 

 

Hi Sol23,

 

How reliable is this ConsumeLab.com? If it is, it's surely an asset. I really think it is essential that we get independent testing on these supplements to ensure the advertised quality is indeed there. 

[VerdeGo]

I noticed a little more anxiety while on taurine as well, even though I was in a mostly sedated state. My mind may have been calm, but my body's stress response seemed slightly amplified, and it left me with an edgy feeling. Theanine provides a much smoother experience and makes me much more sociable and happy in general. I woke up with a sunny disposition today, which has been rare for me lately. Idk if it was from the theanine, a handful of cherry tomatoes (phenylalanine), or the taurine, but I probably won't be working with taurine again. I don't like forcing myself to take something every single day unless there's long term human studies proving a substantial increase in life span.

[VerdeGo]

I must say that I woke up unnaturally elevated today. My mood was unbreakable, and I was walking on clouds all day. Nothing phased me, not even work. I was singing to myself and perfectly at peace with myself all day long. Music sounded terrific as well. I've had plenty of good days in the past, and there was nothing particularly eventful about this day. However, my mood was elevated to such a point that it wasn't normal. Was it the taurine I took yesterday? The after effects of the theanine? The handful of cherry tomatoes I ate yesterday? The cordyceps I consumed two days ago? I'm not ruling anything out or in, but I'm not shelving the taurine just yet. I've taken everything but the taurine before, and only the after effects from the second time I ever dosed cordyceps comes close (which was last year). I will be testing each of these things out again to see if I can narrow it down. One thing with theanine I've noted is a boost of energy about 5-7 hours after the initial dose. I usually take theanine around 5 pm on the days I take it. But my hunch is on taurine (perhaps its effects on neurotransmitter regulation is finally showing up), and because of this, I will be trying it again. Just not on a day I have to work.

 

 

[jetmango]

Maybe its the spring? )

 

might be taurine. beginning for me was similar- as GABA up and downregulates itself with time, I usually slept perfectly well and awoke refreshed.

 

VerdeGo, let us know pls if you will see any increase in stomach acid- for me it was just after 3-4 days AFAIR. 

[Chris_T_Malta]

Maybe its the spring? )

 

might be taurine. beginning for me was similar- as GABA up and downregulates itself with time, I usually slept perfectly well and awoke refreshed.

 

VerdeGo, let us know pls if you will see any increase in stomach acid- for me it was just after 3-4 days AFAIR. 

 

I should be receiving my Life Extension (Brand) Taurine, 1000mg soon and shall be joining with my impressions soon.

 

What do you mean by increase in stomach acid magoa? Heartburn?

 

Now I should be completely off from ASH and I can say that the positive aspects were regularity and better sleep. On the other hand, now I am significantly more productive and this due to anxiety. Not quite sure if I am anxious with or without ASH to be honest .. with ASH i seemed anxious at lacking the will to do things.. without it I seem anxious because I never feel I am doing enough... curious!

[jetmango]

well yeah, I stopped it as it was so much my stomach started to hurt.

 

YMMV if you got diff metabolism tho

[Sol23]

I noticed a little more anxiety while on taurine as well, even though I was in a mostly sedated state. My mind may have been calm, but my body's stress response seemed slightly amplified, and it left me with an edgy feeling. Theanine provides a much smoother experience and makes me much more sociable and happy in general. I woke up with a sunny disposition today, which has been rare for me lately. Idk if it was from the theanine, a handful of cherry tomatoes (phenylalanine), or the taurine, but I probably won't be working with taurine again. I don't like forcing myself to take something every single day unless there's long term human studies proving a substantial increase in life span.

Yes, exactly physical anxiety was the main issue.I never tried it after that.

 

 

In examine.com stack guides it is mentioned  for people who want to improve their mood and reduce stress to add an adaptogen (Ashwagandha or Rhodiola rosea) to the base stack of creatine (5 g) or SAMe (1,200 mg) and the base zinc (25-30 mg).

 

@chris tanti 2 times a day might be counterproductive.At least your experience shows that.According to studies, ashwagandha is supposed to enhance exercise perforamance.Next time try taking it only in the morning and see how it goes.Don't forget to cycle it.

As for consumer labs

http://www.ncbi.nlm....cles/PMC521528/

''ConsumerLab.com contracts with independent laboratories to test different kinds of health, wellness, and nutrition products such as vitamins and minerals, herbals, and sports and energy products. The results of these tests are the primary focus of the Website. ''

 ''ConsumerLab.com is a useful Website for consumers looking for easy-to-read information on herbals and other types of supplements.''

 

 

I read in previous pages about combining ashwagandha with alcohol. @ Mangoa you had a positive experience.Did you take ashwagandha in the morning and then drink beer at night?

Has anyone else tried it?

Edited by Sol23, 23 April 2015 - 03:57 PM.

[VerdeGo]

I personally didn't experience any stomach issues while on it, just the amplified stress response, an edgy feeling at times, a sedation and lethargy, and weird warm tingling sensations crawling over my head sporadically. It definitely has its own "buzz" to it, but nowhere near euphoric. The next day, though, involved a euphoric "high on life" feeling. Perhaps these bothersome effects go away with repeated use? Though I don't like the sound of increased stomach acid.

 

Taurine increases bile acid/flow, and there's some speculation that some heartburn/stomach issues are related to this bile flow. Livestrong.com mentioned that "very high doses" of taurine can increase stomach acid secretion, but maybe the two are linked? So far I haven't come across any really negative reports involving taurine, but I'm still scouring the 'net. Taurine also seems dose-dependent regarding certain effects. How much were you using and how often, mangoa?

[airplanepeanuts]

Ash seems to relay my muscles and make me more sociably agreeable. But it also makes me drowsy, decreases motivation and my reaction time is not as good.

I wonder if the negative effects would go away with prolonged use. Any experiences? 

 

 

It feels a bit like xanax. For me both have a disinhibiting effect that goes beyond what alcohol can do.

[VerdeGo]

The drowsiness and reaction time might improve with prolonged use because you'll become tolerant to the GABAergic effects it provides, so just go easy so you don't build up tolerance if it's working for you. Once you become tolerant to something, you're more likely to experience nasty effects after stopping the substance. I personally like disinhibitors and mood elevators, because it loosens me up and helps me relax. 

 

As far as taurine goes, one last thing I'd mention. I did notice my stool was a lighter brown the day I took it, probably because of the effects on bile. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it probably has to do with expelling contaminants from my body (if the detox theory holds up), or it's simply an increase in bile. 

 

I took theanine again tonight, but I was going against the grain. Since taking cordyceps on Monday, I've felt alert every day, but happy as well. This is why I take cordyceps once a week and not more frequently, because the alertness and focus stays with me for days after last using it. Many of you seek out substances to improve concentration and focus, but believe me when I say it's not fun to be too focused and alert. Your brain never shuts up, you're always thinking and analyzing shit, and this makes time go by more slowly! When I take theanine in this alert state it makes me mentally restless. I also noted some agitation after taking it, and the serotonin high I experienced for the two days following the use of taurine crashed as soon as I took the theanine. Bummer. I did take theanine the day after taking cordyceps earlier this week, but it worked well only because I was already in a sedated state from the taurine, so I believe taurine and theanine are highly synergistic. I still can't account for the greatly elevated levels of serotonin these past two days (up until the point I took the theanine this evening), but I believe taurine's effect on neurotransmitter regulation may be the cause.

 

I'll continue to experiment and keep you updated. 

[Chris_T_Malta]

As regards to L-Theanine, yesterday I took 300mg Green Tea Theanine (first time I took this supplement) because I felt quite anxious due to the intake of a  couple of Green Tea with Citrus cups I took earlier on. You might ask: If green tea made you anxious, why did you take the l-theanine? Well, my theory was that green tea made me anxious because it has caffeine in it and little amounts of l-theanine.. whilst the l-theanine capsule has a lot of l-theanine, which from what I understood, is a relaxant. 

 

However the effects wasn't as I expected. Up to 30 mins following the intake of the capsule, I felt increasingly anxious, only to suddenly feel extremely sleepy and had to go to bed.

 

I am also wondering why the Green Tea with Citrus made me so anxious. Cause despite I am a slow caffeine metabolizer, the fact that I drink it (via normal coffee) on a daily basis should have built in me some tolerance. It was as if my body didn't recognize this kind of caffeine and thus acted as if I took caffeine for the first time.. Curious!

 

Once I get Taurine, I'll have 3 supplments to play with: Ashwaganda, L-Theanine and Taurine. I also have some Rhodiala but I would like to avoid that cause I experienced some increase in urinary hesitation times (seems to be a side effect of SSRI).

 

 

 

 

[VerdeGo]

L-theanine can cause increased anxiety in some people, and at times I've experienced a slight increase in anxiety as it's kicking in, but it always goes away within a short while. I'm curious as to why it caused sedation for you. My guess is that you may have been coming down off the caffeine and "crashing". Theanine, from what I can remember, also seems to wipe out caffeine tolerance for some, but I don't know the mechanisms involved offhand. 

 

How did you feel upon waking? 

[Chris_T_Malta]

L-theanine can cause increased anxiety in some people, and at times I've experienced a slight increase in anxiety as it's kicking in, but it always goes away within a short while. I'm curious as to why it caused sedation for you. My guess is that you may have been coming down off the caffeine and "crashing". Theanine, from what I can remember, also seems to wipe out caffeine tolerance for some, but I don't know the mechanisms involved offhand. 

 

How did you feel upon waking? 

 

I woke up normally. My usual waking up time is around 4.30 - so I sleep very little (but I do sleep for a couple of hours during the day).  Today I replaced caffeine with green day at work - 3 cups. Felt decently alert but didn't have that crash/adrenal fatigue feeling when the caffeine wears off. When I arrived home, I felt pretty energetic and in fact I took some bottles of water to the 3rd floor by stairs (no lifts here). Usually after work I feel pretty tired and all I want to do is sleep (I have a desk job).  It's tough to assess whether all this is due to the l-theanine capsule or my sudden surge in having green tea. After the mid-day nap, I woke up a bit anxious (heart beating more than usual) - maybe I had a nightmare. After the nap I do some weight lifting and took a cup of strong coffee (with milk) and I felt pretty good (palpitations subdued - which is very surprising!). Weight lifting performance is returning to pre-ashwaganda days (I keep statistics ). Regularity on the other hand is not good. I think the 2 most concrete things I experienced with ASH: significant reduction in weight lifting ability and significantly improvement in regularity.

 

It's tough to determine how everything is working and their effects VerdeGo, cause I believe the diet affects heavily how effective these chemicals are. In my case, the diet is not a very typical one: I basically have boiled eggs, salmon and broccoli for breakfast, then some bread for carbs. At home I have what in Malta we call "aljotta" (sort of fish soup) with spinach and some nuts (either almonds or cashews) and then I usually eat something different every day and this is the variable that might affect how l-theanine and the caffeine sources. 

 

To really have a clearer picture I would need to standardize my diet and I kinda have a life to live too :D Said that, it was the first time I used it so I'll be using it for a couple of weeks to assess the proper effect on my body. 

[Blackkzeus]

Has anyone ever taken amephatamines and ashwaghanda together at the same time, or taken ashwaghanda before or after taking some amphetamines? I'm thinking about doing that to reduce the anxiety I get from vyvanse.

[VerdeGo]

Ed, the two have completely opposite energies to them. IMO it would be like taking an upper with a downer. Have you used ASH or amphetamines before, or are you just speculating on what the effects would be?

 

Chris, I totally agree there. I keep statistics as well and keep a fairly regular diet (cashews, almonds, blueberries, the same turkey sandwich on whole wheat every day, oatmeal for breakfast, and so on), but I do eat different things each day, especially for dinner and lunch. One thing I've learned is that no matter what my regimen is, it's nearly impossible to feel the same way each and every day. I believe if we ate exactly the same food at the same time, each and every day, we'd still experience different feelings and effects from day-to-day, which is somewhat disappointing. There's so many variables.

 

I've been lucky in that I've felt amazing for the three days since taking taurine/theanine, and I took more theanine last night, and I woke up nearly singing to myself today. However around 7 pm tonight I felt very shaky (not something normal for me), so I ate as much of a diversity of food as possible to quell these effects. Those feelings went away, but mild tension headaches ensued. I don't know if these are due to taurine (took on Tuesday), theanine (took on Tuesday and Thursday), or a combination of taurine, theanine, and the cordyceps I took earlier in the week (on Monday, though I get stimulating effects lasting a week after use). Which gets me back to Ed's question. Using stimulating substances with relaxing substances can produce some weird, unpleasant effects. I decided after arriving home tonight that I'd try chamomile tea for the first time. I've been trying to find something to get me out of this stimulation I've been experiencing since using cordyceps five days ago (my mood's been great, so I can't complain, but it seems to be overpowering and conflicting with the effects of relaxants like theanine and taurine). The chamomile seemed to relax me and help in general, though it wasn't really an anxious feeling to begin with, just an uneasy one. Something as simple as not eating complex carbs with tryptophan-based foods may cause the tryptophan to convert to melatonin, for example, instead of serotonin, producing a very different effect after eating the same food source.

 

It's hard to know what's going to affect what, that's why keeping a log is important. I've been doing so for the past five years, and it's convenient to pull up information from the past. It's not a tell-all, but it helps in putting the pieces of the puzzle together. In the meantime I'll be trying these three substances on their own to see what the issue is. At this point I'm guessing it's the cordyceps, so I'll be refraining from it while using theanine and taurine in the future. 

 

BTW (completely off topic), I've heard a lot of great things about Malta. It seems to be a pretty unique place to live with a lot of history.

[jetmango]

Green Tea with Citrus made me so anxious

 

it's funny because caffeine is both in coffee, green tea, black leaf tea and for example yerba mate, yet for me it works differently in each of these brews.

 

coffee - strong hit, euphoric - quickly fading away whats left is anxiousness, tachycardia etc.

 

black leaf tea - similarily + heartburn

 

green tea - much more long lasting than coffee, mild pleasant high

 

yerba mate - emphatic, relaxing (GABA?) yet stimulating

[Chris_T_Malta]

I think I can conclude that it's the Twinnings Green Tea with Citrus that made me anxious cause I took it this morning and felt edgy for the entire morning and even afternoon (although I had external stress sources). Also had tachcarida once I woke up. This happened twice in these days.. waking up after a nap and having palpitations. I took a reading with the blood pressure machine to ensure it's not my impression and it was beating at 74 bpm.. my usual resting rate is 60-64, nothing out of this world but still not quite clear why I should wake up with an elevated bpm hr.

 

At one point I took an L-theanine capsule (3rd one in 3 days) and this time.. it first relaxed me and then after an hour of so.. made me sleepy (but I was watching a relaxing documentary in bed.. so I guess it's natural one gets sleepy). I felt more relax than the morning/afternoon. Now I took another cup of Twinnings Green Tea with Citrus and I am ok.. more alert, maybe a bit more anxious. I do agree with Mangoa that the Green tea caffeine affects me differently from the coffee caffeine. 

 

 

[VerdeGo]

Have you tried chamomile tea? The GABAergic effects seem weak enough that it wouldn't produce dependence, and it can be supposedly imbibed on a daily basis. The effects I felt today were astounding. Disinhibition, major reduction in anxiety, no more tension headaches at the end of the night. etc. I also had sexually charged dreams, and when I woke up I had the most amazing sex with my fiancee, so it may be good for libido (at least for me). This may stack well with theanine, though right now I'll just alternate them to avoid tolerance issues. I had planned to drink another cup tonight, but I decided against it, because I'm still feeling the GABAergic effects from the cup I drank last night. On the other hand, passionflower tea leaves me lethargic for days (I believe it's also a weak MAOI from the harmala alkaloids present). I'm surprised I haven't tried this sooner, and a lot of coworkers praise this tea for its calming abilities.

 

Perhaps if some people tried chamomile or theanine first, they wouldn't have to resort to ASH with its complex actions to calm their anxiety. It just depends on why someone is planning to use ashwagandha. If it's for GABAergic effects, why not start with something less complex and better researched? I could see ASH good for someone who has hypothyroidism, but not much else at this point for long term use. And if you are hypo, I'd still check with your doctor first. Just sounds like a mixed bag IMHO.

 

I have yet to try green tea, because I don't consume caffeine. But I do get that awesome, carefree attitude with theanine as well, but it feels different. With theanine I'm much more energetic. 

 

I'm still pondering what the long term effects are of taking theanine (increases GABA naturally) and alternating it with a mild GABAergic substance. They both act on GABA systems differently. Though I've noticed moderate alcohol use increases the effects of both, and alcohol itself is GABAergic, so probably no harm no foul. 

[jetmango]

seems people have really different and varied sensitivity ... or one must be really de-regulated, so just chamomile tea produces such powerful effects...

 

for me I try to keep up with the rule- what goes up, must come down. I dont want to have my GABA upregulated [neither downregulated] 

 

re theanine: sounds promising, are you taking normal supplement? as for me it messes up too many neurotransmitters in the brain:

 

Theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine levels in various areas of the brain, as well as BDNF and NGF levels in certain brain areas.^{[13][17][22][23]}However, its effect on serotonin is still a matter of debate in the scientific community, with studies showing increases and decreases in brain serotonin levels using similar experimental protocols

for me chamomile tea has a very mild calming effect, milder than lemon balm [also GABA]. 

[VerdeGo]

That's been my concern about theanine. As in down regulation or rebound anxiety after extended use, though it's hard to find more than a handful of experiences online about this. I take it in supplement form, but I only put about a third of a 100 mg capsule on my tongue in powder form. It's subtle but I definitely get the positive effects from it. It seems that an entire capsule causes some strange effects.

 

As for serotonin, if I take it when I'm already in a good mood, it tends to make me slightly  more agitated.

 

Did you get any detrimental effects from it (either on or after use), and if so, could you elaborate? I still don't completely trust the stuff, but it seems much safer than other supplements out there (people drink green tea every day).

 

I just realized my chamomile tea also has hisbiscus, spearmint, rose petals, lemongrass, blackberry leaves, peppermint, sarsaparilla root, lemon balm, and licorice, in that order. I'll have to try chamomile by itself soon to discern the effects, but this is day two since drinking the Tazo Chamomile blend and my sex drive has shot up, my anxiety is greatly reduced, I'm still experiencing social disinhibition, and I crave nicotine far less. But who knows?

[jetmango]

yah check how much lemon balm is in there as it is defo more potent GABA down-regulator than chamomile itself

 

liquorice is raising blood pressure and might be acting as aphrodisiac

 

but seriously, this is just TAZO tea... maybe if you took it in a 'supplement' dose then yeah... Either you're extremely sensitive, or its placebo.

 

 

[VerdeGo]

Could be placebo, but it's a very strong placebo since I still felt the effects tonight. It feels like the aftermath of a benzodiazepine, which also increases libido and makes me more sociable the following day. Also the fact I'm consuming half the nicotine as I usually do, seems to point to a biological process. It definitely greatly reduced my mental thought process and any social phobias I had. And for the past decade or so, I've been very sensitive to medications and supplements. I just hope my blood brain barrier isn't dissolving

 

However today I became increasingly agitated and restless/impatient as the after-effects began to diminish. I've read chamomile (not sure about the other ingredients) can increase serotonin, so perhaps there is already some mild down regulation going on. I decided to drink the same tea again tonight, and the effects were much milder. 

 

For me, nothing seems to work the same after the first use. The first time is always the strongest and the most magical.

[Godof Smallthings]

The drowsiness and reaction time might improve with prolonged use because you'll become tolerant to the GABAergic effects it provides, so just go easy so you don't build up tolerance if it's working for you. Once you become tolerant to something, you're more likely to experience nasty effects after stopping the substance. I personally like disinhibitors and mood elevators, because it loosens me up and helps me relax. 

 

As far as taurine goes, one last thing I'd mention. I did notice my stool was a lighter brown the day I took it, probably because of the effects on bile. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it probably has to do with expelling contaminants from my body (if the detox theory holds up), or it's simply an increase in bile. 

 

I took theanine again tonight, but I was going against the grain. Since taking cordyceps on Monday, I've felt alert every day, but happy as well. This is why I take cordyceps once a week and not more frequently, because the alertness and focus stays with me for days after last using it. Many of you seek out substances to improve concentration and focus, but believe me when I say it's not fun to be too focused and alert. Your brain never shuts up, you're always thinking and analyzing shit, and this makes time go by more slowly! When I take theanine in this alert state it makes me mentally restless. I also noted some agitation after taking it, and the serotonin high I experienced for the two days following the use of taurine crashed as soon as I took the theanine. Bummer. I did take theanine the day after taking cordyceps earlier this week, but it worked well only because I was already in a sedated state from the taurine, so I believe taurine and theanine are highly synergistic. I still can't account for the greatly elevated levels of serotonin these past two days (up until the point I took the theanine this evening), but I believe taurine's effect on neurotransmitter regulation may be the cause.

 

I'll continue to experiment and keep you updated. 

 

Focus, as I define it, is the ability to successfully stay with one thing and avoid distractions. If the mind won't stop chattering, to me, that is the opposite of focus - not too much of it. In my opinion I think cordyceps simply provides energy, energy that can be directed to different pursuits. If one is lacking in concentrative ability, the energy may go to thinking and cause ruminations and analyses, but with decent concentrative ability, the energy can be directed to wherever one wishes it to be.

 

Apart from supplements, pay close attention to the effects of sleep (time/quality), light exposure (white/blue/red light and what time of day), social activity and diet.

For me, social activities I choose myself with friends provide an enormous boost. 'Necessary' social activities make me grumpy and deplete energy. I need at least 6 hours of sleep, and thrive if I get 6.5-7 hours. More than that is too much, less than that has very strong negative effects on energy and mood. Taking a morning walk in sunshine is an immense mood boost as opposed to staying indoors, etc.

 

All of these things have very strong effects, often stronger than any supplements you take - then of course, all these variables and many more others also affect each other. It is not always easy to figure out what is causing what...

Consider also exploring the powerful effects of exercise and meditation every day. Some people thrive on harder exercise, others softer. Find your sweet spot.

Edited by Godof Smallthings, 27 April 2015 - 04:30 AM.

[jetmango]

 

 

For me, nothing seems to work the same after the first use. The first time is always the strongest and the most magical.

 

 

..which confirms placebo placebo can increase the effects up to 40-60%. nobody knows why or how it works- but it does. and thats what is most important, right? ;]

 

most of herbs or other substances stack-up during the time. and tolerance shows up after long term use. 

 

can you post the source about chamomile affecting serotonin?

 

lighter stool - re taurine [lol] - IMO that confirms also increased metabolism/stomach acid. after 2 weeks you'll have diarrhoea   

Edited by mangoa, 27 April 2015 - 04:00 PM.

[stan08]

Has anyone noticed their throat getting sore and having to clear their throat a lot whenever they take ashwagandha? Not sure if I'm allergic or what.