6 replies to this topic

[Shulginstestsubject]

Ginkgo Awareness by Planetary Herbals

Ingredients are as follows:

GINKGO LEAF EXTRACT(50:1) 24% FLAVONEGLYCOSIDED
PROPRIETARY BLEND:
VALERIAN ROOT
BACOPA WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT (20% BACOSIDES)
DENDROBIUM STEM
POLYGALA ROOT
ECLIPTA AERIAL PARTS
NUTMEG SEED
CARDAMOM FRUIT
AND GOTU KOLA LEAF EXTRACT (4:1).

This supplement is rather expensive as far as I'm concerned. Also, for those of you wondering why dendrobium is so special; dendrobium seems to be the active euphorigenic ingredient in a supplement named Craze by Driven Sports. Either that, or dendrobium is a cover for (semi)-synthetic euphorigenic stimulants. People who took the first formulation of DS Craze reported effects akin to methamphetamine.

I am wondering if any of you have tried Ginkgo Awareness by Planetary Herbals? If so, please describe what you experienced/ review the product for me. No need to compare it to dexedrine or methamphetamine. All I want to know is if this supplement is worth taking for increased feelings of motivation, enhanced affective mood, sexual enhancement, psychomotor stimulation, sociability, cognitive enhancement, productivity enhancer, anhedonia ameliorator, as a stimulant/euphorigenic/anxiolytic, etc

If you haven't seen this product before, then what can you say about the ingredients? Valerian might be good for me to negate some of the side effects I get from drinking WAY too much coffee everyday. I am weary of the Bacopa (heavy metal toxicity, eventually. But it gives me a slightly opioidergic/ gabaergic/ serotonergic "feel" at first). I take obvious interest in dendrobium. I've read positive things about polygala in the sexual dept. But as far as the other ingredients go; if have little experience with them.

Also, I just kinda want a recommendation. I'm looking for a new supplement because I recently got a new job =D

I am a computer repair technician, and I'm loving my job.

But I'd like to treat some deficits that I feel I experience on the job. I need to think quickly and reasonably on the spot and with all relevant considerations applied in real time. Improve verbal fluency. I need to improve my affective mood and motivation in a consistent manner. Also, I need to enhance my capacity for problem solving. I am constantly around people so I'd like to feel more sociable because I tend to be reclusive and out of touch with social cues. I also want my body to feel good (i.e. relatively light and floaty, opioidergic).

I'd like to steer clear of racetam drugs (unless there is a racetam that works all the time for most people that take it) because I've read a lot of inconsistent reviews about them. For example, they'll either work for 3 weeks and then stop working, or people just wont respond to them at all. That, and my adrenals are most likely burnt to a crisp, so I'm guessing that racetams won't work for me. Also, I can't stand cholinergics; they make me depressed as hell.

I need something that enhances the depolarization of dopaminergic/adrenergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area/mesolimbic circuit and in the mesocortical circuit/PFC/locus coeruleus.
Something that releases serotonin in the raphe nuclei.
(Perhaps) dampens activity in the amygdala.
Enhances glutamatergic pathways that effect congition/motivation/ and pleasure. (magnesium makes me depressed, psilocybin makes me happy as HELL, both of which affect different glutamatergic pathways)
Decreases prolactin/dynorphin. Ehances opioidergic system, causes mu receptor exocytosis ( I don't have access to LDN)
Enhances color vision/ visual saturation of color (along the lines of the way hallucinogenic drugs/amphetamine/opioids/smoking pot outside on a nice sunny day affects color vision)
increase PHASIC dopamine release

I've read good things about the trace mineral boron. It's supposed to incease sex hormones, dopamine, norepinephrine, improve cognitive abilities, increase general brain activity, rebalance minerals in the body/brain, etc. Does anybody have any experience with this mineral?

Is there anything out there that improves signal to noise ratio?

What about intracellular signalling? cAMP? Beta Arrestin? inositol? Is there any discussion of things of that nature?

Also, the two weeks following a good experience with hallucinogenic drugs (namely LSD and mushrooms) there is a certain healing effect (I feel beautiful and comfortable in my own skin psychologically). Perhaps I respond well to 5-ht2a receptor desensitization? Perhaps I should try mangosteen? (contains 5-ht2a antagonist alkaloids)

Now that we're on the topic of "super-foods". What about African Mango? I read it exerts positive effects on leptin/leptin receptors. There are leptin receptors all over the limibic system =)

Also, I think I may have developed some sort of psychosomatic anxiety disorder. I get anxious about the way my body feels. It's weird, i'll feel my heart sort of sink into my chest, my heart then starts to palpitate, i'll get slightly dizzy, and then i'll gets bursts of anxiety in my head. I usually just try to breathe and let it go. While this is happening I am EXTREMELY aware of anything I feel in my body. This usually only happens when I'm sitting/ laying down. Smoking pot/ being hungover intensifies this phenomenon (unregulated glutamatergic activity?), which is a DAMN shame cuz I used to REALLY enjoy smokin weed. (I still enjoy it, but sometimes it makes me anxious)

My current stack:

Stinging Nettle root (for reduction of DHT, increase in free testosterone)
Multivitamin
Fish oil (640 EPA/240 DHA)
L-glutamine (helps my body feel better after going on my 5 mile runs)
borderline excessive caffeine/ nicotine

somtimes I'll take Mucuna Pruriens standardized to 15% L-DOPA, not everyday though, it makes my body feel "floaty", enhances motivation to an extent, decreases prolactin, REALLY enhances sexuality, but in the end it kinda makes me feel weird/ anxiogenic, and I think it is hypoglycemic (not good).

I'd like some advice/ discussion on the matter. Feel free to post ANY relevant thoughts and ideas becaue I know I'm kind of all over the place. THANKS A HEAP!!

Edited by Shulginstestsubject, 20 February 2013 - 04:49 AM.

[Shulginstestsubject]

I might try Beetroot juice for my cardiovascular abnormalites, any thoughts on anything I've said?

[Shulginstestsubject]

Also, I've read that 5-ht2a antagonists DO NOT inhibit dopamine release, they just shift dopamine release from the midbrain to the PFC. Has anybody tried mangosteen fruit? (gamma-mangostin is a 5-ht2 antagonist) Gamma-mangostin also reversed 5-ht2c agonist induced HYPOlocomotion, which means that it is not only a 5-ht2a antagonist, but also a 5-ht2c antagonist. 5-ht2c antagonism is a mechanism by which morphine, amphetamine, and caffeine can increase dopamine and noradrenaline release in the midbrain.

[Shulginstestsubject]

BY THE WAY, I AM NOT SELLING ANYTHING!! just looking for advice

[Adaptogen]

It is funny, your anxiety sounds a lot like mine. I too seemed to have developed some sort of psychosomatic anxiety disorder, it seems to have resulted from 1 bad panic attack, and too much brooding and reading bad symptoms on the internet..ha..I used to consume a lot of cannabis as well. several times daily actually. and i have completely stopped for the time being because it exacerbates my anxiety so badly. Fortunately, I have been able to get it under control fairly quickly.

I can recommend some supplements that have been working for me though. Bacopa works pretty well, but I see you have the concern with heavy metal toxicity. Valerian is good for if you need a strong sedative, but not that practical for regular use. Melatonin/valerian combo works well to put me to sleep if my anxiety and palpitations are giving me trouble.

Taurine is probably the single most effective supplement I have used to reduce heart-related anxiety. It lowers blood-pressure and heart rate, is healthy, and increases gaba. I would definitely give it a shot, 1.5-3 grams is very effective for managing palpitations and the physical sensations of anxiety. It also negates the negative effects of caffeine and probably nicotine. magnesium is also a must. I can tell a noticeable difference in my anxiety if I go a day without supplementing. I take magnesium malate because it is pretty cheap and doesn't cause much digestive problems that some of the other forms do.

I don't know if you are already exercising, but you should be doing 30 minutes a day of intense cardio..although any kind of exercise will help with your anxiety as well as stimulate neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

As far as cognitive enhancement, I don't really no what to suggest besides piracetam. I have not come across anything with effects comparable to it. A lot of people have had good results from uridine though. there is a big thread about it here: http://www.longecity...800#entry567758 However, I take it and don't really feel anything that noticeable, maybe a mild stimulatory effect.
If your adrenals are burnt out, you might want to try schisandra, rhodiola, ashwagandha, or all three..but if you have panic attacks then I don't think your adrenals are burnt out.

Edited by Adaptogen, 22 February 2013 - 08:24 AM.

[Shulginstestsubject]

Yeah, I think my anxiety started while I was abusing heavier drugs about 3 or 4 years back. I remember I took somewhere between 80 and 120 mg of mixed amphetamines just two days after I had abrubtly ceased using 80mg Oxycodone, which I was using for about a month at that point. Opioid withdrawals + amphetamine = BAD TIME (particularly for my heart) I was sick and was experiencing really intrusive heart rythym problems for about 2 or 3 weeks after that. Ever since then, heart issues will reoccur out of nowhere. Alcohol triggers it like crazy (when hungover, but not always, it's just been more intense recently).

So.. Taurine. I actually haven't intentionally tried that one yet. Yes, I've taken Bacopa before and it's nice for a couple days, then sedation kicks in hard. This either has to do with 5-ht2c receptor exocytosis or hevy metal toxicity. It was the Vitamin Shoppe brand. I'm starting the think that supplement might just be overpriced and highly sedating/ maybe even taxing on the liver due to the amount of stuff that's in it. :/ Probably won't try it

As far as exercise goes, I try to go for a 5 mile run at least twice a week. More than that, I will start losing weight WAY too fast. I'm about 5' 10" and 145 lbs. I used to run every other day, and I ended up dropping down to about 135 lbs. Not to mention that I think my cortisol levels were really elevated or something; I felt really stressed out.

Yeah, actually my adrenals are probably fine. Maybe I just need some sort of anxiolytic. I'll definitely read up on taurine. Might also read more about mangosteen, but it's hard to sift through legitamate experience reports and people that are just trying to advertise ZanGo or whatever haha. Thanks for the reply!!

[Shulginstestsubject]

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/3434428

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/15817633

Interesting studies on l-taurine. Increased firing rates and induced membrane depolarization