This post is for you if tried anti-anxiety meds, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy. And are looking for a natural nootropic alternative.
Or maybe you tried talking to your doctor about how you feel and didn’t get the help you need.
It may be of little comfort, but did you know there is a 77% chance that your anxiety has been misdiagnosed as some physical problem instead?[i]
Because anxiety often manifests as sweating, trembling, nausea, abdominal problems, dizziness, insomnia, heart palpitations, accelerated heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath, pins and needles, feeling like your losing control and/or feelings of impending doom.
Instead of dealing with the real cause, maybe you were sent down the wrong path. And are still looking for answers.
Nootropic supplements may help if you’re dealing with a genuine anxiety disorder. The kind of anxiety that has you feeling constantly on-edge and an overwhelming sense of dread.
The type of anxiety where you have difficulty concentrating, you’re irritable or restless to the point you’re avoiding family and friends just to numb yourself from feelings of worry and unrelenting doom.
Here you’ll discover the real cause of your anxiety symptoms. And get some help dealing with how you feel. Concrete steps to take that doesn’t include meditation, yoga, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or psychoanalysis.
Table of Contents
The Root Cause of Anxiety Disorders
Something may have happened that triggered the anxiety that has turned your life upside down. But if your feelings of anxiety are hanging on and won’t let go, it’s likely because of the dysfunction of neurochemicals in your brain.[ii]
It could be problems with acetylcholine, dopamine, GABA, glutamate, norepinephrine, or serotonin.
But the challenge is figuring out which neurotransmitter is causing the problem. And why drugs like benzodiazepines, SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs are often prescribed for treating anxiety.
How to Find the Root Cause
If you have been using an anti-anxiety drug and experienced some relief in your symptoms, you have a head-start.
Because now you have a clue what could be causing your problem. And it may be easier for you to decide which nootropics to try to help you get better.
First, become familiar with the mechanism of action (or pharmacology) of the med you are using. Wikipedia.org is a good resource for this information.
Simply do a search of Wikipedia for your drug’s generic name. And scroll down to the section “Pharmacology”. Sometimes called the “mechanism of action”.
Once you understand how the drug works in your brain. And which neurotransmitter system it affects. Scroll down the list of nootropic supplements below.
And choose a nootropic that has a similar mechanism of action to the drug you were using. Then follow the dosage recommendations for that supplement and try it to see if you feel any relief.
But if you’ve never tried using a pharmaceutical to treat your anxiety, or have used one that didn’t work, you’ll need to try each nootropic separately.
And by trial and error you’ll work your way down to find the neurotransmitter system that is causing your anxiety.
Start at the beginning of the list below and try the first nootropic for 1 or 2 days. And see how you feel. If you experience relief from your anxiety symptoms, success!
Now you know which neurotransmitter to work with. You can continue using that nootropic as recommended. And look for other natural nootropic adaptogens that work on the same system.
But if the first nootropic you try doesn’t provide any comfort, put it aside. And try the next one for a couple of days again following dosage recommendations.
Go through the list one-by-one until you find a nootropic that helps you and relieves at least some of your anxiety symptoms.
Some of the nootropics on the list below are precursors. Which means it provides the chemical or molecule needed to make a specific neurotransmitter.
And others are adaptogens that affect a specific neurotransmitter system. Usually by modulating how that brain chemical works in your brain.
Let’s get started …
Neurotransmitter imbalances
Acetylcholine
Acetylcholine plays a critical role in learning and memory. And acetylcholine levels are modulated by levels of stress in several regions of your brain.
Acetylcholine levels decline as you get older. You need choline for the production of acetylcholine. Not eating enough foods high in choline can also result in insufficient acetylcholine.
In fact, choline is so vital to cognition and nerve function that, without it, we couldn’t move, think, sleep or remember anything.
Studies show that acetylcholine signaling in your hippocampus regulates social stress resilience and anxiety.[iii]
You can increase acetylcholine levels in your brain using either Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline (Citicoline).
Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Alpha GPC naturally occurs in your brain as a byproduct of phosphatidylcholine (PC).
When your brain needs more choline, and the choline floating around in your brain is running low, it breaks down PC from cell membranes. And turns it into Alpha GPC.
Alpha GPC, acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR), and phosphatidylserine (PS) provide mitochondrial support and conserve growth factor receptors.
DHA (Omega-3) combines with Alpha GPC and PS to form brain cell membranes critical for neuron generation and regeneration.[iv]
Recommended dosage of Alpha GPC is 300 mg 3-times per day.
CDP-Choline (Citicoline)
CDP-Choline is a type of choline that is present in every cell in your body.
Taken as a supplement, it’s then converted to cytidine and choline in your gut. Once it crosses the blood-brain barrier it’s converted back to CDP-Choline.[v] The choline then assists cell membranes and helps create acetylcholine.
CDP-Choline is involved in memory and cognitive functions. And provides energy for the brain to conduct sustained mental effort.
Recommended CDP-Choline dosage is 250 – 500 mg per day.
Dopamine
L-Tyrosine taken as a nootropic supplement converts into the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Dopamine helps control movement in your body, is fundamental to memory, attention and problem solving.
The unused dopamine can then convert into the catecholamine neurotransmitters norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Norepinephrine is important for attentiveness, emotions, sleeping, dreaming, and learning.
Epinephrine drives your ‘flight-or-flight’ response. It’s what prompts your reaction to dangerous circumstances, emergency situations, or in stressful situations or environments.
Sleep deprivation and extreme stressors like heat and cold can deplete catecholamine levels. L-Tyrosine restores them to preserve optimal cognition and reduce anxiety.[vi]
Recommended dosage of L-Tyrosine is 500 mg 2 or 3-times per day.
GABA
GABA (Gamma-amino butyric acid) is the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in your brain. And known to counterbalance the action of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.
GABA has long been recognized as the main regulator of anxiety. And the GABA neurotransmitter system is the main target of benzodiazepines and other anxiety related drugs used to treat anxiety disorders.[vii]
When GABA is taken as a nootropic supplement, it binds with the GABAA receptor protein complex, and acts as an agonist: inducing changes in which the permeability of the central pore to chloride ions gets increased.
The resulting chloride flux hyperpolarizes the neuron, leading to a reduction in its excitability. And producing a general inhibitory effect on neuronal activity.[viii]
Recommended dosage of GABA is 250 – 500 mg per day
Glutamate
L-glutamine is a ‘conditionally’ essential amino acid and main precursor for the production of glutamate and GABA in your brain.
(NOTE: Don’t confuse glutamine with glutamate!)
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in your body. And is involved in many of your bodily functions. Including much of the activity in your brain.
But Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in your brain.[ix] And the balance of glutamine and glutamate is critical for optimal brain function.
Glutamate plays various important positive roles in your brain including brain development, learning and memory.
And degenerative roles including stroke, traumatic brain injury, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease, stress response, and anxiety disorders.
Glutamate mainly acts through ion channel receptors including NMDA receptors, AMPA receptors, and G protein-coupled metabotropic receptors (mGluR1-8).
Glutamate is involved in synaptic release of acetylcholine, adenosine, kappa opioid, GABA, and neuropeptides.[x]
Recent research shows that glutamate dysfunction is involved in fear conditioning, OCD, PTSD, anxiety disorder and social phobia.[xi]
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is used as a flavor enhancer has been linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and neuron toxicity that can lead to cell death causing stroke, epilepsy, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).[xii]
Eliminating your anxiety could be as simple as avoiding all foods containing MSG.
When your neurotransmitters, including L-glutamine and glutamate are in balance, you feel motivated, productive, and energetic. And you feel calm and relaxed during downtime.
When L-glutamine levels are low you feel filled with dread, you’re constantly worried, you have racing thoughts, and you’re frequently late and disorganized.
When you are in this L-glutamine slump is when you’re tempted to resort to high carbohydrate foods, and drugs or alcohol to relax.
Recommended dosage of L-Glutamine is 2 – 5 grams per day.
But remember, glutamine and glutamate must be in balance! If you suspect your glutamate levels are too high, you can get it under control by inhibiting its NMDA and AMPA receptors.
Some antidepressant drugs relieve anxiety by inhibiting NMDA receptors.[xiii]
Try the nootropics including Cat’s Claw[xiv], and L-Theanine[xv] for inhibiting NMDA receptors. And Noopept[xvi] and many of the racetams[xvii] which inhibit AMPA receptors.
Keeping glutamate under control and helping to reduce anxiety if your condition is caused by glutamate dysfunction.
Serotonin
Serotonin plays a significant role in the development and persistence of anxiety disorders.
Several studies show that increases in serotonin increases anxiety. And when serotonin decreases you may experience a reduction in the anxiety that’s associated with OCD or PTSD[xviii].
Too much serotonin and excess serotonin signaling has been implicated in social anxiety disorders.[xix]
If you are experiencing any type of anxiety, you should avoid anything that increases serotonin. Do NOT use nootropics like L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP.
Instead, use nootropics that help modulate serotonin and bring it under control.
Bacopa Monnieri helps modulate serotonin and dopamine which produces an anxiolytic effect. Studies show that Bacopa is as effective as the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam in reducing anxiety.[xx]
Vitamin D3 and Omega-3s (EPA & DHA) helps control serotonin synthesis and action. EPA helps inhibit serotonin release and DHA influences serotonin receptors. While Vitamin D3 deficiency can contribute to anxiety. Supplementing with Omega-3s and Vitamin D3 may help reduce anxiety.[xxi]
Ginkgo Biloba acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) which helps boost dopamine in your brain. Increasing dopamine can help lower serotonin levels. The result can be a reduction in anxiety.[xxii]
Rhodiola Rosea is an adaptogen that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Rhodiola enhances stress tolerance and relieves anxiety by modulating key brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and beta-endorphins (opioid neuropeptides).[xxiii]
Anxiety Eliminated
Nootropics are a viable and potent alternative to many anti-anxiety medications.
But you first need to determine the cause of anxiety in your brain. Use the trial and error method I suggested above and work through the nootropic supplements recommended one-by-one.
But a very strong word of caution – if you are currently using any prescription anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications. Or any medications for that matter. Research each nootropic including side effects and prescription drug interactions before using them.
You can eliminate anxiety once-and-for-all with nootropics. If you do your research. And are willing to experiment until you find the one or two that is right for you.
[i] Roy-Byrne P.P., Wagner A. “Primary care perspectives on generalized anxiety disorder” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2004;65 Suppl 13:20-6. (source)
[ii] Kaur S., Singh R. “ROLE OF DIFFERENT NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN ANXIETY: A SYSTEMIC REVIEW” International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research Projected Impact Factor (2019): 1.230, CiteScore (2017): 0.27 (source)
[iii] Mineur, Y. S., Obayemi, A., Wigestrand, M. B., Fote, G. M., Calarco, C. A., Li, A. M., & Picciotto, M. R. (2013). “Cholinergic signaling in the hippocampus regulates social stress resilience and anxiety- and depression-like behavior.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(9), 3573–3578. (source)
[iv] Kidd P. M. (2005). “Neurodegeneration from mitochondrial insufficiency: nutrients, stem cells, growth factors, and prospects for brain rebuilding using integrative management.” Alternative Medicine Review: a journal of clinical therapeutic, 10(4), 268–293. (source)
[v] Rao A.M., Hatcher J.F., Dempsey R.J. “CDP-choline: neuroprotection in transient forebrain ischemia of gerbils.” Journal of Neuroscience Research 1999 Dec 1;58(5):697-705. (source)
[vi] Hase A., Jung S.E., a het Rot M. “Behavioral and cognitive effects of tyrosine intake in healthy human adults.” Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. 2015 Jun; 133:1-6. (source)
[vii] Lydiard R. B. (2003). “The role of GABA in anxiety disorders.” The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 64 Suppl 3, 21–27. (source)
[viii] Nutt, D. J., Ballenger, J. C., Sheehan, D., & Wittchen, H. U. (2002). “Generalized anxiety disorder: comorbidity, comparative biology and treatment.” The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology, 5(4), 315–325. (source)
[ix] Meldrum B.S. “Glutamate as a Neurotransmitter in the Brain: Review of Physiology and Pathology” The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 130, Issue 4, April 2000, Pages 1007S–1015S (source)
[x] Roberts-Wolfe, D. J., & Kalivas, P. W. (2015). “Glutamate Transporter GLT-1 as a Therapeutic Target for Substance Use Disorders” CNS & neurological disorders drug targets, 14(6), 745–756. (source)
[xi] Cortese, B. M., & Phan, K. L. (2005). “The role of glutamate in anxiety and related disorders.” CNS spectrums, 10(10), 820–830. (source)
[xii] Marcincakova H., Veronika & Ostatníková, D. (2013). “Monosodium Glutamate Toxic Effects and Their Implications for Human Intake: A Review.” JMED Research. 20135171. 10.5171/2013.608765. (source)
[xiii] Petrie, R. X., Reid, I. C., & Stewart, C. A. (2000). “The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, synaptic plasticity, and depressive disorder. A critical review” Pharmacology & therapeutics 87(1), 11–25. (source)
[xiv] Mohamed A.F., Matsumoto K., Tabata K., Takayama H., Kitajima M., Watanabe H. “Effects of Uncaria tomentosa total alkaloid and its components on experimental amnesia in mice: elucidation using the passive avoidance test.” Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2000 Dec;52(12):1553-61. (source)
[xv] Lu M., Gray, Oliver C. “The Neuropharmacology of L-Theanine(N-Ethyl-L-Glutamine)” Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy Volume 6, Issue 2, 2006 (source)
[xvi] Gudasheva T.A. et. Al. “The major metabolite of dipeptide piracetam analogue GVS-111 in rat brain and its similarity to endogenous neuropeptide cyclo-L-prolylglycine.” European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics. 1997 Jul-Sep;22(3):245-52. (source)
[xvii] Isaacson J.S., Nicoll R. A. “Aniracetam reduces glutamate receptor desensitization and slows the decay of fast excitatory synaptic currents in the hippocampus” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States of America vol. 88, pp. 10936-10940, December 1991 (source)
[xviii] Murphy, D. L., Moya, P. R., Fox, M. A., Rubenstein, L. M., Wendland, J. R., & Timpano, K. R. (2013). “Anxiety and affective disorder comorbidity related to serotonin and other neurotransmitter systems: obsessive-compulsive disorder as an example of overlapping clinical and genetic heterogeneity” Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 368(1615), 20120435. (source)
[xix] rick, A., Åhs, F., Engman, J., Jonasson, M., Alaie, I., Björkstrand, J., Frans, Ö., Faria, V., Linnman, C., Appel, L., Wahlstedt, K., Lubberink, M., Fredrikson, M., & Furmark, T. (2015). “Serotonin Synthesis and Reuptake in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Positron Emission Tomography Study” JAMA psychiatry, 72(8), 794–802. (source)
[xx] Bhattacharya, S. K., & Ghosal, S. (1998). “Anxiolytic activity of a standardized extract of Bacopa monniera: an experimental study” Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 5(2), 77–82. (source)
[xxi] Patrick, R. P., & Ames, B. N. (2015). “Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior” FASEB journal: official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 29(6), 2207–2222. (source)
[xxii] Woelk, H., Arnoldt, K. H., Kieser, M., & Hoerr, R. (2007). “Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 in generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder with anxious mood: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” Journal of psychiatric research, 41(6), 472–480. (source)
[xxiii] Lishmanov Iu.B., Trifonova Zh.V., Tsibin A.N., Maslova L.V., Dement’eva L.A. “[Plasma beta-endorphin and stress hormones in stress and adaptation].” – in Russian Biull Eksp Biol Med. 1987 Apr;103(4):422-4. (source)
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Hi
I only have half of my intestines. Half of each one has been removed. Everytime I try to take any supplement it either gives me diarrhea or constipation. Do you know anything about topical use of nootropics? I have tried using dphenalalanine topically and it did lessen my pain and maybe my anxiety but I got really bad diarrhea. I just wondered if you have any experience or advice for a situation like this. Thank you so much!
There are very few nootropic supplements that I am aware of that can be used sublingually. But none that can be used topically.
The only other thing I can suggest trying is opening the capsules and dissolving them in a glass of something you can drink. That will work with anything that is water soluble. But for fat-soluble supplements you need a tablespoon of some kind of ‘healthy’ oil. I use unrefined coconut oil.
You should also try a Prebiotic (https://bit.ly/2KzeQi2) which will help not only rebuild your microbiome. But should also lessen the bouts of constipation and diarrhea.
hello david,
i took the Dr. Braverman test that i saw linked in one of the comments to try to gauge which neurotransmitter was at the root of my anxiety and my results indicated that i had moderate deficiencies in dopamine and choline, and major deficiencies in GABA and serotonin. I am a little confused by this as your article states that increasing serotonin INCREASES anxiety so how can i be majorly deficient in it but still experiencing anxiety? should i still try to increase serotonin or should i just focus on balancing the others? i am currently taking 3000 mg of fish oil a day (2000 dha: 1000 epa) with D3.
also i found the section on glutamine and glutamate difficult to understand. how do you know which one is out of balance?
Val, excess or too much serotonin can cause anxiety. But that’s not your problem. The opposite in fact. I suggest trying each of the precursors I suggest in the article above and see which one helps you the most.
You may end up using all of them but at doses other then what is normally used. Trial and error is the only way to figure this out.
hi david thank you very much for your reply. I do intend on trying out the others but as far as supplementing serotonin, is the fish oil counterintuitive to that goal? the article says that fish oil inhibits serotonin release and influences serotonin receptors. so is this something i should not take while trying to increase serotonin?
thanks again
Val, not ‘fish oil’ but DHA which is found in Omega-3s. And the highest levels of DHA are found in phosphatidylserine (PS) which in turn helps in the storage, release and activity of all major neurotransmitters and their receptors.
DHA will support the use of each of the neurotransmitter precursors I mentioned in this article.
I have very bad dysbiosis and gut inflammation, along with terrible anxiety, fear and depression. I am starting l glutamine. Is this the best supplement for my leaky gut and head issues? What do you think of the theory that all emotional problems have their origin in the gut?
Katherine, many ’emotional problems’ begin in the gut. Remember, most of the GABA and serotonin your body produces is made in your gut.
L-Glutamine is well-known for helping heal a leaky gut. Here are some other ideas as well: https://nootropicsexpert.com/how-to-heal-a-leaky-blood-brain-barrier/
Hi David, I have been on 2-3mg of Xanax for the past 5 years initially for PTSD. I am sick of being so dependent on benzos every day. I want to wean my self off or at least to a much smaller dose. Is there anything you can recommend to help with the withdrwal feelings I get when I try to decrease my daily intake? I have tried to wean myself down, but after a day or two at a lower dose my anxiety goes thru the roof and I can feel weird sensations in my body, almost like an electrical tingling sensation in my skin. Then I take some xanax and it goes away. So I know my body is physically adicted or dependend on the benzos. Thank you! Kevin
Kevin, I have consulted with many coming off of benzos. There are supplements that may help and definitely supplements to stay away from. But way too many and too complex to go into here in the comments thread. If you are interested I suggest scheduling a consultation. Here is a link to my calendar: https://calendly.com/davidtomen/60min
Hi David, I’m not really sure where to start! I’ve had anxiety my entire life. More along the lines of hypervigilence, excessive worry, fear, obsessive thoughts. When it worsens it manifests in my chest.
I was on a cocktail of Abilify, Zoloft and Lamictal. I have been off of them for about 2.5 years now.
I think the Zoloft did make some difference in the anxiety. That being the case, do you have a suggestion on where to start?
I have been taking one 300 mg pill of Alpha GPC per your recommendation for choline for about two weeks. I can up it to twice a day to see if that helps.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Gary, if Zoloft worked then reverse engineer that. We know Zoloft acts primarily on serotonin so try supplementing with L-Tryptophan 500 mg before bed. And it may have some effect on dopamine and norepinephrine as well so try L-Tyrosine 500 mg twice during the day.
But for hypervigilance, fear, and obsessive thoughts you’re going to need to set up a consultation because that takes much more of an explanation than I can do here.
Thanks, David. I have tried 500 mg Tryptophan off and on for sleep over the past two years as I developed insomnia from getting off of the meds. It did not help and I swear the depression felt worse the next day. Should I try again?
Gary, if it did not work and made things worse then is sounds like Serotonin is not your problem. I suggest experimenting with the other precursors I detail in this article. One-at-a-time for a day or two. And see if you can figure out which neurotransmitter is dysfunctional.
If you give each one a chance and still no success then it is something else causing your symptoms. It may be problems with inflammation, neurogenesis, hormones, nutrient deficiencies, a dysfunctional microbiome or leak gut/brain.
In this article, it says not to take 5-HTP because high serotonin can contribute to anxiety. But from what I’ve read, if you’re taking L-Tyrosine (which raises dopamine and decreases serotonin) you should also take 5-HTP to balance it out. If you take L-Tyrosine regularly without 5-HTP, will serotonin levels get too low and cause problems?
Brielle, dopamine and serotonin must be in balance. And if you are increasing dopamine by using L-Tyrosine your best and safest long-term option for raising serotonin is with L-Tryptophan. Not 5-HTP.
So if you use L-Tyrosine for anxiety you must also use L-tryprophan? This is very contradicting to what you wrote in the article. You stated not to use any form of sertonin.
Rick, that’s not what I said. I said excess serotonin can cause things like anxiety.
But dopamine and serotonin must be in balance. So if you are using 500 mg L-Tyrosine twice per day for any length of time you will end up depleting serotonin. And you’ll be worse off than when you started.
Hi, social encounters always give me an uncomfortable feeling. The amount of discomfort depends on how well I know the people and also the number of people. The more unknown and the more people heo bigger the chance that my discomfort even goes into an anxiety feeling or even panic. Social encounters don’t give me energy, but actually cost me energy. I am 44, when I was younger I think some higher Testosteron levels just motivated me to go past this discomfort and just do it, but even then in my younger years it always costed me energy. But I just went for it and did it. This behaviour of just doing it hasn’t solved it though.
Now being 40+ I detect that I am more and more using strategies to escape from social encounters. Also by judging people too fast, which probably is my protection mechanism to give me a reason not to have social encounters anymore.
I however wish to solve this and it would be great if nootropics can help me. I never took meds for my anxiety, but last months I have been investigating and experimenting with some Nootropics already and taking them like 60 minutes before social encounters of which I think that might cause me anxiety. The supplements have been somewhat successfull but to be honest I want to go more and more beyond my comfort zone and I think I need stronger nootropics. I now use a cocktail of this:
88Herbs Zen+ (2 capsules)
Silexan Lavender 1 capsule 80mg
Lemon Balm from 600mg (Cyracos from ND)
Valerian Extract 450mg (6:1 extract so 2700 raw valerian)
GABA Sublingual 250mg
I also every day take Fishoil, D3, B-complex and C. Also started using ND’s 10% Tongkat Ali to increase Testosteron. I never tested my Testosteron but I already detect that it does something because I feel more dominant and eager to do stuff. Slightly more aggresive attitude. I was too soft before I think.
I also just started using Saffran Affron extract 2x 15mg per day. I’ve read it acts like an SSRI that might help on the Serotonine.
Anyway, my plan is to go into social encounters that I never tried before and I know these kind of encounters will cause me a lot of anxiety for sure. But I know also that if I manage to survive these encounters that they might help me to solve my social anxiety issues.
Any recommendations what I should add to my cocktail to be able to handle going way over my social comfort zone?
Jurgen, have you seen my article on “social anxiety?” https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-social-anxiety/ You may get some ideas that will help you from that article.
Hi,
i think my problem is related to low Gaba. I have severe anxiety for years.
Can you please advice me supplements with a building effect on gaba ?
As example i dont look for a supplement which increase gaba acute/specific time, but in the long run. Its ok for me if the effects start working after weeks if they still keep working after stopping the supplement.
Dean, there are two ways you can affect GABA in your brain. Take a supplement like PharmaGABA or L-Glutamine which eventually produces GABA. Or use something like Lemon Balm which is a GABA transaminase inhibitor which means that rather than GABA getting excreted from your system it is forced back into play. It does not increase the “amount” of GABA in your brain like the first two I mentioned but makes it more available.
All the these supplements begin to provide their benefit 30 – 60 minutes after taking it. But its effects will only last as long as you are using the supplement. When you stop using it then it will stop providing any benefit.
Hi David and thanks.
Are there any other supplements like herbs, subsances, amino acids or minerals-vitamins which can have a building effect (lasting effects even after stopping supplementing) on gaba ?
I have not felt a lot of effects from lemon balm.
Dean, none that I am aware of.
HI, I was on Benzos for 30 years and been off now for over 4 years but I can not seem to get back to a normal baseline. My body and mind seem to feel chronic exertion and stimulation and can not handle even minimal stress loads. I have definitely having stronger palpitations and PVC’s and I have a hard time being able to relax and sleep well which i know is a big problem. it’s hard to know where to begin. What would you suggest as the right way to start to restore the neurotransmitter imbalance in my brain after so many years of Benzo use and some to stay away from. is MLP a good starting point? Some have even mentioned there is adrenal fatigue. Thanks Ill wait your response
Mitchel, I just went through this with a consultation client and your options are limited. Because the “professionals” warn against using anything that boosts or even touches GABA or its receptors in any way. Because long-term use of benzos seems to destroy GABA receptors throughout the brain.
Which is a huge problem because all of your major neurotransmitters have a job to do and need to be in balance. You cannot restore that balance if you can’t touch GABA.
This is what I suggest you try. Use a couple of supplements to increase BDNF for brain repair: https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-nootropics-to-boost-bdnf/
Use 2 or 3 supplements to support mitochondrial function: https://nootropicsexpert.com/hack-your-mitochondria-with-nootropics/
And raise the neurotransmitters that you can. L-Tyrosine for dopamine. Alpha GPC and ALCAR for acetylcholine. Tryptophan for serotonin. And possibly L-Glutamine which is an indirect method of supporting GABA. See the Nootropics List at the tip for links to each of those supplements.
MLP may be a good option for you but is not nearly enough for you what are trying to do. Get Mind Lab Pro and try it along with the above. And a really good multivitamin: https://bit.ly/347dm5M
Can you recommand me something to increase Dopamine for my social anxiety? At best it shouldnt downregulate Dopamine aswell.
I dont like L-Tyrosine because of Thyroid issues and i dont like herbs.
Paolo, please explain your problem with Tyrosine and Thyroid issues because tyrosine is on the ingredients for making thyroid hormone.
But if you don’t like tyrosine and don’t like herbs the only thing left is phenylalanine.
Yes Tyrosine is causing to much Thyroid hormones.
Does Phenylalanine isnt the same ? If its Tyrosine precursor.
Dont exist other vitamins/minerals/amino acids or substances which help with Dopamine downregulation/dopamine deficiency ?
Paolo, good question but I honestly don’t know if phenylalanine will be a problem for you. It is a precursor to tyrosine but this mechanism of action may work for you without causing thyroid problems. The only way to find out is to try it.
This is the only way to make dopamine: phenylalanine – tyrosine – L-DOPA – dopamine. To make this work you also need Vitamin B6, B9, and B12 as cofactors.
You can use supplements that act like monoamine oxidase inhibitors like Ginkgo Biloba, Rhodiola Rosea, St. John’s wort and others. But they will NOT increase dopamine levels. All they do is make the existing dopamine in your brain to be more available.
Yeah im more interested in co factors, supporters or enzyme increasing supplements or what ever exists to converse L Tyrosine into l-dopa and l-dopa into Dopamine.
I tried so many herbs and not a single one really helped me to relief my social anxiety, because they work on so much different processes and Neurotransmitter.
And Tyrosine increased my Thyroid too much, i lost about 8kg in a single month.
Paolo, I’m not aware of any supplements that helps create the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase or the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. They don’t exist.
Would you please provide references for some double blind, peer reviewed research papers published in reputable open access or even closed access scientific journals regarding nootropic supplementation effects in humans? I’ve been striking out for hours now trying to find bonified research. The few studies I’ve found for the are all inconclusive or show significant and potentially harmful side effects particularly when mixed with certain pharmaceuticals. There is nothing on the NCCIH.nih website other than warnings and statements of inconclusive evidence. No surprise. I found a couple of questionable research papers in journals that I discovered were identified as predatory, so I scratched those. I am especially interested in those that have a scientifically demonstrated effect on anxiety, more specifically anxiety attacks and depressive disorders. There are tons of papers that describe the metabolic pathways and effects of D3, glutamate, and molecules of all kinds but none that have tested supplements. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Randy, not sure where or how you are looking for these studies. And what you are trying to prove. Here are just 3 examples I came up with in the last 5 mins.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15272110/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15305311/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19718255/
Hi David,
I have had anxiety issue, mainly fear of many other things. My blood test results indicated Vitamin D is not optimal, rather, right below the minimum range. I think it is 29. Normal range is 30 – 60 or something. Would that be possible my anxiety is caused by vitamin D deficiency. How many IU of D3 I should take to restore normal Vitamin D level. I took 1000 IU every day but still is right below the normal range.
Best
Steve
Steve, Vitamin D is critical for the synthesis of GABA, glutamate and glutamine, and dopamine in your brain. So if you are low in Vitamin D it is possible you are not making enough of one or more of those neurotransmitters.
Here is how to tell which one may be dysfunctional: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-anxiety/
BTW, increase your Vitamin D to 4,000 IU per day until you get your levels up. It will take awhile for it to get there even at that dosage.
I have been interested in nootropics for years and just came across you site. Regarding Vitamin D…I also have low levels, which I try to boost with controlled doses of narrow UVB therapy because I seem to be “allergic” to Vitamin D supplements (heart palpitations after taking). Any ideas on alternative (preferably non-synthetic) forms of Vitamin D to help raise my levels? Thank you for all the amazing information on your site.
Jen, the only good, reliable way to naturally raise your Vitamin D levels is to sunbathe nude every single day. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10232622/. That is about as non-synthetic as you can get.
Interesting information! Pax
You are welcome Louis.
Hey David,
is there a way to lower serotonin witouth touching Dopamine (L tyrosine which aswell can boost Norepinephrine) long term ?
Paolo, it is difficult to lower serotonin levels because anything you try to lower serotonin also lowers dopamine and norepinephrine. Because they use the same transporters.
The best solution I can find if you can figure it out is this one: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23828158/
Hi David,
Firstly, thank you very much for your contribution to Nootropics. You have greatly educated myself and I am sure many thousands more on this topic.
Having recently come out of addiction (heroin and crack cocaine), I have also been recently diagnosed with ADD and in two weeks I am due to start Ritalin at BD of 5mg/10mg a day.
To counteract feeling low (coming out of addiction) while also trying to face up to underlying anxiety issues that I have had for years (but suppressed), I have used the following nootropics for the respective issues. I was hoping you could tell me if I am on the right direction, or if you recommend something different.
1) feeling low/motivation, dopamine – 500mg of DLPA each morning + 75mg 5HTP5.
I have only just started this regimen and having read your comments, I am considering changing to L-Tryptophan 1500mg, considering that effects of 5HTP can wear off after a few weeks.
2) anxiety/motivation – Combination supplement of Ashwaganda (600mg), Rhodiola Rosea (400mg) and L-Theanine (200mg).
3) Sleep – CBD (5mg), Magnesium (200mg), and 50mg 5HTP. This forms part of the 75mg daily routine I mentioned above.
I also take a variety of Vitamin complexes.
I have to admit, I feel better even after two weeks. Clearer in the head and I don’t feel as agitated. Frustratingly I started virtually all of them at the same time so I am not sure what is working best.
I have two questions though.
In terms of number 1), would this be your recommendation to switch to L-Tryptophan before 5HTP stops working and where does L-Tyrosine fit into this? Should I just ignore this amino acid, or do you think there would be benefit in taking this as well?
As you can see, anxiety and motivation (and that link) are big issues for me and I am really looking forward to seeing what Ritalin can do for my motivation and focus. For anxiety I have previously used benzos for anxiety. They worked incredibly well but they are also a terrible drug with withdrawals. My second question therefore relates to GABA. I really feel this is an issue with me. Do you think taking a GABA supplement alongside what I mention in 2) is all fine, and would you recommend that over anything for someone with anxiety where benzos have worked really well in the past.
If you think there would be any other supplement (s) that would particularly benefit me, I would really appreciate if you could point me in the right direction.
Many thanks for your time on this.
Tom
Tom, this is my protocol for ADHD with or without Ritalin: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-adhd-add/. But if you are not clinically ADHD then Ritalin will not work for you long-term. It’ll be like any other prescription stimulant.
To increase focus you need to increase acetylcholine. https://nootropicsexpert.com/how-to-improve-memory-and-concentration/
To increase motivation to you need to activate AMPA receptors which in turn activates the dopamine/reward/motivation pathway. https://nootropicsexpert.com/hacking-motivation-with-nootropics/
To conquer anxiety you first need to figure out what the cause is. And it sounds like you may have found what is causing your anxiety because of your success with benzos. And that is issues with GABA.
There are two ways to directly increase the amount of GABA in your system and that’s with a GABA supplement (i.e. PharmaGABA) or with L-Glutamine which turns into L-Glutamate which turns into GABA.
And you are correct. 5-HTP is a bad idea for trying to increase serotonin long-term. But I’d start with 500 mg L-Tryptophan because 1,500 mg may backfire on you. That’s been my experience for what it’s worth.
Hi David,
Will L glutamine turn into glumate? Too much glumate would be a problem right?
Steve
Steve, glutamine turns into glutamate which turns into GABA and Human Growth Hormone.
You need glutamate. But you are correct that excess glutamate is bad news. One way to keep that in balance is by using L-Glutamine.
I realize it’s like whack-a-mole but it’s the easiest way to do it. But you need to do it consistently and daily.
There are some nootropics that keep excess glutamate down or from causing harm. You can find those by doing a search for glutamate top right and see what turns up.
It’ll take some reading but I think you’ll find it interesting.
BTW, if you open a tab that is supposed to include glutamate do ctrl+F on your keyboard and enter glutamate in the search box that turns up to quickly find all mentions of glutamate on that page.
Hi David,
Stumbled across your blog and love it!
I have been on an SSRI for 20 years and have come off 2 months ago. I was taking 5HTP and Hardy Nutritional high potency brain supplement during taper and all seemed to be going well for 3-4 weeks. Recently though I have re-developed social anxiety symptoms, headaches, sleep issues (waking every hour or so) and attention/focus/productivity issues to name a few. I am off 5HTP and have tried a few things like L-Tyrosine for focus (which helps a little) and GABA but am still having sleep and anxiety symptoms. Can’t put my finger on it. Would love to know your thoughts.
Rob, I hate to say this but you’ll likely be fighting some of these symptoms for a while because of what 20 years of SSRI use did to your brain.
You need to do some brain repair while you are supporting individual neurotransmitters. SSRIs typically affect serotonin. L-Tryptophan is the safest way to increase serotonin naturally.
See at least one of my articles for sleep ideas here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-sleep-supplements-to-buy/
Hi David, Thank you for your response. Totally agree regarding effects of long term SSRI use. But I have faith in the power of the body to heal if given right assistance. One question. Some of your posts mention that if you have had success with SSRI in treating anxiety then one should avoid 5HTP and L-Tryptophan. I am a little confused. Can you please clarify what research suggests on this. Thank you.
Rob, what I said was you cannot use 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan while using SSRIs because it’ll likely result in Serotonin Syndrome.
Hi David,
Thank you for clarifying.
Is the Performance Lab Sleep a good option for L-Tryptophan / Sleep?
As my sleep is very broken with waking every hour or so.
Also is the Mind Lab Pro a good overall stacked option for brain repair?
Will these two work well together and not contra-indicate / clash.
Again thank you very much.
Rob, they’ll definitely work together. The feedback I’ve heard from the community is Performance Lab Sleep benefits grow over time. If its not enough to solve your issues you can add Lemon Balm, GABA, and CBD OIl for sleep.
And I attribute the brain repair I’ve experienced from years of stimulant use to Mind Lab Pro.
Which are best suppliments to eliminate physical symptoms of flight or fight response (adrenaline rushes) caused on non harmful situations ?
Leo, these are the best nootropics to help prevent your adrenal gland from producing adrenaline (epinephrine); Panax ginseng, Holy basil, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Rosea, and Cordycep mushrooms.
Note however that these are not intended as “instant” fixes. You get the most benefit from these nootropics by using them at recommended dosages and using them daily.
But you do NOT need ALL of them. Choose the one or two that work best for you.
Hi and thanks for your answer.
Are there other Supplements beside Adoptogens which can prevent the adrenal gland to fire epinephrine ?
I have read through them and it looks like that the most of them are maois and i have read Ashwagandha downregulate gaba.
Thanks.
Leo, Ashwagandha supports GABA receptors and actually mimics GABA in your brain. It certainly does the exact opposite of “downregulate GABA”.
Only other one I can think of is L-Theanine. It suppresses cortisol levels but doesn’t touch norepinephrine.
Thanks David.
If i take Ashwagandha every day, some people claimed my body try to balance the “GABA increasing effect” and downregulate Gaba in the end ?
Are there any other Adoptogens which dont touch anxiety related Neurotransmitter but reduce epinephrine rushes from fight and flight response ?
Does Gotu Kola aswell decrease epinephrine rushes ?
Leo, who are you going to believe? Some blogger somewhere or the science? It simply not true. And I promise not to repeat that.
I’ve already answered your question on inhibiting epinephrine secretion with nootropic supplements.
The only neurotransmitter that Gotu Kola touches is acetylcholine. It boosts acetylcholine levels in your brain.
David, I currently take Xanax for ano, and to help me sleep. I also have adhd and take adderall, which doesn’t help much with anxiety and sleeping. I want to get off Xanax and I am going to start tapering off, is there anything you recommend to ease the taper and possible rebound anxiety?
I meant to say anxiety lol not ano.
Adele, I know of one case study with a person withdrawing from Xanax using high dose of niacin with GABA and Vitamin C. You can see that study here: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v10n09.shtml
Hi,
this is interesting and detailed information that i am hoping will provide the answer to some relief for me.
i have had social anxiety since i was young, although it disappeared during mid teens (went extroverted) then remerged in my 20s. Had it since, iam now 37. was give ssri by doc and took 1 tablet and it blew my mind. severe reaction of agitation, waves of panic over body etc. too scared to continue. I have noticed you have said too much serotonin can cause anxiety, so this would explain that, or do you have thoughts on my reaction? Why do you think docs prescribe ssri for anxiety and why does it work for some?
I am now trying magnesium and holy basil – are they good for controlling serotonin? can see them mentioned here.
Louise, excess serotonin can definitely cause that type of reaction.
SSRIs work for some because they have a problem with serotonin. But over half of those dealing with depression or anxiety do not have a serotonin problem. And it’s caused by something else.
Most mainstream doctors don’t have a clue and listen only to what the drug reps tell them. The good news is I have a lot of doctors and other medical professionals coming to Nootropics Expert looking for answers how. Because they’re unhappy with what they learned (and didn’t learn) in med school.
The best way to suppress serotonin is by increasing dopamine. And you do that by using 500 mg L-Tyrosine twice per day.