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Supplements for sleep


Altostrata

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Bioactive milk peptides can be beneficial for sleep, according to a somewhat breathless recent article published by the Life Extension Foundation, a source for reliably good-quality supplements. The milk peptide formulation described is known by the trade name Lactium, made by a French company called Ingredia.

 

I have used this off and on for several years, and I have friends who swear by it. It is very, very mild but may be just the thing for people who are hypersensitive. I take it in the middle of the night when I wake up, to get back to sleep. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it seems to help.

 

I found the best value to be the oddly named Swanson Ultra Women's Anti-Stress Formula, containing 167mg Lactium per capsule (no other active ingredients) at about $.33 per capsule.

 

(All of the "milk protein hydrolysate" products claiming sleep benefits -- Immunotec Research PNT-200, Atrium Pro Calm, Symbiotics Tryptozen, Promedis Prozen, Biozen Relax, Point of Return Relax -- contain the same active ingredient, Lactium, in varying amounts. All of these manufacturers are purchasing from the same single source for Lactium, Ingredia.)

 

The Life Extension Foundation article, excerpted below, has a large set of citations -- the numbers in the text refer to citations.

 

Bioactive Milk Peptides: A Natural Sedative?

 

from April 2011 Life Extension Magazine http://tinyurl.com/3q9djoo

 

For generations, mothers have given their children a warm glass of milk before bed as a way to help them fall asleep. ...In 1997, pediatric researchers added to the evidence by demonstrating that newborns given an infant formula containing milk fell asleep not solely due to nursing and being held, but owing specifically to something in milk itself.12

 

In 2000,13 researchers identified what that “something” was. It turns out that nutrients found in cow’s milk called bioactive peptides (chains of amino acids) exert a sedative effect on the brain and induce sustained sleep patterns.

 

These bioactive milk peptides have since been shown to act on the brain’s GABA-A receptors,14 the same mechanism of action that makes the class of sedatives known as benzodiazepines so effective.15 The advantage of milk peptides, of course, is that they induce relaxation and sleep without the side effects associated with long-term benzodiazepine use.

 

In pre-clinical models, milk peptides15,16 markedly reduce anxiety and improve sleep in animals subjected to chronic stress.17

 

In human studies, a proprietary bioactive milk peptide compound used widely in Europe has been shown to effectively induce relaxation, leading not only to deeper, more restorative sleep, but also to substantial improvements across a wide range of stress markers.

 

Bioactive Milk Peptides: Reducing Stress, Restoring Sleep

When given this proprietary bioactive milk peptide compound, aging individuals suffering from stress-related symptoms and chronic insomnia consistently exhibit substantial reductions in biomarkers associated with the stress response. These stress response biomarkers include elevated cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure, along with physical and psychological symptoms.

 

In a number of especially noteworthy published studies, the improvements in stress-related markers proved to be both significant and system-wide.

 

....

Cortisol Levels Slashed in Human Study

In a double-blind study involving over 40 healthy male subjects,19 two groups were subjected to psychological and physical stress tests, with cortisol concentrations, heart rate, and blood pressure levels measured at specific intervals.

 

Each of these three stress response markers were substantially lowered in the group taking the proprietary bioactive milk peptide compared to controls.19

 

Cortisol levels in the placebo group—measured before and after administration of stress testing—saw a net change of only -3.39%. This means that the harmful spike in cortisol typically caused by stressful situations was almost entirely unaffected in the group that did not receive treatment. By comparison, the milk peptide group experienced a net reduction in cortisol of -20.69%. In other words, the release of cortisol was kept under control by the milk peptides, limiting its detrimental effects.19

 

....

Human Studies Verify Sleep Efficacy

Recent studies validate milk peptides’ capacity to restore more restful sleep patterns while enhancing daytime performance and cognition.

 

In a placebo-controlled study of 165 healthy adults with a history of insomnia, participants were given 150 mg of milk peptides or placebo each day for one month.

 

Changes in their ability to relax and fall asleep were evaluated using established diagnostic tools that measure 27 individual indicators of sleep disorders and insomnia-related problems (including daytime cognition and overall function).20

 

The proprietary milk peptide yielded positive outcomes in nearly all indicators measured, for both men and women.20 Sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction were all improved, especially in individuals who suffered from moderate symptoms of anxiety or depression.

 

These results were confirmed by yet another clinical analysis of bioactive milk peptides in adults suffering from pronounced sleep disturbances.

 

Thirty-two healthy men and women suffering from insomnia during the preceding six months took a 150 mg capsule of patented milk bioactive peptide one hour before bedtime—or placebo—for a month.21

 

After two weeks, the bioactive milk peptide group experienced a 50% improvement in sleep quality. At four weeks, they needed 30% less time to fall asleep and experienced improvements in daytime alertness and function.21

 

....

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 8 months later...

Hello!

 

Can Swanson Ultra Women's Anti-Stress Formula only be bought online or does anyone know of a pharmacy/store that sells it over the counter?

My husband tried CVS when he was in the States with no luck.

 

Bless you all,

Mrs Green

(Germany)

June 2009 - September 2010 25mg Amitriptyline

Tapered 0,2mg every few days.

Speeded up (too fast) until I was left with 4mg mid December 2010.

Severe Insomnia set in.

Always had trouble sleeping but not like this.

Kept reducing by 0.2mg every so often.

26 March 2011: 0mg.

Insomnia slowly getting better, still in need of help on 2 out of 7 days.

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The Swanson product contains only Lactium, which is manufactured in France. You might be able to find it under other brand names in Europe. See if you can find any of these products in Germany http://www.lactium.com/uk/right-menu/find-lactium-natural-cure.html?zone=0

 

If it's available in stores in the US, they would probably be "alternative" health food stores or supplement stores. The most convenient way to find it is to order it online.

 

Here are the products containing Lactium available in the U.S. (most contain other herbs and supplements in addition to Lactium):

 

• PROCALM

• TRYPTOZEN

• PROZEN

• DE STRESS

• PNT 200

• DREAMERZ

• ANTI-STRESS WOMAN FORMULA (Swanson's, contains only Lactium)

• ULTIMATE STRESS

• BIOZEN Relax

• BENESOM

• LUMINA

 

I looked at most of them and found the Swanson's product was the best value.

 

I do not recommend supplements with mixed ingredients because if you have a bad reaction, you don't know which ingredient caused it.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank you!

 

In this case I think I will go along with Swanson's - as I am sensitive to little things.

I will try to get some info from the company themselves and will post it here for information.

 

MrsGreen

June 2009 - September 2010 25mg Amitriptyline

Tapered 0,2mg every few days.

Speeded up (too fast) until I was left with 4mg mid December 2010.

Severe Insomnia set in.

Always had trouble sleeping but not like this.

Kept reducing by 0.2mg every so often.

26 March 2011: 0mg.

Insomnia slowly getting better, still in need of help on 2 out of 7 days.

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  • 4 months later...

I know this post is a bit old, but it looks interesting. I just ordered the Swansons, and am looking forward to trying it. I guess I will start with one and see what happens. Anyone having success with this? Any ideas on a good dose?

Approximately 18 years on Effexor. Tapered for more than two years. Totally off of Effexor since late Oct. 2010.

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It helped me for a long time. I used to take 1-2 capsules.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Ok Alto, thanks for the info!

Approximately 18 years on Effexor. Tapered for more than two years. Totally off of Effexor since late Oct. 2010.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

So--can't we just drink warm milk? Those of us who are lactose tolerant, anyway. What's the advantage of this refined form? I'm thinking of trying it, but I already drink kefir and milk and prefer whole foods when possible.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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it's a peptide..a piece of casein...casomorphin...and that is all it is...it's got no lactose or other parts of casein.

 

so no, it's not the same as milk...but if warm milk works for you that's fine.

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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it's a peptide..a piece of casein...casomorphin...and that is all it is...it's got no lactose or other parts of casein.

 

so no, it's not the same as milk...but if warm milk works for you that's fine.

 

Hm, maybe I'll try it...Is there a hangover effect, has anyone noticed?

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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much to my amazement after much experimentation I'm clearly intolerant of milk....and it's NOT a lactose issue...it's a casein issue

 

casein acts on the opiate receptors and it messes with me...

 

I'm trying to get off lactium now...it saved me for a while...I was beyond desperate for sleep, but my milk intolerance (to casein/casomorphin) is causing a lot of pain...seems to exacerbate inflammation for me

 

So I'm tapering off it now...yup...and I do feel it...but it's not like a psych med...

 

see this:

 

http://www.yumuniverse.com/2011/04/25/dr-jenna-taylor-addiction-to-cheese-is-real-thanks-to-casomorphins/

 

When I went off milk (over a year ago now) I went through a radically intense withdrawal...I was completely SHOCKED. And it was like an opiate...cravings like you wouldn't believe...way worse than any psych drug...I did that cold turkey though...

 

I'm doing the lactium slowly...

 

anyway...people really aren't aware of how milk works in our bodies...I sure as heck wasn't.

 

If you do dairy though, taking lactium isn't gonna make the situation any worse in my opinion...but now that I've had such a radical (and shocking) experience with milk withdrawal I suggest everyone rule out issues with milk.

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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No, no hangover effect. I used it for quite a while and had no bad reactions.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Do you have to take it all the time? I ordered some to experiment with during the times I'm desperate for sleep. But that's not all the time. I have spells of being able to sleep okay. I'd like to only take it when I need it.

 

Oh well, guess I'll be experimenting with it...not ready to give up my homemade kefir yet, so I'll be using milk products anyway.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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No, you can take it as needed. It's very mild. You can take it during the day if you feel edgy.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Just a note, I bought two bottles and then it turned out they give me headaches the next day. Just get one bottle if you're going to try them. :-)

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Rhi, by sheer coincidence, I'm trying to figure out whether the dairy products that got me through recovering from paxil w/d so far, might have become a problem for me without my realizing it.

 

As you know, I'm six years off paxil and still on the 0.5 mg. clonazepam I was on prior to taking paxil. (Oops, I never got around to creating a signature. Hope I can make even the highlights fit into one web page lol :wacko:. Horrified at realizing how many meds I've been on over the years. Can't even remember all of them.)

 

I've never tried milk peptides, but I'm wondering whether the fact that:

 

These bioactive milk peptides have since been shown to act on the brain’s GABA-A receptors,14 the same mechanism of action that makes the class of sedatives known as benzodiazepines so effective.15 The advantage of milk peptides, of course, is that they induce relaxation and sleep without the side effects associated with long-term benzodiazepine use.

might cause it to displace benzos in receptor sites. I know a lot of people find them helpful in benzo tapering, but different supplements seem to act differently at different stages of w/d from various kinds of meds, I've observed in my years of reading on w/d groups.

 

I tried googling briefly just now and didn't find anything relevant, but in w/d anything's possible. I don't know how long you tried the peptides - some supplements can cause unpleasant reactions briefly, but it certainly may not be right for your particular needs.

 

(I hope if you can't use them you can return them and get a refund. Swanson's is great about refunds if you need to order online - they don't carry everything but have a good selection of products, and they take returns no questions asked for a year and even pay for return shipping. I have absolutely NO association with them other than being an occasional customer, but thought I'd pass along the tip.)

I was "TryingToGetWell" (aka TTGW) on paxilprogress. I also was one of the original members here on Surviving Antidepressants

 

I had horrific and protracted withdrawal from paxil, but now am back to enjoying life with enthusiasm to the max, some residual physical symptoms continued but largely improve. The horror, severe derealization, anhedonia, akathisia, and so much more, are long over.

 

My signature is a temporary scribble from year 2013. I'll rewrite it when I can.

 

If you want to read it, click on http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/209-brandy-anyone/?p=110343

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In 2007, did one of my investigative projects on that claim about milk peptides having a "benzodiazepine-like" effect on GABA receptors:

 

Okay, this is probably the source of the (questionable) comparison of milk peptides to benzodiazepines:

 

Characterization of a-casozepine, a tryptic peptide from bovine a-casein with benzodiazepine-like activity

 

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/reprint/00-0685fjev1.pdf

 

Abstract

 

"Caseins are a known source of biologically active peptides. In this study, we have shown evidence of a novel anxiolytic activity in a tryptic hydrolysate of bovine as1-casein. Injection of 3 mg/kg of this hydrolysate significantly reduced the epileptic symptoms caused by pentylenetetrazole in rats. Anxiety reduction was also observed when the hydrolysate was tested in the elevated plus-maze and in the conditioned defensive burying rat models. Peptides isolated from the hydrolysate were examined for their affinity for the ?-amino-butyric acid (GABA) type A receptor. Only one peptide, named a-casozepine, corresponding to the 91ñ100 fragment from bovine as1-casein, expressed affinity for GABAA receptor. In vitro, the peptide had 10,000 less affinity for the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA than did diazepam. However, in the conditioned defensive burying paradigm it was 10-fold more efficient than diazepam. The difference observed between the in vitro and in vivo activity of a-casozepine could not been explained by an action via the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor; a-casozepine had no affinity for this receptor. The a-casozepine amino acid sequence could be related to the carboxy-terminal sequence of the polypeptide diazepam binding inhibitor, an endogenous ligand of the central GABAA and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors...."

 

 

In my opinion, "10,000 [times] less affinity for the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA than did diazepam" makes it a pretty weak, even fanciful, benzodiazepine-type effect.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 months later...

Looked into this a little further and found several reputable brands on Amazon. I just purchased a chewable made for children. Contains 167 mg Lactium. I'll keep everyone posted once I receive and have a chance to try it. My insomnia is a BEAST. When I can fall asleep, as soon as I hit REM, my heart starts racing, which causes me to have dreams about people chasing me, or me running around in a frenzy trying to accomplish God only knows what. Of course I wake up and have to spend the next half hour trying to calm down and get back to sleep - and the fun starts all over again. This goes on all night long and inevitably ends with a racing trip to the bathroom (because the bowels are hyperactive as well.) Gotta love this withdrawal. Happy Happy Joy Joy.

Short term low dose Klonopin use back in 2004
Acute, protracted withdrawal after discontinuing
Began Lexapro in 2005 to ease Benzo withdrawal
Took 2 years to stabilize
Rapid taper from Lexapro in July/August 2012
Return of anxiety, insomnia and cardiac issues
Failed reinstatement early August 2012
Acute withdrawal for 9 months; intermittent symptoms for another 6

Relief on February 9, 2014 after addition of Taurine

Almost complete remission of symptoms w/addition of 12.5mg Atenolol daily

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Lactium is very mild, I hope it works for you, Lexhex.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 month later...
  • Administrator

A sleep specialist recommended My-B Tabs (Legere), a sublingual supplement, to treat my severe withdrawal-related sleep disorder. I used it nightly for more than 2 years (with melatonin) and found My-B Tabs helped relax me and initiate sleep.

 

The doctor recommended taking 1-2 tablets an hour before bed.

 

My-B Tabs, made by Legere Pharmaceuticals, contains folic acid 10mcg, vit B12 (cyanocobalamin) 50mcg, and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) 25mg. The adenosine is the active ingredient; the folic acid and B12 content are almost negligible.

 

Adenosine is a substance our bodies produce naturally throughout our daily physical activities. It builds up in your bloodstream as one of your body's chemical signals for sleep. While you are sleeping, your body removes it from your bloodstream and you're ready to start another adenosine-building day.

 

As adenosine works with the normal circadian rhythm (dawn to dark) rhythm of the body, the doctor told me not to take the supplement in the middle of the night because it will confuse your nervous system. It's supposed to imitate the natural signal to sleep after a day of activity. The idea is to get the sleep cycle back into a normal pattern.

 

From the Society for Neuroscience (PDF) web.sfn.org/skins/main/pdf/brainfacts/2008/sleep.pdf

Two main signals control our need for sleep and its circuitry. First is homeostasis, or the body’s need to seek a natural equilibrium of wakefulness followed by rest and sleep. Several mechanisms for the signal of accumulating sleep have been suggested. Evidence suggests that levels of a chemical called adenosine, which is linked to brain energy and activity homeostasis, increase in the brain during prolonged wakefulness and that these levels modulate sleep homeostasis. Interestingly, the drug caffeine, which is widely used to prevent sleepiness, acts as an adenosine blocker.

 

....

The other major influence on sleep cycles is the brain’s circadian timing system. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is a small group of nerve cells in the hypothalamus that acts as a master clock. These cells express clock proteins, which go through a biochemical cycle of about 24 hours, setting the pace for daily cycles of activity, sleep, hormone release, and other bodily functions. The suprachiasmatic nucleus also receives input directly from the retina, and the clock can be reset by light so that it remains linked to the outside world’s day-night cycle.

 

Those of us suffering from withdrawal-induced sleep problems, who may have an abnormally high of the daytime activity hormone cortisol in our bodies, may benefit from an additional nudge of adenosine monophosphate to trigger sleep, as well as darkening our bedrooms to give our retinas a good nighttime signal.

 

(Caffeine acts in opposition to AMP. Don't bother to try AMP until you stop ingesting caffeine, which has a very long half-life.)

 

My-B Tabs have been promoted to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. From doing some cursory reading, I see AMP is being investigated to treat tachycardia as well as neuropathic pain in shingles and fibromyalgia.

 

The Legere product is available discounted via the Web sites for Gaines Nutrition and Village Green Apothecary.

 

Adenosine in other forms is taken by body builders, at high dosages. I checked with a knowledgeable doctor who said adenosine triphosphate aka ATP does NOT have the same effect as adenosine monophosphate aka AMP.

 

However, supplements with plain adenosine in them might be as effective as AMP.

 

There are now other adenosine monophosphate supplements available, at higher dosages than My-B Tabs, one sublingual containing 100mg adenosine, which my advisor said was a safe dosage. I would double-check to make sure supplements contain AMP and not the more common ATP. Start with a very low dose as AMP has effects on the heart and circulation.

 

General information about adenosine Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine

 

Livestrong on adenosine and sleep http://www.livestrong.com/article/517781-adenosine-sleep/ :

 

Your body makes adenosine from a combination of a nitrogen-based substance called adenine and a sugar called ribose. In addition to its designation as a neurotransmitter, adenosine belongs to a class of chemicals called xanthines. Every cell in your body contains some adenosine inside its DNA and RNA; it is also found in the energy source adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, and related chemicals called adenosine diphosphate, or ADP, and adenosine monophosphate, or AMP. In addition, adenosine acts as a natural painkiller, helps widen your blood vessels and helps steady your heartbeat.

 

....

Adenosine appears to accumulate in your bloodstream when you're awake and eventually makes you drowsy, the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke explains. Inside your brain, your adenosine levels exert a major influence on the regulation of non-REM sleep, according to a 2008 study published in "Biochemical Pharmacology." This regulating effect occurs when an enzyme called adenosine deaminase breaks down, or metabolizes, adenosine molecules. The rate of this metabolism has an effect on the intensity and duration of sleep when slow brain waves are present. Metabolism also reduces your brain's adenosine supplies, and your adenosine levels drop as sleep continues.

Curr Top Med Chem. 2011;11(8):1047-57.

The role of adenosine in the regulation of sleep.

Huang ZL, Urade Y, Hayaishi O.

 

Source

 

Department of Molecular Behavioral Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan. huangzljp@yahoo.com.cn

 

Abstract at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21401496

This paper presents an overview of the current knowledge about the role of adenosine in the sleep-wake regulation with a focus on adenosine in the central nervous system, regulation of adenosine levels, adenosine receptors, and manipulations of the adenosine system by the use of pharmacological and molecular biological tools. The endogenous somnogen prostaglandin (PG) D(2) increases the extracellular level of adenosine under the subarachnoid space of the basal forebrain and promotes physiological sleep. Adenosine is neither stored nor released as a classical neurotransmitter and is thought to be formed inside cells or on their surface, mostly by breakdown of adenine nucleotides. The extracellular concentration of adenosine increases in the cortex and basal forebrain during prolonged wakefulness and decreases during the sleep recovery period. Therefore, adenosine is proposed to act as a homeostatic regulator of sleep and to be a link between the humoral and neural mechanisms of sleep-wake regulation. Both the adenosine A(1) receptor (A(1)R) and A(2A)R are involved in sleep induction. The A(2A)R plays a predominant role in the somnogenic effects of PGD(2). By use of gene-manipulated mice, the arousal effect of caffeine was shown to be dependent on the A(2A)R. On the other hand, inhibition of wake-promoting neurons via the A(1)R also mediates the sleep-inducing effects of adenosine, whereas activation of A(1)R in the lateral preoptic area induces wakefulness, suggesting that A(1)R regulates the sleep-wake cycle in a site-dependent manner. The potential therapeutic applications of agonists and antagonists of these receptors in sleep disorders are briefly discussed.

See Nat Neurosci. 2002 Nov;5 Suppl:1071-5.

Sleeping with the hypothalamus: emerging therapeutic targets for sleep disorders.

Mignot E, Taheri S, Nishino S.

http://aegean.psychology.uiowa.edu/Faculty/Blumberg/Course_Docs/Seminar.2008/Readings/Mignot.2002.pdf

Adenosine has been proposed as a mediator of sleep homeostasis and a link between metabolism and sleep control. Caffeine, an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, is widely used to induce wakefulness, although its efficacy is low compared to dopaminergic stimulants. Adenosine levels are higher in the BFA [basal forebrain area] during wakefulness than during sleep, and adenosine accumulates with prolonged wakefulness.

 

See J Neurophysiol. 2007 Jan;97(1):837-48. Epub 2006 Nov 8.

Adenosine inhibits activity of hypocretin/orexin neurons by the A1 receptor in the lateral hypothalamus: a possible sleep-promoting effect.

Liu ZW, Gao XB.

http://jn.physiology.org/content/97/1/837.full

Adenosine has been identified as a sleep promoter and its role in sleep regulation in the basal forebrain has been well documented.

Edited by Altostrata
updated

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Interesting. Thanks, Alto.

 

Have we discussed REM sleep disorder caused by SS/NRIs? I searched but didnt find any specifics here on the site.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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I believe we have a paper or two in Journals about the effects of SSRIs on the sleep cycle (it's not good).

 

Updated response #1 with this info:

 

Adenosine in other forms is taken by body builders, at high dosages. I checked with a knowledgeable doctor who said adenosine triphosphate aka ATP does NOT have the same effect as adenosine monophosphate aka AMP.

 

However, supplements with plain adenosine in them might be as effective as AMP.

 

There are now other adenosine monophosphate supplements available, at higher dosages than My-B Tabs, one sublingual containing 100mg adenosine, which my advisor said was a safe dosage. I would double-check to make sure supplements contain AMP and not the more common ATP. Start with a very low dose as AMP has effects on the heart and circulation.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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I'm not familiar with it. Looks like a product used in racehorses to increase oxygen to cardiac and limb muscles prior to events. I don't believe it's available in US, but not certain. No idea how a paste would be used.

http://www.ceva.com.au/en/Products/Products-list/AMP-5-Injection

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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  • 5 months later...
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I got pure adenosine 100mg from Seacost.com (the only place I've seen selling adenosine, and the price is very reasonable) and found it works pretty well in inducing a deep sleep.

 

In fact, too well. It went paradoxical, waking me up instead. I ended up cutting the tablets in half; much more tolerable. Probably a quarter-tablet would be better.

 

This might be something to try if you wake up in the early hours and can't get back to sleep.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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Thank Alto,

 

I'll try anything once.

 

the doctor told me not to take the supplement in the middle of the night because it will confuse your nervous system. It's supposed to imitate the natural signal to sleep after a day of activity. The idea is to get the sleep cycle back into a normal pattern.

 

Didn't your doctor say it's a bad idea to take it if you wake up in the night?

July 2001 prescribed 20mg citalopram for depression;
On and off meds from 2003-2006.
February 2006 back on 20mg citalopram and stayed on it until my last attempt at tapering in September 2011.
By far the worst withdrawal symptoms ever. Reinstated to 20mg citalopram
October 2012 - found this forum!
Nov 2012 to Feb 2013 did 10% taper, got doen to 11mg - was going great until stressful situation. Cortisol levels hit the roof, hideous insomnia forced me to updose to 20mg.
March 2016 - close to 100% back to normal!



****** I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience or reading and is only my perspective ******

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I asked him recently if a low dose would be okay and he said it would.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

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I asked him recently if a low dose would be okay and he said it would.

 

Hi Alto,

 

How is it working getting you back to sleep? Still on my quest to find something that helps with this.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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It works, but start with maybe a quarter tablet, 25mg.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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It works, but start with maybe a quarter tablet, 25mg.

 

Thanks, I will give it a shot.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 6 months later...

hi guys i have like $140 on paypal and im planning to buy milk peptide and L-tryptophan on http://www.lef.org . or whatever online shop can you suggest where its best to buy supplements? what other products can you suggest? thanks all and stay strong! 

Dec 2012 tried 10 mg Lexapro caused panic attack 

                 titrated 5 mg, and finally settling at 2.5 mg for some time

Jan-May 2013 on and off carelessly experimented on doses from 1.5 mg to as high as 12.5 mg 

June 2013 had extreme anxiety/panic attacks/paranoia when I ran out of samples.

July 7 2013 - August 10 2013 went back to 2.5 mg to relieve the anxiety and it worked until i felt restless and agitated

August 11 2013 AD-free and substituted with 5-HTP and it seemed to work together with GABA after I read "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross 

dec 20, 2013 switched to 5mg Valium from 0.25mg-0.5mg xanax daily and felt better

dec31 3.75mg V

 

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Please read this topic from the start. Swanson's Vitamins offers the best value for Lactium.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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  • 2 weeks later...

is it okay for men to use Swanson Ultra Women's Anti-Stress Formula ?

Dec 2012 tried 10 mg Lexapro caused panic attack 

                 titrated 5 mg, and finally settling at 2.5 mg for some time

Jan-May 2013 on and off carelessly experimented on doses from 1.5 mg to as high as 12.5 mg 

June 2013 had extreme anxiety/panic attacks/paranoia when I ran out of samples.

July 7 2013 - August 10 2013 went back to 2.5 mg to relieve the anxiety and it worked until i felt restless and agitated

August 11 2013 AD-free and substituted with 5-HTP and it seemed to work together with GABA after I read "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross 

dec 20, 2013 switched to 5mg Valium from 0.25mg-0.5mg xanax daily and felt better

dec31 3.75mg V

 

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Sure. Women's Anti-Stress Formula is a dumb name.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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  • 4 months later...

Decided to give this a try out of sheer desperation and because it seemed like the least risky option of all sleep remedies.   Good news is my apnea index was near zero.   Bad news is I only lasted 2.5 hours on the machine :( and they were useless as far as getting back to sleep.    Ended up also needing an ambien which I rarely take on a PRN basis.

 

I am beginning to wonder since I fall asleep very quickly if anything I take is going to have a paradoxical effect as far as sleep.   So far, that has been my experience with all med and OTC remedies that I have tried.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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  • 1 year later...

Thanks for the info;

...if the Lactium works through the GABA pathway, then it wont raise serotonin levels in the brain, eh?   That's what I'm afraid of, since I'm on Levodopa/carbidopa + lorazepam + citalopram (which I'm trying to ditch first).  Even tho' I've reduced the citalopram from 20 mg to 10 mg, I still feel like the serotonin is overwhelming everything else sometimes, especially when the sinemet/lorazepam dose wears off.

I've lost a lot of weight, including muscle mass, and the branched-chain AA's, leucine, isoleucine and valine are supposed to help build up muscle, and I was hoping they'd help with the withdrawal as well - I haven't found them yet here, but I'm going to try the Lactium.

Thanks again...gosh this is a fast place to get answers!

Retired in  May, 2010, still working part time  as Occupational Therapist in North Toronto Community Health Clinic - 6 family practice docs + vrs allied health professionals. I was resp. for  home or clinic "Barrier-free" patient population, i.e. CP/MS/MD/spinal cord inj/disease pts.- independent living but requiring Attendant Care - power wheelchair dependent people/; also Seniors' Advisory Ctte./Advocacy staff liaison to Board; [received good evaluation on mandatory College of OT's practice review].   Otherwise, stayed active in bicycling,  gym,  yoga, walking, theatre volunteering.  Enjoyed eating out in mid-level restaurants, liked my city on Lake Ontario. Enjoyed travel to Stratford, ON, time spent with friends and on farm.    I was not on any Rx drugs, no health problems, but took lots of health food dietary vitamins and supplements - stupid me [same corporations, same profit motive, no regulation of product by governmental or other oversight body.

  • I think dietary supplement SAMe either triggered or contributed to sudden and accelerating deterioration into Parkinsonism, esp. late in 2011- I have  since found several scientific journal articles to support my opinion - all of my 5 doctors (family doc and 4 neurologists ignored it.)
  • Diagnosed at two major Toronto hospitals with "Idiopathic Parkinsonism" in early 2012.
  • Primary sympt. at that time:  rigidity, spasticity, slowness, deteriorating cursive writing, shaking arms/hands, severe burning pain in feet/knees/back, severe insomnia - no tremor at that time.
  • First Rx drug: generic sinemet [Apo-levocarb] 100/25  (3x/day) April 21, 2012. This drug was never very effective; only had ~ 1 hr ''ON" time, no matter the dose./timing. Sometimes sinemet seemed to make things worse rather than better, i.e. more muscle tone./cogwheeling/severe night sweats/low blood pressure.  
  • Next Rx drug; Zopiclone; neuro said it was NOt a  benzo., but worked on same receptors, therefore she never warned me re withdrawal problems. Took it for ~ 3 years nearly every night. Seemed to work well.
  • Third RX drug: Lorazepam. I asked Neuro for it as it seemed to make the levocarb work better and helped wth anxiety.  Neuro advised it was addictive, but never explained about tolerance, withdrawal, down-regulation of receptors. I took 0.25 mg once or twice a WEEK at first and that tiny amound helped for a day at least.
  • Fourth RX drug: Mirapex. i was still plagued by mostly "down" time with rigidity and non-movement disorders, so agreed to try Mirapex.  i never got up to the therapeutic dose (near threshold) because it made me so sick and it seemed to make things worse, i.e. more muscle tone, problems with balance, severe nausea.  Read manufacturer's monograph updated to 2012 and decided the risk was worth it, benefit unlikely.

My self-initiated withdrawals.  Every time i've changed one drug, i've had to make changes in the others too, e.g. at 20 mg Citalopram i had too much sinemet (dyskinesias) so i lowered sinemet to ~1000 mg and that was better.  Also, as Citalopram has gone down, Lorazepam has had to increase 'cause it seem not to last as long or work as well.

  • So on my own, I decided to taper off Mirapex, not knowing a thing about withdrawal problems. Whew!  Thanks to zopiclone and increased frequency and dose of Lorazepam, i got off Mirapex in March 2013.
  • Next I took myself off Zopiclone after reading very negative things about its' long-term use.  I was doing this without guidance or help from MD's. I increased sinemet and lorazepam to cope with the withdrawal effects of Zopiclone. Going off Zopiclone made PD symptoms worse; neuro wanted to put me on Entacapone, but i declined it.

More MD's/more problems with Rx drugs.

  • Zopiclone withdrawal + Incr. levocarb and incr. lorazepam landed me in the ER at CAMH, where there is a priscription drug withdrawal program, so I thought they could help me. The doctor took me off Zopiclone and Lorazepam and substituted Clonazepam alone.  From the first day Clonazepam caused frightening and serious side effects, like periods of amnesia, loss of balance, dizziness, memory problems, mental processing problems, serious nausea - worst was interdose withdrawal every 4 hours resulting in 'panic attacks' - i was jumping out of my skin!
  • Another RX drug: My own neuro gave me Citalopram to help me withdraw from Clonazepam.  Didnt work; after 2-3 weeks the Citalopram became a bigger problem with side effects than the Clonazepam. Neuro switched Lorazepam to replace the Clonazepam, but left me on the Citalopram. 
  • Rapid loss of 40 lbs of body weight into undernourished zone.
  • I ended up in ER with my forehead bashed down to the bone as a result of 'syncope'; unconscious for unknown lenght of time, probably only a few minutes. Neuro threw me under the bus - now said i needed the Citalopram for depression and Lorazepam for anxiety disorder - said there was an emotional component to my complaints and made a referral to a psychiatrist. I didnt go to him, but tried to get into a addictions/withdrawal program at that hospital, did see a 5th year psych. MD there. 
  • i got copies of last few neuro/psych reports to my family doctor - I was shocked.  I think the neuro/family doc were afraid i'd sue them or complain to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, so; they set up a 'defense' with psychiatric diagnosis to explain drug side effects and head injury, even suggested i might have 'psyhogenic' Parkinsonism.

More self-initiated withdrawal.

  • I decided to get off most dangerous drug first - Citalopram; it never made me feel anything other than sick and near invalid from side-effects.
  • Have reduced dose from 20 mgs to, recently, 5 mg.  Having a terrible time - every day seems new problem - today it was akathisia coming out of nowhere - took Benadryl - it helps.
  • Nearly house-bound now. 

Current drugs:  Citalopram (taper: 20 mg to 15 mg to 12.5 to 10 to  5 to 2.5, then zero.)  44 days at zero, getting worse side effects now than when I was 'ON' it.  Apo-Levocarb, immediate release (recent dose =1500mg) =~1250mg in 10 doses/day;/2-3 levo-carb CR/day;/Lorazepam (from 1.0 mg to 2.5 or 3, or more mg/day. Benadryl as needed. Tylenol as needed to reduce 'fever' feeling in head and/or headache. Occasional Advil.

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