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mrsD · 12-24-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindshareHealth

mrsD: I really like Dr. Sahelian's info.

I'm new here but wanted to share this.

I recently went through a period of one traumatic event after another. (Grand baby died, lost 95,000 at IndyMac, etc. etc.)

I had such severe depression and anxiety that it just ate my brain. I was no longer just a little spacey like my normal self, my brain was totally scrambled and just did not work. It was so bad it was having an impact on my business and my MD wanted to send me for an MRI.

So anyway I started experimenting with lots of different brain supplements and finally found one that works for me.

Neuro Optimizer by Jarrow - Ingredients:

# Cognizin (CDP-Choline)
# Phosphatidyserine (PS)
# Acetyl L-Carnitine
# Alpha Lipoic Acid
# L-Glutamine
# Taurine + Folic Acid

Every supplement works for different people so not saying this would be the best for others. But when I forget to take it my brain goes back to mush so I def feel a difference. iHerb has a couple pages of reviews about it. That's where I research most products I buy, because they have so many reviews.

Warning, not sure if anyone else mentioned but if you take Acetyl L-Carnitine you need to be sure it also has Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Can't remember the problem but I've read warnings several places that ALC should not be taken alone.

Hope this helps someone else!

Yes, I like Dr. Sahelian's information too.

But alot depends on AGE, health status, and other factors, such as drug use, whether a person has insulin resistance, etc.
mental illness etc. Just using a statin for cholesterol may decrease brain functions considerably, for example.

People can have reduced brain functions just from having poor sugar control in the brain.

Poor food intake of choline (not eating eggs or enough veggies with lechithin) will also lead to poor functioning.
The poster here is not being very specific. And so I personally would like to know more.

Many young people today are into "smart drugs". If they paid more attention to healthy lifestyle...they wouldn't need smart drugs! "Smart drugs" tend to make alot of money for those who advertise them.

There is an improved version of alpha lipoic acid, called r-lipoic. It is much more potent in lower doses and therefore costs less.

If you have alot of anxiety I'd also recommend inositol. This is very effective for this problem. Start at 500mg a day for a week and increase by 500mg a day up to about 1-3 gram.
You don't need the very high doses typically. 500mg a day may do it for you. Inositol combined with the taurine you take already, is very good for insulin sensitizing issues.
The taurine in your product is low. And so is the ALA.
You'd need at least 1000mg taurine a day (sold separately) and 250-500 ALA to be therapeutic. ALA is a racemic mixture of two forms of lipoic acid. One of them is inactive biologically.
r-lipoic is the purified active form.

Mixtures really look good on paper, but it is rare to find one that is really effective for all the listed ingredients.
http://www.jarrow.com/product.php?prodid=188
Notice you must take 4 capsules to get what is listed on that label.

Folate is good for depression-- 800mcg would be better than 400mcg IMO.
Also depression often responds to l-tryptophan, + some B6.
Tryptophan at night on an empty stomach 500mg will support synthesis of serotonin (and hence
melatonin). L-tryptophan has now become available again. People who do not sleep well, may
be low in melatonin due to low B12 levels. B12 is the cofactor for converting serotonin to melatonin.

Choline supplements provide the basis for acetylcholine manufacture. But this is only one neurotranmitter of many. They also provide some support to cell membranes.