KelJu replied:
>Wait, or you telling me to not eat veggies?
*grin* I saw that one coming, I went back and altered my post while you replied. Not enough variety in veggies. My skin is always looking best when I am comsuming veggies. They supply indoleamines, these are the precursor molecules for melatonin. They also help regulate acetylcholine production.
>I have not been drinking whey for a few months, but it just so happens that I bough a 6lb tub of muscle Milk a week ago which I will be drinking MuscleMilk as a cheat snack.
You need regular daily doses of whey (I never thought I would be saying this on a bodybuilding forum!). At least 2 servings daily. To that, add a couple tablespoons of oat or rice bran.
Does the recent manic shift corelate with the Green Tea crystals consumption? If so, you're stripping out methylation components.
Do a search on methylation and bipolar disorder. This approach of correcting swings in methylation (under/over) works very well. See the quoted material below. I have no idea of which of the three conditions you have, but the pyrrole disorder sounds partially correct.
Other website may have more indepth information on transmethylation cycle correction for bipolar disease treatment. I think you will find the reading interesting and informative; you may elect to seek professional advice on the preferred treatment, as bipolar disease isn't a single disorder, but a family of related symptom disorders.
By using the recommended supplements (now becoming quite popular for naturopathic treatment of bipolar disorder), you also help to regulate liver function. That, along with a few changes in diet and some additional steps for biofeedback training, and improvement in gut/immune function, should help you *slowly* improve sleep quality and duration (right now, you must be exhausted to sleep), and that will help immensely with your hyperexcitability (once you calm down beta-adrenergic excitation from that powedered Green Tea). I think I remember you asking about this green tea; I can't recall my exact response, but I think I recommended brewing it for the theanine benefits. I doubt the powered type has much theanine in it.
Theanine will be another useful supplement for you. I don't want to overwhelm you with supplements, however. Best to devise a simple recipe of small changes that should add up to a slow but steady correction of your related health problems, Kelju.
>I do not take extra Vitamin E or OFAs. Centrum has 30 IU of Vitamin E, so should I supplement more?
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Source: Commentary on Nutritional Treatment of Mental Disorders
from Willam Walsh, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Pfeiffer Treatment Center
www.hriptc.org
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is not a single condition, but an umbrella term which includes a number of very different biochemical abnormalities. I'm bothered by any attempt to generalize over the bipolar phenotypes & to blindly recommend any formulation or therapy for all of them. The key is to determine a patient's biochemical individuality, and to provide focused appropriate treatment. In our database of 1,500 bipolar patients, about 25% are overmethylated, 35% are undermethylated, and the remaining 40% do not exhibit a methylation disorder.
The three primary biochemical classifications of bipolar disorder are the following:
A. Undermethylation: This condition is innate & is characterized by low levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, high whole blood histamine and elevated absolute basophils. This population has a high incidence of seasonal allergies, OCD tendencies, perfectionism, high libido, sparse body hair, and several other characteristics. They usually respond well to methionine, SAMe, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 essential oils (DHA & EPA), B-6, inositol, and vitamins A, C, and E. They should avoid supplements containing folic acid. In severe cases involving psychosis, the dominant symptom is usually delusional thinking rather than hallucinations. They tend to speak very little & may sit motionless for extended periods. They may appear outwardly calm, but suffer from extreme internal anxiety.
B. Overmethylation: This condition is the biochemical opposite of undermethylation. It is characterized by elevated levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, low whole blood histamine, and low absolute basophils. This population is characterized by the following typical symptoms: Absence of seasonal, inhalent allergies, but a multitude of chemical or food sensitivities, high anxiety which is evident to all, low libido, obsessions but not compulsions, tendency for paranoia and auditory hallucinations, underachievement as a child, heavy body hair, hyperactivity, "nervous" legs, and grandiosity. They usually respond well to folic acid, B-12, niacinamide, DMAE, choline, manganese, zinc, omega-3 essential oils (DHA and EPA) and vitamins C and E, but should avoid supplements of methionine, SAMe, inositol, TMG and DMG.
C. Pyrrole Disorder: This condition, also called pyroluria, is a genetic stress disorder associated with severe mood swings, high anxiety, and depression. The biochemical signature of this disorder includes elevated urine kryptopyrroles, a double deficiency of zinc and B-6, and low levels of arachidonic acid. Pyrolurics are devastated by stresses including physical injury emotional trauma, illness, sleep deprivation, etc. Symptoms include sensitivity to light and loud noises, tendency to skip breakfast, dry skin, abnormal fat distribution, rage episodes, little or no dream recall, reading disorders, underachievement, histrionic behaviors, and severe anxiety. They usually respond quickly to supplements of zinc, B-6, Primrose Oil, and augmenting nutrients.
To me, a bipolar patient who becomes "well" with greatly-reduced medication requirements may have achieved complete success. I don't believe that medication doses need to go to zero, as long as side effects are absent and long-term effects are minimal or absent.
Incidence of bipolar depression (diagnosis during lifetime):
TOTAL POPULATION OF ADOPTEES ... INCIDENCE = 4.5%
FRATERNAL TWINS SEPARATED AT BIRTH .... Concordance = 32%
IDENTICAL TWINS SEPARATED AT BIRTH .... Concordance = 80%
We have seen more than 1,500 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, including a few hundred who presented with a diagnosis of "rapid-cycle" bipolar disorder. Many of the rapid cycle patients exhibited a severe pyrrole disorder as their primary imbalance. The key lab test is urine kryptopyrroles. Most "pyrolurics" are prone to high anxiety, severe mood swings, depression, and may be famous for their temper. Classic symptoms include aversion to eating breakfast, poor dream recall, sensitivity to bright lights & loud noises, abnormal fat distribution, poor short-term memory (often coincident with good long-term memory), and very poor stress control. (Feb 27, 2003)
We have worked with more than 1500 bipolar patients & found that most have an atrocious diet. I remember one young man whose only dietary intake for the past month consisted of Pepsi and potato chips.
In our experience, best results are achieved with a two-step procedure: (1) biochemical treatment followed by (2) life-style changes including a better diet. We learned the hard way that most bipolars are incapable of life-style changes until after their chemical imbalances have been corrected (or at least lessened). Once real biochemical progress has been made, the patient is more functional and real dietary improvements can be achieved. Trying to everything at once tends to overwhelm the patient, and they usually give up. (March 6, 2003)
About 20% of patients labeled as bipolar have a pyrrole disorder (genetic) which is associated with (a) fatty acid abnormalities, especially depressed arachidonic acid, (b) strikingly weak immune function, and (c) severe metal oxidative stress
. The definitive test for the pyrrole disorder is urinalysis for kryptopyrroles (Direct Healthcare Access is one lab that conducts this test, 847/299-2440 - there are others). These patients might benefit greatly from therapy concentrating on zinc, B-6, and primrose oil (or borage oil). Omega-3 oils can make things worse because of the competition for Zn & B-6 between delta-5 desaturase and delta-6 desaturase.
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