Fwd: NATURAL RELAXANTS by Dr Hyla Cass & Patrick Holford

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SSRI-Research , JustSayYes wrote:

NATURAL RELAXANTS

by Dr Hyla Cass & Patrick Holford

http://www.patrickholford.com/phframemaster.asp?

pageid=members/features.asp

 

Stress affects most of us, and an estimated 80 percent of us in a

major way.

We feel pressured to keep up with jobs, family and the myriad

responsibilities of everyday life. Hardly a moment goes by when we

are not

subject to some form of stress, with resulting anxiety, depression,

fatigue,

and burnout - the price we pay for our complex lifestyles in the 21st

century. As a consequence the use of substances that relax us, albeit

temporarily, is ever on the increase. The most common is alcohol,

with more

than half a million drinks consumed every day. In second place are

tranquillisers, the most common being benzodiazepine drugs such as

Valium.

There are an estimated 10 million women in the US, and 2 million

women in

the UK addicted to these drugs. In third place in cannabis, now

smoked on a

regular basis by an estimated 1.5 million people in Britain.

 

The need for these relaxants is a direct consequence of living in a

state of

stress and anxiety, which upsets the intricate balance of our blood

sugar,

hormones and the brain's neurotransmitters. On the one hand we become

almost

addicted to stress, stimulants (coffee, tea, cigarettes, chocolate

etc.) and

sugar to keep us alert, and, as a direct consequence, need relaxants,

especially in the evening and weekends, to chill us out. (See the

next issue

for an in-depth feature on Natural Stimulants.)

 

GABA - The Antidote to Stress

 

This whole cycle of stress and anxiety creates a state of over-

arousal that

many of us live in all the time. The antidote, at least on a chemical

level

is GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which tells the brain's

neurons

when not to fire. Acting as the brain1s peacemaker, GABA helps the

hyperactive adrenal glands, which produce the stress hormones

adrenalin and

cortisol, to chill out.

 

The substances we employ to allay anxiety, such as Valium, alcohol and

cannabis, are generally ones that enhance GABA activity, at least in

the

short-term. However, they have downsides and generally increase

stress and

anxiety in the long run, as well as destabilising blood sugar, which

also

contributes to highs and lows.

 

Natural Relaxants

 

The ultimate natural relaxant is not to be stressed in the first

place. This

means both adjusting the circumstances of your life that generate

stress,

and changing the way you respond to unavoidable situations. While

this is

the ideal the reality is that we do get stressed and need to restore

balance. From a chemical perspective this equates to:

 

* Balancing your blood sugar

* Promoting GABA release

* Supporting adrenal hormone balance

 

 

Alcohol, cannabis and tranquillisers effect one or more of these keys

to

relaxation but with significant rebound effects creating imbalances

in both

blood sugar and neurotransmitter levels. The search for natural

relaxants is

therefore a search for substances that can promote GABA and support

healthy

levels of the " feel-good " adrenal hormones, without upsetting blood

sugar

levels.

 

The most popular and effective natural relaxants are:

 

HERBS   AMINO ACIDS

€Kava   €GABA

€Valerian   €Taurine

€Hops

€Passion Flower

 

Let1s explore how these work and why they are both effective and much

better

for you than alcohol, cannabis or tranquillisers.

 

Kava (Piper methysticum)

 

Kava, whose latin name means " intoxicating pepper, " has been

cultivated as a

social and ceremonial drink by Pacific Islanders for over 3000 years.

The

first description of kava came to the west from Captain James Cook on

his

celebrated voyages through the South Seas. To this day, when village

elders

or others come together for significant meetings, they begin with an

elaborate kava ceremony. It is also used to welcome visiting

dignitaries

from Pope Paul to Queen Elizabeth II. Kava is also drunk in less

formal

social settings as a mild inebriant, like alcohol, often after a

day1s work.

Kava is many-faceted: it is able to relax both our muscles and our

emotions,

reduce excessive mind chatter, increase mental focus, and expand our

overall

awareness.

 

" Kava is More Effective than Tranquillisers and better for you than

alcohol. "

 

Research shows that kava is more effective than tranquillisers. It

works

just as well as benzodiazepines, but unlike these prescription drugs,

you

don1t need to keep increasing the dose to get the same effect, and

there are

no withdrawal problems when you stop taking it. Unlike the

benzodiazepines,

a low daytime dose will relax you without making you sleepy. In fact,

kava

actually improves concentration. Research shows that on a word

recognition

test, it enhances reaction time and performance. This makes it easy

to use

for specific anxiety-producing situations such as a job interview, or

a

final exam, where you want to be both calm and alert.

 

In higher doses, kava is a natural sleep enhancer. Unlike

benzodiazepines,

though, it does not suppress REM (rapid eye movement or dream-stage)

sleep,

essential to our emotional, mental, and physical well-being. And

there1s no

morning hangover either.

 

Why Kava is Better than Alcohol

 

Both kava and alcohol can help you relax, and both ease social

interaction.

Only kava, however, allows you to maintain a clear mind and an open

heart,

with no hangover. As novelist and travel writer, Paul Theroux, says

in The

Happy Isles of Oceania,

 

" No one ever went haywire and beat up his wife after bingeing on

yanggona

[kava]. No one ever staggered home from a night around the kava bowl

and

thrashed his children, or insulted his boss, or got tattooed, or

committed

rape. The usual effect after a giggly interval was the staggers and

then

complete paralysis "

 

Alcohol (at least after the first two hours) promotes anxiety. Kava,

on the

other hand, reduces it. One four-week German study of patients

diagnosed

with anxiety, found that participants experienced dramatic

improvements in

their anxiety symptoms after just one week, with improvement

continuing

through week four. In the largest (101 participants) and longest (25

weeks)

study to date, by Dr Volz in Germany, kava provided significant

relief of

anxiety versus the placebo, or " dummy " pill, and with minimal side

effects.

 

 

Kava

 

 

How it works: Kava calms the limbic system, the emotional center of

the

brain and relaxes muscles, likely through an indirect action on GABA

receptors

 

Positive effects: It is able to relax both our muscles and our

emotions,

reduce excessive mind chatter, increase mental focus, and expand our

overall

awareness, all without habituation, tolerance, or addiction. The

muscle

relaxing effects make it particularly useful in treating headaches,

backaches and other tension-related pain.

 

Cautions: Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after use; do not

mix with

alcohol, as the two substances seem to potentiate each other; do not

take

while using benzodiazepines

 

How much?: as a relaxant, the normal dosage is approximately 60-75 mg

of

kavalactones; as a bedtime sedative, 120- 200 mg.

 

Kava works both on the limbic system, the emotional centre of the

brain and

directly on muscles, thereby promoting relaxation in two different

ways. The

muscle relaxing effects make it particularly useful in treating

headaches,

backaches and other tension-related pain.

 

The active ingredients are a series of compounds called kavalactones.

Kava1s

specific neurotransmitter actions are not entirely clear. It appears,

though, that, in keeping with its relaxant effects, it enhances the

receptivity of the brain1s GABA receptors, the brain1s natural

relaxant.

Unlike alcohol, it doesn't disturb blood sugar balance.

 

Kava is available in various forms -- tablets, capsules, and

tinctures. The

taste is quite strong, and causes a brief numbing of the mouth and

tongue,

so most people prefer tablets or capsules to the liquid. The

recommended

daily adult dose is 60-75 mg of kavalactones,. which is equivalent to

200-250 mg of a standardized extract containing 30 percent

kavalactones,

taken two to three times daily. For sleep, in which case take it an

hour

before sleep, the dose is twice this amount. As a natural relaxant for

chilling out, the dose is quite individual, generally double the dose

used

to help you sleep.

 

Don1t be too concerned with the exact numbers. The ideal dose is an

individual matter, depending on your own chemistry. Rather, start

with one

capsule and observe your response. Then you can adjust accordingly.

The

first couple of times some people feel a little groggy, so, just in

case,

start on a weekend or evening when you don1t have to be fully alert.

After a

few doses, your body gets used to the feel, and you will most likely

feel

relaxed, but alert.

 

Taken in these typical doses, kava possesses no known side effects or

toxic

consequences, except for occasional skin rash in sensitive

individuals,

headache, or mild stomach upset. A word of caution: Kava should not

be taken

with alcohol or other sedating drugs because of the synergistic

effects (a

case where 2+2=at least 5), and you should never drive after using it

in

higher doses.

 

 

 

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

 

How it works: enhances GABA activity

 

 

Positive effects: reduces anxiety, insomnia, tension

 

Cautions: potentiates sedative drugs, including muscle relaxants and

antihistamines

 

How much?

 

For relaxation: 50-100 mg twice a day

 

For sleep: 150-300 mg about 45 minutes before bedtime

 

Another favourite for the treatment of anxiety is valerian, sometimes

referred to as " Nature1s Valium. " Derived from the dried rhizomes and

roots

of the plant, it has been used for thousands of years as a folk

remedy. As a

natural relaxant it is useful for several disorders such as

restlessness,

nervousness, insomnia, hysteria, menstrual problems, it has also been

used

as a sedative for " nervous " stomach. Like the Valium-type drugs,

valerian

acts on the brain1s GABA receptors, with similar tranquillising

effects, but

without their side effects.

 

Be forewarned, though - its smell has been likened to old socks! So,

hold

your nose, and here1s how to take it: Using standardized extract (0.8%

valeric acid), the dose is 50-100 mg, 2-3 times daily for relaxation.

For

bedtime sedation to promote sleep, take 150-300mg about 45 minutes

before

bedtime.

 

A word of caution: Valerian can interact with alcohol, certain

antihistamines, muscle relaxants, psychotropic drugs and narcotics.

Those

taking any of these drugs should take valerian only under the

supervision of

a health care provider.

 

 

 

Hops (Humulus lupulus)

 

Hops have been used for centuries as a mild sedative and sleeping

aid. Hops1

primary use is to calm nerves and induce sleep, usually in

combination with

other herbal sedatives such as passion flower, valerian root, and

skullcap.

Its sedative action works directly on the central nervous system. The

dose

is around 200 mg per day, but varies from formula to formula.

 

Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)

 

Passion flower1s mild sedative effect has been well-substantiated in

numerous animal and human studies. The herb encourages deep, restful,

uninterrupted sleep, with no side effects. Passion flower has been

commonly

used in the treatment of concentration problems in school children

and as a

sedative for the elderly. In high doses, passion flower has been

found to be

mildly hallucinogenic. Dosage varies with the formula, but is

generally 100

to 200 mg per day of standardized product.

 

 

GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid)

 

How it works: Acts directly on the brain as a calming, mood enhancing

neurotransmitter.

 

Positive effect: Reduces anxiety, insomnia and tension.

 

Cautions: Nausea and vomiting at high doses.

 

 

How much? 1000mg twice daily after meals.

 

GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid) is the main inhibitory or calming

neurotransmitter. It regulates the neurotransmitters noradrenalin,

dopamine,

and serotonin, making it a significant mood modulator in both

directions.

That is, it helps shift a tense, worried to one of relaxation, and a

low,

blue mood to a happy one. Thus, high levels of GABA are associated

with

relaxation and a positive mood: breathing and heart rate slow down,

muscles

relax, and body temperature falls. Lower than normal levels of GABA,

on the

other hand, are associated with anxiety, tension, depression, and

insomnia.

 

GABA can simply be supplemented as an amino acid, as it is one of the

few

that does not have to go through the step of conversion into a

neurotransmitter. A review article on GABA by two psychiatrists at the

University of British Columbia makes it clear that it easily crosses

the

blood-brain barrier, which means that is travels easily from the

bloodstream

into the brain. This makes it a welcome addition to any chill-out

program.

 

A prime example of a GABA-enhancing drug is the tranquilliser,

Valium, and

its relatives, Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan

(lorazepam). There are also natural products that can enhance GABA

activity

in your brain, such as the herbs valerian, kava, and also St John1s

Wort.

These, in combination, will do a better job than taking GABA itself.

Usual

dose of GABA is 1000 mg twice daily after meals.

 

 

 

Taurine

 

How it works: Enhances GABA activity.

 

Positive effect: Reduces anxiety, irritability, insomnia, migraine,

alcoholism, obsessions and depression.

 

Cautions - None reported

 

How much? 500-1000 mg twice daily.

 

Taurine is an amino acid which plays a major role in the brain as an

" inhibitory " neurotransmitter. Similar in structure and function to

the

amino acid GABA, it provides a similar anti-anxiety effect by helping

to

calm or stabilize an excited brain. It has many other uses as well, in

treating migraine, insomnia, agitation, restlessness, irritability,

alcoholism, obsessions, depression, and even, hypomania/mania,

the " high "

phase of bipolar or manic depressive illness. Taurine also helps

control

high blood pressure. In addition, by inhibiting the release of

adrenalin, it

protects us from anxiety and other adverse effects of stress.

 

Since it is highly concentrated in animal and fish protein or organ

meats,

vegetarians can be at risk for taurine deficiency. A non-essential

amino

acid, our body can manufacture taurine in the liver and brain from

the amino

acids, L-cysteine and L-methionine, if supplied with the required co-

factor,

vitamin B6. Dosage is usually 500-1000 mg twice daily, and higher as

needed.

 

 

 

Action Plan for Natural Relaxation

 

The solution for reducing the effects of stress on our bodies and

minds and

become naturally relaxed is multi-faceted. It involves changing your

lifestyle, changing the way you respond to stressful situations, and

changing your chemistry. As far as your chemistry is concerned this

involves

both balancing your blood sugar levels and mobilizing GABA when you

need it.

 

The following herbs and amino acids help to calm down the stress

response

and act as natural relaxants. The ideal doses of all these natural

relaxers

are less when combined than when a substance is taken in isolation.

The

following nutrients are worthy additions to a supplement programme

designed

to chill you out. The combination of these nutrients, taken every day

is

likely to keep you calmer and clearer throughout the day.

 

Natural Relaxant Combined Isolated

Kava 100mg 200mg*

Valerian 50mg 300mg

Hops 100mg 200mg

Passion Flower 100mg 200mg

GABA 500mg 2000mg

Taurine 500mg 2000mg

 

* The kava dosage given here relates to the actual amount of

kavalactones in

the product, be it powder, capsules or tincture. Also experiment with

kava

on its own, in increments of 60mg of kavalactones or 250mg of a

standardised

extract.

 

Extract adapted from the forthcoming book, Natural Highs, by Patrick

Holford

and Dr Hyla Cass. Dr Hyla Cass is Associate Clinical Professor of

psychiatry

at the UCLA School of Medicine in California.