New 'neuro drinks'!

Jayjay

Ok so I have a feeling I know where this thread is going but here goes nothing! I recently heard about something through my friend. There's these new things on the market (about $2 a bottle) that are called neuro drinks. They have various kinds. Such uses are to: Induce sleep, induce bliss, or de-stress, and even to aid weight loss. I have done a lot of checking into them. The good sides are that one bottle is one serving, you can drink the whole thing no harm. 35 calories a bottle. Cheap. Tasty. Healthy/All natural. What could be better right? But something that seems too good to be true usually is. I usually drink 2-5 energy drinks per month, so I'm replacing them with these (cheaper and healthier) which are specified to cause an effect. So I've had a couple of these one's called 'neuroBliss' its supposed to be natural body vitamins and nutrients that induce a de-stressing, peaceful like state. There do NOT cause a drastic change in mood! They are most likely fine for you, not any type of drug or anything. And it really seems like it works. I'm just wondering if anyone has had them and what are some opinions on them. I would love your opinion. But, as I can already imagine, this thread is gonna most likely be filled with "Meditate to find peace, don't just drink something that says happiness on it blah blah blah" But I do meditate. For a pretty regulated practitioner, I can say that this drink is something good. The last time I had one I was at my brother's college (for which I am applying to) and it was the middle of the day. Kind of stressed out. My brother and father were also arguing. We went to the store and I bought one and split it with him. Within the next half hour we both were able to calm down a little bit. I didn't have time for meditation so I just think that as a momentary, natural thing, it could be good. But again, PLEASE post some opinions on this. Thanks guys!!!!

DaltheJigsaw

Interesting. Not for me. But cool for other individuals who are interested in this type of thing. I will stay with food.

federica

give me a sit down with a dog at my feet, any time.....

Telly03

They have had a happy drink on the market for some time with proven results... Beer

ThailandTom

They have had a happy drink on the market for some time with proven results... Beer

lol, beer me! Yes but that also has an unhappy effect, ie hangovers, weight gain, heart disease and cancer, the not so happy side to beer. I wonder if these neuro drinks have any downsides, multivitamins have been shown to increase the risks of certain cancers.

zombiegirl

I've had the sleep one. It contains melatonin and tryptophan so yeah, it does make you sleepy. I work late so sometimes I feel too riled up to go to sleep right away. I either pick up one of these items (there's also a 'Bob Marley' drink that is similar) or I make some chamomile/valerian root tea when I get home. Both work just fine... I actually have had the "Bliss" one as well, but I really can't say that I noticed much of a difference.

ThailandTom

Could someone if it is no trouble please list all of the incredients in one of these drinks for my own curiosity please :buck:

shanyin

Mdma induces.bliss.and calm.. its also a neuroToxin lol same with a lot of other drugs that release serotonin when used a lot.

Hope it is.just vitamins is all I'm saying.

IMO its.just more awesome to meditate longer...

It sounds like using it as a tool along with the Buddhist path is a distraction

patbb

well,

i suggest you begin your research with Nootropics.

Nootropics are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration.
Goes from chamomile tea to very serious drugs and everything in-between.

Nootropic is vast and interest many people who spend alot of time researching the subject.

I learn quite a bit of this stuff but mainly limit my Nootropic intake to omega 3.

You can learn much on the subject and avoid making mistakes like wasting your money on stuff that has little to nothing beneficial.

For instance, when i started to learn about omega 3, it quikly became obvious that all of those pills that you can buy in the health stores are not only very expansive, they contain so little of the omega 3 that you would need to consume 30-50 a day to get what is considered the minimum intake for improving brain functions.
So not learning this, i could have spent a long time wasting alot of money on supplements that do nothing in the end.
So now i buy the liquid stuff and drink a few teaspoon everyday.

i suspect your drink is very mild and very little benefits if any can be gain from it.

If you have any interest, indulge. its fun and very informative, touching on scientific studies, chemistry, neurobiology, health food etc...

ThailandTom

Mdma induces.bliss.and calm.. its also a neuroToxin lol same with a lot of other drugs that release serotonin when used a lot.

Hope it is.just vitamins is all I'm saying.

IMO its.just more awesome to meditate longer...

It sounds like using it as a tool along with the Buddhist path is a distraction

I took MDMA for 4 years nearly every week around a gram at time, bliss no, ecstasy yes. Was it a long term solution even if I had it weekly, no. Although there is nothing in this world that I kow if that can induce such a flood of serotonin as MDMA can, that is on experience I will never forget. However, neruotoxicity occurs, not good.

Dakini

@jayjay Who sells those drinks? I'd like to look into them and ask my doc about them Anything that helps sleep and helps rebalance neurotransmitters that are important for sleep could end up being wildly popular with women.

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

patbb

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

google is your friend Dakini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome

also

problem with adding serotonin to the system artificially is that the system can reduce it's own production over time. (temporarily or permanently)

Similar concept as people who use hydrating creams for the skin, the body get used to the extra hydration and stop producing it's own so people have to use artificial hydrating product.

shanyin

Not to hijack the thread but it is interesting that according to one whisltlltle.blowing doctor on YouTube(admittedly) there are over 50 interellatted chemicals in the brain like.ninety percent of which nobody knows anything about just some about serotonin so really pharms and drugs effect other chems

Natural drugs I donno can't be that bad I guess

shanyin

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

problem with adding serotonin to the system artificially is that the system can reduce it's own production over time. (temporarily or permanently)

Similar concept as people who use hydrating creams for the skin, the body get used to the extra hydration and stop producing it's own so people have to use artificial hydrating product.

Thanks

Also... that is the why the doctor I was talking about recommends.triptophan for "depression".. serotonin comes from our food and is produced in the belly

zombiegirl

@Dakini Here, they sell them in just about every convenience store. Like I said, you could try the Bob Marley brand ones as well. The tea ones actually taste really good.

http://drinkneuro.com/content/locator/

@ThailandTom http://drinkneuro.com/content/

Lol, the "Neuro Passion" one used to be called "Neuro Gasm" I think that is a good move for the marketing division... I was always curious but refused to buy something titled that, haha.

Dakini

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

problem with adding serotonin to the system artificially is that the system can reduce it's own production over time. (temporarily or permanently)

Similar concept as people who use hydrating creams for the skin, the body get used to the extra hydration and stop producing it's own so people have to use artificial hydrating product.

Thanks

Also... that is the why the doctor I was talking about recommends.triptophan for "depression".. serotonin comes from our food and is produced in the belly

But according to patbb and this other info, supplementation will only make the problem worse over time. Or did the doctor recommend triptophan only from food sources? "Alternative" MD's routinely recommend 5-HTP (a form of Triptophan), tyrosine and other amino acids for deficiencies in dopamine and serotonin. This, as an alternative to pharma. But some of you are saying that will only exacerbate the problem over time. I've been wondering about that, myself. So... why don't doctors know this?

zombiegirl

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

problem with adding serotonin to the system artificially is that the system can reduce it's own production over time. (temporarily or permanently)

Similar concept as people who use hydrating creams for the skin, the body get used to the extra hydration and stop producing it's own so people have to use artificial hydrating product.

Thanks

Also... that is the why the doctor I was talking about recommends.triptophan for "depression".. serotonin comes from our food and is produced in the belly

But according to patbb and this other info, supplementation will only make the problem worse over time. Or did the doctor recommend triptophan only from food sources? "Alternative" MD's routinely recommend 5-HTP (a form of Triptophan), tyrosine and other amino acids for deficiencies in dopamine and serotonin. This, as an alternative to pharma. But some of you are saying that will only exacerbate the problem over time. I've been wondering about that, myself. So... why don't doctors know this?

What about St. Johns Wort to reduce depression/anxiety? Has anybody tried this?

patbb

I've never heard that serotonin could be a neurotoxin, or anything that promotes serotonin production, if over-used. More info, please, @shanyin.

problem with adding serotonin to the system artificially is that the system can reduce it's own production over time. (temporarily or permanently)

Similar concept as people who use hydrating creams for the skin, the body get used to the extra hydration and stop producing it's own so people have to use artificial hydrating product.

Thanks

Also... that is the why the doctor I was talking about recommends.triptophan for "depression".. serotonin comes from our food and is produced in the belly

But according to patbb and this other info, supplementation will only make the problem worse over time. Or did the doctor recommend triptophan only from food sources? "Alternative" MD's routinely recommend 5-HTP (a form of Triptophan), tyrosine and other amino acids for deficiencies in dopamine and serotonin. This, as an alternative to pharma. But some of you are saying that will only exacerbate the problem over time. I've been wondering about that, myself. So... why don't doctors know this?

not sure if small quantities can have any noticeable effect on the brain own production over time.
I guess it would be reasonable to assume that perhaps these kind of supplement intakes give all the ingredients necessary for the body and brain to produce whatever amount in want to produce, as oppose to drugs which add serotonin directly in the system or trick the brain into producing more than it would have wanted to produce without the drug.

we should send invites to some neuro-biology discussion forums to join this forum and help us out


in any way, things like 5-htp seems pretty harmless to me.

ihepf

I wouldnt recommend taking anything that alters the production or metabolism of neurotransmitters without advice from a doctor (who knows something about neurotransmitter). L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP are precursors that get metabolized in the body into serotonin. L-Tryptophan -> 5-HTP -> serotonin. Like patbb said, too much serotonin can cause serotonin-syndrome. In particular this can happen if you combine SSRI antidepressiva with the stuff above.

Said that... i misused both substances . Made me feel weird and sweety little bit euphoric in high dosage. I also tried st. johns wart @zombiegirl, hadnt any effect on me but there are divided experiences on this. First time i heard about 5-HTP was in context with ecstasy (mdma) use. It was used to "refill" the serotonin after a session . What got me out of depression in the end was sport.

shanyin

The only thing I can think.of zombie.girl.is valarian root

Dakini

not sure if small quantities can have any noticeable effect on the brain own production over time.
I guess it would be reasonable to assume that perhaps these kind of supplement intakes give all the ingredients necessary for the body and brain to produce whatever amount in want to produce, as oppose to drugs which add serotonin directly in the system or trick the brain into producing more than it would have wanted to produce without the drug.

we should send invites to some neuro-biology discussion forums to join this forum and help us out

Yes, we should! Is there a neuro-endocrinologist in the house?

This is what's been prescribed for me for insomnia, since testing has shown my body isn't producing dopamine or serotonin, and very little norepinephrine. This discussion worried me, and made me think the treatment might be making everything worse.

ihepf

This is what's been prescribed for me for insomnia, since testing has shown my body isn't producing dopamine or serotonin, and very little norepinephrine. This discussion worried me, and made me think the treatment might be making everything worse.

If it was described and you have got a serotonin deficit diagnosis i wouldnt worry @Dakini. As far as i have heard you have to over do it for something like that to happen. With deficit you underdo it.

ihepf

Paper on 5-HTP:

http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/3/4/271.pdf

They only mention serotonine syndrom and nausea as side effects.

ThailandTom

Because of my love for ecstasy a few years ago, I spent a lot of time researching serotonin. It is responsible for your eating habits, sleeping habits, moods and other things such as decision making. Nausea is a bad enough side effect for me, I really hate to have that feeling

Jayjay

Wow. This post exploded. Ok anyway, I planned on taking one or two into my doctor to show him and get a good medical opinion on it. I'm not taking a ton, maybe 1 a week. And I'm not using them as a crutch because of their effects. I can calm myself anytime with the prayer beads on my wrist(: Thank you guys so much though for all your intelligent input on the subject. You guys are great. Love you all!!

Dakini

@Jayjay Please let us know what your doc says about them. You can pull up this thread and add to it when the time comes.

Jayjay

Will do!

federica

What about St. Johns Wort to reduce depression/anxiety? Has anybody tried this?

Yes, but apparently there are some drugs you should not take with it, as it can negate their effects....

Don't mix St. John's Wort with antidepressant drugs (especially any type containing monamine oxidase, for example diet pills and nasal sprays).

lots more here.....

http://www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk/singleherbs/stjohnswort.html

zombiegirl

@federica Thanks for the info but, holy crap... they make St. Johns Wort sound kinda amazing.

For me, I don't take any sort of medication at all. Barely even take pain killers EXCEPT that time of the month.

How St. John's Wort Affects the Body:

Antidepressant (helps to change mood).
Antioxidant (prevents free radicals from causing damage to cells).
Antiviral (effective against disease-carrying viruses).
Anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation).
Anti-microbial (disarms microbes).
Analgesic (pain relief).
Antispasmodic (relaxes muscular contractions).
Aromatic (digestive).
Astringent (tones and heals).
Expectorant (provokes the release of mucus).
Nervine (fees and calms the nervous system).
Hepatic (favourably influences the liver and gall bladder).