Shown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by woolav on August 28, 2006, at 14:00:38
I know it sounds stupid. But I was wondering if anyone knew of something I could take that has calming effects like xanax?
S
Posted by Declan on August 28, 2006, at 14:15:04
In reply to Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by woolav on August 28, 2006, at 14:00:38
It sounds very *hopeful*, but hey, why not?
The only ones know of (apart from really good unavailable herbs like opium) are
skullcap
zizyphus
vervainI wouldn't bother with passionflower and valerian. Passionflower makes me react and valerian seems no advantage on benzos (but that's just me).
Then there's Traditional Chinese Medicine thingos, which can be really good. I can't remember the name of that.
Anxiety is much easier to treat than depression.
Declan
Posted by nolvas on August 28, 2006, at 17:23:33
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by Declan on August 28, 2006, at 14:15:04
Apart from Opium there's nothing natural that I know of that's as powerful for calming anxiety as benzo drugs such as Xanax.
Kava Kava possibly may work for you if you can get it and find it in a suitably potent form.
Phenibut is powerful but it made me feel sick unfortunately. GHB used to be good but that's open to abuse, and is illegal. It seems anything that works well like Xanax has serious potential for addiction unfortunately. It's an evolutionary thing, it's not advantageous for survival to be in a state of calm all the time, the body has feedback mechanisms that will eventually bypass any long term calming effects from most agents. The brain is wired for addiction (good article about this in New Scientist this week, UK magazine)
Posted by bipolarspectrum on August 28, 2006, at 17:53:44
In reply to Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by woolav on August 28, 2006, at 14:00:38
> I know it sounds stupid. But I was wondering if anyone knew of something I could take that has calming effects like xanax?
>
> SI've heard Kava Kava is quite calming... In canada its banned however but can be found in backshop chinese herbal stores... im not sure where ur from though.... but i hear its quite strong in its anxiolytic ways..
bps
Posted by nolvas on August 28, 2006, at 21:56:31
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by bipolarspectrum on August 28, 2006, at 17:53:44
It's banned here in the UK as well and it's illegal to import it. I would try a repuatable place such as
http://www.konakavafarm.com/ to obtain Kava, raw materials which have the best effect I believe.A standardised extract of 30% is essential and the total amount of Kavalactones present must be 75mg. So a 30% standardised extract of 250mg of Kava Kava would give you 75mg active ingredient.
Posted by linkadge on August 29, 2006, at 18:31:47
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by nolvas on August 28, 2006, at 21:56:31
Sometimes combining a number of calming supplements can have a synergistic effect.
Some already mentioned.Zinc,
Niacinamine,
Taurine,
Magnesium,
Vitamin C,Kava Kava,
Passionflower,
Scullcap,
Hopps,
Valerian,
cammomile,Theanine,
Linkadge
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on August 31, 2006, at 17:17:05
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by linkadge on August 29, 2006, at 18:31:47
Gaba is probably as close to xanax as you can find in nature.Gaba Complex from www.puritan.com is quite useful.Fish oil helps many people to relax.
Posted by nolvas on September 1, 2006, at 17:56:40
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by Ed O`Flaherty on August 31, 2006, at 17:17:05
Fish oil does sound good for people with anxiety, but I'm a strict vegetarian and I couldn't ever bring myself to eat fish again. Flax Oil doesn't seem a particularly good source of Omega 3 as it only gets converted to EPA and DHA at a low ratio. I was wondering what you think of algae based products that are supposed to provide DHA and I might have seen some that also provide EPA now as well. Is DHA more important for calming effect or EPA?
Posted by Declan on September 3, 2006, at 14:41:24
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by nolvas on September 1, 2006, at 17:56:40
EPA is more important for calming?
DHA is used more for ADHD?
Vegetarians here buy algae based products, but I'm not familiar with them. Then there's borage, but I dunno whether that's much better than flaxseed oil. I think borage is the flavour in Pimms.
Posted by linkadge on September 5, 2006, at 6:52:40
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax? » nolvas, posted by Declan on September 3, 2006, at 14:41:24
I found DHA calming (stabalizing too). Both can help anxeity as they are both (I believe) PKC inhibitors like lithium and valproate. Stress activates PKC, and some of the mental symptoms of anxiety such as cognitive problems have been linked to overactive PKC.
Linkadge
Posted by Inquisitive on September 5, 2006, at 22:57:17
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax? » nolvas, posted by Declan on September 3, 2006, at 14:41:24
> EPA is more important for calming?
>
> DHA is used more for ADHD?
>
> Vegetarians here buy algae based products, but I'm not familiar with them. Then there's borage, but I dunno whether that's much better than flaxseed oil. I think borage is the flavour in Pimms.What is DHA and how is it used?
Posted by nolvas on September 6, 2006, at 20:56:21
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by Inquisitive on September 5, 2006, at 22:57:17
Docosahexaenoic Acid is a non-essential, (Omega-3) Superunsaturated Fatty Acid which can be synthesized within the body or obtained via the diet.
It's found richly in Fish Oil, if you are a vegetarian then you can take an algae based form, apparently fish get the DHA from algae in the first place so it sort of cuts out the middle man (or fish heh).
It has a wide range of health benefits.
Posted by valene on September 10, 2006, at 8:44:14
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by Ed O`Flaherty on August 31, 2006, at 17:17:05
Xanax does increase GABA thus tricking our brains into not manufacturing it naturally. The problem is, supplemental GABA does *not* cross the blood brain barrier so it is virtually useless for benzo withdrawal.
Val
Gaba is probably as close to xanax as you can find in nature.Gaba Complex from www.puritan.com is quite useful.Fish oil helps many people to relax.
Posted by Inquisitive on September 10, 2006, at 18:57:56
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by valene on September 10, 2006, at 8:44:14
Can GABA be taken if you are still using Xanax? I have foud another alternative called Anxietol 7. I haven't received it yet in the mail but, I'm wondering now if I can use this to come off of Xanax while I still use Xanax.
Posted by sregan on September 15, 2006, at 15:41:19
In reply to Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by woolav on August 28, 2006, at 14:00:38
I tried at one time to come up with a supplement version of Xanax. The closest for me (everyone is a little different) is Theanine. A good 100mg shot and it brings me down a degree. For all the supplements I've tried it has the most sudden and noticable effect.
Theoretically anything that might increase GABA should help...like taking GABA, putting aside the argument of it crossing the blood-brain barrier, or L-Glutamine (a precursor of GABA). Valerian, like theanine, is described as a GABA agonist.
I take Klonopin before bed and I get more bang for the buck if I take GABA and/or L-Glutimate with it especially GABA. I had hoped I could lower my Klonopin (similar to Xanax) dosage by using GABA. Hasn't been the case but I haven't tried that hard.
Shawn
Posted by LOOPS on October 9, 2006, at 22:14:01
In reply to Re: Any kind of herbal thing like xanax?, posted by sregan on September 15, 2006, at 15:41:19
Hi -
over the years I've found changing my diet and trying to find natural vitamins has been more important for anxiety than any herb or synthetic vitamin supplement.
If there was one thing I would recommend it would be either magnesium alone (not oxide or carbonate) or combined with calcium and zinc. AFter that, vitamin C, then fish oil, then a herbal concoction (Bupleurum & Dragon bone is a good Chinese anti-anxiety combo), or maybe passionflower (passiflora). Valerian can be good, but some people react badly to it (more alert). Kava can be very effective, but it is easy to overdo and become depressed (well for me anyway).
I have found a good potent extract (like 10:1) of Siberian Ginseng to be very balancing in a calming sort of way. Even red ginseng, if it is of high enough quality can be calming/balancing. I have found cheap ginseng more stimulating which doesn't seem good.
Zinc and B6 together are very good also. You need enough of these to manufacture taurine in the body. Taurine can be anti-anxiety, although I found it to be strangely energizing. I don't take amino acids as it is easy to mess up the balance in the body as I have found out with various aminos.
GLA - this had a profound effect on anxiety for me - I took it with fish oil. However I didn't like the eventual side-effects from continued use - lethargy, depression and also some weight gain (evening primrose oil). Fish oil alone helped me with depression but not with anxiety much.
5htp - really powerful for anxiety for me, but made me depressed. Again, I don't mess with aminos these days as they are too one-sided.
Gotu kola - excellent for social anxiety.
There are many others.
Loops
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