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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Chris O on February 9, 2014, at 12:30:01
After reading the recent study showing curcumin had comparable anti-depressant power to Prozac, I decided to do a trial and see if anything happened. After about three weeks of taking two of Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme capsules a day, I have noticed the following:
* a rash around my trunk area (which I now suspect may be psoriasis) cleared up during the first week of taking the supplement
* a very, very, very slight (so slight) mood boost within the first hour of taking the supplement
* no long-term or significant anti-depressant effects so farIn a nutshell, it's hard to tell if the pills are doing anything at all. The rash disappearing seems related to my taking the turmeric (as it had been with me unresolved for about a month beforehand), but who knows if it just resolved on its own, or the turmeric played a hand. The immediate antidepressant effect I would compare to the sensation I get after drinking 15 or 20 grams of fish oil from the bottle. But since this mild relief of tension is not significant enough to get me functioning in the world, it's hardly worth mentioning. As far as any comparable effect to Prozac (when it worked for me--13 years ago), I can't say I've experienced anything even close to that. Also of note is that I've been taking 2 pills a day (of their 482 mg critical extract formula, which I think is more like 4 grams of curcumin per capsule). The pills also have black pepper extract which is supposed to increase absorption.
Posted by bleauberry on February 9, 2014, at 18:14:57
In reply to Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme, posted by Chris O on February 9, 2014, at 12:30:01
Turmeric is usually for anti-inflammation. One lyme md I am aware of considers it mandatory for chronic illness patients. The rash disappearing at the same time as turmeric consumption would be consistent with what it does.
I tried it several years ago for antidepressant. I think I got maybe a blip of several hours that really felt good and then after that it was all downhill. Looking back, I now know why, I was just too sick, and it just stirred things up too much too fast. So for sure I can say that whatever it does, it is potent.
I think since you are doing ok with it, and since it is one of those few really good herbs, it might make sense to start adding new herbs to it for synergistic support, rather than throwing it out. I say that because in my experience most of the true benefits of plant medicines can take several months or more, and because in parts of the world where herbal medicines are practiced, they are almost always in combinations of 3 to 5 different plants and sometimes a lot more. Turmeric is a great base to build upon. With it, you will have some encouragement that the inflammation side of the puzzle is addressed, and then target other stuff.
> After reading the recent study showing curcumin had comparable anti-depressant power to Prozac, I decided to do a trial and see if anything happened. After about three weeks of taking two of Gaia Herbs Turmeric Supreme capsules a day, I have noticed the following:
> * a rash around my trunk area (which I now suspect may be psoriasis) cleared up during the first week of taking the supplement
> * a very, very, very slight (so slight) mood boost within the first hour of taking the supplement
> * no long-term or significant anti-depressant effects so far
>
> In a nutshell, it's hard to tell if the pills are doing anything at all. The rash disappearing seems related to my taking the turmeric (as it had been with me unresolved for about a month beforehand), but who knows if it just resolved on its own, or the turmeric played a hand. The immediate antidepressant effect I would compare to the sensation I get after drinking 15 or 20 grams of fish oil from the bottle. But since this mild relief of tension is not significant enough to get me functioning in the world, it's hardly worth mentioning. As far as any comparable effect to Prozac (when it worked for me--13 years ago), I can't say I've experienced anything even close to that. Also of note is that I've been taking 2 pills a day (of their 482 mg critical extract formula, which I think is more like 4 grams of curcumin per capsule). The pills also have black pepper extract which is supposed to increase absorption.
Posted by Hugh on February 12, 2014, at 10:33:55
In reply to Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme, posted by Chris O on February 9, 2014, at 12:30:01
Super Bio-Curcumin is far more absorbable than any other kind on the market. It's been a while since I took it, but I found it too stimulating at full strength, and would pour part of the powder into an empty gelatin capsule. But I'm extremely sensitive to stimulants.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/oct2007_report_curcumin_01.htm
Posted by Chris O on February 19, 2014, at 9:40:45
In reply to Re: Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme, posted by bleauberry on February 9, 2014, at 18:14:57
Blueaberry:
Thanks for getting back to me. Appreciate your comprehensive response. I think your name is Eric, right? My name is Chris. I've read your thoughtful responses to many people on these boards. Pleasure to finally meet you.
I'm not really sure if the turmeric does anything for me. The rash clearing up it's hard to tell. I'm also I really need to be taking something that gets me functioning, like, twenty years ago. I'm in a bad, bad way, not working, debt piling up, marriage in danger of collapsing, and I'm getting older. I have no retirement, no nothing. But at least I can see my situation more clearly now. That is the one redeeming feature as I get older: I can see how completely destroyed my life has been by the my clinical anxiety disorder and depression. I can see how every decision I have made has been based on "avoidance" and not on "engagement." The only problem: I am unable to "engage" with my endlessly worried, fatigued brain. I am probably going to do a trail of nortriptyline and propranolol in the coming weeks. I have never tried a TCA and the beta blocker seems promising for my PTSD conditions (lots of nightmares, adrenals seemed "pumped up" at night). Anyway, appreciate your feedback. How are you doing?
Sincerely,
Chris
Posted by Chris O on February 19, 2014, at 9:42:35
In reply to Re: Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme, posted by Hugh on February 12, 2014, at 10:33:55
Hugh:
Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps I'll give that brand a go in the future. I can't say I've noticed much stimulation in my 1 month + of taking the Gaia Herbs and New Chapter formulations of turermic/curcumin. And I've been taking up to 3 capsules a day. Like most "natural supplements," I just feel like nothing's happening.
Chris
Posted by Hugh on February 19, 2014, at 13:11:33
In reply to Re: Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme » Hugh, posted by Chris O on February 19, 2014, at 9:42:35
> Like most "natural supplements," I just feel like nothing's happening.
You're welcome. I lost count a long time ago of the number of supplements I've tried. Most have done nothing for me. Some have made me feel worse. And a few (SAMe, P5P, NADH) worked very well for a while, and then my brain became habituated to them, apparently. Two weeks ago I started taking a prebiotic called GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides). I've also tried taking the prebiotic FOS, which is much easier to find, but it didn't help. I find GOS calming without being sedating, and I've been sleeping 6-7 hours every night since I started taking it -- very unusual for me. I just hope this keeps up. I order it from England at http://www.bimuno.com/
Posted by Chris O on February 19, 2014, at 15:20:43
In reply to Re: Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme, posted by Hugh on February 19, 2014, at 13:11:33
Awesome that something is working for you. I did a little trial of probiotics last year after that study came out saying they had antidepressant effects. Nothing for me. I'd love to be able to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time. Cannot even remember the last time I had a restful sleep.
I'm really skeptical of the whole supplement industry at this point. I've just never had any luck with anything. (Well, maybe a little itsy bitty bit of something from large doses of fish oil and SAMe, but nothing significant enough to write home about). And knowing that a vast majority of this stuff is sourced from China, or India, or god knows where, where there is probably no oversight, makes me even more skeptical. That being said, I have delved deeply into the supplement industry, and taken almost everything supposedly effective in the antidepressant department for over twenty years. I have still gone back again and again, after this or that study comes out, nothing ever helps. Let's hope the prebiotic keeps working for you.
Posted by Hugh on February 21, 2014, at 10:40:29
In reply to Re: Finishing a bottle of Gaia's Turmeric Supreme » Hugh, posted by Chris O on February 19, 2014, at 15:20:43
I did neurofeedback in 2000-01 and it was fairly helpful for my depression and anxiety. I used to feel extremely self-conscious whenever I was in a public place -- mall, supermarket, even walking down a busy street. Neurofeedback wiped this out. Since 2000, neurofeedback has become much more sophisticated. Better technology, better protocols. So I hope to go back for some more of it before too long. A very informative book about it is A Symphony in the Brain by Jim Robbins. Something else you might try that's a whole lot cheaper than neurofeedback is Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE).
The TRE DVD is $28, but you can get a pretty good idea of how to do it by watching the YouTube videos.
This is the end of the thread.
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