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EXCESS GLUTAMATE TRIGGERS + WAYS TO INCREASE GABA
Glutamate plays a major role in nearly every mental illness, and GABA helps relieve suffering and tension, learning to balance them can improve your mental health and well-being
THREAD //
Glutamate plays a major role in nearly every mental illness, and GABA helps relieve suffering and tension, learning to balance them can improve your mental health and well-being
THREAD //
This is part two of my intro to GABA/Glutamate thread, if you haven't read it yet I recommend taking a moment to do so for context: https://twitter.com/ck_eternity_/status/1255944579532181511?s=19
Glutamate works by opening calcium channels, which allow energy to flow through neurons, exciting them and causing them to fire
While this is necessary for thought to occur, too much excitation causes inflammation, and over time neurons may begin to burn out
While this is necessary for thought to occur, too much excitation causes inflammation, and over time neurons may begin to burn out
Glutamate excess has been shown to play a role in a numerous mental illnesses, everything from anxiety/depression to epilepsy
Some people are born with genetic issues with GABA production, while for others imbalance may be caused by different environmental factors
Some people are born with genetic issues with GABA production, while for others imbalance may be caused by different environmental factors
Intelligence has also been correlated with an increase in glutamate receptors
Most drugs and alcohol inhibit glutamate directly or indirectly, so many with so called "addictive personalities" have higher glutamate levels as well
Most drugs and alcohol inhibit glutamate directly or indirectly, so many with so called "addictive personalities" have higher glutamate levels as well
First I want to go through different triggers of excitation, different people may be more sensitive to some than others, so it may be best to try cutting out different things to see what works well for you
After this I'll touch on a few changes you can make to increase GABA
After this I'll touch on a few changes you can make to increase GABA
TRIGGERS:
1. Sugar/carbs
When insulin rises glutamate follows
The average person consumes ~70x more sugar per year than at the start of the 20th century, this leads to insulin spikes and resistance, creating imbalance in hormone and NTs
Because of this issues like...
1. Sugar/carbs
When insulin rises glutamate follows
The average person consumes ~70x more sugar per year than at the start of the 20th century, this leads to insulin spikes and resistance, creating imbalance in hormone and NTs
Because of this issues like...
...diabetes can have an impact on mental as well as physical health, limiting intake of sugar and simple carbs (bread, pasta, etc) can help reduce excitation
Avoid ALL processed sugar, starches or low glycemic index fruits like citrus or berries are great alternatives
Avoid ALL processed sugar, starches or low glycemic index fruits like citrus or berries are great alternatives
2. Stimulants
Caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants block the brain's natural inhibitory system, allowing glutamate levels to rise, and creating a large output of metabolic waste which can overwhelm the body's ability to detox and further contribute to inflammation
Caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants block the brain's natural inhibitory system, allowing glutamate levels to rise, and creating a large output of metabolic waste which can overwhelm the body's ability to detox and further contribute to inflammation
3. Poor gut health
Your gut microbiome plays a huge role in mental health, part of the nervous system even extends into the gut and communicates with the brain, an overgrowth of bad baceteria or fungal infections like candida can produce toxins or even glutamate itself!
Your gut microbiome plays a huge role in mental health, part of the nervous system even extends into the gut and communicates with the brain, an overgrowth of bad baceteria or fungal infections like candida can produce toxins or even glutamate itself!
The baceteria responsible for bad breath also produce glutamate as a waste product
Since bad baceteria in the gut/mouth feed on sugars, reducing excess carb consumption can slow their growth, it's important to consume probiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, saurkraut, etc) daily as well
Since bad baceteria in the gut/mouth feed on sugars, reducing excess carb consumption can slow their growth, it's important to consume probiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, saurkraut, etc) daily as well
4. Glutamate in food
Many foods actually contain glutamate as flavoring, the most well know form of this is MSG (monosodium glutamate) used to add savory flavor to certain foods, artificial sweetners like aspartame contain aspartate which can also bind to glutamate receptors
Many foods actually contain glutamate as flavoring, the most well know form of this is MSG (monosodium glutamate) used to add savory flavor to certain foods, artificial sweetners like aspartame contain aspartate which can also bind to glutamate receptors
Other common food sources of excitotoxins include:
- Wheat gluten
- Casein (cheese + dairy, goat milk does not contain casein)
- Yeast extracts
- Anything hydrolyzed
- Soy or corn extracts
- Whey protein
- Gelatin
- Many "natural flavorings"
- Wheat gluten
- Casein (cheese + dairy, goat milk does not contain casein)
- Yeast extracts
- Anything hydrolyzed
- Soy or corn extracts
- Whey protein
- Gelatin
- Many "natural flavorings"
For most people it's impossible to avoid all these, and that's okay, the biggest thing to avoid is heavily processed foods, the amount of glutamate you're going to get from a gelatin capsule or a homemade meal is minimal compared to things like breakfast cereals or instant ramen
5. Nutrient deficiency
Quite a few nutrients are needed to produce GABA, and deficiency is correlated to many mental health issues, these include:
- Magnesium (!!!)
- Zinc
- B6
- Thiamine
- Choline
- Taurine
- K2/D3
- Selenium
Quite a few nutrients are needed to produce GABA, and deficiency is correlated to many mental health issues, these include:
- Magnesium (!!!)
- Zinc
- B6
- Thiamine
- Choline
- Taurine
- K2/D3
- Selenium
Since most of these are found in the highest quantity in meat, eggs, and seafood, supplementation may be helpful if you follow a vegan diet
Excess free calcium can lead to overactivation of calcium channels, to prevent this calcium and magnesium should be consumed in a 1:2 ratio
Excess free calcium can lead to overactivation of calcium channels, to prevent this calcium and magnesium should be consumed in a 1:2 ratio
Limiting glutamate triggers can be extremely helpful, but in some cases imbalance occurs because there is insufficient GABA present to block overexcitation
So what are some things you can do to increase GABA levels?
So what are some things you can do to increase GABA levels?
HOW TO INCREASE GABA
1. Excercise
While excercise temporarily decreases GABA, it upregulates its production longterm, it also upregulates dopamine and endorphin production, overall excercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health
1. Excercise
While excercise temporarily decreases GABA, it upregulates its production longterm, it also upregulates dopamine and endorphin production, overall excercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health
2. Meditation/yoga
While meditation and yoga have become quite popular recently, it's not without good reason, they lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and increase GABA and endorphins in the brain, many studies have shown it can have a positive impact depression
While meditation and yoga have become quite popular recently, it's not without good reason, they lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and increase GABA and endorphins in the brain, many studies have shown it can have a positive impact depression
3. Ketogenic or Low Carb diets
There is a growing body of evidence that shows that ketosis can increase the glutamate -> GABA conversion, this is actually the mechanism by which the keto diet prevents epilepsy, for many with severe mental illness/addiction they may be beneficial
There is a growing body of evidence that shows that ketosis can increase the glutamate -> GABA conversion, this is actually the mechanism by which the keto diet prevents epilepsy, for many with severe mental illness/addiction they may be beneficial
4. Wim Hof breathing + Pranayama
Structured breathing excercises are excellent grounding techniques, they reduce cortisol and dynorphin levels while increasing GABA/endorphin release, I think everyone should try this at some point, there are many how-to videos available online
Structured breathing excercises are excellent grounding techniques, they reduce cortisol and dynorphin levels while increasing GABA/endorphin release, I think everyone should try this at some point, there are many how-to videos available online
5. Herbs/supplements
There are a number of excellent herbs and supplements available that increase GABA indirectly, here are a few that I've found useful:
- Magnesium (!!!)
- Gotu kola
- Magnolia bark
- Black seed oil
- Rosehips
- Lemon balm
- Holy basil
- Butterfly pea
There are a number of excellent herbs and supplements available that increase GABA indirectly, here are a few that I've found useful:
- Magnesium (!!!)
- Gotu kola
- Magnolia bark
- Black seed oil
- Rosehips
- Lemon balm
- Holy basil
- Butterfly pea
I do NOT recommend any supplement that increases GABA directly including:
- Phenibut
- Gabapentin
- GABA powder
- Valerian
Alcohol, benzos, opiates, and other sedative drugs should be avoided when trying to rebalance the brain, they all upregulate glutamate with longterm use
- Phenibut
- Gabapentin
- GABA powder
- Valerian
Alcohol, benzos, opiates, and other sedative drugs should be avoided when trying to rebalance the brain, they all upregulate glutamate with longterm use
*important*
All the info provided in this thread is informational, every individual must decide what they do or don't put in their body, if you see any supplements you find interesting research them before taking anything, some may interact with medications or other supplement
All the info provided in this thread is informational, every individual must decide what they do or don't put in their body, if you see any supplements you find interesting research them before taking anything, some may interact with medications or other supplement
I hope that this thread has been helpful, if you would like further information or have any questions feel free to reply or DM me
Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading
