Anxiety 2 Calm

October 1, 2009

Seredyn for Anxiety







Filed under: Natural Remedy, anxiety, medication, supplement, treatment — admin @ 11:42 pm

Seredyn is an anxiety treatment that can be obtained without prescription. It includes none of the chemicals you would associate with other anxiety medications such as SSRI’s and Benzodiazepines. But Seredyn does claim to have much the same effects – a reduction in anxiety.

So what exactly is Seredyn? Well, as far as we know it is a blend of Valerian Root, Passion Flower and Suntheanine. Suntheanine is a registered trademark version of the amino acid L-theanine that I have blogged about before. L-theanine is basically a key ingredient of GABA, which when taken promotes anxiety relief in the same way as a Benzodiazepine such as Xanax.

Both Valerian Root and Passion Flower (Passiflora) have been used as stress-relievers and anxiety cures for countless years.

Although the ingredients are clear, the actual amount of each ingredient is not clear. Some say this is because Seredyn want to protect their intellectual property (after all, Valerian Root, Passiflora and L-theanine are available in pretty much any self-respecting health food store). Other, more cynical, people say that Seredyn doesn’t contain enough of each ingredient to be effective.

As products like Seredyn don’t need to be licensed in the same way as new drugs do, there will never be extensive, peer reviewed, clinical research. I guess that means you either take advice from people you trust, or try it yourself and see if it works.

Elsewhere on the Internet people have said you should watch Seredyn if you have low blood pressure, as it can supposedly exacerbate the problem. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but basically there isn’t much else in there that’s likely to do the normal person any harm!

September 19, 2009

Anxiety Niacinamide







Filed under: Natural Remedy, anxiety, supplement, tryptophan — Tags: , , , — admin @ 7:34 pm

Does Niacinamide work for anxiety? Well, There are a few reasons why I think it might be worth a try. Firstly, a proper scientific study found that Niacinamide had anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) effects in animals (Tallman JF, Paul SM, Skolnick P, Gallager DW (1980).

Some  people have hypothesized that Niacinamide works on the same receptors as Benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. Relying on drugs and supplements might not be that wise, why not also consider something like Panic Away to help you relax and cure anxiety.

Further more, if the body does not get enough Vitamin B3 through diet, it can make it from Tryptophan. This is not good for anxiety sufferers as Tryptophan is the amino acid the body uses to make the good mood chemical Serotonin, a lack of which causes anxiety and depression. Therefore it might be the case that taking on more B3 in the form of Niacinamide lessens the necessity to divert Tryptophan away from Serotonin and therefore boosts mood and calm anxiety that way.

On top of that, B Vitamins are essential for correct brain and nervous system functioning.

Lastly, other people with anxiety that have expressed an opinion swear by Niacinamide. Not everyone of course, nothing works for everyone. But when someone else has tried something and had success it is generally worth a shot!

How much Niacinamide should I take for anxiety? That is another very good question which it is quite hard to answer. I have read conflicting advice and of course there is no decisive answer from medical circles. The Reference Daily Intake (The Recommended Daily Allowance in the UK) varies from country to country but is often around 50-20mg depending on age and gender.

Doctors that advocate Niacinamide as a treatment for anxiety recommend much much higher doses. Sometimes as high as 3000mg a day. It is thought that doses beyond that can cause liver toxicity.

In terms of dosage I would say you have to be careful. Take medical advice if you can and start on a lower dose and move up and see if you get any anti-anxiety effects. If so, why not check with your doctor that the dose is safe in their opinion, or see if they can monitor you for liver function if the dose you are using is extreme.

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September 13, 2009

Natural Anxiety Remedies – Passiflora







Filed under: Natural Remedy, anxiety, drugs, panic, supplement — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 7:48 pm

Passiflora has long been used as a natural remedy for anxiety. There have been some studies which actually proved its effectiveness for treating anxiety when compared to a commonly prescribed tranquilizer. There is also a scientific reason for it’s calming, soothing action: the flavonoids that passiflora contains work on the areas of the brain that cause anxiety. Chamomile is relaxing for the same reason. The flavenoids in Passiflora may well also be one of a number of natural depression remedies. Interesting link on flavonoids here.

While supplements and herbal remedies are good for anxiety, remember to tackle the psychological causes. Panic Away is good for that.

So how is it best to take Passiflora? Well, there are two main choices really: you can buy a supplement which you take daily, normally as a capsule full of powder, or you can buy a tincture which you add to water and drink. passiflora does not taste particularly pleasant, but it’s not so bad.

The tincture has two distinct benefits: firstly you can control how much passiflora you want to take. Personally I like to try things at small doses first. Secondly, it often comes as a complex meaning it has other ingredients with it that are also natural anxiety remedies.

Side effects of Passiflora: depending on who you listen to passiflora is either as safe as houses or carries the same side-effect profile as every other drug/natural remedy on the market. This product might cause dizziness, drowsiness, upset stomach etc. If effected do not drive or operate machinery. Personally I have never had any trouble with passiflora and I don’t know anyone who has.

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February 27, 2006

Anxiety Supplements







Filed under: Natural Remedy, Uncategorized, anxiety, supplement — admin @ 7:27 pm
Although plenty of people have success with anti-anxiety medications (i.e a marked reduction or removal of symptoms including panic attacks and obsessive worry) many do not. Those who do not have success with anti-anxiety medications fall into two categories: those for whom the tablets have no effects, and those for whom the idea of taking tablets is abhorrent or the side effects are too great. Relying on drugs and supplements might not be wise anyway, why not also consider something like Panic Away to help you relax and cure anxiety.

Whatever your reason for avoiding anti-anxiety medication (and it’s a perfectly reasonable personal decision to make) the idea of supplements becomes alluring. There are two major drawbacks to using supplements. Firstly, proper scientific research is generally lacking and books and practitioners tend to rely on anecdotal data or historical records. Historical proof that a herb has been used for millennia doesn’t mean that it works! The second drawback is that there tends to be as many different recommended doses as there are books and manufacturers.

Should this stop you trying supplements to help beat anxiety? Of course not, it’s just a reminder to do your homework before you spend your money. Of course consult your doctor before you try them, and that is especially true if you are on medication of any sort or pregnant as some supplements can not be taken with other medication.

Then you’re into the minefield. What supplement should I take?

The list goes on and on and any self respecting salesperson in a healthfood shop can send you away with empty pockets if you are not careful.

I will be putting a page on Anxiety 2 Calm shortly with more info on herbs and supplements. Until then remember that B vitamins are important for the nervous system, tryptophan is good for building serotonin, flax seed and fish oils contain omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for a healthy brain. As for the rest…watch this space and do your homework!

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