All Posts tagged tryptophan

Somnolin sleep question

By 20 Sep, 2010 Blog, Conditions, Nutrition , , , , , ,
Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the info on the sleep/insulin studies.  I had heard about some of them.  Good to see the actual test results.

I wanted to respond to the following:


For others, insomnia is a monster that’s hard to tame.

There are a number of natural sleep-aids that can help ease you into slumber without worrying about waking up with a brain fog hangover from prescription drugs.

I  recommend five natural sleep-inducers: L-tryptophan, melatonin, valerian root, L-theanine and kava. A very helpful supplement for support for restful sleep & relaxation is Somnolin by Metagenics. Order @ www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com

As someone who has long suffered from the untamable monster,  I would like to add that a good relaxing organic herbal tea with chamomile etc. and a soak in a hot tub are also wonderful natural aids for calming the mind and body prior to attempting sleep.  

Could you kindly clarify why you recommend Somnolin for insomniacs?  Here is the list of its ingredients from your meta-ehealth website:
      
Two tablets supply:
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl)     40 mg
Folate (as L-5-methyl tetrahydrofolate†)     400 mcg
Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin)     500 mcg
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP from Griffonia simplicifolia)     200 mg
L-Theanine     200 mg
Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose, stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, and silica.

 

Somnolin has significant amounts of B12 and B6.  According to everything I have read, the last supplements an insomniac should be taking before bed are B6 and especially B12.  They will energize you, not relax you!  I am confused why they are recommended and even why they are in the formula.

Answer:

Somnolin supports balanced levels of the neurotransmitters GABA, serotonin, and dopamine with the 5-HTP & theanine which help with sleep.

Theanine may influence the generation of alpha brain waves associated with a deep state of relaxation.
 
I think you might be relating B12 shots with suppling energy to the body. B12 injections help people feel less fatique but do not interfere with sleep. Other B vitamins act like enzymes – they make reactions occur in the body. Research suggests that L-5-MTHF (active folate) may cross the blood brain barrier helping to influence the other substances.
 
Griffonia simplicifolia is an herb that provides the 5 HTP. 

 

 

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SLEEP: Insulin levels & sleep

By 17 Sep, 2010 Conditions , , , , , , , ,
You might be doing everything right to avoid insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes – keeping your weight down, exercising, and following a balanced diet, free of added sugars, junk foods, and simple carbs.

But if you’re not getting enough sleep, it may not be doing you a bit of good.

In a recent study, researchers from Leiden University in the Netherlands checked the insulin levels of nine healthy people after eight hours of sleep. In the second phase of the study, the same subjects slept four hours and their insulin levels were checked again. Results showed that just this ONE night of inadequate sleep reduced insulin sensitivity by as much as 25 percent in some subjects.

In the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the authors note that insulin sensitivity is apparently not fixed. Even in healthy people, a single night of poor sleep can temporarily knock everything out of whack. 

Of course, one night of late-to-bed, early-to-rise won’t prompt type 2 diabetes. But it very well could if that turns into a regular sleep pattern. Last year, a study showed that people who get an average of less then six hours of sleep each night are more than four times more likely to develop blood sugar dysfunction compared to those who average more than six hours per night. 

Researchers at the University of Warwick reviewed 16 sleep studies from various countries, including the U.S., Europe, and East Asia. Two results emerged: 1) Habitual lack of sleep increases risk of premature death by more than 10 percent, and 2) Excessive sleep (an average of more than nine hours each night) is also linked with premature death.

The difference: Too little sleep causes poor health, while too much sleep indicates that a serious health issue (such as hypertension) is already underway. 

For some people, the fix for too little sleep is simple: Take this warning seriously and force yourself to turn off the TV, say “good night” to everyone a little earlier, and get adequate rest every night.

For others, insomnia is a monster that’s hard to tame. 

There are a number of natural sleep-aids that can help ease you into slumber without worrying about waking up with a brain fog hangover from prescription drugs. 

I  recommend five natural sleep-inducers: L-tryptophan, melatonin, valerian root, L-theanine and kava. A very helpful supplement for support for restful sleep & relaxation is Somnolin by Metagenics. Order @ www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com 

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