Are there any Remedies for Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment?

August 12, 2014

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

What is serotonin?

This is a chemical which acts as a neurotransmitter. It helps in relays of signals from one region of the brain to the other. Serotonin is normally created from a biochemical conversion process in which it combines tryptophan, a protein component, with tryptophan hydroxylase which is a chemical reactor. When combined together they form 55-hydroxyltryptamine (5-HT), the substance which is also referred to as serotonin. This compound is sometimes considered to be a hormone, though looking at its functionality it actually reassembles a neurotransmitter.

Where does serotonin originate?

Serotonin is normally manufactured in the brain and in the intestines. It can be found in platelets and the central nervous system though majority of them are found in the gastrointestinal tract. It is important to note that serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barriers and hence the serotonin that is used in the brain must be produced from within the brain.

serotonin syndrome

Serotonin is believed to be an important chemical that plays role in the body psychological functions such as mood and social behavior, sleep, memory, sexual desire among many others.

What causes serotonin syndrome?

This is a potentially serious drug interaction which occurs due to excessive accumulation of serotonin in the brain. This condition usually occurs when a given medication is started or increased. In most cases it occurs when two medications are taken together.

Normally, serotonin is produced by mind to help in regulation of activities such as digestion, blood flow, breathing and body temperatures. Medication that is normally prescribed to the addicted persons especially those intended to treat depression, pains, headache etc. if taken together they have been proven to cause this condition. Due to these side effects, we need to use more friendly methods in the treatment of addiction as well as when restoring serotonin.

What are the natural remedies for serotonin syndrome?

The natural ways of increasing the levels of serotonin and hence causing balance and treating the symptoms of serotonin can be achieved naturally by use of supplements. There are a number of supplements which through researches have been proven to work effectively in the increasing of serotonin levels in the body. Let’s now look at some of these supplements:-

5-HTP – our bodies manufactures 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) from tryptophan and then converts it into serotonin. A supplement of this compound can be taken directly into the body in the form of 5-HTP. This supplement is absorbed into the body easily and is able to cross the blood-brain barriers unlike serotonin, and where after crossing the barriers it gets converted into serotonin. 5-HTP has been confirmed clinically to have stronger serotonin support than the other related compound, (L-tryptophan). It can therefore be very effective in the treatment of sleep disorders, depression as well as eating and panic disorders.

How is it taken? This supplement works best when taken while the stomach is empty between 3:00 – 4:00pm and again during bedtime. The dose should be started at low, preferably at 50mg and then gradually increased with time, until the point that is most appropriate.

L-Tryptophan – this is an amino acid which is required by the body in the process of synthesizing serotonin. Conversion of L-tryptophan to serotonin is a two-step process and in the process, 5-HTP is synthesized as an intermediate step. When L-tryptophan is used as a supplement, it enhances the synthesis of serotonin and also increases the levels of serotonin in the body. This supplement is generally considered to be gentle on the body than 5-HTP. It has been therefore used in the treatment of un-depressed, healthy people to be able to process information in a more positive way.

serotonin syndrome

How is it administered? Since this is a more light supplement than 5-HTP, its dosage is higher than that of 5-HTP. For optimum dosage, 3000 to 6000mg of the supplement is recommended per day. Just like with 5-HTP, the supplement best works when taken while the stomach is empty and thus it should be taken when one has not taken food for the previous one or two hours. The dosage can be incremented but this change must be gradual starting from a low dose.

SAM-e – this refers to S-edenosyl methionine, which is produced from amino acids. It is present in all the body cells and it is an essential component in many reactions. One of these reactions in which it is required is in the synthesis of serotonin. This supplement has been used for over 30years in the treatment of depression.

Saint John’s Wort – this is a natural medication which is obtained from an extract of the plant know as Saint John’s Wort. The extracts of this plant are known to exert their anti-depressant actions through inhibition of the reuptake of serotonin as well as norepinephrine and dopamine. This makes more of neurotransmitters available in the brain. This play an important role in the well-being of the person.

How is it administered? Just like the other supplements it works better when taken with the stomach empty. The optimal dosage rate per day is 600 – 1200mg, of the standardized herbal extract which contains around 0.3% hypericin.

Natural Remedies For Serotonin Disturbances And Addiction Treatment

Is Herbal Therapy Effective for Alcohol or Drug Addiction Treatment?

August 3, 2014

Herbal Therapy Treatment For Alcohol Or Drug Addiction

What is herbal treatment?

Herbal treatment is one of the oldest treatment methods, but still in use all over the world. This refers to the treatment which bases on the medicine obtained exclusively from plants. The medicine is obtained from varied plants known to have medicinal values. The plants used to give a given medicinal value may vary from place to place depending with the cultural practices of the area. Different cultures may though used the same plant but differ in how they use it or the specific part that they use.

Advantages of herbal treatment in Drug addiction recovery

It is now a fact that herbal medicine is being preferred by many all over the world. The big question is, “why do many people prefer herbal medicine over the pharmaceutical medicines?” many researches have been conducted to determine the credibility of herbal medication, though this medication has been one of the oldest. Herbal medication has obviously preferred due to its many benefits to the human body. The following are some of the benefits of herbal medicine;

They have negligible side effects – many pharmaceutical medicines have been proven to have a side effect to the patient who uses them. The case is different with herbal medicines. Almost all the researches which have been conducted on the herbal medicines, have indicated that it has very low or no side effects at all. This is one of the reasons why herbal medication is highly preferred in the drug addiction recovery process since it leaves the patient with no side effects.
They are cost effective – the drug addicts may not be very productive in the community, and therefore for relatives or well-wishers to offer material support to help the addict look for treatment for the addiction may be difficult especially when the medication cost is high. Herbal medication becomes the better option for many, since its cost is highly affordable by far that the prescription medicine. This is due to the low cost in the process of research, testing and marketing of the herbal medicines as compared to the prescription medicine.
They are effective with chronic condition- herbal medicine has proven to be effective than many of the traditional prescription medicine. This medication is for this case a good medication option for people suffering from addiction effects such as chronic fatigue.
Widespread availability – one of the most important factors that make herbal medicine highly preferred in the treatment of drug addiction is its availability. The herbal medicines are readily available all over the world and hence accessing them is much easy. Some of the simple herbs that are known to have medicinal values can be grown at home and hence when they are required in the treatment they can be easily accessed from there.
Non-habit forming – herbal medicines have been proven not to cause any habit formation and hence no chances of addiction resulting from the medication.

What makes herbal treatment effective in drug addiction treatment?

Herbs have the capacity to ease some alcohol or drug withdrawal symptoms (i.e. from anxiety to insomnia) and they can also help in the detoxification of the body. One of the challenges that a drug addict will face during the recovery period is the craving for the drugs. Herbal medication has been effective in the reduction of the intensity in the addicted person’s craving for alcohol and other drugs.

Nervous system correction

Among the helpful herbs, are herbs that influence the nervous system or by gently encouraging a relaxed and sedated state. Some of the herbs that are known to bring this sedation are: – catnip, chamomile, peppermint, and skullcap. The good thing with these herbs is that they provide a wide range of ways through which they can be taken by a patient. One of these convenient ways is that it can be used together as a tea or with any other fluid. In most cases, to replace mild depression with a state of calmness, St. John’s wort is often prescribed to the patients.

Detoxification

Many addictive drugs will always leave toxins in the body even after the patient recovers from the addiction. These toxins are known to have a negative to the patient in the long run. It is therefore very important for detoxification to be done to the patient despite the recovery medication. For this detoxification to be done, there are several herbs which contribute to cleansing of the blood. These herbs may include burdock root and echinacea (purple coneflower). Some other herbs such as milk thistle, which is known to contain silymarin, support the liver which is the main toxin-filtering organ in the body. This may thus help in prevent drug-induced damage to the liver.

The Chinese herbal medicine
Kudzu root, which is often prescribed as a bitter tea, has long been used by traditional Chinese doctors to reduce the appetite for alcohol. This helps the alcohol addict who is in the process of recovering by avoiding craving effects. The recent animal research suggests that alcohol-free kudzu root extract can cut the consumption of alcohol in half. (The patients in this study, however, were a breed of hamsters.) Based on such a research, we can conclude that herbal medicine has many advantages in helping the drug addicts in the recovery.