Nitric Oxide for a Happy Heart

 

"When your endothelium is young and healthy, you enjoy a steady current of nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood circulating to every nook and cranny of your body. And you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of increased nitric oxide!

But when it's older and not as healthy, your nitric oxide levels start to plummet. If you don't get enough vigorous exercise, it makes them drop even more."

The following is a summary of the "Six Essential Ingradients You Need" to stimulate nitric oxide production, my recommendations for a couple of brands, and an added bonus nutrient.

Enjoy & Learn!

1. Magnesium: I prefer (and HIGHLY recommend) Magnesium Threonate. Unlike other forms of the element, it crosses the blood-brain barrier which targets neurons directly. Since it is a mineral, take on an empty stomach (one hour before a meal or 3 hours minimum afterwards).

2. a. Vitamin C: This is one of my basic nutrients. I take two forms of it. The first is good old Ascorbic Acid, which is cheap and ubiquitous. You will have to split the daily dose since it is water soluble. Take with meals.

b. The second form is Ascorbyl Palmitate, a fat soluble Vitamin C, which provides antioxidant protection to your heart and lungs, and several other target organs. You only need to take it once daily, preferably with a fatty meal (for better adsorption). Make certain they are good fats, such as olive and coconut oils, Omega-3 fatty acids, and animal fats (in limited amounts).

3. Hawthorne Berry: "(T)o increase blood flow, support healthy circulation, and help you get even more benefits from l-citrulline and beet root powder."

4. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin, cyanocobalamin): The form I use is a combination of Methyl Vitamin B12 and Methyl Folate by Jarrow Labs. This formulation is not only better absorbed than others, but the two nutrients work synergistically.

5. Beet Root Powder: This is an excellent nitric oxide stimulator ("NOS"). I use it when I can afford it, and it's arterial dilation properties are readily apparent. Not quite as strong and long-lasting as Viagra, but it's a decent natural, and cheaper, adjuvant.

6. L-citrulline: I have not tried this amino acid to stimulate NO, so I can only defer to the article regarding its effectiveness. I did use its precursor, Arginine, in my bodybuilding days for two reasons. The first was at bedtime as a growth hormone-releaser. The second was pre-workout as an NOS. Because NO dilates arteries and arterioles, it helps weightlifters achieve a greater "pump." Always a good thing.

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Gabapentin Withdrawal and Itchy Skin

 My Quora Answer to: "Why when I had withdrawal from gabapentin my skin itch that felt like bugs for crawling all over me?"

You are hallucinating.

Gabapentin withdrawal resembles the symptoms of alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal because they all act on gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, an inhibitory brain neurotransmitter. Release the inhibition (stop taking the drug) and you increase brain excitation.

Several medications and illicit drugs can lead to physical dependence in people who use them for a longer period of time. A person’s body adapts to it and essentially "expects" a substance to be present and will rely on it to function normally. This is physiological dependency, which is not the same as addiction. Addiction involves a compulsion to seek out the drug and use it, negatively interfering with other areas of the person’s life.

When a dependent person stops taking the drug or drastically reduces the amount of the drug used on a regular basis, they can experience withdrawal.

Withdrawal can also cause "formication," or the feeling that ants are crawling over their skin. Itching is prominent. The name comes from the Latin word “formica,” which means ant. It is a tactile hallucination, meaning that a person feels a physical sensation without a physical cause. Feeling sensations on the skin with no physical stimulation is called a "paresthesia." Other paresthesias include sensations of burning, tingling, numbness, and cold.

Formication due to drug withdrawal is usually temporary and should resolve when a person recovers from withdrawal.

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Neuro-Mag Review

 

MAGNESIUM AND OSTEOPOROSIS

 

The original question on Amazon asked, “I’ve been on neuro-mag (sic) for 3 months and love it. I was recently told that I may have osteoporosis. Is L-threonate going to help my bones?”

Neuro-Mag is the trade name by Life Extension Labs for their formulation of Magnesium threonate, a highly bioavailable form of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier, unlike other formulations of the mineral. I take Neuro-Mag and love it. It creates calmness within me, and has a lower risk of diarrhea, one of the more unpleasant side-effects of magnesium supplementation. I also have no financial interest in either Life Extension or any other supplement manufacturer. As always, follow my advice with a jaundiced eye, and run any of my recommendations by your health care provider before starting ANYTHING new.

Elemental magnesium is vital for many physiological processes, including energy production, muscle and nerve function, and bone strength. I take the supplement because it is essential to functioning cardiac muscles and because I am starting to have slight problems with my memory. The most obvious issue is word searching, or the “it’s at the tip of my tongue” phenomenon. It also lowers blood pressure by relaxing the smooth muscle that lines the interiors of our arteries. But to specifically answer the question, I am going to quote the National Institutes of Health:

Magnesium is important for healthy bones. People with higher intakes of magnesium have a higher bone mineral density, which is important in reducing the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Getting more magnesium from foods or dietary supplements might help older women improve their bone mineral density. More research is needed to better understand whether magnesium supplements can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis or treat this condition.¹

Dosing of supplementation has been established through research. Three capsules of Neuro-Mag provide 144 mg of elemental magnesium. That is my current dose: one capsule in the morning and two at night. Not only is it calming as a sleep aid, but I would much rather have diarrhea while I am close to a toilet! The second link below lists the proven benefits of magnesium.²

The following chart lists the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) based on sex, age, and pregnancy/lactation status. Remember to always run it by your provider first: ³

Category	Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
CHILDREN
1-3 years	80 mg/day
4-8 years	130 mg/day
9-13 years	240 mg/day
FEMALES
14-18 years	360 mg/day
19-30 years	310 mg/day
31 years and over	320 mg/day
Pregnant	Under 19 years: 400 mg/day 19 to 30 years: 350 mg/day 31 years and up: 360 mg/day
Breastfeeding	Under 19 years: 360 mg/day 19 to 30 years: 310 mg/day 31 years and up: 320 mg/day
MALES
14-18 years	410 mg/day
19-30 years	400 mg/day
31 years and up	420 mg/day

 1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/ 

2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-magnesium-benefits

3. https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-magnesium#