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Misinformation: Vitamin C disabling or weakening psychedelics?

GrendelAvenger

Greenlighter
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
9
Location
Chicago
One of my friends has this idea that he got from lord knows where that vitamin C somehow will either weaken the psychedelic experience or prevent psychedelics from taking effect at all. This sounds like misinformation of the 'smoke this here banana, feels good maaannn!' variety. So I wanted to find out if I was correct in this regard or if my friend was actually telling truth.

This same buddy claims to be allergic to 5-HTP as well, which I also think is wrong. I think he was probably allergic to a filler or binder in the 5-HTP capsule.

So yeah, anybody feel like confirming or denying the truth of either of these claims? Thanks much in advance to whoever does so, if anyone!
 
What a coincidence, this just came up in "LSD in commercial drinks."

The answer is a partial YES: the ascorbic-acid form of C (but not the non-acidic "Ester-C" or other forms), as well as the highly acidic citrus juices, can and DOES weaken psychedelics and other drugs based on phenethylamines [see below for a partial list], due to its low (acidic) pH. But not LSD or shrooms. Here was my remark (slightly expanded) from the other thread:

I do know that you should never combine phenetylamines (amphetamines, MDMA, 2C-* psychedelics, Methylone and other xxxx-lones) with fruit juices or vitamin C in the ascorbic acid form. [I've actually gotten a warning label on a prescription bottle of dexedrine warning about this]. Acidic things like ascorbic acid ALL citrus juices taken with any phenethylamine-type drug SLOWS absorption and ACCELERATES elimination. In fact taking those with a base (baking soda) will make them STRONGER and faster (but it will also give you the liqui-shits unfortunately)... so I bet THAT is the source of the "dont take LSD with orange juice" thing, which I never heard and I am sure is BS.​
 
Ah, thanks much!

How about the allergy to 5-HTP thing?

EDIT: And all this time I've been washing my methylone down with Naked-brand orange/mango smoothie haha! Or does it only apply to the phenethylamines and phenylpropylamines but not the beta-ketonated cathinones?
 
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The first version of this myth I heard was "Orange juice makes trips twice as strong".
 
^ Me too, heard that back years ago and managed to pop a 500 mg vitamin C with my trips (acid and mushrooms) for a year or so at that time to potentiate. Then just stopped. I might have had myself convinced the CEV's were more colorful. Too subtle to confirm though.
 
well... i often take some form of vitamins and supplements with or before a methylone trip for instance, because i know my body will get extra stressed durign that time. i havent really noticed any shortening or lengthening of the trips, nor any qualitative changes... but thats just me....
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again-- the most powerful effect that vitamin C can have is emotional! A nice refreshing glass of orange juice has absolutely measurable effects on the overall well-being of a person, tripping or otherwise. So yes it can reduce anxiety or bad trips, just like a nice slice of apple pie can-- by reminding you of good times and great memories and delicious, wholesome foods.

Mushrooms in particular may benefit from increased acidic digestion (see Lemon Tek for enzymes in citrus that can help break down fungal cells, allowing increased absorption of drug) but for everything else it's all in your head (that's a good thing)
 
I think it comes down to - if you've read that vitamin C makes trips stronger then it may make your trip stronger depending how strong you feel the placebo.

And if you've read vitamin C makes trips weaker then it may make your trip weaker depending on how strong you feel the placebo effect.
 
How about an allergy to 5-HTP? It seems like that would be impossible because if that were true how would your body produce serotonin, which is 5-hydroxytryptamine?
 
Dwayne, don't just exacerbate newly created myths because you get a sadistic thrill out of it. People are that stupid.

Say what? What I wrote is completely true... look it up yourself.

Acidic things consumed at the same time as any phenethylamine drug will slow absorption and speed elimination.
Basic things consumed at the same time as any phenethylamine drug will do the reverse.

See under "Drug Interactions" here http://www.druglib.com/activeingredient/amphetamine/ or any number of other pharmacological reference sources. Or google "dexedrine and fruit juice". A warning instruction label on a prescription of dexedrine for ADD was how I first found out about this interaction. Personal experimentation with acorbic acid and also baking soda taken on an empty stomach about 10 minutes before methylone confirmed that the interaction also occurs for methylone, which also has a phenethylamine ring in it. Same will apply to the 2C class of psychedelics as well as mescaline/cactus which are all also phenethylamine based.

Now don't you feel silly?

HOWEVER, acids/bases in the stomach will have *NO* effect on LSD or mushrooms, which do NOT contain a phenethylamine ring.
 
^ the other day i read about a woman who took an alka-seltzer (bicarbonate of soda) after eating [alot] and her stomach actually exploded
 
why bother taking orange juice to potentate(lol) drugs when you can always get cough syrup for about the same price :D
 
Say what? What I wrote is completely true... look it up yourself.

Acidic things consumed at the same time as any phenethylamine drug will slow absorption and speed elimination.
Basic things consumed at the same time as any phenethylamine drug will do the reverse.

See under "Drug Interactions" here http://www.druglib.com/activeingredient/amphetamine/ or any number of other pharmacological reference sources. Or google "dexedrine and fruit juice". A warning instruction label on a prescription of dexedrine for ADD was how I first found out about this interaction. Personal experimentation with acorbic acid and also baking soda taken on an empty stomach about 10 minutes before methylone confirmed that the interaction also occurs for methylone, which also has a phenethylamine ring in it. Same will apply to the 2C class of psychedelics as well as mescaline/cactus which are all also phenethylamine based.

Now don't you feel silly?

HOWEVER, acids/bases in the stomach will have *NO* effect on LSD or mushrooms, which do NOT contain a phenethylamine ring.

vouch this

i have an ulcer and tums and other bases are my best friends on the daily

few months ago i went on a 2c-i binge and i tripped a lot longer on days i ate tums and looked it up

took me a good while to figure out what the factor was doing that i would have never guessed tums

but then again my stomach meds now make xanax basically have a 12 hour delayed release and then find there way to my intestines to make me sleep for 16 hours
 
Now don't you feel silly?
Heh. Well, I'm laughing, so I guess maybe a little. I did misunderstand you (see explanation), and for that I apologize, Dwayne. Still, I'm really uncertain how much adding a little more ascorbic acid (vit C) in the form of a vitamin C pill (which was definitely the sentiment of the question) to the already low pH HCl environment of the stomach is going to slow the absorption of anything in a way that is reliably noticeable subjectively when it comes to tripping. I think it was my drinking and all your CAPITALIZED words (esp. the emphasis on "YES") coupled with the long established myth about LSD and orange juice. The way I read it, it was like you were emphasizing the words as if they were the absolute truth and applicable universally, as in "YES, yeah MANNNN, ANYONE who drinks orange juice will trip TWICE as weakly FOR SURE". It gave me the impression you were being sarcastic in your enthusiasm and jokingly trying to string people along in a vaguely believable way by using snippets of broadly-related-but-not-all-that-applicable facts (i.e. you were toying around). The comment about baking soda causing diarrhea didn't help make it sound anymore serious, heh (it'll cause bubbles when it hits the stomach acid, and I guess if you take enough maybe it will, but it was just the way it sounded in context).

The sentiment the OP's friend was operating with is that popping a vitamin C capsule is going to disable or substantially weaken a trip. Drinking a lot of orange juice may slow down the absorption of phenethylamine psychedelics, but that's mostly due to lowering the pH through all the citric acid in it, not the vitamin C. Whether we're talking about phenethylamine psychedelics or not (and given that the established drug myth is already priming people to respond to comments about vitamin C and psychedelics in unreserved and overgeneralizing ways), since this is about weakening or disabling a trip with vitamin C I'm comfortable saying the answer is a simple NO, not a qualified yes, regardless of the technical matters surrounding alkalizing and acidifying agents and the absorption of amphetamines.
 
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I don't know anything about the science side of vitamin C but ive taken 1000mg before aMT and lsd trips and it was neither stronger nor weaker, i was just taking them to stay healthy. I also frequently take multi-vitamins before tripping just so I get a placebo of feeling healthier haha.
 
Still, I'm really uncertain how much adding a little more ascorbic acid (vit C) in the form of a vitamin C pill (which was definitely the sentiment of the question) to the already low pH HCl environment of the stomach is going to slow the absorption of anything in a way that is reliably noticeable subjectively when it comes to tripping.

Some vitamin C formulations are mineral ascorbates (Emergen-C, Airborne) and others are time-release esters (Ester-C) while some are simple ascorbic acid. The first can actually buffer the stomach acid (as well as provide a magnesium and vitamin B supplement which can assist in bodyloads) but the other two do not.

The comment about baking soda causing diarrhea didn't help make it sound anymore serious, heh (it'll cause bubbles when it hits the stomach acid, and I guess if you take enough maybe it will, but it was just the way it sounded in context).
Any mineral salt taken in high doses will cause the body to speed water through the intestines-- this is how milk of magnesia works. And in a discussion about remedying bad trips, I'm sure this is important information to consider when planning any supplement intake.

The sentiment the OP's friend was operating with is that popping a vitamin C capsule is going to disable or substantially weaken a trip. Whether it be a phenethylamine psychedelic or not (and given that the established drug myth is already priming people to respond to comments about vitamin C and psychedelics in unreserved and overgeneralizing ways), since this is about weakening or disabling a trip with vitamin C I'm comfortable saying the answer is a simple NO, not a qualified yes, regardless of the technical matters surrounding alkalizing and acidifying agents and the absorption of amphetamines.

Again I'm going to try answering the real myth here: thanks to blood sugar, the placebo effect, and general human response to delicious things, [insert fruit] juice is definitely a powerful ally in the fight against negative moments during a trip that is already in progress.
 
^Fair enough. But you must admit it's also true that in the case where you snort or inject psychedelics fruit juices are basically poison, and you can only reliably turn a bad trip around with milkshakes or ice cream cones. Root beer floats are also advisable, but I think the jury's still out on them because of the carbonation, so only use them as a last resort. And for fuck's sake don't eat anything you've microwaved!
 
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