• Neuroscience & Pharmacology Discussion Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Recent Journal Articles Chemistry Mega-Thread
    FREE Chemistry Databases! Self-Education Guide

  • N&PD Moderators: Skorpio

Using L-Glutamine + benzodiazepine; Good idea?

H

Herbal~Jah

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 24, 2010
Messages
776
I have recently been using and researching different supplements for detoxing/getting off of a Suboxone. I basically lowered my sub dose down to around 0.5mgs-0.25mgs a day, and even then I still experience w/d symptoms while coming off, but that's another story. My main question is sense I have just recently jumped off the old Sub train at around 0.5-0.25mgs every other day, i have been taking certain benzo's for the first week (cuz its the hardest) for sleep at night. And sense I don't have a lot of the benzo's I am using (Xanax and Temazepam) I was wondering if the L-Glutamine supplement I have ben taking would be good to dose up on b4 I take my benzo dose? I have read/heard that L-Glutamine has been used for insomnia and also that it is like a building block to GABA or somethings which I know GABA has something to do with how benzo drugs like xanax and temazepam work on.


So basically would taking L-Glutamine with a lower then normal dose of my xanax (or Temazepam) make those drug theotrically work better sense I would have more GABA in my brain due to my L-Glutamine supplementation???
 
Last edited:
No, most people have enough L-glutamine in their diets that external supplementation does nothing of note.

L-glutamine provides very mild relaxant effects, similar to theanine, but it won't be a replacement for benzos.
 
Neurontin, Baclofen, low dose remeron, and if you're looking for OTC anxiolytics -phenibut.

Putting your suboxone in ethanol or isopropy alcohol should increase the bioavailability. You can brush under your tongue with a cloth, too.

Hopefully someone else can chime in on the last part, I have no real world experience, just theory.
 
sekio said:
No, most people have enough L-glutamine in their diets that external supplementation does nothing of note.

L-glutamine provides very mild relaxant effects, similar to theanine, but it won't be a replacement for benzos.
Click to expand...


I am also talking about using L-Theanine (Suntheanine Brand; pure L-Theanine) and 500mg-1000mgs of L-Glutamine aand sometimes I take 500-1000mg of L-Tyrosine.... Anyways back to the topic, doesn't L-Gluatmine act as a building block to GABA and doesn't Benzos like xanax act by releasing or blocking GABA????i cant remember if benzo block or release GABA, but anyways if L-Glutamine is a building block amnio acid to GABA and it crosses the blood brain barrier wouldn't that theoretically make benzos better/more potent sense benzos do something with GABA and you will have more if it sense you are dosing with L-Glutamine...????

PS: I take 500mg-1000mgs of L-Glutamine, 500-1gram of L-Tryosine and 200mg "Suntheanine" L-Theanine, 200mg CoQ-10
 
Last edited:
No, glutamine is not a "building block" for GABA, nor is it converted in the body into GABA. Even taking GABA "precursors" does not have a central effect because your body closely regulates GABA levels naturally. It is important to remember that L-glutamine and L-tyrosine are naturally present in the everyday human diet (from the breakdown of protiens) and are needed for life as we know it because they are protienogenic amino acids. As a result they all show very mild if any effects. Even the weaker benzodiazepines like nordazepam blow L-theanine and friends out of the water in terms of anti-anxiety/sedative/muscle relaxant properties.

Benzodiazepines make the GABA-a receptor easier to activate by agonists like GABA, & produce a variety of classical sedative f/x.
 
So basically I have read L-Glutamine is essential for the synthesis of GABA within the body. I think L-Glutamine + L-Theanine makes a low dose of benzo feel good and you won't feel all tired... I take L-Glutamine and l-tyrosine and occasionally L-Theanine on daily basis
 
Last edited:
sekio said:
No, glutamine is not a "building block" for GABA, nor is it converted in the body into GABA. Even taking GABA "precursors" does not have a central effect because your body closely regulates GABA levels naturally. It is important to remember that L-glutamine and L-tyrosine are naturally present in the everyday human diet (from the breakdown of protiens) and are needed for life as we know it because they are protienogenic amino acids. As a result they all show very mild if any effects. Even the weaker benzodiazepines like nordazepam blow L-theanine and friends out of the water in terms of anti-anxiety/sedative/muscle relaxant properties.

Benzodiazepines make the GABA-a receptor easier to activate by agonists like GABA, & produce a variety of classical sedative f/x.
Click to expand...


I am right Sekio, here is the part from the webpage:

"Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Because it can readily pass the blood-brain barrier, it is known as brain fuel. In the brain, glutamine is converted into glutamic acid—which is essential for cerebral function—and vice versa. It also increases the amount of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity."

Link: http://www.sundancevideoonline.com/glutamine.html


See :)
 
Last edited:
Glutamine is not directly converted to GABA, it instead acts via secondary pathways to increase the release of GABA instead. The effect is still very mild at best.

If you want to supplement with exogenous amino acids, good for you, but you'd probably get the same f/x increasing your dietary protien intake.
 
^ read the link, l-glutamine is essential for making GABA!


L-Glutamine: "It also increases the amount of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity."
 
Last edited:
sekio said:
Perhaps you can't read, glutamine is not essential for creating GABA. It simply does not say that! Nor is it a direct precursor. It merely increases the GABA levels in the brain and body, possibly by its indirect conversion to glutamate or activity at other receptors. GABA is produced via the decarboxylation of glutamate, not glutamine!

Glutamnine is essential for muscle tissue repair in states of injury or illness, though.
Click to expand...

Yeah so wouldn't taking L-Glutamine and/or L-Theanine b4 taking a benzo be a good idea, sense L-Glutamine helps release more GABA and L-Theanine's "primary effect seems to increase the overall level of the brain inhibitory transmitter GABA."?? I have been taking L-Glutamine and L-Theanine and daily basis and it seems to make my benzo, sometimes I take Xanax for sleep, feel different in a good way..


So are you saying it would be a good idea to take a Glutamate supplement? Wikipedia says this about Glutamate: " Glutamate also serves as the precursor for the synthesis of the inhibitory GABA in GABA-ergic neurons. This reaction is catalyzed by glutamate decarboxylase..."
 
The healthy human body does not need exogenous glutamate supplementation! Go eat some noodles with soy sauce, or beef soup, or a steak if you are looking for a source of amino acids.

Unless you are eating Purina Lab Monkey Chow for your exclusive diet, taking glutamate/glutamine will produce only mild effects. I think the only amino acidthat you listed that has actually been shown to have positive f/x is theanine - and that acts as a mild relaxant & lowers blood pressure.

Making benzodiazepines 'more effective' by providing 'more GABA' does not work that way, the human body has regulatory mechanisms that stop your body from flooding itself with any natural neurotransmitter by destroying the excess before it is used. What you are experiencing is simple synergy etween two relaxants.
 
Analogy: Adding supplements that supposedly "elevate GABA" is like adding more oil to a car than it needs. At best, you won't see any changes at all in a healthy vehicle, and at worst you can seriously fuck regulatory systems up. The only time you need supplements (more oil) is when your body is in a state of need (e.g. car has an oil leak). But even then, your body has a team of full time mechanics who produce more "oil" (neurotransmitters) from the food you eat.

Leave the control of neurotransmitters to your body unless your physician directs you otherwise. Self medication to fix supposed neurological deficits is a risky minefield to play hopscotch in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top