Mucuna Pruriens

[Anabasis]

Yes, there are existing threads but I wanted to start a new one without silly anecdotal "I took this 15 mins ago and it hasn't done anything for me" or "it'll cause brain cancer" or other such silly hyperbole. I have specific questions and would appreciate opinions and/or evidence without such nonsense.

I've been taking it for ten days simultaneous to getting past alcohol DTs and experiencing a new girlfriend and taking my already-healthy eating to a new level of organic raw fruits and vegetables but am noticing an overwhelming sense of sociability (amaze myself with spontaneous conversation and humor), sexual performance, lack of inhibition and euphoria. I've done a lot of reading and I'm going the full cycle so please don't respond with "that stuff is shit and you're wasting your money and risking your health."

I'm most interested in when to take Mucuna Pruriens. I got a bottle of DOPA 400 and it tells you to take (6) capsules (Mucuna Pruriens seed extract 15% L-DOPA, 60mg) at night on an empty stomach, cycle three months on, one off. However, I saw a post that recommended taking Rhodiola Rosea at night followed in the morning with Mucuna Pruriens.

Advice in this regard?

PS - I made the mistake of taking 5-HTP while closing down bars five-nights-out-of-seven and let me tell you, it fucked me up.

 

[sekio]

All I know is L-DOPA is almost always used in combination with a DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor (e.g. in Parkinsons).

The simple-sounding advice is, take it whenever, and see what works best for you. On paper, most of the L-DOPA will be destroyed outside of the brain (probably >90% ), and the portion that does make it into the brain will convert to dopamine, which has a very short half life on the order of minutes.

Personally, I suspect it's not any more effective than placebo. I've tried both LDOPA and 5HTP up to 1g per dose, and never got anything beyond mild effects - certainly nothing comparable to dopaminergic stimulants, or MDMA...

If it works for you, cool, keep taking it as you are. If it doesn't work, change up your dosing.

Maybe try substituting fava beans for L-DOPA, too.

 

[dopamimetic]

The simple-sounding advice is, take it whenever, and see what works best for you. On paper, most of the L-DOPA will be destroyed outside of the brain (probably >90% ), and the portion that does make it into the brain will convert to dopamine, which has a very short half life on the order of minutes.

Yep. If it stimulates you, take it during the day. If it makes you mellow and comfortably tired, supplementing at night could be worthwhile. Dopamine can push interesting dreams!

Personally, I suspect it's not any more effective than placebo.

I agree with that most of it doesn't reach the CNS without the aid of something like carbidopa, but mucuna pruriens extract has some effects.. not very strong and certainly not comparable to a dopaminergic drug, but it's active. Probably more noticeable if you're low in dopamine, as it is the case with 5-HTP (which works somewhat to alleviate SSRI withdrawal, but the gastric disturbances from the peripherally generated 5-HT can be strong.) On the paper, it shouldn't really work because any monoamines that reach the brain this way would just get sucked up by the transporters, so the only effective case would be if they are depleted, but there is some effect beyond that.. at least for some, maybe.

I've asked several pharmacies if they could make 5-HTP/carbidopa on prescription ... seemingly the substance isn't available in pure form here in Germany (..??).

If it doesn't work, change up your dosing.

An effective dose of mucuna for Parkinson's without a decarboxylase inhibitor is said to be around 30g... but it works

 

[atara]

Maybe the differences in effect of these precursors could be dietary confounding. Piperine for one is known to increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, and other things do as well.