Zinc supplements and Meth(amph)

[paracelsius]

This wiki on the Dopamine Transporter DAT:

The human dopamine transporter (hDAT) contains a high affinity extracellular zinc binding site which, upon zinc binding, inhibits dopamine reuptake and amplifies amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux in vitro.[35][36][37] In contrast, the human serotonin transporter (hSERT) and human norepinephrine transporter (hNET) do not contain zinc binding sites.[37] Zinc supplementation may reduce the minimum effective dose of amphetamine when it is used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[38]

So apparently, besides itself being a selective DRI, Zinc potentiates amphetamines-induced release of Dopamine (but not Norepinephrine or Serotonine!). For harm reduction sake in case you happen to take Zinc supplements and meth(amph), be aware of the risk of over-amping and/or full-blown psychosis at your normal doses!!

Scassellati C, Bonvicini C, Faraone SV, Gennarelli M (October 2012). "Biomarkers and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analyses". Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 51 (10): 1003–1019.e20. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.08.015. PMID 23021477. With regard to zinc supplementation, a placebo controlled trial reported that doses up to 30 mg/day of zinc were safe for at least 8 weeks, but the clinical effect was equivocal except for the finding of a 37% reduction in amphetamine optimal dose with 30 mg per day of zinc.110

On the other hand would taking Zinc supplement increases the high of meth(amph)?? Anybody come across studies/anecdotes on that? a link would be appreciated

 

[negrogesic]

I've tried to use zinc to increase the effects of dextroamphetamine, and while it seemed like it might have worked a bit, most noticeable was an increase in anxiety.

I didn't know this at the time but apparently zinc has antiGABAergic properties, which definitely is not welcome for a person like me who's GABA receptors are already insensitive to endogenous GABA due to past extensive benzodiazepine abuse:

Zinc Selectively Blocks Neurosteroid-Sensitive Extrasynaptic δGABAA Receptors in the Hippocampus

Zinc (Zn2+) is an essential cofactor in mammalian cells and neurons. Zn2+ is released from synaptic vesicles of certain nerve terminals in the hippocampus during neuronal activity. Zn2+ has been shown to inhibit synaptic GABAA receptors and alter the hippocampal network excitability. However...

www.jneurosci.org

However perhaps zinc could be used to upregulate the GABA system, similar to how flumazenil is sometimes used for that purpose.

 

[allone]

from personal experience, i just get horny from this stuff, 30mg a day. it boosts my sperm volume too. besides that i havent noticed anything regarding mental effects either dopamine or GABA and im very sensitive to both and i use meds affecting them so i should be noticing something by now.
but what i did notice is zinc completely reversed prozac's erectile dysfunction. and opiates lack of libido. but as im pushing it (at my age it makes sense) it is kind of being overwhelmed so its not permanent solution when using opiates and/or SSRIs

 

[paracelsius]

I've tried to use zinc to increase the effects of dextroamphetamine, and while it seemed like it might have worked a bit, most noticeable was an increase in anxiety.

I didn't know this at the time but apparently zinc has antiGABAergic properties, which definitely is not welcome for a person like me who's GABA receptors are already insensitive to endogenous GABA due to past extensive benzodiazepine abuse:

Zinc Selectively Blocks Neurosteroid-Sensitive Extrasynaptic δGABAA Receptors in the Hippocampus

Zinc (Zn2+) is an essential cofactor in mammalian cells and neurons. Zn2+ is released from synaptic vesicles of certain nerve terminals in the hippocampus during neuronal activity. Zn2+ has been shown to inhibit synaptic GABAA receptors and alter the hippocampal network excitability. However...

www.jneurosci.org

However perhaps zinc could be used to upregulate the GABA system, similar to how flumazenil is sometimes used for that purpose.

Increase in anxiety would make sense if you do have already desensitized GABAr. But then again, sure if it antagonizes GABA ion channels, then potentially it might lead to upregulation after chronic use but at a cost of downregulating dopaminergic (depend on the relative affinity of Zn for both systems I guess).
It seems to work as a DRI as this clinical trials with ppl with ADHD reports almost 40% lowering of amph optimal dose.

from personal experience, i just get horny from this stuff, 30mg a day. it boosts my sperm volume too. besides that i havent noticed anything regarding mental effects either dopamine or GABA and im very sensitive to both and i use meds affecting them so i should be noticing something by now.
but what i did notice is zinc completely reversed prozac's erectile dysfunction. and opiates lack of libido. but as im pushing it (at my age it makes sense) it is kind of being overwhelmed so its not permanent solution when using opiates and/or SSRIs

Horny?? not surprising for a selective DRI as those papers claims. That makes sense tho: stimulants-induced "horniness" is due to dopamine activation, either by direct agonists or reuptake inhibitors/releasers. Mostly D1 or D3 activation iirc. Rats dosed DA agonist like prami, piribedil, cabergoline or ABT-724..etc will hump to exhaustion!!

Because of lack of NE and SERT action, you probably may not be able to notice effects of a selective DRI unless specifically paying attention: besides libido going to the roof, sometime compulsive disinhibited behaviors like sudden intense urges for sex (Parkinsons patients on DA agonist will sometime engage in compulsive masturbation in a totally inappropriate context embarrassing themselves.. I Think somebody sues a Company b/c of that iirc or other compulsive like gambling or engaging in risky behaviors.

That's why I think selective DRI are not really recreational except if the reason is either to potentiate SNDRI stims or specifically for the mind-blowing libido of stims without the stim-dick or other effects of non-selective stimulants. I always wonder why people taking meth for sex (at least in chemsex circles) don't use a selective DRI instead: not only you get all the horniness of meth, but without the limp dick, vasoconstriction, cardiovascular..etc body effects. Only issue for males is priapism (erection that last forever!) which sometime is not healthy!!