L-Lysine reduces stress, anxiety and cortisol levels..cool!

[Beggiatoa]

GABA is made from L-glutamine in the body. This reaction is dependent of LYsine. The more Lysine, the more GABA is produced..naturally. This means you don't have to worry about it crossing the BBB or anything like that. Lysine is cheap and worth the try

I gave Lysine to my brother because I read that it helps regrow hair. I started him on a conservative supplement regime for anxiety, insomnia, stress and overall health. He's been taking fish oil, magnesium, taurine and some other stuff and he says he's been feeling great... Anyways, I decided to look into Lysine a little closer and this is what i found:

There's a relationship between diets low in Lysine and stress levels.

-Lysine controls herpes virus and outbreaks.
-Lysine is a precursor to carnitine (think L-carnitine!!) This can help burn fat and increase memory and concentration.
-can boost human growth hormone.
-can reduce Lipoprotein (a) and protect from heart disease.
-Good immune booster
-increases Glutathione (proximo20)

Biomed Res. 2007 Apr;28(2):85-90.
Oral treatment with L-lysine and L-arginine reduces anxiety and basal cortisol levels in healthy humans.Smriga M, Ando T, Akutsu M, Furukawa Y, Miwa K, Morinaga Y.
Institute of Life Sciences, Ajimoto Co. Inc, 1-1 Suzuki-cho, 210-8681 Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Japan. miro_smriga@ehq.ajinomoto.com

Dietary supplementation with an essential amino acid L-lysine has been shown to reduce chronic anxiety in humans with low dietary intake of L-lysine. A combination of L-lysine and L-arginine has been documented to normalize hormonal stress responses in humans with high trait anxiety. The present study was carried out in one hundred eight healthy Japanese adults. The aim of study was to find out whether a week-long oral treatment with L-lysine (2.64 g per day) and L-arginine (2.64 g per day) reduces trait and stress-induced state anxiety and basal levels of stress hormones. We confirmed that, without regard to gender, the amino acid treatment significantly reduced both trait anxiety and state anxiety induced by cognitive stress battery. In addition, we found that the treatment with L-lysine and L-arginine decreased the basal levels of salivary cortisol and chromogranin-A (a salivary marker of the sympatho-adrenal system) in male subjects. These results of this double-blind, placebo controlled and randomized study confirm the previous findings in humans and animals and point to a combination of L-lysine and L-arginine as a potentially useful dietary intervention in otherwise healthy humans with high subjective levels of mental stress and anxiety.

PMID: 17510493 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 1;101(22):8285-8.

Lysine fortification reduces anxiety and lessens stress in family members in economically weak communities in Northwest Syria.

Smriga M, Ghosh S, Mouneimne Y, Pellett PL, Scrimshaw NS.

Institute of Life Sciences, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., 210-8681 Kawasaki, Japan.

Lysine is a limiting amino acid in diets based on wheat as the staple. In experimental animals, prolonged dietary lysine inadequacy increases stress-induced anxiety. If observed in humans, such a result would have a strong implication for the relationship between nutrition and communal quality of life and mental health. As part of a 3-month randomized double-blind study, we tested whether lysine fortification of wheat reduces anxiety and stress response in family members in poor Syrian communities consuming wheat as a staple food. In the lysine-fortified group, the plasma cortisol response to the blood drawing as a cause of stress was reduced in females, as was sympathetic arousal in males as measured by skin conductance. Lysine fortification also significantly reduced chronic anxiety as measured by the trait anxiety inventory in males. These results suggest that some stress responses in economically weak populations consuming cereal-based diets can be improved with lysine fortification.

PMID: 15159538 [PubMed - in process]

GABA, the (benzo-like) inhibitory neurotransmitter requires adequate Lysine in order for its conversion from GABA's precursor - Glutamate - to take place.

from here http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/inde ... sine&st=30
Someone claims they reduces their use of benzos by 90% after using lysine. How many here take Benzo?

This makes me wonder. What is happening to our food? We seem to be deficient in everything. We're not getting enough magnesium, taurine, thiamin...Lysine? The list goes on....

[millenniumman75]

Where can you get Lysine?

[Beggiatoa]

Iherb is one place but any supplement store will do. Best thing, this stuff is dirt cheap. Get the powder form which is more cost effective and it's nearly tasteless..so no gagging! Ever taken powdered magnesium glycinate? It tastes awful...awwww gad...lol

[Beggiatoa]

*Bump

[Wellington]

I take magnesium glycinate/lysinate. I get SOME lysine. Quercetin also increases gluthionone levels in the brain as well.

[proximo20]

Did you try lysine Begiiota?

I found these links.

1) Gastric Secretagogue Effect of Lysine Monohydrochloride

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/conten...126/3267/255-a

2) arginine may stimulate the body's production of gastrin, a hormone that increases stomach acid

https://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetC...chunkiid=21509

3) In the randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial, 29 healthy subjects at the upper limit of the normal range of an anxiety scale were given a mixture of L-lysine and L-arginine (3 grams each per day) for 10 days. The subjects were then asked to engage in public speaking in order to expose them to a social stress experience. Hormone levels, cardiovascular activation and skin conductance were measured.

Treatment with the two amino acids improved the way the body reacted to stress. Subjects treated with L-arginine and L-lysine experienced an improvement in levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (a hormone that plays an important role in the function of the adrenal glands). They also experienced improvements in cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels. Galvanic skin responses (the measurement of the change in the electrical resistance of the skin in response to emotional stimuli) also was positively affected by the two amino acids during stress compared to the placebo. Increases in the heart rate and blood pressure in response to public speaking were not influenced by amino acid treatment.

[proximo20]

I just learned that lysine might be increasing cholesterol

[Beggiatoa]

I've been using 2.5 grams at night since I posted this. I can't use Arginine because it can reactivate latent viruses while Lysine keeps them at bay. I already suspect either a virus/bacteria as the reason my body is wearing down.

Can you elaborate on the cholesterol issue? Studies?

[proximo20]

Feeding diets with 4% L-lysine to the chick produces an elevation of plasma lipids which does not occur when feeding an excess of any other amino acid. Experiments were conducted to determine whether lysine-induced hyperlipidemia is secondary to the antagonistic effect of lysine on arginine or to the anorexia which accompanies lysine feeding, and in addition, whether the lysine-induced hypercholesterolemia is affected by chick age.

This is the study.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/9/1777

[Beggiatoa]

...In all experiments gain and food intake were reduced by feeding chicks 4% lysine. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride were elevated, but high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, as a percentage of total, was reduced. Addition of dietary arginine up to 4% failed to reverse the depression in performance and elevation of plasma lipids. Pair-feeding the control diet to the amount consumed by lysine-fed chicks did not elevate plasma lipids above control levels. Thus, lysine-induced hyperlipidemia is not mediated by the antagonistic effect of lysine on arginine nor by the effect of lysine on food intake. The high-lysine diet prevented the normal decline in plasma cholesterol expected with advancing age of chicks. Preliminary results suggested that excess lysine stimulated cholesterol biosynthesis.

Good find dude, as usual.

4% of total protein intake is a lot. I weight 180 lbs. and eat that same number in grams, of protein everyday. 4% of 180 grams is around 7 grams everyday. I'm using less than half of that and getting results so I should be in the clear. This can also be monitored over time with a simple blood test. Your cholesterol wouldn't increase to dangerous levels overnight.

..and it also reduces lipoprotein cholesterol, an important marker for heart disease.

However, it does mean that I should probably cycle this. maybe 3 weeks on, 1 week off or something like that.

[Beggiatoa]

On the other hand, it antagonizes Arginine. That's good if you have a virus but bad for everything else. The study also said pairing it with equal amounts of or Arginine DID NOT raise anything so balance is key.

I think I get it. Wheat doesn't have a lot of Lysine in ratio with other Amino acids. I've been eating a lot of Quinoa lately and that has as much lysine as meat. The reason it lowered stress in the study was because these people's diet used wheat as a staple, creating a deficiency. Correcting that corrected stress levels.

[LALoner]

I once bought L-Lysine at Trader Joe's and the cute girl at the register gave me a dirty look. So when I got home I googled some stuff up and found out that the main use is to slow down Herpes. I figure on the odd chance I ever get a woman back to my place I don't want to have any Lysine sitting around.

[X33]

Here's the result of the 1st paper, what do you all think?
STAI = State Trait Anxiety Inventory (subjective measure of stress/anxiety)

[Beggiatoa]

X33,

Thanks for posting that. It's very promising. So, 3 grams of both Lysine and arginine and in around 10 days, you'll feel less stressed. Any volunteers?

[ju_pa]

I supplement my glutamine with sauerkraut and get lysine from the pan-salt I use. Works well!

[Beggiatoa]

I'm going to give this method an honest try once again. After trying everything under the sun, this seems to be the most logical and inexpensive way to tackle anxiety. Not even magnesium is all that wonderful anymore.

Did anyone stick to this plan ?

[clovereater]

Hi beggiatoa, how has this been going?
Are you not taking selenium anymore? I know how frustrating it is when supplements stop working. I've tried a huge amount myself also.

[Beggiatoa]

I still use selenium. I didn't imply social anxiety, just general anxiety. By the way, I've been using lysine with arginine and it's great. I have more muscle mass and it's also helping me loose weight. The anxiety is a littl better also.

[ju_pa]

Originally Posted by Beggiatoa

I still use selenium. I didn't imply social anxiety, just general anxiety. By the way, I've been using lysine with arginine and it's great. I have more muscle mass and it's also helping me loose weight. The anxiety is a littl better also.

Have you tried taurine ? Or Glycine ? How about your ferrum levels ? Have you tried potassium ? (I can eat 50 bananas and still need potassium).

I think I am completely GA/SA free now. I have heart pounding but it doesn't come only in social situations but also when climbing up the stairs etc. It doesn't affect my anxiety. It's like completely separated. I bought iron today. Heart starts to pound faster to get more oxygen into red blood cells. If you have low red blood cell count, heart has to work harder ? I'm not definitely sure but iron makes sense for my palpitation. Nothing else has helped. Maybe too much omega 6-s but I have now tried to eat only fish for some time.

I am willing to answer any questions if anyone has. Does having no anxiety feels good ? well you will finally get used to it and you won't be so thrilled about it. But I can't thank enough that something that has brought me to this point where there's no obstacles and where I just feel at my best.

[robertz]

Originally Posted by ju_pa

I bought iron today. Heart starts to pound faster to get more oxygen into red blood cells. If you have low red blood cell count, heart has to work harder ? I'm not definitely sure but iron makes sense for my palpitation. Nothing else has helped.

I also take Iron bisglycinate. It's been two weeks but the fatigue and the exercise performance has noticeably improved.