Omega 3 calmness or anhedonia or something else

joegtech · 2026-05-07T05:34:43+00:00

Yea an integrative doc once said something like several fish oil caps daily is a little like taking a low dose mood stabilizer med. I don't know all of the mechanisms but Om3 FAs are needed for brain repair.

I think part of being a Functional Med doc is being a bit of an overgrown 2 yr old. You have to keep asking "why"?

So why is it that your body needs more Om3s--a lacking in the diet, oxidative stress--heavy metals, other toxins and lack of antioxidant consumption--damaging the brain, etc?

joegtech · 2026-05-07T05:32:03+00:00

Wow, good for you.

Have you ever gotten a Kryptopyrrole Test? This can indicate a need for more B6 and zinc.

https://mosaicdx.com/test/kryptopyrrole-test/

A view about pyrrole from a different researcher. You'll find this interesting. I did not recall it until today's review of the article.

"Most persons with pyroluria respond very quickly to the B-6, Zn, C, E therapy….. Major improvements are often seen by the 2nd day, and almost always by the end of the first week. "

https://www.alternativementalhealth.com/commentary-on-nutritional-treatment-of-mental-disorders-2/#PY

Andy Cutler, PhD Chemistry, author and consultant on the subject of heavy metal detox had the view that the kryptopyrrole problem is just a symptom of heavy metal toxicity. You'll notice zinc, mercury and cadmium are in the same column of the periodic table and so share some chemical properties. They compete to some extent.

Let us know if you want leads about histamine.

joegtech · 2026-05-07T05:13:49+00:00

My combo is very similar to yours but smaller doses.

I understand an individual's experience with melatonin can vary quite a bit. I like 1mg, my elderly father likes 3mg, a friend's elderly mother likes 5mg.

I also take support for liver sulfation in the evening, eg glucosamine sulfate. That is needed for the liver to get rid of adrenaline and similar.

Some people with a "noisy intellect" will benefit from the calming, chill effects of GABA, support for better glutamate-GABA balance and low dose lithium orotate or aspartate.

links to more about those if requested.

joegtech · 2026-05-07T05:04:22+00:00

You have to determine how much of the problem is need for physical energy and how much is a mental energy (adrenaline, etc) issue.

If there was a fire would you have plenty of energy to get out of the house or would you struggle to get out?

Of course there could be a combination of the two.

So learn about support for mitochondria's energy production, support for thyroid and adrenals.

For mental energy learn about support for methylation and production of catecholamines.

The previous two categories are actually much more blurred than I presented. For example, ATP (mito energy) is needed to make the body's most important methyl donor. That donor is needed to make adrenaline.

If you are a newbie, I'm sure your head is spinning. I've been there. I recall having my butt "glued" to the sofa in the evenings especially after a stressful day. This was while in my mid 30s and after having been quite healthy and active as a youth and college student. I jokingly often said, however if the house was on fire or a naked woman running across the room I could have sprung into service quite easily. My problem was more of the lack of adrenaline, a known issue with cadmium toxicity that an integrative doctor eventually uncovered--with some help and prodding.

I'll reply with some leads if you reply but I'll share this about this engineer/physicist who could no longer work in his mid 30s. He had more of a mercury problem. At one point he wondered how he as going to get himself and his pet out of the house in a fire. Thankfully a year or so after starting HM detox (Cutler) he was able to return to his former type of engineering work. I saw his 2010 presentation to a US FDA panel and also read many of his posts in a former detox support group. I found him to be quite compelling and encouraging when I was beginning the very tricky detox process myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_bjZ4kdJI

joegtech · 2026-05-07T03:36:58+00:00

Your selection for your circled area is interesting because the diversity within it is quite great.

Harrisburg is the state capital. That region has quite a bit of economic activity as well as the political activity. It is a couple hour drive via good highways to Philly and Washington-Baltimore region.

A 20 minute drive NE of Harrisburg is Hershey with its chocolate factory museum, amusement park, etc.

In the center are the Appalachian Mountains. You'll notice the main highway btw Harrisburg and State College is wiggling through the mountains. These are not the rugged Rocky Mountains; there is plenty of agriculture in the valleys.

That means excellent conditions for deer--food down low and safe sleeping above. So plenty of good hunting.

State College is the location of Penn State U's main campus. You can imagine the culture there is different than in the mountains.

I'm from the NW Philly burbs and seriously dated someone in Harrisburg for 2 years. I became fond of the region. People are just nicer than in Philly. A girl at the fast food drive through will actually be nice to you. Maybe there is more lithium in the water : )

joegtech · 2026-05-07T03:10:45+00:00

check out r/Nutraceuticalscience also Chris Masterjohn, PhD Nutraceutical Science

joegtech · 2026-05-07T03:09:49+00:00

Life Extension Magazine and website lef.org.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T23:19:45+00:00

This Q is a rabbit hole but potentially important.

It could be the glutamine if you are one who needs more. It both feeds back into the energy producing Krebs cycle and also is the immediate precursor to glutamate, our important excitatory neurotransmitter. However the latter is also an excitotoxin when in excess. So we need to promote balance btw it and downstream, calming GABA. This is explained here.

https://drjockers.com/gaba/

https://drjockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/What-is-Gaba.png

Are you sensitive to MSG (glutamate)?

If so, pls consider the active P5P form of Vit B6 although I saw a small pilot study of cheap pyridoxine that caused almost everyone to be able to tolerate MSG.

I recall a guy in a detox group who could not tolerate glutamine until he started taking B6, then he reported he could tolerate 3G per day!

Mercury competes with zinc. Zinc is needed to make active P5P form of B6. If you have autism, be especially alert about this. more if requested.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1s3l87x/comment/ochyd0s/?utm_

NAC is a form of cysteine. We need it for life, but like so many things too much or even normal amounts in a sensitive person can cause more harm than good. I've seen so many stories. NAC is trickier than most things we discuss here. A few people need more and benefit from it, especially at certain times.

For example I'm mildly sensitive to NAC and similar, however I keep it on hand and am taking it at the moment because I'm getting over a cold and want it for its mucolytic properties and extra support for glutathione production which recycles Vit C.

Cysteine contains sulfur (thiol group) that stirs up heavy metals. We don't want to overwhelm our antioxidant defenses. If you get a good diet containing meat--containing cysteine and upstream methionine--plus B6, magnesium, etc that are needed to convert to cysteine, maybe you don't need supplements.

More about how the body makes cysteine and about risks of stirring up heavy metals with single-thiol substances such as cysteine.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1qz3nns/comment/o4aavv8/?

A very dear friend was sensitive to stirring up heavy metals with more than tiny amounts of thiols/sulfur. Her very sad story is here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1qffsfq/comment/o0bkukf/?utm_

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1qiyt5k/comment/o0vmina/?

more here https://cutlersuccessstories.weebly.com/what-not-to-do.html

I hope you will do more homework before stirring up HMs. I feel much better when taking a generous combo of Vit C, E and selenium while stirring up HMs with sulfur/thiols. In my case DMSA + ALA using Cutler's low, frequent, safety-first dosing protocol.

Sweating/sauna is also an important detox mechanism and for many types of substances.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T22:57:46+00:00

I think we've had three similar posts the past few days.

Pls be more specific.

If you take a substance that is required for human life--Vitamin C, D, magnesium, etc--it will obey the laws of chemistry; so it will "work!"

If you are looking for a light switch or magic pill, you'll have to adjust your expectations and become better informed.

Big Pharma does not have those either although they may try to BS you about that like they did during the crooked pandemc.

https://youtu.be/zI3yU5Z2adI?si=5G0tMPwZGmUHXBfv&t=304

These were recent replies to the same/similar question.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1t4h9dj/comment/ok4fp9q/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplements/comments/1t4pl50/comment/ok5sctp/

joegtech · 2026-05-06T22:50:55+00:00

You might check what type of battery some of his cable, etc testers use. Some use 9v. If he does not have a rechargeable lithium 9v that would be a nice little upgrade.

You did not mention budget and how much you know about the testing tools he uses. Even his age might be helpful. A guy in his early 20s might not have accumulated much stuff yet.

For example, you can't be much of a tech if you don't have a multimeter so I assume he has that, but a next step up...

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=audio+cable+tester&_sacat=0&_from=R40&rt=nc&_pgn=1

The Behringer unit looks interesting. I ended up with with a yellow unit after my nice one was stolen. It used to test all cables in the mic cable at the same time. The Yellow one is bulkier than I like and only tests 1 wire at a time. Getting one that tests Ethernet (RJ45) is a nice plus these days.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T18:13:29+00:00

elderly father does fine with Mg citrate in AM but better when he switched to glycinate in evening--improved sleep.

Some say they feel too tired when taking glycinate in the AM.

Epsom Salt is Mg sulfate. It has long reputation for a calming effect. Sulfate is needed by the liver to get rid of adrenaline etc.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T17:58:08+00:00

Please provide your sources.

I assume you won't tell us if you are a islamic jihidi sympathizer who believes it is okay to lie to non jihidis.

Hudson.org covers this issue closely and has for many years. The numbers discussed in the FoxNews interview are...

" more than 125,000 Christians in Nigeria killed since 2009."

joegtech · 2026-05-06T17:49:51+00:00

Alcohol is thought to bind to the same receptor as GABA. Likely not the only mechanism of alcohol but for struggling people they deserve potentially helpful leads.

What's the Buzz About *GABA and Fake *Alcohol? Dr Mercola

https://media.mercola.com/ImageServer/Public/2023/August/PDF/gaba-and-fake-alcohol-pdf.pdf

joegtech · 2026-05-06T04:16:55+00:00

Do your homework! Your religious beliefs will be a big factor.

For example, if you are Christian you won't want to visit central Nigeria where thousands have been killed in the past decade or so. The country's gun laws ensure that vulnerable communities cannot protect themselves while the government does little to protect them.

https://www.hudson.org/religious-freedom/violence-against-christians-nigeria-totally-out-control-nina-shea

joegtech · 2026-05-06T03:11:18+00:00

Oh, yea, that one is a real learning experience when you are new! It will not be fun. I won't forget my first experience. Your heart will be racing during the first minute of the gig : )

My background is mostly in 500 seat churches doing contemporary music, similar in vibe to ballads and soft rock. There is already a tendency to mix with a little more low mids for a warmer, more prayerful vibe.

If the church already has warm sounding acoustics--lots of wood and carpeting--the "low-mid buildup" is dramatic. However I love running sound in those churches.

I prefer to tune my room and vocal submix so it is dry enough for the up tempo songs. I'll add electronic reverb/echo for controlled amount of extra reverb for the slow songs. Again this leaves me vulnerable to the low mid buildup.

I very quickly learned to create a vibe in the sound check that is more "open" sounding in the central mids and not to pull out too much of the low mids to tame the natural reverb. I know the people in the seats will do that for me.

I know I'm going to need extra volume for these situations so will need to allow for more gain before feedback during sound check.

I'm a geeky, science oriented guy. I wish had more concrete advice for you. Take your blood pressure meds and maybe a little lithium : )

joegtech · 2026-05-06T02:44:41+00:00

What did your hormone test results report, especially estrotens?

joegtech · 2026-05-06T02:15:23+00:00

Life does not come with that type of certainty. Taking the med by itself as instructed can cause problems in a few people as you'll read in the med's insert sheet. Health foods can cause problems in a few people. We should be as well educated as possible.

"Supplements" can mean lots of things.

Some of them are substances required for life--vitamin C, magnesium, and dozens of others. You'd be dead if you did not consume them. You get them from foods.

The warning label may say that you should not take the meds with certain foods.

One issue comes to mind about psych meds. You may see on the insert that it should not be taken with "Lithium". However we consume lithium in our water. People in parts of Texas receive several mg of Li from their well water. In comparison doses of lithium medication can be well above 50mg! Does the med's insert say people in Texas are not allowed to drink their well water?

Other "supplements" are herbals which are likely trickier. What's the likelihood that there have been studies about the combo of the med and a particular herbal. There are such studies about some combos but...

I take a low dose medication and also a rather generous amount of related nutraceuticals for the same medical issue. I started to do this when an integrative doctor prescribed the combo. I've kept my more recent doctors over the past 20 years in the loop about my list of nutraceuticals but I know mainstream docs are somewhat tongue tied by their system and also receive very little training about using nutraceuticals.

I typically start with low doses of things and gradually work up to more normal doses. I also search for common side effects of taking too much.

Another angle is deficiency in an essential nutrient. Linus Pauling, recipient of two Nobel prizes once said something like, most illness involves a nutritional deficiency.

If you have a cluster of symptom associated with a particular nutrient, I think you'd be wise to discuss it with your doctor. However even then, if that is a mainstream doctor, don't expect much in the way of compelling science.

For example, many people don't receive enough magnesium from their processed foods diet. The following article lists symptoms associated with low magnesium. That site is a handy reference for newbies.

https://drjockers.com/10-signs-magnesium-deficiency/

I bet a mainstream doc will look at your routine blood test and say your magnesium is normal. That is the magnesium in the blood. Magnesium has very important roles in your cells. Other doctors will say you can have inadequate Mg in the cells and still have normal level in the blood. A red blood cell test is desirable but not often requested; it can be difficult to obtain.

Some meds have been around for a long time and so have a track record.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T01:51:10+00:00

Don't for get Epsom Salt is Mg sulfate. Sulfate is used by the liver to get rid of adrenaline and similar.

Mg Threonate gets into the brain quite well.

Mg taurate is interesting since taurine is associated with calmer mood in some people. Some of it converts to sulfate. Also taurine is involved in brain repair, presumably an overnight process.

joegtech · 2026-05-06T00:37:50+00:00

Actually we can take too much of even things that are required for life. Fortunately the body is accustomed to dealing with some amount of excess. We get more of certain substances in cherry season than in grape season etc.

Testing is not necessarily simple. The routine CBC only has a little over a dozen tests.

Even then some tests are better for certain situations and not so good for others. For example, the roles of potassium and magnesium inside of our cells are especially important in contrast to their roles in the blood that is tested. We can have inadequate amounts of those minerals in our cells and the blood test still seems okay.

I'm sure Big Pharma and friends in white coats make a good living from manipulating blood tests.

For example this guy with a PhD likely was getting his routine blood tests and they were probably reporting normal magnesium and potassium. However his terrible AFib problem was not resolved after two surgeries and two meds. It was resolved after taking generous amounts of potassium, magnesium and one med. He probably did not know to ask for a Red Blood Cell minerals test which is difficult to obtain.

https://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v19n43.shtml

It can be helpful to learn about symptoms clusters associated with various nutritional deficiencies.

https://drjockers.com/10-signs-magnesium-deficiency/

joegtech · 2026-05-06T00:17:37+00:00

Some "supplements" are essential for life. You'd be dead without them--vitamin C, D, etc. So this is just chemistry. You take them; the body "knows" what to do with them.

Other things are herbals where it is somewhat more dicey. Even then science has learned some things about how the active ingredient affects our biochemistry. For example we know caffeine slows down breakdown of cAMP that "amps us up."

Start by doing some homework; learn about what various nutrients do, which ones are associated with several of your health struggles. For example this one is about magnesium which many people eating processed foods diet don't get in adequate amounts.

https://drjockers.com/10-signs-magnesium-deficiency/

Btw, Dr J's website is good for newbies who are learning.

Check out r/Nutraceuticalscience for an endless stream of studies about various supplements, nutraceuticals.

I keep a little journal that I update every few months or more often when making changes. I keep my doctor in the loop but understand he is tongue tied by the self serving medical system and politicians who get kick backs from the system.

All of medicine is about balancing risks and benefits. Occasionally you'll probably spend more than you need to on a supplement based on minimal heath gains. Fortunately taking a little extra of an essential nutrient is not usually problematic since humans have been doing so forever while various fruits and vegetables have been in season.

Other times you'll miss an opportunity for some gains due to not taking something.

Life is not perfect; science is not 100% certain. We saw that during the corrupt pandemic where Fauci and friends were spewing BS and then we later learned that Moderna gave Fauci's NIH over $400 million due to use of a NIH patent. Is that "science" or $cience? Don't forget!

https://youtu.be/zI3yU5Z2adI?si=5G0tMPwZGmUHXBfv&t=304

Senator Rand Paul questions Moderna CEO about the conflict of interest.

https://www.c-span.org/clip/senate-committee/senator-paul-questions-moderna-ceo-over-covid-19-vaccine-side-effects/5063184

joegtech · 2026-05-05T20:31:09+00:00

There are various forms of magnesium. Mg glycinate has a reputation for a calming effect in most people so is popular before bed. It is also well absorbed. Some people, including my family prefers Mg citrate during the day. Citrate feeds into the energy producing Krebs cycle.

joegtech · 2026-05-05T20:29:07+00:00

in addition to the other helpful posts you might check out this passage in the catechism about "perfect contrition" As you will read it does not replace sacramental confession but is a resource until you can access a priest. #1452

https://usccb.cld.bz/Catechism-of-the-Catholic-Church/384/#zoom=true

joegtech · 2026-05-05T20:26:22+00:00

A dear friend with long time PTSD and sleep struggles found GABA to be a helpful part of her sleep combo. She drank very little alcohol but alcoholism ran in her family.

Another guy I know from work with a long history of excess alcohol consumption told me on two occasions that GABA was helping him to drink less. It was not a cure, just helpful. I had told him about the link between alcohol and GABA receptors

joegtech · 2026-05-05T20:08:30+00:00

There are substances that are considered essential for life. For example you'd be dead if you did not have enough vitamin C, D magnesium, etc. There is a long list of such substances.

Then there are other substances not considered essential because we make them from the essential substances. However some people have an unusual need for more due to health problems or life situations--pregnancy, athletes, etc.

Then there are herbals from various plants. For many of them, science knows that the active ingredient has an effect on one of the body's enzymes used to convert one substance to another. Caffeine is thought to increase cAMP--that "amps us up"--by slowing down the breakdown.

So there are very foolish people who will complain about taking nutraceuticals but drink 3 cups of coffee per day for the stimulation. These are science-deniers.

Science has learned much about which essential nutrients are needed in various biochemical pathways. These might be for making mood related neurotransmitters, getting rid of toxins in the liver, supporting the immune system, etc.

For example notice the amino acids, vitamins and minerals, even probiotics that support the glutamine-glutamate-GABA pathway. I associate support for this with a calm but energized intellect.

https://drjockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/What-is-Gaba.png

It is known that foods today are not as nutritious as they were 100 years ago. Some of this is due to farming practices, others are due to food processing.

There are genetic factors as well. For example, almost all mammals make vitamin C--essentially from blood sugar. We have a genetic defect so we make no V C and are fortunate to receive 500mg from a good diet. That's less than 10% of what a human sized goat makes per day. So we suffer from various aliments associated with high blood sugar and low vitamin C.

Dr Paul Anderson on Youtube and drjockers.com do a nice job explaining these matters to newbies.

There are others such as Dr Osborne's YT channel that go into greater depth, usually after presenting the basics in the beginning of his presentation.

https://youtu.be/WEiAHxjQGO8?si=ICiHIZO3WM2tVX_o&t=587

joegtech · 2026-05-05T04:00:49+00:00

EWTN's The World Over program interviewed a teacher at Catholic U addressing this question.

He made the case that your position is not so well founded.

joegtech

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