amino acids help sleep?

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badnights
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amino acids help sleep?

Post by badnights »

It might be too early to get excited - t's only been 3 nights - but I'll start at least.

I had been taking 3/4 of a Z (zopiclone 7.5mg) pill nightly and simply could not cut back down to 1/2, where I had been before my pneuomina problems. I started taking an (expensive) mixture of amino acids (6 huge capsults nightly - ugh) and the first night I slept like a baby with only 1/2 a Z pill. The second night I only took 1/4 Z - unheard of! and slept exactly as well. The third night I had someone else in the bed and slept terribly (I am not used to that) with 1/4 Z so last night (alone) I went back up to 1/2 Z just to be sure, and again slept all night.

I wake up feeling like I've slept after I take these things, a very but subtly different feeling from waking up after a zopiclone sleep. I wake less in the middle of the night, and I sleep better in some way. The only problem is that I have lingering grogginess in the mornings but that might go away when I actually get rested.

So - re PB's melatonin thread - maybe between these amino acids and melatonin (if I start it), I can rid myself of the zopiclone entirely! well, it can t hurt to dream.

I haven't researched the amino acids at all, and I have no idea why they would work.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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Polar Bear
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Re: amino acids help sleep?

Post by Polar Bear »

I started taking an (expensive) mixture of amino acids

Some sleep.... excellent....
Are these amino acids a brand name or anything in particular to be looked for ... dosages etc. What should I be looking for if I wanted to try these.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
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badnights
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Post by badnights »

I/we should do some research first. They're made for a company called SomaLife, the pills are called gHP Youth Formula or simply Youth Formula (they're also marketed as gHP Sport but the ingredients are identical)
L-lysine HCl 1302 mg
L-arginine HCl 1302 mg
L-ornithine HCl 798 mg
L-glutamine 250 mg
glycine 500 mg
L-leucine 400 mg
L-isoleucine 400 mg
L-valine 400 mg
Just a bunch of amino acids. A quick look at the company's website does not show it to be different from any other maker of supplements. I will dig deeper when I have time.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

Thankyou.... You have given me enough information to work on.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
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Chipmunk
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Post by Chipmunk »

I ordered the Somalife pills and just got them today. The dosage says to take six on an empty stomach- but I am supposed to also take my iron and Vit C on an empty stomach first thing. Do you think I can take them together? And do I really have to take *six* of them to see any benefit? I hate taking pills lol but I will if I need to to sleep!
Tracy

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Chipmunk
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Post by Chipmunk »

I have been taking the Somalife amino acids for almost a week now. I noticed a difference on the first day but wanted to give it a while to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

I can't believe how well they work (knock on wood!)!!! I have a Zeo that records time awake during the night....it's usually between 30 - 60 minutes with the legs waking me up all night long. Since I have been taking the amino acids my time in wake has been averaging about 11 minutes, including the night my husband and I went to a wine tasting dinner. Usually even half a glass will set off the WED symptoms but I slept shockingly well.

At $97.00 a month they are not cheap but I would pay five times that to keep sleeping like this!! Keeping my fingers crossed!!
Tracy

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badnights
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Post by badnights »

I took the Somalife amino acids for 3 or 4 weeks. I like the effect they seemed to be having on my sleep (didnt have a Zeo at that point so I was going on my feeling of having slept well) but I started having intestinal pains and diarrhea. Particularly after I ate, I would always feel sick. (having diarrhea when on opioids is quite an accomplishment). I thought food poisoning, but there were too many different things doing it to me. I thought celiac, but why did it come on so suddenly? I realized it had started within a week of my starting the amino acids, so I quit them and sure enough the intestinal problems went away.

I was taking 6 pills at bedtime, because the literature was conflicting: In one place it said MEN only take 6 at bedtime, women take 6 in the morning, and somewhere else it said women take 3 in the AM and 3 in afternoon. But I underwstand that our bodies produce growth hormone at night, male or female - and the whole point was because they helped me sleep.

Are you doing the 6 at bedtime?

I have recently started again, with only 3 a night. Day 2 but still ok.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Chipmunk
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Post by Chipmunk »

I take six of them first thing in the morning (some time between 8 and 10 a.m.) on an empty stomach. I also take my iron, Vit C, Wellbutrin and Adderall at that time. Then I eat breakfast 30-90 minutes later. I have been taking them with OJ because that seems to help them not get stuck in my esophagus - so painful!

I have to say that I owe you a significant debt of gratitude for mentioning these amino acids. If I would rate my sleep before starting them as a 5 out of 10, then now it is an 8 out of 10. I almost feel normal some days. It's amazing. And the Zeo data bears it out. My avg deep sleep has more than doubled, and my wake time now averages 5-10 minutes, instead of 30-60 minutes. I am almost done with the month's supply and will be placing another order for sure.
Tracy

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the WED/RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Chipmunk
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Post by Chipmunk »

My understanding is that women should take them in the morning because it sets into motion the right hormone balance for sleep. Something about women producing growth hormone in the morning which then triggers this hormone and that hormone which then helps you sleep. How's that for a technical explanation? :P

And I am not sure about the intestinal issues - perhaps I am not noticing side effects because I am on the iron.

One side effect I have been wondering about is if they have a stimulant effect. I find myself staying up later because I'm just not tired enough to fall asleep. But then I wonder if I just have to get used to not being desperate for sleep. Before I would be counting down the minutes until my head could hit the pillow because I was so sleep-deprived. Maybe this is just my body having to re-learn how to go to sleep? I'm not sure as it seems more like when i take my adderall too late in the day but have it in the back of my mind to watch and see what happens.
Tracy

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the WED/RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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