Topic Title: Green tea (a bit long)
| |  "Green tea (a bit long)"
, Thu 24 Jun 12:30
Hi everyone,
As some of you know I've been taking SJW for nearly five years, and I'm quite keen to take a break from it as that seems like a long time, plus I have a few side-effects from it. Up till now I've not been able to stop - after only four or five days of not taking it I feel terrible - a complete relapse of my original problem - foggy thinking, low confidence, speech problems and social anxiety.
Anyway I think I've discovered something! I read on a site somewhere that green tea contains something called "catechins". As well as being antioxidant, they stop noradreneline (the neurotransmitter responsible for energy and alertness) from being broken down. Here's a good link that explains the "science bit": http://www.drumlib.com/dp/000018A.htm
So I thought I'd try it. And the result is, I stopped taking SJW 10 days ago, and I feel FINE! I started out drinking 2-3 cups a day, and felt OK. Then yesterday I started on some caffeine-free standardised extract, and got a real boost from that. The effect for me is softer and more mellow than SJW. I feel alert, but also relaxed. (I thought I would try a supplement because it might contain less theanine, as well as less caffeine. Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that is supposed to be calming, but when I tried it as a supplement a few weeks ago I felt terrible - tense and withdrawn. Though the tea doesn't make me feel like that, I thought that any theanine in it might be making it less effective).
Before starting SJW I used to have "good" and "bad" days, and couldn't work out why. But then I sometimes used to drink green tea at work (though not all the time). Could be the reason!
I found quite a bit of information on the web about this, but all related to body-building and weight loss. Seems like no-one has picked up on any mood-elevating potential (though it would be good to lose a few pounds as well!).
I'm not taking gotu kola at the moment as I don't feel the need for it (it was good for taking the edge off the anxiety that SJW caused). I have started taking some DLPA and a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet (for the raw materials!).
I just hope this keeps working! I would recommend this for any condition where lack of alertness is a problem...
Cici
Posts: 76 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
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| |  "Re(1):Green tea (a bit long)"
, Sun 12 Sep 05:51
glad its making you feel better.
I been drinking green tea for a year and i must admit now i think about it, i do feel better after drinking some.
Posts: 12 | | Registered: Fri 16 Apr 2004 9:57 |
| | "Re(1):Green tea (a bit long)" , Thu 24 Jun 14:16
Hi cici,
I have been reading your posts for quite some time now, and I believe your symptoms resemble mine to a great extent. For example, you just mentioned "foggy thinking, low confidence, speech problems and social anxiety" I can't have put it better myself!!! In my case, I would just also add fatigue.
Anyway two weeks ago I started taking Kira, and a few days ago switched to Amoryn, since I wanted to get the added benefit of 5-HTP as well. I've also been taking some Gotu Kola. And now you mention green tea. I am really glad to hear it's working for you, and I hope it does for the long-haul.
I am little sceptical, however, that green tea could be as effective as SJW. It just sounds too simple! ;)) Plus, since it's so popular, shouldn't have people picked up on it? And I have tried regular green a few times and every time I thought I felt a little sick after it. Oh, yes, I should've mentioned that skepticism is another of my "symptoms". ;))
In any case, I will follow up on the links you posted, but just wanted to say Hi, since I can relate very well to your situation. I believe "wolkig" is the other person who seemed to have similar problems to mine, and I even remember you and him having an interesting discussion about adrenal exhaustion -- another of the main suspects on my list.
Posts: 35 | | Registered: Tue 8 Jun 2004 21:12 |
| | | "Re(2):Green tea (a bit long)" , Thu 24 Jun 16:32
Hi alx,
Yes it does seem ridiculously simple doesn't it! I don't think I'm imagining it though - usually this long without SJW, I'd be feeling very useless. I'll see how it goes, but it does feel like something real is happening. If it is real then it IS strange it's not been picked up before. But then I think it's helped me in the past without me realising - I didn't make the connection between my level of confidence and what I was drinking!
By the way I'm sure SJW is better for actual depression, and it's certainly stronger stuff. But I think my problems are slightly different, it's more chronic dopeyness than anything... And I've found I need quite a lot of tea to have a good effect, which is why I went for the supplement in the end (was feeling very tead-out!)
Hope the Amoryn and Gotu Kola are working for you. It sounds like quite a powerful combination - I think it would be a bit too heady for me! How are you feeling?
Cici
Posts: 77 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
| | | "Re(3):Green tea (a bit long)" , Thu 24 Jun 18:24
Hi cici -- I felt great yesterday but not today. Of course it's too early to tell since it's only my third day on Amoryn! But I probably should've stayed on Kira, as I had no reason to switch. I'll keep you posted. You keep us posted on the green tea too! I hope it continues to work for you.
Posts: 36 | | Registered: Tue 8 Jun 2004 21:12 |
| | | "Update" , Mon 5 Jul 11:40:
Hello everyone,
Thought I'd let you all know how I'm getting on with this. Well, I'm still taking the green tea extract and I havn't taken any SJW since made the last post (so that's about three weeks now), and I still feel fine. So I think it IS making a genuine difference. What I feel it's doing is clearing my head of the mental fog, and therefore just allowing me to be myself.
I have given some thought to why this hasn't been noticed before. (Although it has, but only in body-building circles!). I think most people with normal mental functioning wouldn't notice anything much apart from it being a mild stimulant. I was drinking green tea while taking SJW and didn't notice much. But now I'm off the SJW it's making a big difference to how I feel.
The effect is different to SJW in that it's less intense. With SJW although I was mostly more confident, I could sometimes be emotional and nervous, too aware of my own feelings and those of others. Like a tendancy to have a mad crush on someone but be unable to relax in their company (like Ginny Weasley from Harry Potter). Or if I had to speak in front of a group of people, I would be so concious of them looking at me I would start to feel physically faint from nervousness.
I don't feel like this now, I feel more "cool" with everything, but perhaps also more bland. Possibly the SJW was having effects which I didn't need. I think now that my problem is almost solely with noradreneline, and the SJW was overloading my brain with too much serotonin and dopamine. OK and fun in the short-term, but after 5 years it was getting a bit heavy! (I may try SJW again out of curiosity, or if I need an extra boost. But I'm happy I no longer depend on it.)
I also find now that I don't like to take any other herbs for mood. I tried gotu kola again and the effect was negative - it used to be good for mellowing out the rough edge of SJW, but this time I just felt hyper and jittery.
Interestingly, I did a search on SJW and found that the catechins, the active constituents of green tea, are also found in SJW in fairly large amounts.
Anyway I'm rambling on again... What I'm currenly taking is: "Health Aid standardised decaffeinated green tea extract tablets, 100mg, 95% polypenols, 75% catechins", and I take this first thing in the morning.
For those who I've spoken with similar problems to me, this may help, it's worth a go. And if it doesn't, at least it's very healthy and good for you (all those antioxidants...!)
Cici
[this message was edited by cici on Mon 5 Jul 11:44]
Posts: 81 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
| | | "Re(1):Update" , Wed 7 Jul 18:54
Thanks for the update, cici. Amazing stuff! I may give it a go myself...
Posts: 43 | | Registered: Tue 8 Jun 2004 21:12 |
| | | "Re(2):Update" , Sun 11 Jul 05:30
Hi alx,
Good luck if you do try! It may be good for the fatigue, and should be fine to take alongside the SJW as well. Hope it doesn't make you feel ill though (like you said before...)
cici
Posts: 81 | | Registered: Sat 10 Jan 2004 13:11 |
| | | "Re(3):Update" , Thu 3 Nov 12:09
Hey Cici,
I seem to have the same problems as you, especially regarding speech problems. The shrink thought that was odd, and is not a common symptom of anxiety/depression. Nevertheless, I wanted to have a chat with you, but could not get your email addy in the profile. If you are online, please email me at yu275471 at yorku.ca
Thanks!
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Thu 3 Nov 2005 12:4 |
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