| entropy@farviolet.com 2005-05-24, 5:58 pm |
| Please read, this is a somewhat lengthy explanation, it is on topic for
this group, but it will take a while to get to that explanation. I finally
decided to do this, after another two friends today told me it had changed
there lives.
Shortly after having realized that the differences I'd lived with all my
life where consistent with Asperger's syndrome (autistic spectrum condition).
I encountered a reference to a study regarding the use of L-Carnosine in
autistic children. Here is the abstract for that study. Please notice
this is a double-blind study. If L-Carnosine was a patentable drug a study
with an outcome such as this would have put it well on its way to large
clinical trials and FDA approval. But L-Carnosine is not patentable so the
pharmaceutical industry isn't going to do anything with these results.
http://www.farviolet.com/~entropy/carnosine.html
I obtained L-Carnosine, and took a 500mg pill quite skeptical that anything
would happen at all, after all its regularly used as a life extension
supplement. Thirty minutes later the quality of the music on the stereo
changes, it got much softer and crisper, I felt a feeling of peace. I
continued to take it. I soon noticed that navigating stores no longer
overloaded me, dealing with people was much easier, my stress and anxiety
levels where lower, phobic reactions decreased greatly. It was like
entering a new life overnight. I am still an Aspie, but many of the
unpleasant aspects of the condition have decreased substantially, while
the pleasant and useful ones have increased, I still retain my gifts in
programming, and the like which come from this condition.
I started to tell friends about it, expecially those who showed some
autistic like symptoms, even if they didn't fit the clinical definition
strictly (women often don't show many of the social symptoms). There
reaction was often the same as mine, some noticing it in 30-40 minutes,
the change in hearing being most noticeable. Others noticing it gradually
after a week of taking it. The effects are subtle, and may not be apparent
at all for some people until they take it for a week or so and then look
back and see that things arn't like they used to be.
Further research on medline showed that atleast in trout, that L-Carnosine
is involved strongly in hearing and the auditory nerve. Its role in the
brain is not well understood, but it may serve as a neuro transmitter, or
in another form as a reservour for GABA, as well as serving as an anti
oxidation agent at some terminals in the brain. In general I believe the
effects I and others have felt seem most consistent with a role in
inhibitory neural transmission. A clarifying and softening of sensory
sensations, expecially hearing. However to my surprise L-Carnosine's
effects are quite noticeably different than those of neurontin or any
other drug of that sort, it seems to be in a class by itself. And seems
to be a precision screw driver applied gently right in the right place
as opposed to a crowbar jammed into the brain.
Why am I posting on this group? Many neurological disorders are found in
autism. I believe once the genetics of these conditions are understood,
we will see them as different tips of one giant iceburg rather than
independant entities. As studies have progressed it often appears that
what used to be thought of as mental conditions, are really genetic
conditions, conditions which often create an enhanced need for certain
compounds. Some other examples of this are the association of omega-3
shortage with immune conditions and possibly schizophrenia, the association
of L-Carnitine shortage with metabolic conditions often associated with
autism. I believe L-Carnosine is likely another inherited nutritional
dependancy (*).
So please, I know everyone is trying to sell something and every crackpot
idea is out on the web. But I know this has really dramatically helped myself
and many of my friends (about 7 so far). I can't say for sure if it would
help you. At the very least it will work for some of those on or near the
autistic spectrum, but there is no reason at this time to believe that it
will be limited to that. Its a $20 experiment that may change your life,
and the lives of millions of others based on your experience. Try 500mg,
at first, in general 1000mg seems to have little extra benefit, and sometimes
causes mild side effects. Of course if your concerned, you can always split
the capsules up and start with a very low dosage.
As of this point I have the following reports of side effects:
1000mg - things sound weird, almost too clear, after being on it two
years, I no longer have this experience, often use 1000mg
before social events.
1000mg - mild anxiety
1000mg - hyperactivity/stimulant effects
500mg - tinnitus
Of course I can't insure that others will not be discovered, please keep
a lookout. A 500mg dosage is not out of line with the amount obtained in
a very meat rich diet, which leads me to believe the risk is limited.
However there is never a sure thing, a substance in isolation sometimes
has risks which are not present in its natural form, please keep this in
mind if your decide to try it, occasionally lookup the latest L-Carnosine
research to make sure that safety issues have not come up.
Some of the same people have also found fish oil, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine/
R-ALA to be useful. Please be careful with ALCAR/R-ALA dosages, start low
(<250mg), this can also cause anxiety in high dosages. Sites selling it are
often body building sites and may recommend quite excessive amounts.
I'm very interested in hearing accounts both positive and negative.
Please give it atleast a week, or two before assuming nothing has
happened. You may not feel subjectively different or only subtly so,
other people may notice the change more than you do. In many ways
its what doesn't happen any more (high anxiety peaks, sensory
annoyance) rather than what does which is most dramatic.
If this works for you, please do the chain letter thing. Give it to
atleast 5 of your friends to try, on the condition that if it works
for them, they pass it on to 5 of theres, and so on. Or pass this
along with accounts of your experiences to other boards.
(*) On an interesting side note, a diet consisting of mostly wild
game would have likely provided the amounts of these nutrients
required by those with these genetic dependancies. Perhaps a group
of humans became obligatory carnivores in the past, and we are dealing
with the genetic fallout? The most fascinating of the possible
explanation for the origin of these genes is Neanderthal (forget the
popular image, they where successful large brained cold weather
hunters living on a 90% meat diet).
---
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