lexapro and brain supplements

[aryen]

I take 10mg Lexapro daily for the last 2 years, with good results. Last week I started taking 2 "Think Clearly" by SuperNutrition tablets out of the recommended 3 per day. I have noticed an increased alertness but the last few nights I am wired and stay awake for a few hours before falling asleep.

I am not (hypo)manic, do have a lessened affect and caffeine-like alertness due to this supplement.

Is there info available on compatibility/contraindicaton issues between LXP and e.g. phosphatidyl choline, DMAE, tyrosine, taurine, betaine HCL, L-glutamine, L-phenylanaline as these are the non-herbal/ vitamin/ greenfood/mineral components of this supplement?

For now I am cutting back to 1 tablet daily,

Thank you in advance for your time,

Cordially,

Aryen

[Paxiled]

SuperNutrition believes in putting maximum amounts of nutrients in their supplements.  I personally avoid them for that reason; a supplement should be a supplement, not a drug.  A lot of people like their supplements for this reason, but as I say, I avoid them.  Now, you're mixing a lot of things in that supplement that affect your neurotransmitters while you're taking a medication that artificially alters the way the body uses serotonin.  If you're an anxiety sufferer, phenalynine, for example, should be avoided, as it is what the body uses to make norepinephrine and adrenaline.  Same for tyrosine.  These are good for people who suffer depression, but not so good for anxiety sufferers.  Taurine is the amino acid that the body uses to make GABA; it's fine to take as long as you're not also taking a benzo.  The glutamine makes glutamate, which is another neurotransmitter that affects depression and perhaps anxiety;  the new generation of antidepressants will target this instead of serotonin, but glycine may be a better way to get at it.  But since you're already taking an antidepressant, you can cause overkill if you also take supplements that do the same thing.  So while there are supplements that are very beneficial to protect the body from the ravages of depression and anxiety, remedies that overlap should be avoided unless you really know what you're doing, which you don't.  That substance you're taking is intended to aggressively increase brain function, and for well-functioning people it can be a high, increase memory, increase alertness, but for you it's not surprising it's overstimulating you.  I would, again, avoid that company given your problems, and if you intend to do more of this kind of thing, see a naturopath.  Unfortunately, medical doctors aren't taught about nutrients in medical school and can't properly advise you about them unless they have learned it on their own as a second specialty.  Many have, but most haven't, so a naturopath is a better fit here.  But avoid that particular supplement and that particular company to be on the safe side.  When I managed health food stores, I wouldn't sell their supplements because I felt they just went too far beyond what is recommended even in the natural medicine community with their dosages.

[RubyWitch]

According to MY book on drug/herb interactions, all I could find for Lexapro is to defenitely avoid SAM-e and St. John's wort.

You could experience an INCREASE in anticholinergic effect from corkwood & jimsonweed.

An INCREASE in CNS effects from hops, kava & lavender

An INCREASE in hpertension  from yohimbe.

Afraid I'm not a chemist or a pharmacist, so that list of ingrediants in your suppliment are Greek to me. My advice............call your doctor or pharmacist and ask them if this is a safe suppliment for you.
Don't get me on a rant, but so many people think that simply because it's a "natural" product, then it must be perfectly safe. This is patently untrue. There are many "natural" substance out there that can cause a great deal of harm even when taken with nothing else in your system. When you begin to mix the "natural" with the "pharmecutical," there is no telling what may happen.
My advice? ALWAYS check with your doctor, a pharmacist before adding anything to your prescribed meds. ALWAYS!
Peace
Greenlydia      

[aryen]

addendum,

I do not smoke/ drink coffee/energy drinks, take (illegal)drugs other than occasional 5mg Valium for sleeping, exercise 3/week, fit, Take a mulitvitamin daily when not taking "think clearly".

Take LXP for moderate GAD. And I meditate daily.