Any natural supplement recommendations?

[BusterBuns]

So I suffer from OCD/GAD and have so for many years.  My physician wants to put me on Paxil, but I've also experienced erectile difficulties in the past and as many of these anxiety drugs have that as a side effect, I'm hesitant to use them.

Does anyone have any recommendations for natural, daily, supplements that would be helpful?  I used to take Suntheanine without much benefit, but didn't know if there was something else out there that would help.  I've read that Vitamin B, magnesium and Passion Flower are pretty good.  Anyone know anything about these?

Thanks.

[Paxiled]

Again, only standardized kava had the problem, and those people were also taking several medications and exposed to other toxins but only the kava was flagged.  I don't believe it actually has a problem.  Passionflower can be an excellent systemic relaxant, and would be better for daily use than kava.  Kava is best used as you would a benzo, when you need it.  But anything in excess can turn out to adversely affect someone.  If you tell your doc you're in pain, he'll give you ibuprofen, which is both liver toxic and highly adverse to the lining of the digestive system.  Aspirin causes internal bleeding.  Acetomenophen, or Tylenol, may be the most liver toxic drug out there.  If you want to avoid toxicity you may be left unable to treat your anxiety taking anything, but so far passionflower hasn't been implicated in serious side effects.  I'm trying to tell you your doctor isn't the best source for this stuff so you have to do your homework and make your choices.  Doctors are trained to be antagonistic to competition from natural remedies, but they prescribe toxic drugs they know nothing about without any hesitation.  You have to use your own sense of reason and risk if you want to live in a toxic troubled world.  At any rate, one would normally use passionflower as well as a quicker relaxant such as kava, so a substitute for kava would be something like valerian, though that can make you drowsy.  Good luck.

[Jcinny777]

Thanks for the insight. I am just worried what the dr told me and think if it is worth it to even take a chance by taking Kava.  I heard passionflower also works well for anxiety but no side effects like Kava. Any comment?

[Paxiled]

Just to elaborate on what I'm saying, it's very hard to find things that work.  When the marketers of Cymbalta, an snri antidepressant, decided to get it patented for pain relief to keep it on patent longer the supervisory committee discovered at least 18 deaths from liver disease caused by it.  The company had never informed anyone about it and it hadn't gotten much publicity, and still hasn't.  One would have to assume that all snirs have this problem.  It's my guess, and it's more than a guess, that your doctor wouldn't tell you not to take Cymbalta because of this, but does with kava. where not deaths have been confirmed to have been caused by it to my knowledge, it's just a suspicion.  Interesting, no?

[Paxiled]

There were a few people who reported liver problems who were taking kava -- I believe the original notice was five people.  One was taking enough to drown in, while the others were all taking standardized kava.  I know of no one not taking standardized kave who have had liver problems with it, and the people in the islands where it's native drink it every day without any problems.  Compared to many antidepressants kava is completely harmless.  If it helps you there are two ways to minimize liver damage:  get your liver enzymes checked regularly, just as you would have to if you were taking tricyclic antidepressants or snris in order to be safe, or just don't take the standardized version.  Enzymatic Therapy makes a good kava that is just the juice encapsulated.  Good luck.

[Jcinny777]

I have taken Kava for a few days and I think it helps but my doctor suggested me to stop due to potential liver problem.

[Paxiled]

I guess i should have added, magnesium is certainly an American problem due to consuming too much dairy (very high in calcium, low in magnesium; the two must be in electrical balance) and too few leafy green vegetables.  Passionflower can be very effective systematically for some people.  A stress B is good nervous system support, but probably won't solve your problem by itself.

[Paxiled]

The natural approach to anxiety is complex, not simple, as you discovered with theanine, which I've never known to help anyone at least in isolation.  I'd start by reading a book by Hyla Cass called Natural Highs.  She's a psychiatrist at UCLA who uses natural remedies in her practice, and this is a good overview of what's out there and how remedies are combined.  Natural medicine would usually combine relaxant herbs with adrenal support herbs with amino acids to support neurotransmitter usage, plus talk therapy, exercise, dietary changes, meditation, relaxation techniques, etc.  With something as complex as chronic anxiety it would never be just one remedy.  And stay away from Paxil unless you've tried absolutely everything else first.  Along with Effexor and other snris this is a very difficult drug to be on but especially to stop taking.  So keep this one in reserve for desperation time.

[BusterBuns]

Hi Vance,

I actually exercise daily and eat a very clean diet (no candy, sugar, salt, etc.).  Also don't drink soda and I've limited myself to one cup of coffee per day.

[Vance2335]

Exercise helps.