Has anyone used Oxaloacetate to lower glutamate (for insomnia, head pressure, sensory issues)?

Therapeutic Efforts
#1

I have been reading about the glutamate / GABA balance. Wondering if trying this supplement to lower glutamate would improve sleep. I have only seen one person try this and they seem to claim it helped with sleep and tinnitus. Amazon has a version called BeneGene. I guess there are some trials using Oxaloacetate for Epilepsy, Alzheimers, etc…

#2

Is that what NAC and Gutheione do?

#3

I believe its different. The idea is that Glutamate and GABA have to be in balance for the brain to function properly. To much GABA can cause lethargy, brain fog, etc… To much Glutamate (the excitatory neurotransmitter) and you can also have brain fog, headaches, insomnnia, etc… So the ratio of Glutamate and GABA has to be just right. Glutamate converts to Glutamine which eventually gets converted to GABA when needed by a special enzyme. I’m sort of speculating that maybe low GABA isnt our issue but that super high Glutamate is.

Too much Glutamate can damage neurons. I think possible evidence of this would be tinnitus, vision issues, poor sleep, head pressure. Oxaloacetate scavenges Glutamate from the blood stream. Once those levels are low, capilaries pump more Glutamate through the blood brain barrier to reach homeostasis. This clears excess glutamate from the brain and gets the Glutamate / GABA ratio back into a normal balance. Glutamate is shown in traumatic brain injuries and there are several studies where they treat TBI with Oxaloacetate to clear the excess glutamate to help the neurons heal or regenerate.

From what I have been reading… a possible course of treatment would be to take Oxaloacetate and vitamin B6 (to help with the conversion of Glutamine to GABA. Maybe this would decrease head pressure, tinnitus, visual issues, insommnia. Some other evidence of this would be that some people feel symptoms improve when fasting. By fasting you’re clearing your blood stream of glucose, glutamate, etc… and your brain is sort of cleaning house in the process. Some articles talk about using Oxaloacetate to reach ketosis without actually having to be so strict with the diet. The supplement keeps blood glucose so low that your body is using ketones for energy. I guess some diabetics are treated with this as well. But once again… I’m just a guy reading about science and have no real expertise or knowledge.

NAC has some neuro protective properties but I dont think its the same thing.

#4

Thanks for posting this. I’ve noticed that if I take fermented foods after breakfast or lunch I get head pressure or depression. If I take fermented foods with an evening meal I don’t normally get a head pressure. The fermented foods obviously increase GABA so it’s taken to help with sleep.

Sometimes I get brain fog after sleeping but head pressure after certain foods.

“GABA’s primary function as the brain’s major inhibitory neurotransmitter is to prevent overstimulation. It does this by counteracting glutamate—the brain’s major excitatory neurotransmitter. When GABA binds to a receptor, it prevents stimulation by glutamate. When GABA levels are inadequate, overstimulation due to high levels of glutamate can occur and lead to symptoms of low GABA.”

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