LymeNet Flash: This helped with sleep...

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Posted by liz28 on :

This may not help everyone, but it created enough improvement to be worth a post:

Calcium/magnesium/zinc chelated combination

Nearly all the vitamin companies make it. I got mine from Solaray for $7.99. Try 2 tablets right before bed.

Posted by dafje (Member # 7121) on :

In what way does this help you sleep? I take it too but mine doesn't say anything about sleep...

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Calcium and mag are both known to help with sleep. Don't ask me how!!

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oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by liz28 on :

Yeah, it was a real surprise. Until recently, I was having a big problem with insomnia, or whatever the official descriptive term is for waking up every 2-3 hours. I started taking this combination, and suddenly could sleep through the night, with one wakeup max.

Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :

Was with a woman last night who said exactly the same thing. She told me to try this mineral combo and a Vt. E before bed. Said she sleeps like a baby now. Am going to do it tonight.

Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :

"L-tryptophan is the main precursor to serotonin, so if you take tryptophan, along with B6, B12, C, calcium, magnesium, and zinc necessary for it to metabolize first into 5HTP and then into serotonin." And serotonin converts to melatonin which helps us to fall asleep.
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aminobipolar.htm

However, most of zinc gets tied up in calprotectin inside neutrophils (most numerous of the WBCs). This may be because some OTHER pathogens us zinc to replicate.

(Where does this fit into the Na-Vit C treatment to cause neutrophils to release elastase?)

Getting back to how serotonin coverts to melatonin (yawn):
http://www.charlesgantmd.com/Articles/5htpasprecursor.pdf (Print page 4 to see how tryptophan -> serotonin -> melatonin...pay close attention to where Acetyl CoA fits in too.)

Now go here:
http://www.expasy.org/uniprot/051567 and see the genomic sequence of Bb. Apparently this pathogen needs acetyl-CoA.

Sleep:

The way I understand it, we have 2 groups of sleep patterns. The first group is NREM (no rapid eye movement) and it has 4 stages as we slowly drift off. Bedwetting and sleepwalking occur during stage 4, but no dreams.

Then the 2nd group kicks in called REM sleep...rapid eye movement. During this time a lot of ***protein synthesis occurs (we make proteins then). Lots of amino acids are needed.

Acetylcholine must be available then in order to have good REM sleep. Acetylcholine changes the level of potassium. I know someone with lyme who has NO REM sleep (tested, sleep lab). The brain is active during REM sleep and this is when we have vivid dreams.

REM periods start out lasting 5-10 minutes and gradually lengthen until the last one is about 50 minutes long.

REM sleep constitutes 1/4 of our sleep time. NREM and REM alternate in cycles of about 30 -90 minutes.

REM sleep is only possible when preceeded by NREM.

Basically, the brain waves slow down (NREM) and pick up (REM), slow down and pick up...

When the supply of serotonin is exhausted, the result is severe insomnia and a reduction of NREM and consequently REM sleep too.

The neurotransmitter norepinephrine is also associated with REM sleep, but a reduction of this has no influence on NREM sleep.

Dopamine also helps you to get to sleep.

"The following nutrients are needed and used during sleep:
Calcium, magnesium, Biotin (Vitamin H), Niacinamide, inositol, vitramin B6, vitamin C, zinc, amino acids, tyrosine (an amino acid), and taurine (an amino acid)."
http://www.vitaminusa.com/nutinabsleep.htmnl

Now why does serotonin drop? I think it is initally overproduced in lyme in order to convert to melatonin which MIGHT be what knocks out Bb in ticks feeding on the Western Fence Lizard. (See my recents posts.) This maybe a body protective path - a way to knock out Bb.

But when serotonin goes up, dopamine usually drops and this isn't good so the body starts producing anti-serotonin antibodies. These antibodies are often found in other diseases as well.

Choline is a precursor for acetylcholine (REM sleep) and choline is used in the synthesis of the phospholipids ...cholesterol.

Is the choline being diverted to make phospholipids rather than the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine?

We know Bb follows the "cholesterol" pathway...using the nutrients we need to make cholesterol.

Very probable acetylcholine drops too.

To really know where you stand...if you get your essential minerals checked (via urine spec.) and your neurotransmitters checked (via spit sample) then you will know for sure what you need to focus on to rebalance.

[This message has been edited by Marnie (edited 02 July 2005).]

Posted by DeniseBunty (Member # 6559) on :

liz did you see a difference right away the first night or did you have to take it a while?

Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :

Wow, tried taking my Calcium, Magnesium & Zinc tab last night before bed and, voila, I slept a solid 8 hours. This is a first in months. It may be coincidental but I am going to try it again tonight just to see.

Posted by liz28 on :

Hey, BC, I was just giving the board a once-over, and was shocked to see these minerals actually helped you. I can never quite believe that anything about Lyme happens to more than two or three people. I'm glad the combo worked for you.

Re: Marnie's post, I am also trying to take a lot of Omega 3s and phosphatidylcholine, maybe that has helped as well.