1.) Does NAC (N-AcetylCysteine) help us control Trich?
The answer is a resounding Yes! The article below talks about success with Trich specifically and there is much more research about NAC helping other Impulse Control Problems.
Recent research from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota School of Medicine regarding NAC and Glutathione click here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
Conclusion: "This study, the first to our knowledge that examines the efficacy of a glutamatergic agent (production of glutathione) in the treatment of trichotillomania, found that N-acetylcysteine demonstrated statistically significant reductions in trichotillomania symptoms. No adverse events occurred in the N-acetylcysteine group, and N-acetylcysteine was well tolerated. Pharmacologic modulation of the glutamate system may prove to be useful in the control of a range of compulsive behaviors." More Info here on how NAC works: http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-n-acetylcysteine-works.html NAC works best in combination with other Amino Acids, read how it works. If you go to http://www.pubmed.gov/ and type in N acetyl cysteine in the search box you will find other good articles.
NAC, SAMe, Inositol… etc, all of these natural approaches influence the body’s methylation process and this is why they help in many cases.
2.) Why would an Amino Acid Supplement that raises our antioxidant levels and improves Methylation (which is responsible for Neurotransmitter Balance, Efficient Detoxification and Efficient Cellular Energy Production more here) help us with Trich? Isn’t this problem STRESS related?
Effects of Chronic “Perceived Stress” on the Immune System include:
- Increased sympathetic (fight or flight) activity decreases cellular immunity
- Immune cells migrate to different parts of the body and can worsen autoimmune and allergic conditions
-Over time, the positive acute mobilization of immune cells in response to challenge is suppressed.
(Reference: McEwan BS. Protective and Damaging effects of stress mediators. New England Journal of Medicine. 1983;338(3):171-179)
Related research: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11499335
3.) Does it make sense that you could increase the effectiveness of NAC or even mimic its effects with diet and exercise changes?
Another resounding YES!! More here: http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/20...
You can enhance the effectiveness of NAC
with lifestyle changes. Conversely, you may interfere
with the effectiveness of NAC by making lifestyle choices that are counterproductive.
4.) Does a poor diet and poor lifestyle choices play as large a role in the activation of Trich symptoms as our perceived stress level?
Poor Diet and Lack of Exercise will affect your cellular environment in exactly the same way as chronic stress and in other ways that also decrease your body’s ability to adapt to your environment. Watch Food Matters!! You can watch here for FREE until 10/08/2011 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...
5.) Why haven’t I heard any of this from my Dr?
Because most Doctors have studied abnormal physiology (aka Pathology) all of their professional life and they do not understand normal human physiology at the level needed to help you. He/She was not adequately educated in nutrition at school and they get most of their information from drug companies. Drug companies are not interested in teaching anyone about the importance of lifestyle changes and how they can affect various conditions. They also have no interest in recommending a $14 nutritional supplement (NAC), that you can get from any health food store, even though it has PROVEN to be EFFECTIVE through research. Understand how NAC works http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-n-acetylcysteine-works.html and watch the movie above!!
6.) Are you truly serious about stopping Trichotillomania?
If the answer is yes, Take Action! http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/20... Because of what I’ve learned through the study of normal human physiology, I no longer concern myself with redirecting my behavior. After 24 years, I’ve taken action to stop the urge to pull and eat my hair in the first place. I am 100% convinced that you too can make lifestyle changes and find significant relief.
I’m launching a web based version of my support group. It will be a FREE webinar style forum with open communication between members. Current Support Group info here: http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/20...
Please contact me if you are interested in joining and I will keep you posted on dates and times. I’m hoping to launch in December. What I have to say may not be popular but you deserve to know the truth. Join the group on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/9154627482/#!/groups/kickthetrich/
Much love, Christian
"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to accept what is true." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
Poor Diet and Lack of Exercise will affect your cellular environment in exactly the same way as chronic stress and in other ways that also decrease your body’s ability to adapt to your environment. Watch Food Matters!! You can watch here for FREE until 10/08/2011 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...
5.) Why haven’t I heard any of this from my Dr?
Because most Doctors have studied abnormal physiology (aka Pathology) all of their professional life and they do not understand normal human physiology at the level needed to help you. He/She was not adequately educated in nutrition at school and they get most of their information from drug companies. Drug companies are not interested in teaching anyone about the importance of lifestyle changes and how they can affect various conditions. They also have no interest in recommending a $14 nutritional supplement (NAC), that you can get from any health food store, even though it has PROVEN to be EFFECTIVE through research. Understand how NAC works http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-n-acetylcysteine-works.html and watch the movie above!!
6.) Are you truly serious about stopping Trichotillomania?
If the answer is yes, Take Action! http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/20... Because of what I’ve learned through the study of normal human physiology, I no longer concern myself with redirecting my behavior. After 24 years, I’ve taken action to stop the urge to pull and eat my hair in the first place. I am 100% convinced that you too can make lifestyle changes and find significant relief.
I’m launching a web based version of my support group. It will be a FREE webinar style forum with open communication between members. Current Support Group info here: http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/20...
Please contact me if you are interested in joining and I will keep you posted on dates and times. I’m hoping to launch in December. What I have to say may not be popular but you deserve to know the truth. Join the group on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/9154627482/#!/groups/kickthetrich/
Much love, Christian
"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to accept what is true." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
Watch this video and gain a solid understanding of Epigenetics!!
More research from PubMed on Epigenetics. "The early life environment and the epigenome": http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go
Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner! It will be the best trip to the doctor you have ever made. If you live in Central Florida click here, visit us at Be Well. Watch the video below, Functional Medicine explained at TEDMED.
Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner! It will be the best trip to the doctor you have ever made. If you live in Central Florida click here, visit us at Be Well. Watch the video below, Functional Medicine explained at TEDMED.
FAQ's and More Info
Why is Trich (and other Impulse Control Problems) so Enjoyable?
It’s enjoyable because, (for whatever reason), our brains have hooked the release of “feel good” neurotransmitters to the action of both pulling the hair and performing the post pull sensory activity… (All impulse control issues stem from the same type of neurotransmitter imbalance, I'm not sure why our physiology chooses different forms of expression.) We have basically adapted a way to mentally “Check Out” of our environment, but the result of this adaptation is devastating to the lives of almost all who suffer. Where Trauma is involved, therapy and CBT can really help us find the event or chain of events that we are escaping. (Maybe you already know or maybe it doesn’t feel like Trauma at all from your current perspective.) Maybe Your Cause is not trauma related at all; Maybe your body is trying to escape a Physiological State of Being (ie: state of health) or maybe you are trying to escape a combination of both “micro traumas” and the physiological state you’ve set for yourself over time. Find YOUR reason (or reasons) your mind/body has a need for this escape and you will be able to address it and overcome it. Physical Trauma, Emotional Trauma, Cellular Toxicity and/or Deficiency; all of these reduce immune system function; they suppress mitochondrial activity which depresses the cell’s ability to produce energy efficiently. All of these stressors hinder our ability to adapt to our environment. Some of us will experience relief with therapy alone but most of us need a much deeper evaluation. CBT and Therapy alone does not hold an answer for all those who suffer and medication on its best day functions as a band-aid and at worst screws up everything…
If I were to start all over again, I would ask my doctor to look into metabolic
testing, something like this http://www.bewellnsb.com/DHFMetabolicProfile.pdf
and if I were female I might have the need to ask the doctor to follow up with an expanded female hormone panel, something like this http://www.bewellnsb.com/diagnostechfemalehormonepanel.pdf
It's all connected; we have to stop treating the parts and start addressing the whole. ;-)
If you have tried NAC before and did not experience relief, the most common reasons for this are the following: (You should minimize this problem by using NAC or equivalent protocol under the supervision of a professional.) 1.) Remember that NAC is most effective when combined with other Amino Acids and Nutrients. (We use a modified version of this protocol at Be Well: https://www.bewellnsb.com/DFH28DayDetox.pdf 2.) Remember that it can take up to one month of consistent use for you to notice relief. (Could take up to two months if you are working against yourself.) 3.) Effective dose is usually between 500 – 1500 mg three times per day (in divided doses). Read this Page! http://kickthetrich.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-n-acetylcysteine-works.html
More info here http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/walshMP.htm#Met on Methylation/Production of Glutathione.
http://ww.bewellnsb.com/OptimalWomensWellness.mp3
More Research:
Inositol works by supporting all neurotransmitter activity in the brain. Effective dose of Inositol by itself has shown to be between 3 and 6 grams three times per day, (9 grams - 18 grams total in divided doses), which is a lot of inositol... Keep in mind when reading research that the point of research is to isolate the nutrient in question to see if it really has an effect on a particular condition. Unfortunately, this can result in extremely high doses; this is shown to be true in looking at both NAC and Inositol. In clinical settings, clinicians know that Nutrient Synergy is very important. When you combine nutrients like NAC and Inositol with other synergistic nutrients you can use less of any one particular substance.
Research regarding Inositol for treatment of Trichotillomania and Skin Picking specifically: http://www.healthrising.com/stories/trich.htm more info here: http://www.ocdrecoverycenters.com/about/prot_inositol.html
