InattentiveType
09-22-03, 03:03 PM
I mentioned Ginkgo in the Neurologist thread. I didn't want to thread-hijack so I thought I'd start another one.
Here's what I said in the other thread:
________________________________________
I think I've actually found that it's the Ginkgo Biloba I've been taking that is the most effective in waking me up on time.
I bought one of those pill organizers (my wife says it reminds her of what her grandfather used to use ) and when I first organized it I was taking my Adderall in the morning but wasn't taking the Ginkgo until the afternoon and evening. It was taking me like two hours to wake up. (better than normal, but still bad)
Then I switched back to taking the Ginkgo along with my morning Adderall dose and it made a huge difference, I woke up about an hour earlier (1/2 - hour after dose).
So if you're still having trouble getting up give Ginkgo Biloba a try, seems to work for me. I bought a bottle @ Walgreens for ~$20 that has 240 60mg tablets.
_________________________________________
I started taking Ginkgo because it was one of the supplements most recommeded in Dr. Amen's books.
I was curious as to what all Ginkgo does and found a good article here. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0007F21B-2592-1E64-A98A809EC5880105
Researchers cannot say for certain whether ginkgo biloba can improve cognitive functions, but they have found that the extract can affect the brain in several ways
CIRCULATORY
Stimulates widening of the blood vessels, which leads to increased blood flow to the brain and lowered blood pressure (perhaps reducing the risk of stroke).
Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood (excessive cholesterol is correlated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease).
Inhibits the aggregation of blood platelets and the formation of clots. This may lower the risk of an occlusive stroke (caused by a clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain) but raise the chance of a hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain).
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ANTIOXIDANT
Curbs the creation of free radicals, highly reactive oxygen molecules that may injure neurons and cause age-related changes in the brain.
Alleviates the effects of cerebral ischemia-- the loss of blood flow to the brain-- by inhibiting the production of toxic free radicals after an ischemic episode.
GLUCOSE UTILIZATION
Boosts the absorption of glucose, the body's primary fuel, in the frontal and parietal cortex, areas of the brain important for processing sensory information and for planning complex actions.
Also increases glucose absorption in the nucleus accumbens and the cerebellum, brain regions involved in experiencing pleasure and controlling movement, respectively.
NEUROTRANSMITTER SYSTEMS
Appears to help neurons in the forebrain absorb the nutrient choline from the blood. Choline is one of the components of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that transmits signals between certain neurons.
Slows the attrition of neuron receptors that direct the response to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that reduces stress and anxiety.
Enhances the release of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), another neurotransmitter that can relieve anxiety. Lowering stress may reduce the level of glucocorticoid hormones in the blood, which in turn may protect the hippocampus, a brain structure critical to normal learning.
Raises the production of norepinephrine, yet another neurotransmitter. Enhanced activation of the norepinephrine system by certain antidepressants has been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression.
After reading this it's easy to see how this could be very helpful to those of us with ADD.
Here's what I said in the other thread:
________________________________________
I think I've actually found that it's the Ginkgo Biloba I've been taking that is the most effective in waking me up on time.
I bought one of those pill organizers (my wife says it reminds her of what her grandfather used to use ) and when I first organized it I was taking my Adderall in the morning but wasn't taking the Ginkgo until the afternoon and evening. It was taking me like two hours to wake up. (better than normal, but still bad)
Then I switched back to taking the Ginkgo along with my morning Adderall dose and it made a huge difference, I woke up about an hour earlier (1/2 - hour after dose).
So if you're still having trouble getting up give Ginkgo Biloba a try, seems to work for me. I bought a bottle @ Walgreens for ~$20 that has 240 60mg tablets.
_________________________________________
I started taking Ginkgo because it was one of the supplements most recommeded in Dr. Amen's books.
I was curious as to what all Ginkgo does and found a good article here. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0007F21B-2592-1E64-A98A809EC5880105
Researchers cannot say for certain whether ginkgo biloba can improve cognitive functions, but they have found that the extract can affect the brain in several ways
CIRCULATORY
Stimulates widening of the blood vessels, which leads to increased blood flow to the brain and lowered blood pressure (perhaps reducing the risk of stroke).
Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood (excessive cholesterol is correlated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease).
Inhibits the aggregation of blood platelets and the formation of clots. This may lower the risk of an occlusive stroke (caused by a clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain) but raise the chance of a hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain).
Advertisement
ANTIOXIDANT
Curbs the creation of free radicals, highly reactive oxygen molecules that may injure neurons and cause age-related changes in the brain.
Alleviates the effects of cerebral ischemia-- the loss of blood flow to the brain-- by inhibiting the production of toxic free radicals after an ischemic episode.
GLUCOSE UTILIZATION
Boosts the absorption of glucose, the body's primary fuel, in the frontal and parietal cortex, areas of the brain important for processing sensory information and for planning complex actions.
Also increases glucose absorption in the nucleus accumbens and the cerebellum, brain regions involved in experiencing pleasure and controlling movement, respectively.
NEUROTRANSMITTER SYSTEMS
Appears to help neurons in the forebrain absorb the nutrient choline from the blood. Choline is one of the components of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that transmits signals between certain neurons.
Slows the attrition of neuron receptors that direct the response to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that reduces stress and anxiety.
Enhances the release of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), another neurotransmitter that can relieve anxiety. Lowering stress may reduce the level of glucocorticoid hormones in the blood, which in turn may protect the hippocampus, a brain structure critical to normal learning.
Raises the production of norepinephrine, yet another neurotransmitter. Enhanced activation of the norepinephrine system by certain antidepressants has been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression.
After reading this it's easy to see how this could be very helpful to those of us with ADD.