Low serotonin and low GABA affect on performance?

not affect on performance…but….effect on performance

Could low blood levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) or low blood levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid) have an effect on performance?

An important question to ask is :

How well do blood levels of serotonin or GABA correlate with levels beyond the blood-brain barrier in the cerebrospinal fluid and central nervous system… the location where serotonin and GABA have their effects on brain and cognitive function?

It is also an important question to answer.

OK?

I don't think I understand...

Symptoms of depression are lack of energy, poor mood and lack of concentration. It is often treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which increases serotonin in the synaptic cleft.

Why were tests done to determine GABA and Serotonin blood levels? You might wish to ask the person who ordered the tests.

Serotonin levels in the brain can not be measured. Serotonin levels in the blood are irrelevant.

This thread is useless without times and distances and workouts history.

How much sleep are you getting?

I run about 70-80 miles per week with 2 hard workouts per week. I am a female sub 5 min miler (4:57). I sleep about 7 hours per night but its restless sleep.

What is the actual number for thyroid? "fine" or "within normal range" can be misleading.The range for "normal" TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is big spread - 0.5 to 5.5. Free T4 is another test, what was that? Finally, some people with early Hashimoto's disease (autoimmune disease which attacks the thyroid) have "normal" TSH levels, until enough of the thyroid gland is destroyed that the TSH levels move out of the reference range. Low serotonin and GABA *could* both be the result of thyroid issues ... or not. Low serotonin is typically associated with depression.Low GABA is typically associated with anxiety.

lookingforanswers wrote:

I haven't been performing well and just don't feel right. I've gotten everything checked through blood test - ferritin is great, thyroid fine, BUT I have very low serotonin and GABA levels.

Could the low serotonin and GABA be contributing to the bad performance? I am just trying to figure out how this all works together. Thanks!

lookingforanswers wrote:

I run about 70-80 miles per week with 2 hard workouts per week. I am a female sub 5 min miler (4:57). I sleep about 7 hours per night but its restless sleep.

Well, you need to sort out your sleep. 70-80mpw needs good rest. Do you practice good sleep hygiene? Do you go to sleep at the same time every night?

How is your diet? How much caffeine are you taking now?

Go to 40mpw for two weeks and post how you are feeling after that. Now should be a great time to do it.

Interesting comment. I actually thought I was doing ok on sleep, but maybe not. My sleep patterns are good, very structured. I can't nap during the day but I go to sleep and wake up at the same time.

My diet is incredibly healthy, if anything too healthy. I make all my own meals and generally eat low carb and high protein, with only lean proteins. No dairy or gluten because it bothers my stomach. I don't drink coffee (don't like it) so I don't have too much caffeine - maybe 2 cups of tea per day.

The original complaint was your performance was low/lower to the point you sought medical advice and you are a high mileage athlete that does not sleep well. All that working out doesn't improve performance without rest. Cut the mileage in half for two weeks, but stay on the intensity workouts.

Since you are preparing your own food, I'm guessing it's kind of repetitive. I'd also suggest varying the diet more including richer meats, pot roast, salmon, maybe. Moderation and variation will take you further than a strict meal plan.

Go do some other stuff that's not running while you are at it. I'm assuming you are in between seasons. All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl. Concentrate on high-performance resting and changing your routine up for a while. I'm pretty sure that's going to go against your intuition, but, give it a try.

Update the thread after a week of less mileage if you get a chance.

lookingforanswers wrote:

Interesting comment. I actually thought I was doing ok on sleep, but maybe not. My sleep patterns are good, very structured. I can't nap during the day but I go to sleep and wake up at the same time.

My diet is incredibly healthy, if anything too healthy. I make all my own meals and generally eat low carb and high protein, with only lean proteins. No dairy or gluten because it bothers my stomach. I don't drink coffee (don't like it) so I don't have too much caffeine - maybe 2 cups of tea per day.

No dairy, so what are you doing for calcium?

High protein, low carb is probably the cause of your problems.

" I sleep about 7 hours per night but its restless sleep."

If it's restless sleep, there's the source of your decreased performance.

High protein/ low carb in the old theory meant less tryptophan crossing the blood brain barrier because of competition with other amino acids. Lower tryptophan meant lower serotonin and lower melatonin, and an alteration in sleep.

If your are an obstinate iconoclast clinging to your habits, then you must accept the consequences of those habits.

Why do you think low carb and high protein is "healthy?" Why do you think it's a suitable diet for a distance runner?Where did you learn that? Instagram? The internet?

lookingforanswers wrote:

Interesting comment. I actually thought I was doing ok on sleep, but maybe not. My sleep patterns are good, very structured. I can't nap during the day but I go to sleep and wake up at the same time.

My diet is incredibly healthy, if anything too healthy. I make all my own meals and generally eat low carb and high protein, with only lean proteins. No dairy or gluten because it bothers my stomach. I don't drink coffee (don't like it) so I don't have too much caffeine - maybe 2 cups of tea per day.

fred wrote:

" I sleep about 7 hours per night but its restless sleep."

If it's restless sleep, there's the source of your decreased performance.

High protein/ low carb in the old theory meant less tryptophan crossing the blood brain barrier because of competition with other amino acids. Lower tryptophan meant lower serotonin and lower melatonin, and an alteration in sleep.

If your are an obstinate iconoclast clinging to your habits, then you must accept the consequences of those habits.

Fred.

Are you really going to bring up all that LNAA (Large Neutral Amino Acid) competition with tryptophan for transport into the CNS where it is converted by a pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6) coenzyme dependent decarboxylase enzyme into serotonin, which is then converted by an N-acetyl-transferase, and then an SAM (S-adenosyl-methionine) dependent O-methyltransferase enzyme into melatonin stuff again?

Please stop it Fred. You are going to confuse things with that egregious drivel.

OK?

By the way Fred…the N-acetyl transferase enzyme has a light-dark cycle and is active at night and inactive during the day, which increases melatonin synthesis at night and decreases melatonin synthesis by the pineal gland during the day.

There are also enzymes in the pineal gland which may form the molecule DMT (dimethyltryptamine) which you may remember from the list I posted about the substances I use for 'technical support'.

Fred. Do you think that I am mentally deficient and/or a jibbering idiot?

Trollism said I was both.

OK?

You need more magnesium , tryptophan, and generally just good carbs.

Eat a couple of bananas or a piece of wheat bread with honey before bed. That will give you the deep sleep you are looking for.

Took weeks of this to finally maintain quality restful sleep.

rjm33 wrote:

By the way Fred…the N-acetyl transferase enzyme has a light-dark cycle and is active at night and inactive during the day, which increases melatonin synthesis at night and decreases melatonin synthesis by the pineal gland during the day.

There are also enzymes in the pineal gland which may form the molecule DMT (dimethyltryptamine) which you may remember from the list I posted about the substances I use for 'technical support'.

Fred. Do you think that I am mentally deficient and/or a jibbering idiot?

Trollism said I was both.

OK?

No, but you need to cut back on the DMT

Fred. How can you cut back when it is synthesized in your brain and activated as a neurotransmitter by very old 'elite' methods of yoga?

Of course this also means your brain is actually illegal.

The US government told me that is just the way it is and too bad.

Oh well.

lookingforanswers wrote:

I haven't been performing well and just don't feel right. I've gotten everything checked through blood test - ferritin is great, thyroid fine, BUT I have very low serotonin and GABA levels.

Could the low serotonin and GABA be contributing to the bad performance? I am just trying to figure out how this all works together. Thanks!

Sounds genetic, stop eating gluten your brain is probably working overtime to do the same work. You probably also need more choline, gluten can effect its absorption in your intestines.