Bipolar Aminos: Taurine or GABA?

Taurine and/or GABA?

Both are held to support mood and neurological stability, relaxation and sleep, and generally reduce neurotransmitter overstimulation in many individuals. So how does one choose?

Taurine: some of the physical considerations

1 Heart issues (common in bipolar mania) or eye problems may be additional indications of need for taurine. (Note: Taurine is concentrated in the heart and eye (as well as the brain)).
2 Taurine may be especially needed if the diet is high in fats or if having problems handling fats due to insufficient bile.

What to watch out for:

1 Taurine in some cases, counterintuitively, contributes to agitation, irritability, and mania, perhaps related to a need for more zinc (as in histapenia, pyroluria, and metal metabolism dysfunction).
2 High doses of taurine (and magnesium, and very high doses of vitamin C) may contribute to diarrhea.
3 Taurine may be less than useful in some persons with significant low blood pressure or hypoglycemia.

With such problems, and especially if chronic pain is involved, GABA may be a better choice.

On the other hand, for many bipolars, a particular pattern of GABA, taurine, and glycine (or magnesium glycinate) over the day (one example might be: one amino AM, a different one at lunch, all three PM) may optimize benefit. The physician and patient can work together, over time, to fine tune amino acid choices and dosage.

See posts from June 21 to August 24 for more on inhibitory aminos. And, for fuller coverage, including studies, see my book, Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder.

Nutrients and Bipolar Mania: Aminos Acid Therapies in Context

Amino acid therapy for bipolar disorder is becoming relatively popular.
It may be one of the more potent symptomatic approaches. 
However, keep in mind that excess aminos (some more than others) can be harmful, especially with long-term use, and may interact with drugs. For a starter,  see:
http://www.moodcure.com/aminoacidprecautions.html

Remember that getting as close as you can to specific underlying causes, i.e., the individual's unique biochemical (i.e., nutritional/orthomolecular) requirements, is what supports long-term stability.

One of many examples: while the amino acid, taurine has been used successfully to calm many bipolar manias, in people who are zinc-depleted (e.g. pyrolurics, many histapenics, many under stress, etc.) it can be counterproductive, actually increasing agitation.

So attention to the entire nutrient/health picture is imperative (methylation imbalances, pyrrole disorder, oxidative stress, hormonal issues, neurological problems, metal metabolism dysfunction, second messenger dysfunction, allergies, toxins, nutrient dependencies, depletion or overload, etc., as dictated by individual needs. 

For more on these conditions, see Natural Healing for Bipolar Disorder, and meanwhile,  stay tuned!

See also Nutritional Therapies for Bipolar, and Biochemical Individuality

Bipolar Nutrients: Intro to Inhibitory Aminos

So, there are three main biotypes to consider in bipolar disorder.
See:

Nutritional therapies: Three Major Approaches

and Some preliminary indications of nutritional outcome

We've been discussing pyroluria for some time (April 19, 20, 23, May 6, 7, 14, 21, and May 28 to June 17), but it's just one of the biotypes, probably present in less than one third of bipolars.  
The mechanisms underlying the other two major biotypes involve the status of neurotransmitter activation or suppression.
So before talking about these, I'd like to give you some background on amino acids and neurotransmitters. 

As a short introduction, see Margot Kidder's comments on the inhibitory aminos:

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aminobipolar.htm

Important: Since we are now focused on mania, the info on tyrosine, and the inclusion in her regimen of  tyrosine, phenylalanine, and glutamine are not relevant  here.