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Deanol (DMAE) is an organic amino acid compound that the brain produces naturally. It is present in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and anchovies. Researchers often refer to it as a “mind health compound” because it may be able to reduce chemicals that impair cognitive function with age. Research also shows that DMAE may increase acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter linked to memory.
In fact, its main function is its effect on acetylcholine. The neurotransmitter activates muscles in the peripheral nervous system and supports cognitive brain functions through the central nervous system. Acetylcholine speeds up memory and learning and affects the brain’s ability to respond to injury. The chemical also supports REM sleep and engages sensory functions. Therefore, when a patient lacks acetylcholine, they may experience symptoms like weak muscles and fatigue. Since DMAE boosts acetylcholine, research associates it with these brain and muscle functions as well and it may produce a similar effect.
Benefits of DMAE
Mood
According to research, DMAE may be able to boost patients’ moods. One study used a sample size of patients that experienced emotional disturbances and the researchers administered a vitamin-mineral drug with DMAE. At the end of the study, the patients experienced better moods after taking the drug and they were also more active. Based on these results, researchers claim that it may be an effective way to boost mood and wellbeing.
Skin Health
During a randomized clinical study, participants applied a 3 percent DMAE facial gel daily for 16 weeks. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that the facial gel was safe and efficient in addressing signs of aging. It helped make the patients’ skin more firm and improved the skin’s appearance. The review also concluded that it may help reduce inflammation and researchers noticed that it reduced wrinkles around the patients’ eyes and foreheads. And to top it off, the research found that DMAE did not appear to cause side effects such as redness, peeling or drying that other topical treatments may cause. Other research notes its ability to reduce the pigment that causes age-related sunspots.
Fatigue
In addition, some patients use DMAE for its mild stimulant effects. Participants in a study who use DMAE reported less fatigue during the day and less difficulty falling asleep at night. The type of stimulation that DMAE causes is much different from the stimulant effects that caffeine, amphetamines or other drugs produce. The difference is that DMAE does not cause a quick boost of energy followed by a crash. Instead, patients in the study reported continuous mild stimulation without any side effects or withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety or depression.
Cognitive Function
Research also claims that DMAE may have anti-aging effects. Acetylcholine is the main transmitter that affects learning and memory and DMAE helps stimulate acetylcholine production. Researchers hypothesize that it may act as an antioxidant to help reduce oxidative damage that can interfere with cognitive function.
It may help prevent or manage Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other involuntary movement disorders. In addition, research claims that it may even have safe effects on children with behavioral or learning difficulties. It may be a safer and more natural alternative for these types of conditions, such as ADD. However, there is insufficient evidence to determine its efficacy.
Side Effects of DMAE Bitartrate
As an oral or applied topical supplement, DMAE is most likely safe. However, it can produce several side effects. As an oral supplement, it can cause itching, increased blood pressure, upset stomach, headaches, muscle tension, drowsiness, confusion and irritability. Patients may also experience confusion and very vivid dreams.
Warnings
Patients with schizophrenia, depression or insomnia should avoid this supplement. It may make symptoms worse. In addition, patients with seizure disorders such as epilepsy should avoid it. Do not take DMAE bitartrate while pregnant or breastfeeding because there is not enough research to determine its safety.
Medication Interactions
DMAE bitartrate may also interact with several different medications. For example, it may cause minor interactions with drying medications, such as atropine, scopolamine, antidepressants and antihistamines for seasonal or food allergies, cholinergic drugs for glaucoma and AChE inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease. Patients should always consult a physician before adding any supplements to their daily health regimen.
Why Take DMAE Bitartrate?
DMAE bitartrate is a supplement form of DMAE. Research states that it may be able to help patients improve their memory and learning. It can also help patients retain cognitive function, especially as they age. It may help boost mood and reduce fatigue, improving emotional and physical wellbeing.
Fish is another natural source, containing abundant amounts of DMAE. Therefore, a diet high in salmon, sardines and anchovies is a very effective way to add it to the body. Although the brain produces this compound naturally and it is present in food, patients may also take supplements to make sure they get a consistent dosage. Patients can address specific health ailments by controlling the amount of DMAE in the body.
DMAE Bitartrate Dosage
Although there is still a lack of research on it, the recommended dosage for DMAE bitartrate powder as a dietary supplement is 350 mg (⅛ tsp) twice a day. Individual uses may vary. However, avoid exceeding this dosage to avoid complications, medication interactions or side effects. Always consult a doctor before taking this supplement to confirm safety and follow all medical advice. If side effects occur, stop the dosage or seek medical attention.
The Bottom Line
DMAE is a natural compound that the brain produces. It is abundant in fish, specifically salmon, sardines and anchovies. Researchers label it as a potentially effective “brain food” because it can supposedly support mental stimulation and enhance cognitive function. DMAE boosts the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that plays a role in memory and learning. There are a few clinical studies that observe its positive effects on the skin. For example, it can tighten the skin, reduce wrinkles and possibly even reduce sun spots.
Consult a doctor before taking DMAE as a dietary supplement. It is likely safe, but it may cause some side effects, such as headaches, upset stomach, muscle tension and irritability. It may also interact with certain medications and increase symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, depression or insomnia. DMAE is not a proper treatment for any medical condition, but it may help improve overall health.
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DMAE: Overview
DMAE supplements won't work for everybody and are not intended as a cure. But they are safe and may be helpful.
Closely related to DEAE (Diethylamino-ethanol) in GH3, a European anti-aging drug.
DMAE is found as a supplement, although it is not widely available. It is sold in many health food stores.
It can take the form of tablet, liquid, cream, or capsule. Tablets or capsules in doses of 50mg, 100mg, or 130mg should not be hard to find. Pills containing 350mg or more of DMAE bitartrate, which typically contain about 130mg of "active" DMAE, are also available.
DMAE by itself is relatively inexpensive. It is, however, sometimes sold in costly "brain-boosting formulas" that contain other supplements such as phosphatidylserine (PS) or acetyl-L-carnitine; these additions may or may not be right for you but they will definitely increase the cost of the product.
DMAE is a compound found in high levels in anchovies and sardines. Small amounts of it are also naturally produced in the human brain.
Function; Why it is Recommended
Medical researchers have speculated that the means by which DMAE increases brain acetylcholine levels is by inhibiting choline metabolism in peripheral tissues, thereby allowing free choline to accumulate and subsequently enter the brain where it is converted to acetylcholine.
DMAE increases the concentration of choline in the bloodstream because it enhances the rate at which free choline enters the blood from other tissues. DMAE increases the levels of choline in the brain due to DMAE's superior ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
DMAE has been reported to offer the following benefits:
- • Alleviates the behavioral problems and hyperactivity associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (increases attention span, decreases aggression, improves learning ability and sometimes increases intelligence in 70% of ADD patients).
- • Inhibits and reverses the cross-linking of proteins.
- • Decreases the incidence and severity of hangovers in people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol (subjects reported freedom from the depression or headaches associated with hangovers).
- • Increases the body's production of energy.
- • People who use DMAE supplements report that after 3-4 weeks of DMAE use, they notice a continual mild stimulation of their CNS without side effects and a possible boost energy.
- • Alleviates anxiety (subjects administered 1,200mg of DMAE per day for 5 days exhibited better control of anxious reactivity)
- • Increases assertiveness (subjects reported having a more outspoken personality).
- • Reduces apathy and increases motivation in persons afflicted with depression.
- • Improves creativity and verbal thinking (fluency).
- • Improves the behavior and mental function of children afflicted with Down's Syndrome.
- • Exerts favorable effects on those chronic dyskinesias (including tardive dyskinesia) that occur as a result of long periods of major tranquilizers use.
- • Increases intelligence, improves learning and memory.(especially in children). Several studies have shown no memory benefit in senile dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.
- • Elevates mood.
- • Reduces the amount of sleep required by about 1 hour per night, causes dreams to become more lucid (vivid), and users experience sounder sleep.
- • Increases daytime motivation and physical energy in persons afflicted with insomnia.
- • Increases willpower (subjects who previously were unable to stop smoking reported success).
- • Increases acetylcholine levels within the brain.
- • It is a cell wall stabilizer.
- • Apparently removes lipofuscin (accumulation of toxic pigments) from cells, including nerve and brain cells (neurons), and age spots from the skin.
- • Improves free-radical scavenging of other antioxidants. Increases life span, including maximum life span, in experimental animals. Has extended life span of older animals.
No deficiencies of DMAE have been reported or are believed to occur. Effects of supplementation are not immediate but should begin to be felt within several weeks.
Source
The bitartrate salt of DMAE, i.e. 2-dimethylaminoethanol (+)-bitartrate, is sold as a dietary supplement. It is a white powder providing 37% DMAE.
Source
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Dosages start at 100 mg per day and extend up to 600 mg per day as needed. Clinical studies of DMAE have used up to 1,600mg per day with no reports of side-effects and is believed to be relatively nontoxic.
Start slowly. DMAE can over-stimulate the nervous system and cause headaches, tense muscles, or insomnia, although these side-effects are uncommon. Drowsiness has also been reported. Begin with a low dose and see how you respond before gradually increasing the amount you take. If side-effects develop, stop taking the supplement for a day or two and begin at a lower dose.
For ADHD, memory problems or Alzheimer's: 100 to 300 mg, taken orally twice a day.
Overdosage can produce insomnia. Take in the morning to avoid this. Take DMAE with meals for best absorption. To help jump-start your day, open the capsules and pour the contents into a smoothie or fruit juice as part of your morning routine. *
How much DMAE should you take?
The sweet spot typically ranges between 300-500 mg daily for most people. This amount should provide most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.
The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to take this nootropic for a longer time (multiple months or years), the lower end is probably a better way to go since it is safer and you would develop tolerance faster if you were to take higher doses. The upper safety limit for this nootropic is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than the recommended dose unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause problems if you take the supplement for a prolonged period.
Like most other nootropics, it is best to cycle DMAE and take about two days off weekly to reset your tolerance. That will allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
Best time to take DMAE
The best time to take DMAE is about 90 minutes after you wake up.
In the early morning, a natural increase in cortisol is responsible for waking you up and getting you ready for the day. By taking any stimulant that has the potential to increase cortisol levels right after you wake up, you would interrupt this natural increase in cortisol, and your body would not be producing as much of it in the following days. That would lead to increased production of cortisol at the wrong times of the day, such as in the evening.
After the morning cortisol increase that typically lasts 90 minutes, you want to take DMAE as soon as possible so that most of it leaves your system before it’s time to go to bed. Do not take this nootropic later in the day unless you have a great reason to. It could worsen your sleep quality.
The best way to determine whether or not DMAE is damaging your sleep is to listen to your body and specifically look at how easily you fall asleep and how refreshed you wake up.
DMAE is water-soluble, so you don’t have to take it with food to absorb it well. Taking the supplement with food is better if it causes stomach upset when you take it on an empty stomach. If you take this nootropic on an empty stomach, the short-term effects will kick in faster and be more pronounced. *