D5 Mucuna 40% is a formula that is used in cases where additional dopamine support is needed. D5 Mucuna 40% provides a source of L-DOPA from the extract of a legume called mucuna pruriens, and provides an effective method to increase catecholamine (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine) support in the system.
Occasionally while we are working to establish the proper balance of amino acids using D5 Mucuna, a person will experience nausea or GI upset. Many people feel that this is a sign that they are not tolerating the D5 Mucuna, but experience shows us that this isn’t so. In these cases, when nausea develops it is a signal that there is an imbalance between serotonin and dopamine in the system which needs to be addressed and corrected.
The most common way to correct this imbalance is to first reduce the amount of serotonin in the system. If that doesn’t eliminate the nausea, then the amount of serotonin is slowly increased over time until the correct balance is achieved and the nausea disappears.
However, there is a common side effect when using D5 Mucuna that does indicate a decreased need or intolerance. When someone is taking more D5 Mucuna (and therefore more dopamine precursor) than their body needs, they will often report a significant increase in ‘brain fog’ , ‘inability to think’ and other cognitive impairments that they had never experienced before. These same symptoms disappear after 1-3 days of lowering or eliminating the D5 Mucuna. In these cases, the higher dose of D5 Mucuna created a short-term neurotransmitter imbalance resulting in cognitive impairment that is quickly corrected by lowering the dose.
Hello, I know my Dopamine is off it is to low to even register on blood or urine labs. My other catecholamines were also very low on the range. Does this mean the wellbutrin I take is not doing it’ job? I am usually resistant to psych meds. I started D5 Mucuna, I-methionone, and Neuroreplete. I just started and almost throw up from the MUcuna D5. Your article made me wonder how in the heck would I reduce seratonin first? I have looked and cannot find any answers or research. I am taking it on a full stomach tonight to see if that helps. If I take it long enough will the nausea subside? Thank you
Hi Amy – thanks for contacting us; it is unlikely that if you continue on your current dosing that the nausea will subside. Without knowing more about your case, I am not in a position to make remedy recommendations, however, I suggest that you speak with whomever you are working with to make the necessary adjustments to your amino acids. Your nausea is most likely due to an imbalance in serotonin and catecholamine preucursors.
In addition, here are some papers you may find interesting: https://neurosupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/08-unt-ne-epi.pdf, https://neurosupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/12-apress.pdf
Dr. Chad
I was just started on CHK nutrition Mucuna and two of their other supplements neuroreplete and cysreplete. I have a COMT mutation and BDNF mutation with alleles that make me have lower levels of all neurotransmitters and thus I have had depression from mild to severe my entire life. I also have spina bifida. I am so deathly ill from the supplements that I nearly throw up and get so dizzy every time I take it. I am now up to 12 mucuna a day. Even with food it does not help. I had some leftover promethazine and this was the only way I have been able to take it the last two days. If there is an imbalance, how does one know if they need to reduce or increase the seratonin? If so, how does one increase it because CHK has 5 htp in the actual supplement. Do I need to take my regular 5htp supplement also and in a greater dose? Or if seratonin is to be lowered, how does one lower that in the body? I want to continue taking this but I do not think I can tolerate it ever again without promethazine, which I know my doc will not prescribe longterm.
Hi Brandi – thanks for the comment, although I am sorry to hear you are struggling so. Nausea with the amino acids is almost always a sign of imbalance between the serotonin and catecholamine precursors and signals the need to adjust them. You’ll need to work with your provider to adjust them as they are most familiar with your case. If your provider is inexperienced with the use of amino acid therapy, I suggest you contact NeuroResearch to find a more experienced provider: http://www.neurosupport.com.
Good luck!
Dr Chad
I am currently taking the amino acid therapy for Parkinson’s. I am suffering nausea and throwing up after taking 15grams of mucuna. I also take neuroreplete and cysreplete. Since the problem is an imbalance of NR and mucuna there doesn’t seem to be any resort other than wait till I get enough NR to create the balance. I recently went from 2 NR pills a day to 4 NR pills a day and will start 8 pills a day on Monday if the nausea and throwing up continue. In the mean time I am throwing up the mucuna and anything I eat two or three times a day. I am losing weight and have no desire to eat. What can I take prior to the mucuna to prevent this from happening between now and when a balance is reached.
Hi Jim,
Thank for the comment/question; your provider should be taking you through a protocol to help balance your neurotransmitter levels in order to get the nausea under control. If modifying the NeuroReplete doesn’t help, get a DBS test done to see if you are experiencing dopamine fluctuations (which will inherently lead to imbalances between serotonin and dopamine). Taking the amino acids with food/calories (the quantity of carbohydrate to protein varies with each person) and taking the amino acids over a longer period of time should also help.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
Hi, my brother have been taken sinemet for approximately 6 mos. He is 58. Wanted to wean off sinemet and decided to do amino acid therapy. He has been vomiting like crazy and his blood sugar climbs into the 200s. He has NIDDM so this can be dangerous. His amino acid doctor told him to stop the mucosa, Cr, Nr and go back up on the sinemet pre amino therapy and re address AA therapy in 7 days.
what do you think?
Hi Ve – thanks for contacting us; unfortunately, this sounds like much to complicated of a case to address via the web. If your brother would like to work with amino acid therapy, I suggest he contact https://parkinsonsclinics.com/index.php to find a skilled provider that may be able to guide him.
Good luck!!
Dr. Chad