Understanding Dopamine

[stressucks]

Did you keep up with the taurine? Is it still helping your energy?

Yes and yes. I occasionally forget a day, and I notice it.

One of the craziest things. It used to be that when I had a drink or two. I wanted 6 more. Now I can have just one or two and stop with no qualms.

 

[Tarmander]

Very interesting... Can you explain more about your views of how physical activity composing "a good life" can out perform any other directly chemical methods?

I don't want to shut the door on all chemical methods, but I have not found any long term dopamine agonists that seem safe to take long term. You get down regulation or something along those lines.

I buy into Jordan Peterson's theory that the feeling of meaning is an indication that you are on the right path, so to speak. He does a better job explaining it then me. From my experience with dopamine agonists, I believe that feeling of meaning is tied with higher levels of dopamine.

So from experiences, I can see that dopamine agonists( i.e. lisuride)= youth, focus, ambition, enjoyment, good sleep, metabolism, etc.

I also see that doing what I find meaningful and good = focus, enjoyment, better sleep, etc.

They do not overlap perfectly, but they overlap enough to make me think that dopamine is tied into leading a "good life," and that is a natural way to get more dopamine.

 

[tomisonbottom]

Yes and yes. I occasionally forget a day, and I notice it.

One of the craziest things. It used to be that when I had a drink or two. I wanted 6 more. Now I can have just one or two and stop with no qualms.

That's great! How much do you take? Do you take it with other protein?

 

[stressucks]

That's great! How much do you take? Do you take it with other protein?

I try to take over a gram I think, but i just shake some out of the bag. I take it with some great lakes gelatin mixed up in a glass of OJ.

 

[tomisonbottom]

Why is dopamine's role in schizophrenia so often ignored here?

Can you explain what you mean? What is it's role?

 

[mjrm]

Damn, that hit me super hard... you described me almost perfectly.

I was raised by extremely over-bearing parents that put me on adderall/ritalin from age 7-22. I feel like this in some ways has really messed with my reward system. Things you experience in life should control your dopamine...not a constant drip from a drug. I don't have nearly the same zest for life after quitting these stimulants.

Any advice for someone in my situation?

how has your recovery from adderall been? I have been off for a little bit over a year.

 

[Cydanic]

how has your recovery from adderall been? I have been off for a little bit over a year.

It's been tough. I have stayed away from the stuff very well, but I have developed other dopamine related dependency/addiction issues like over masturbating, and food addictions. Organizing my thoughts is much tougher.

I think the main problem with adderall is it seems to mess with your reward system. I'm wanting to do some research on effective ways to re-wire my reward system.

 

[Frankdee20]

I've read a lot about dopamine but never really understood it. I know that higher dopamine levels are good, dopamine spikes can lead to addiction, and low dopamine = low energy. You then hear about dopamine resistance if you flood the body with too much dopamine and it all gets confusing the more you read.

I've been thinking I might have something going on with dopamine because my energy levels aren't great and I struggle to quit bad habits like surfing the internet.

So I read this on facebook from a paleo person, and I think it made things click. "We've been made to have a low dopamine state by blue light and nnEMF. This fosters opioid and alcohol abuse to gain the dopamine hit. "

I think I have a low dopamine state. and then my body seeks dopamine hits, especially when I'm tired. When I get home from work I just lay down and surf the net for at least an hour because I'm tired and don't feel like doing anything. Is it hard for me to stop these bad habits because I have a low baseline dopamine level and my body is trying to raise it via internet? If I had high baseline dopamine, would it be easier to focus on productive activities that have dopamine hits down the line (or smaller hits now)? More energy?

I do notice when I surf in the morning and therefore get tons of sunlight, I have a higher energy all day and am much less likely to reach for my phone to look at Instagram. I thought it was adrenaline based though, because I eventually crash, particularly after a big meal.

I work a cubicle job, so sunlight exposure is limited. Though I do a decent job of getting outside at lunch and things like that.

Sure we always here about Dopamine as the neurotransmitter associated with addictions. Wasn’t later on that I realized how endogenous opiate systems are really to blame. Dopamine is what motivates one to go after a reward, but the reinforcement of that behavior comes from the endorphin system.

 

[Waynish]

Dopamine is what motivates one to go after a reward, but the reinforcement of that behavior comes from the endorphin system.

I hear this a lot. If this is true, then why can't we create reward seeking behavior using dopamine? I would say it is more a part of the process than it is a cause of the process.

 

[Frankdee20]

I hear this a lot. If this is true, then why can't we create reward seeking behavior using dopamine? I would say it is more a part of the process than it is a cause of the process.

Yes, perhaps more a part than the cause. I just look at these utilization’s of Naltrexone for compulsory eating, to the Sinclair Method for drinking. Naltrexone is now compounded with bupropion for people with food addictions. The bupropion addresses the dopamine aspect, but the Naltrexone must be targeting the reward associated.

 

[ddjd]

Just read taurine increases dopamine synthesis:
Taurine Increase Dopamine Synthesis In The Brain

I started taking taurine a month ago and within a couple days had a noticeable boost in energy.

i dont understand how taurine can raise dopamine. everything else that raises dopamine gives me loads of energy and stops me from sleeping, taurine on the other hand, sends me straight to sleep.

 

[Frankdee20]

i dont understand how taurine can raise dopamine. everything else that raises dopamine gives me loads of energy and stops me from sleeping, taurine on the other hand, sends me straight to sleep.

I did just give my opinion on this exact question in the other Tuarine thread about Dopamine or Testosterone. Just my guess though if you are interested.

 

[ddjd]

I did just give my opinion on this exact question in the other Tuarine thread about Dopamine or Testosterone. Just my guess though if you are interested.

can you link to it, very interested to read

 

[Frankdee20]

can you link to it, very interested to read

The thread is titled - Is Taurine a Better Dopamine Booster, or Testosterone Booster.

But someone asked how could Taurine be a Dopamine booster, and they believed it was more GABA friendly. So this is what I said :
This is pure speculation, but oftentimes, GABA enhancement raises DA projections indirectly, perhaps via attenuating Serotonergic or Glutamate pathways. Let's just say the receptor theory is true, so many of them are linked to opposing or complimentary nuerotransmitters. So activation or blockade of the dozens of common receptors can really tweak other systems.

 

[milkboi]

Seleginine is good for an increased dopamine baseline (deactivates MAO-B, which basically „eats up“ dopamine molecules).

 

[Frankdee20]

Taurine is a good supplement

 

[golder]

The facebook post went on to make the point that people don't do charitable work these days, instead they spent their free time on tv, internet, video games. He blames it on the low dopamine state. I thought this was interesting because in one of the GE podcasts Haidut mentioned needing healthy metabolism and energy to help others. That podcast clicked with me because I find myself wanting to getting into helping people more, but generally just don't feel like it or don't have time. It all seems to tie together.

Really interested in this, thank you. Could you remember what podcast this was? What is the GE podcast mate?