Austinite's "Feel Good" Stack - 2 supplements per day, feel good all day.
Introduction
We all want to feel good, right? The reality is, we're always looking for something that will give us a "boost" of energy. Well, we really need to stop doing this. Frankly, anything that really and truly gives you a sudden boost can be dangerous as well; especially with prolonged use. This is why the majority are disappointed and say "This product didn't do anything for me". We have to remember that products that actually work safely, require some time to compound into your system. We also have to remember that it's human nature to get used to a feeling and want more, because we assume it's not working.
Purpose of this Stack
This stack will help clear your mind and rid your of those groggy feelings. Instead of working on a metabolism boost or a testosterone "jolt", we'll be focusing on the brain. Stimulating the right hormones in the brain is a surefire way to relieve many stressors. A chain reaction that will result in a better overall well being, if you will. It is absolutely imperative that you do not expect a rush of something to come through your body. That's not what this stack is about.
It shouldn't take too long to make you feel better. The compounds I've chosen for you are fairly quick acting, but still require a little time for your system to develop the "goodness" they provide. Generally, you can expect to begin to feel better in as little as a week. You can use this stack on or off cycle. Timing is actually pretty important with some of these compounds so be sure to follow the stack as much as possible.
At one point I was down, feeling nervous and isolated. This is not uncommon for folks who cycle steroids due to the fluctuating hormonal imbalances. One minute was on top of the world, another minute I don't even want to go to the gym. Not a good way to lead your life. With these supplements, I was able to clear my mind, feel at ease and have a much better outlook. I've mentioned these in my supplement thread, however, I want to go into a bit more detail here and provide some timing related info.
The "Feel Good" Stack Ingredients
L-Tryptophan
This is by far, one of my favorite supplements. To understand the compound, you need to know the journey this compound takes once you swallow that pill. I'll be discussing the conversions below.
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TRYPTOPHAN ► 5-HTP ► Serotonin ► NAS ► Melatonin
Tryptamine↲
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Tryptophan Intake:
Prior to conversion. L-Tryptophan reduces serotonin reuptake (SRU) by blocking receptor sites. You see, it's not all about the serotonin levels, it's also about reuptake. If your SRU is high, there won't be much left behind for you to enjoy. So imagine there is a pool of water for you to swim in, but there is a hole in the bottom of the pool, draining the water fast. If we can block that hole, we can enjoy swimming longer. That's what happens when you block receptor sites so that you reduce SRU. Do not supplement with 5-HTP directly so we don't skip this important step. Now Tryptophan converts to 5-HTP with no notable degradation...
5-HTP Conversion:
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the product of Tryptophan that leads to N-Acetylserotonin (NAS). The is really the most important part of 5-HTP. It's as far as you can go "legally" with supplements into this conversion process (exception of melatonin). This conversion amplifies what Tryptophan just did by blocking SRU. But without the original blockage, the effects are weakened. Now it converts to NAS...
NAS Conversion:
N-Acetylserotonin (NAS) is where time of day comes into play. This stage of the compound decides whether we stay at Serotonin, or continue the journey and convert to Melatonin. While melatonin has its uses, we do not want melatonin for this stack. It makes you sleepy. I'm sure you've heard of it being used as a sleep aid. But our goal is to have a good day, which will lead to a good night. You certainly don't want to be sleepy during the day. You see, your body has what's called a Circadian clock. This clock, identifies many things in your body that would indicate day, or night. It knows when you're tired, when you're most energetic, etc... This a 24 hour span that maintains a specific rhythm within your system. If your clock is indicating night time, it will convert what remains of serotonin into Melatonin. This is why we do not take Tryptophan at night. In my experience, Tryptophan intake at night causes very vivid and disturbing nightmares. It never fails and I can replicate the event any time.
Serotonin Conversion:
Hooray! We have arrived at the goodness. This is the result we're looking for. So now the "pool" described above is getting filled, all while the leaking hole is blocked. So not only did you seal the hole earlier, but you have more serotonin to enjoy. Serotonin deficiency (or very high reuptake) are associated with depression, stress, sleeping disorders and even anxiety attacks. Serotonin levels are important to manage as they provide stimulation to the central nervous system by transmitting nerve impulses throughout.
Since the final potential conversion is Melatonin, I'll skip that as we've discussed it above. It's just a sleep aid.
Tryptamine Conversion:
As you see in the chart above, Tryptamine is branched off into a separate metabolic pathway. So this occurred prior to 5-HTP conversion. Another reason NOT to supplement with 5-HTP directly. This one is the one that regulates your 'clock' mentioned above. So without it, NAS will have no idea what to do. A whole ton of neurotransmitters are dependant on Tryptamine for their activation and function. Without it, we're pretty much screwed. Tryptophan will put the petal to the metal with tryptamine.
There are more branched metabolic pathways. For example Indole and Indoxyl, however, my knowledge is very limited and research has been a tough task with these two. They certainly have some nitrogen retention benefits.
L-Theanine
This is another one of my favorite amino acids. As a matter of fact, I carry this supplement with me everywhere. I take it all day, I absolutely love it. You don't really have to take it all day, I'll make supplementation easier for you in this protocol as you'll see at the end of the article.
Imagine for a second that you had a remote control in your hand. You turn the TV on and the volume is super loud! You press the 'volume down' button until the volume is reasonable and not annoyingly loud. This is what Theanine does. When your body becomes overly excited in a negative way, theanine is the 'volume down' button. For example, if someone is driving like a madman, normally you'd get pretty fired up. L-theanine will bring those stressing emotions down to a manageable level, and things like that won't bother you so much. Attenuate your frustrations with this outstanding amino acid.
The great thing about the calming effects of L-Theanine, is that it is not like a sedative. It will not make you sleepy, it will not make you tired. It just calms you down. It takes about 1 hour after intake for theanine to arrive at the brain. It stimulates with a peak at around the 2.5 hour mark and remains elevated for about 5 to 6 hours. This is the reason I use it all day, but you really don't have to in the presence of Tryptophan, because it makes up for a whole lot. And yes, Oral intake of theanine has been studied and proven to cross the blood brain barrier with no issues.
Alpha 1 Wave boost:
Waves in the brain can be used to determine your state of mind. Alpha waves are directly involved in your emotions and mostly notable when you're in a relaxed or calm state of mind. L-theanine has been proven to have a very positive effect on your Alpha 1 wave by increasing the size of the wave. The larger the wave the calmer/more relaxed you are. This occurrence is noted to happen within an hour of theanine supplementation.
GABA Boost:
I'm sure you've heard me mention GABA in the past. This chemical is very important for your state of health. It's involved in many areas such as energy levels, sleep quality, sexual performance, memory, bone quality, endurance and more. But GABA, unless supplemented heavily, has a hard time crossing the blood brain barrier. Not really the case when L-theanine is around to help it. The way it works is complex, but keep in mind that this is a vital step as you not only benefit directly from theanine, but it also acts as an amplifier for other benefiting compounds in your system.
Memory Boost:
This is very important to me and has proven many many times to be very effective. After supplementing with L-theanine regularly, you'll probably converse with others and they'll say thing to the effect of "How the heck did you know that"? Simple, a good memory. Studies have proven this as well, where subjects demonstrated a shorter delay in recognition. It works, and it's the best amino acid for memory purposes.
How Much and When To Use This Stack
L-Tryptophan - 1,000 mg in the morning, and 500 mg around lunchtime. (You may increase second dose to 1000 mg later)
L-Theanine - 400mg in the morning, and 400 mg around lunchtime.
As far as L-theanine, you can supplement with more if need be. It wouldn't hurt to take a 3rd dose. If you do, just take 200mg so that you stay at 1,000 mg for the day. There's really no need to use any more than that. It's really important to note something here... After a short while, you might get used to the feeling. There's no need to increase your doses too much. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, it's human nature to be greedy, and want more. Don't bother. Excessive doses will not lead to better results.
FINAL NOTE:
DO NOT ASK ME IF IT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE TO TAKE OTHER COMPOUNDS. IF YOU TAKE OTHER COMPOUNDS (FOR THE PURPOSE OF BOOSTING THIS STACK) IT WOULD NOT BE MY STACK. I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING OTHER COMPOUNDS USED TO BOOST THIS STACK. MY STACK IS TRIED, TESTED AND PROVEN TO WORK AT THESE DOSES IN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER. IF YOU WANT RESULTS LIKE MINE, DO NOT VARY FROM IT. AND YES, IT IS OK TO TAKE THESE WITH WHATEVER ELSE YOU'RE TAKING. JUST FOLLOW MY TIMING AND DO NOT ASK ME HOW TO BOOST THIS STACK.
YOU WILL NOT FEEL JOLTS, JITTERS OR WHATEVER. THERE ARE NO SIGNS TO LOOK FOR OTHER THAN FEELING BETTER AFTER USE. DO NOT CONTACT ME AND DO NOT ASK ME WHY YOU DON'T 'FEEL' ANYTHING. I WILL NOT ANSWER PRIVATE MESSAGES REGARDING THIS STACK. POST QUESTIONS HERE.
Have a powerful day,
~ Austniite
