Has anyone tried Seriphos / Phosphatidyl Serine for anxiety / stress?

[cc120]

And if so what was the outcome?

[humanbean]

I took Seriphos for high cortisol, which I discovered was a problem following a saliva test. I couldn't cope with stress, and suffered from very bad, very long-term insomnia and anxiety.

I took Seriphos for about a month, ending up on 3 tablets a day. I didn't like taking Seriphos at all. It made me feel very unwell indeed. But I don't regret taking it because it worked brilliantly. After I stopped taking it I discovered that my anxiety and jitters were much reduced, and for the first time in my life I could get to sleep without tossing and turning for hours on end.

If you read the blurb from the manufacturer it isn't intended to be a long-term treatment. They suggest a maximum treatment time of three months.

Some links :

interplexus.com/pdf/seripho...

medicinegarden.com/2011/02/...

medicinegarden.com/2011/02/...

medicinegarden.com/2011/02/...

medicinegarden.com/2011/02/...

moodcure.com/pdfs/Townsend-...

annapolis-nutrition-fitness...

[cc120 in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean, thank you, in what way did Seriphos make you feel unwell. Interesting that it made you feel unwell but ultimately had the required effect. On interplexus.com/pdf/seripho... is stated minimum usage 3 months and maximum 9 months, rather than maximum 3 months, but I'm guessing elsewhere 3 months will be stated as the maximum as you suggest.

Though I don't have insomnia generally and get fatigued easily and fall asleep suddenly, as though drugged, when I do get very anxious, nervy, stressed and jittery from the slightest challenge / problem. And on the worst days with that level of anxiety will lead to insomnia and it can take a day or two before I'm calm enough to have good quality sleep that is usually too long, 15 hours, but can even be longer. So am unclear if my cortisol is high or low, probably higher during the day and lower afternoon / evening, unless I'm very stressed so stays high afternoon / evening?

[humanbean in reply to cc120]

When I took Seriphos I was ill with problems caused by hypothyroidism which had been ignored and denied by the medical profession for years, and I had other health issues as well. So my reactions to it may have been partly due to that.

The first couple of days I took Seriphos I was okay, but I rapidly developed much worse than usual aching muscles and painful joints. I was also even more fatigued than normal - and my fatigue was bad to start with! I got dreadful headaches. I felt as if I had flu. My brain fog and inability to think was much worse than normal. So being on Seriphos wasn't a pleasant experience.

Sorry about getting the three months thing wrong. I must have misread it.

If you read the links I posted, particularly the four linked medicine garden links, you can see that the timing of taking the Seriphos is crucial. And since it suppresses cortisol output you should only consider taking it when absolutely necessary. In my own case my cortisol was high all day so timing wasn't such an issue for me. But for anyone with mixed high and low cortisol readings it is crucial to get the timing right. The last thing you want to do is to push low cortisol even lower.

So before taking Seriphos I really would suggest in the strongest possible terms that you do a saliva adrenal test.

I did this one :

gdx.net/uk/product/27

Good luck!

[cc120 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you again humanbean. I wouldn't be surprised if some sources suggest 3 months as the maximum, just wanted to point out what that source stated.

I wonder why you felt worse and more fatigued when your cortisol was high all the time. Perhaps your body getting used to a change there?

Your absolutely right about the saliva adrenal test, just finances are tight at the mo and was hoping for a quick fix re: my anxiety. And thank you again for all the helpful links.

[cc120 in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean, find link that does say, as you stated 3 month maximum for Seriphos: 'Do not take Seriphos for more than three months total. Take a break for at least 24 hours after each month's use (as per bottle directions).' has some good advice: moodcure.com/correcting_cor...

[cc120 in reply to humanbean]

Relevant info on adrenals and thyroid:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

CarolynB Administrator

It does sound like it could be an adrenal problem. The diarrhoea could be a symptom of high adrenaline compensating for lack of cortisol. If you have low or high cortisol levels T4 doesn't tend to get converted very well, causing high T4 levels. Low cortisol can also cause a low TSH that is not reflective of your thyroid function. If your TSH is low, conversion to T3 is usually slower too.

You could be right that the T4 is just building up in your system due to it not being converted. If you could get your cortisol levels checked this would at least point you in the right direction. If you have adrenal insufficiency, Dr S will probably want to prescribe T3 only from what I hear. Your body will be able to use the T3 and the presence of T3 will support cortisol production too.

There is also a possibility that you have low iron and/or B12. These are believed to help thyroid hormones get into the cells so they can be used. If you have deficiencies in these, your thyroid hormones would probably build up in your blood. So this is something else to look into.

NDT can help if you take it in accordance with Paul Robinson's Circadian method. I haven't tried this but many have and have found it extremely successful. Dr S may prefer T3 though.

It seems that anything containing direct T3 can help with adrenals (T3 is needed to make cortisol) so I would have thought NDT would be better than levo.

I'm not a doctor but I can tell you that I am better on NDT than levo. I had at least partially sorted out my adrenals before hand but NDT does suit me much better.

Paul Robinson's Circadian method stopthethyroidmadness.com/t...

[Hidden in reply to cc120]

Just curious. I am getting ready to do saliva testing. And I would like to try NDT. But how did you go about sorting out your adrenals before hand?

[cc120 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ayorkor, I did take Nutri Adrenal Extra for a few weeks, then added Nutri thyroid on the recommendation of Dr Peatfield. It seems he starts everyone on those. When I was taking 3 x 3 a day of Nutri Adrenal Extra, couldn't relax to sleep so cut back.

Not sure this sorted out my adrenals though. When I posted up my regime most people said Nutri meds didn't work for them, and I needed Levy or NDT to get better, so started on NDT about a year and a half ago. I caused problems by increasing dosage too quickly and too much, now taking 1 x 60mg every approx 12 hours and feeling better.

amazon.co.uk/Nutri-Advanced...

[cc120 in reply to cc120]

I did also start taking the minerals and vitamins recommended for adrenals, also tried the following adrenal cocktail: gotmag.org/the-adrenal-cock...

[130396 in reply to humanbean]

Which make would you recommend? I'm in UK

Thank you

[humanbean in reply to 130396]

The only brand of phosphorylated serine I know of is Seriphos. Phosphatidyl serine is not the same stuff. It is very expensive and allegedly has less effect than Seriphos, and (depending on dosage) needs to be taken more times a day.

I can't say which one you should choose. I've only ever taken Seriphos, never the phosphatidyl serine. I would suggest reading reviews for both things at Amazon UK, Amazon US, and iherb, to help you make your mind up. I'm not an expert on this at all.

[130396 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean

I thought they were the same but the Seriphos was the one that needed to be broken down in. Your body to phospherdstyl Serine.

I'll take a look.

Did you take Seriphos regularly through the day?

Was it for high cortisol?

At the moment I'm taking holy basil an hour before 2 of my highs.

I don't take it before my 8.45am morning high.

I have a low at lunchtime.

Thanks for your help.

Any advice would be appreciated

Rose 🌹

[humanbean in reply to 130396]

interplexus.com/pdf/seripho...

According to the blurb from the makers of Seriphos, it is the one that has been broken down, not phosphatidyl serine.

Yes, I took Seriphos for high cortisol. I started with one a day then quickly went up to two, then three. I really hated being on it because it made me feel so ill (like severe flu), and stayed on it for only a very few weeks. I had a couple more short stints on it later on. I was very ill at the time this was all happening (for non-thyroidal reasons) and probably shouldn't have taken the Seriphos at all.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I took Seriphos a while ago for high night time cortisol - mine is low the rest of the time. It seemed to work well and I went to sleep very easily. It doesn't work any more, but I suspect that my waking in the middle of the night isn't high cortisol, and I have no problem getting to sleep now.

[cc120 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thank you Angel of the North, what do you suspect your waking in the night is caused by?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to cc120]

Mostly the cat jumping on me at the same time every morning (it's later when the clocks go back, obviously) asking to go out, and "training me" to wake up at the right time.

[cc120 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

haha, I would say, shut the cat out of the room, but judging from personal experience, ie my own little naughty cat, it would probably just scratch the door down : )

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to cc120]

Not scratch, kick! He hangs from the panelling and swings his back legs at the door - it's really loud. Anyway, it is about the right time to take T3.

[cc120 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Hahaha, what a cheeky little thing. So helps his mummy with her medication then : )

[cc120]

Also, might help, about Seriphos and a quicker-acting supplement called hydrolyzed casein or lactium (e.g., De-Stress by Biotics or "Womens Anti Stress Formula" by Swansons)

moodcure.com/correcting_cor...

[nottmriverside in reply to cc120]

Most people try things on recommendation from someone else. My question is: how do you know it will work for you? you are different from anyone else. Trying things on recommendation is a hit and miss at best. Find out about YOU and what YOUR body needs from someone who knows like a kinesilolgist, nutritional health therapist etc. Trying things out when you don't know costs you more money in the long run.

Hope this helps

Sue H

[cc120 in reply to nottmriverside]

They are so expensive, then you have to buy what they recommend, so works out 10 times the cost to trying various supplements.

[mudde]

I have not tried this product, my problem is that am addicted to midazolam. i cant sleep without it, can seriphos help me regain my normal sleep?