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Herbal supplements and serotonin syndrome?

windyshaman

windyshaman

Esteemed member
Full disclosure: nothing from what follows has been scientifically confirmed.

Been dancing with DMT for a few months now, the honey moon is definitely over. Need to disclose what's on my normal daily herbal supplements list (besides vitamins):
- Ashwagandha
- Lion's mane
- Black maca (as of very recently)
- cubes microdosing on a +/- 3/2days routine

No other medications.

Had something odd happen to me a few weeks back where i actually started feeling the cubes micro-doses. It felt like a buzz, being energized along and down the spine and it would last for hours (over 5 hours last time).

Initially I attributed it to the fact that i'm mixing up microdosing capsules (100mg) with the actual, weighted dried shrooms (100-150mg).

But then, I also had a few strange anxiety episodes which made me question a few things and do some extensive research - where I came upon the term "serotonin syndrome".

First thought I had : "I might have overdone it with DMT"

Then I did more research and it turns out that one of the known effects of Black maca - are elevated serotonin levels.

Both - Ashwagandha and Lion's mane do play a role as well, but it doesn't appear to be substantial enough - when compared to Black maca.

Regardless. I did exclude Black maca from my regimen since and things have settled back to normal.

Wondering if anyone else had any similar experiences?
What's does the community's wisdom say about herbal supplements in general?
 
I didn't find anything on the effect of black maca on serotonin levels. What were your symptoms?
Years ago had a period of strange symptoms while i was sort of microdosing DMT along with using other plants and i never understood the reason.
 
The symptoms of serotonin syndrome aren't just a buzz and some anxiety. The Wikipedia article has a good table about it: Serotonin syndrome - Wikipedia

windyshaman said:
herbal supplements in general
Click to expand...
It's hard to generalize, "herbal supplements" aren't a homogeneous category. Plants can range from extremely poisonous to having no effect, a supplement being "herbal" doesn't say anything about its effects or mechanism of action.
 
I also can feel 100mg of cubes. You might have just developed a bit of reverse tolerance. Sounds pretty normal and not like serotonin syndrome

You might want to try and cycle the herbs (and micros) off/on if you aren't, since some might produce strange effects when taken everyday long term (for example ashwaganda leads to emotional numbness in some)
 
Normally, I can barely feel .1mg. At most - music might sound a little more vivid. Occasionally - I would take .2-.25mg dried on purpose and for me - this is right about north of noticeable. Music gets really "tasty" and thoughts are starting to become more "bouncy" and "stretchy".

What I experienced above - was quite different. Literally - my spine was getting energized and it would come in waves - going all the way down to the scrotum. Plus the anxiety - which I only get when I'm tripping really bad on 3g+ and never in daily life.

Anyhow, it definitely got me worried about THE syndrome.

Things have really settled back to normal since I've excluded black maca.
I keep microdosing without any issues, had a light 1.5g session over the weekend which went absolutely normally (other than the fact that 1.5g ended up feeling more like .75g).

Still curious - WTH was that?
 
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windyshaman said:
- Ashwagandha
- Lion's mane
- Black maca (as of very recently)
- cubes microdosing on a +/- 3/2days routine
Click to expand...
I've heard that taking ashwagandha regularly will increase your 'floor' of serotonin among other things [on reddit :p] , this link came up about serotonin and <ashwagandha Root Extract with Piperine Alleviates the Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression by Increasing Serotonin Levels [NIH] 2024. There exists a vocal minority of ashwaganda (over)users that complain that it has wrecked their brain ; i think that just means that it works ;) probably.
 
Not sure it's serotonin syndrome, though this could be a result of over-excitation of the serotinin system. While DMT doesn't produce serotonin directly, it has the same receptor affinity as serotonin. So black maca also acting on that system along with DMT and microdosing (along with the synergy of cannabis with the microdose) can make you understandable antsy and disregulated.

If I want my micro-dose to no longer be a micro-dose, then I smoke some cannabis, like I am right now.

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