Author Topic: A bit of bizarre info I ran across. . .  (Read 1117 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline DeeDee

  • P-F's Twitter-er
  • Charter Member
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 6013
  • Country: us
  • Barkly & Vlad
A bit of bizarre info I ran across. . .
« on: June 19, 2017, 06:01:29 PM »
This is from someone in a BRT group I belong to, and I found it rather fascinating. Of course, this is something that should ABSOLUTELY NEVER be done without help from a vet. From what I understand, giving them too much can actually kill them for some reason:


Quote
Serotonin : We had a friend with an extremely aggressive dog (like our boy) that changed the dogs diet from grain free high protein to purina puppy chow pangif and their dog was no longer aggressive. This led me to research why the dogs behavior was drastically different. Serotonin serves many important functions as a neurotransmitter, especially the management of stress, impulse control and mood regulation. Raising Serotonin levels helps minimize aggressive behavior and how this has worked for us and our demon dog 😉 When serotonin levels are low, dogs may become more impulsive and irritable and exhibit a lower threshold for aggressive behavior. We never thought our dogs would have low levels of serotonin, considering their mainly raw high protein diet should have provided plenty of the amino acid tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin. However, high levels of circulating protein in the blood may deprive the brain of tryptophan. When the blood contains high levels of protein, other more abundant amino acids compete for transport molecules which impede the transfer of tryptophan to the brain to produce serotonin. Lowered protein intake and increase of carbs help provide more tryptophan to the brain...as carbohydrate laden foods stimulate the secretion of insulin, insulin biochemically alters competing amino acids causing them to move into surrounding muscle tissue and thereby reducing the competition for transport molecules for tryptophan to cross the blood - brain barrier. But we can also supplement a high protein diet with tryptophan. However, 5-htp is the immediate precursor to serotonin. In addition to being directly converted into serotonin it also moves more freely through the blood-brain barrier bypassing the transport molecules and avoids competition with other amino acids. 5-htp is available over the counter at health food store. Our veterinarian recommended 5-htp supplement at 1mg per pound daily with a meal. We have a dog that is now more easily managed. BAT (behavior adjustment training) was successful after supplementing with 5-htp. If you are struggling with behavior issues, diet can make a difference. Always discuss with your veterinarian before supplementing your dogs diet. Hope this information helps others.
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Middle Child

  • Charter Member
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 9556
  • Country: us
  • Just say No to declawing
Re: A bit of bizarre info I ran across. . .
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2017, 05:25:24 AM »
 I tried supplemented tryptophan for stress/depression a number of years back. A human supplement. Made me so tired and dizzy and sick I couldn't function. Never took it again.

Offline DeeDee

  • P-F's Twitter-er
  • Charter Member
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 6013
  • Country: us
  • Barkly & Vlad
Re: A bit of bizarre info I ran across. . .
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2017, 09:23:28 AM »
I tried supplemented tryptophan for stress/depression a number of years back. A human supplement. Made me so tired and dizzy and sick I couldn't function. Never took it again.

Do you by any chance remember the dose you were taking?
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Tags: