I just wanted to suggest some ways to hack the NMDA/GABA-A/Glycine receptors. Hopeful this will spark some discussion and testing around two supplements that have not been discussed on this forum yet. I know that the GABA-A (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GABAA_receptor) and the Glycine receptors (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine_receptor) are chlorine dependent receptors. When stimulated, they pump chlorine ions into neurons to counter NMDA signaling.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_G8UspQQKWhY/S3gn0IvHchI/AAAAAAAAAA0/q51VR_bdcng/s320/baba2.gif)
Also, like b_jim mentioned earlier, magnesium ions block the NR1-NMDA receptor.
So magnesium chloride (https://www.amazon.com/Magnesium-Pharmaceutical-Comestible-Greenway-Biotech/dp/B00YQGLW38/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529852684&sr=8-7&keywords=magnesium+chloride) seems like it could enhance GABA-A and Glycine receptor signaling by supplying chlorine, while also inhibiting NR1-NMDA receptor by supplying magnesium. Also, because magnesium chloride (https://www.amazon.com/Magnesium-Pharmaceutical-Comestible-Greenway-Biotech/dp/B00YQGLW38/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529852684&sr=8-7&keywords=magnesium+chloride) is an extremely small (two-atom) molecule, its bioavailability is high due to passive diffusion (Ref1 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452159/), Ref2 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20364677), Ref3 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11794633)). However, magnesium gluconate has the highest bioavailability (Ref4 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16548135)). As a oral supplement 2g taken twice a day should be enough but it has to be mixed with water or juice (water soluble). From what I hear, it has a bad taste due to the chlorine, so a few drops of lemon juice can improve the taste. You can also soak with therapeutic-grade magnesium chloride (https://www.amazon.com/ASUTRA-Zechstein-Magnesium-Chloride-Flakes/dp/B01KID9XK6/ref=sr_1_10_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529852684&sr=8-10&keywords=magnesium%2Bchloride&th=1) in your bath water to relieve neurological pain throughout your body.
"The efficacy of beta-alanine at the GABAA receptor is comparable to that of GABA. Similarly, the efficacy of beta-alanine at the glycine receptor is comparable to that of glycine." -Dual activation of GABAA and glycine receptors by beta-alanine: inverse modulation by progesterone and 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8223947)
A second hack of the NMDA/GABA-A/Glycine receptors (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine_receptor) may be beta-alanine (https://www.amazon.com/Bulksupplements-Pure-Alanine-Powder-grams/dp/B00EIO4I3O/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1529856242&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=beta-alanine&th=1). I mix beta-alanine (BAL) in my pre-workout protein shake, so I know first-hand that this works to calm nerves. The effect is very noticeable partly because BAL causes a tingling effect that feels similar to niacin-flush. In a comparative study of BAL, glycine, GABA and taurine, beta-alanine was shown to be as effective as glycine and GABA at stimulating the Glycine/GABA-A receptors (Ref (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0169328X88900022)).
Measurement of chlorine currents
(https://i.imgur.com/OI4wbj0.png)
In this study, glycine was the most potent agonist of the Glycine recepor. However, since glycine does not stimulate the GABA-A receptor, beta-alanine is more potent than glycine at GABA-A receptor signaling.
GABA was the most potent agonist of the GABA-A recepor. But, since GABA does not stimulate the Glycine receptor, beta-alanine is more potent than GABA at Glycine receptor signaling. Also GABA does not cross the blood brain barrier, whereas beta-alanine does penetrate the BBB. So beta-alanine supplementation is more GABAergic than GABA in vivo. 2g of beta-alanine per serving should be enough.
In the presence of glutamate, glycine can stimulate the NR1-NMDA receptor and cause neuron excitotoxicity (Ref5 (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/241/4867/835), Ref6 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMDA_receptor)).
NMDA receptor
(http://profrontal.com/wp-content/themes/profrontalnewtheme/images/nmda-receptor.jpg)
Receptor signalling:
- GABA (GABA-A, GABA-B receptors)
- glycine (Glycine receptor, NR1-NMDA receptor, causes glutamate-NMDA excitotoxicity)
- taurine (GABA-A, Glycine receptors)
- beta-alanine (GABA-A and Glycine receptors)
- magnesium chloride (inhibit NR1-NMDA receptor, provide chlorine ions for GABA-A and Glycine receptors)
I just wanted to bring this up because, I have not seen anybody discuss magnesium chloride or beta-alanine.