Thread: L-DOPA Trial

Contraindications

Before all the Wikipedia scholars start sounding the alarm, I should first explain the dangers of L-DOPA administration.

Warnings of adverse side effects are primarily targeting patients with Parkinson's disease, where treatments often require them to injest amounts in excess of several grams per day. These long-term and short-term side effects are the result of a combination of things, and the severity of such issues is largely dose-dependent:

• Generation of L-DOPA / DA metabolites—those of which are highly reactive and cause auto-oxidative stress on the brain—can be produced to a state where the body's intrinsic anti-oxidants can no longer neutralize their effect. However, there have been studies that only show a quinone increase in patients with PD, those of whom already have damaged DA nerve terminals. Either way, it appears to be concentration-dependent.

• >90% of L-DOPA ends up getting converted to dopamine in the peripheral nervous system, and only a small portion ends up crossing the BBB, which might be the cause of some of the negative effects. Again, this is dose-dependent.

• There have been some reports of reversible alopecia (hair loss), and this can also be attributed to DA agonists that are commonly prescribed (alongside L-DOPA) to PD patients. This might be related to hormonal fluctuations, possibly resulting in zinc depletion.

• Long-term administration of L-DOPA can lower serotonin levels. This can be countered by taking 5-HTP.

• Chronically dosing large amounts of L-DOPA can lead to DDS (dopamine dysregulation syndrome) and dyskinesia.

• The rest of the physical and psychological side-effects, for the most part, can be attributed to dopamine levels simply being too high.

While casual and moderate use of L-DOPA seems unlikely to cause problems in healthy individuals, I recommend cycling (e.g., taking it every second or third day) and not exceeding doses greater than 10 mg/kg per 48 hours. Apart from the litany of side effects that result from larger doses, taking it too frequently will inevitably result in downregulation of your DA receptors, diminishing its overall effect.


My Experience

Its dream enhancing properties were initially difficult to recognize, but over the course of 2 weeks, the influence of L-DOPA became much more apparent. Overall, I'd say this is by far the most effective nootropic I have ever used for dream enhancement.

@ 250 mg, every 48 hrs:

• My dreams lasted much, much longer than they did before using it. Dreams wouldn't abruptly diminish and end after 20 seconds of being lucid (that was always annoying), but kept going, fading after 2-7 minutes, then "dunking" me back under again, over and over, until I had the desire to willfully wake up.

• It was much easier to reenter dreams when they had ended. I felt like I had more willpower to do so, too. I even had episodes where I could reenter 8+ times (I usually lost count), with each dream lasting roughly 3 minutes (on average), with 5-15 second intervals.

• The vividness of the dreams may have been affected. I definitely felt more immersed.

• Sleep always felt amazing if I took it right before bed. I never had trouble resting, and I always woke up feeling refreshed.

• Even though L-DOPA increases DA levels, it really felt more sedating than stimulating.

• Slightly better recall of non-lucid dreams.

Secondary Effects:

• Physical movements felt more fluid and deliberate. It's almost analogous to turning up your mouse-sensitivity a couple notches.

• I found it easier to focus on isolated tasks, single mindedly, but found it harder to divide my attention when I had to focus on multiple things.

• I felt more motivated and energetic when working.

• Negative emotions were neutralized; my mood was balanced out.

Apart from how it affected my focus, which can be considered negative or positive, there are no real negative side effects to report so far.