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| The thiamine molecule |
NB: For an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on the use of thiamine (vitamin B1) and magnesium for stuttering, click HERE. And if thiamine, with or without magnesium, has helped your fluency, please provide feedback by reading THIS POST and then adding your feedback as a comment below that post.
Update March 2015: For the latest information on the thiamine approach to stuttering, read the FREE 92-page online e-book titled "The Thiamin Protocol" which can be downloaded as a PDF HERE.
Up to 30% of adult stutterers may benefit from a daily intake of 300 mg of thiamine (vitamin B1), according to a recent study. But why has thiamine this effect? Is it simply because thiamine reduces stress?
The answer may be more complex, speculates stuttering expert Dr. Martin F. Schwartz, and may involve the basal ganglia in the brain.
"Recent research points to the basal ganglia as the site of the stress-induced breakdown of the sequencing required for speech production," explains Dr Schwartz.
"Stress can come from many sources and is not limited to psychological stress. When this happens in young children, there is a sudden immobilization of the vocal cords. This starts the cascade of learned behaviors we call stuttering to begin.
Insufficient acetylcholine?
"Some research points to an excess of dopamine (a neurotransmitter) in the basal ganglia of people who stutter. Some pharmacological approaches have tried to approach stuttering by reducing dopamine. Dopamine is an antagonist to another neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. The two neurotransmitters engage in a continuous balancing act.
"It may be that there is not an excess of dopamine but, instead, an insufficiency of acetylcholine. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is required for the production of acetylcholine. By giving an excess of B1 you can, at least theoretically, enhance the production of acetylcholine and thus redress the presumed imbalance. This is why B1 may work. B1 may make the basal ganglia work better so it can deal with the complex balancing act called speech production," says Dr Schwartz. "This, of course, is just speculation."
Another possibility is that GABA, another neurotransmitter, is the culprit and that an insufficiency of GABA causes the vocal cords to malfunction when overstressed. For more information on this, read Dr Schwartz's free online e-book, The Thiamin Protocol, which can be downloaded HERE.
I have been reading alot about different treatments of stuttering, and my own research have resulted in an interest for acetylcholine which brought me here.
ReplyDeleteI started to read about Xanax and its effects on stuttering. It's a calming drug/medication. Someone on that forum I visited wrote that Xanax simply disables the sympathetic nervous system which leaves the parasympathetic nervous system to dominate.
I read about the parasympathetic NS and found out that acethylcholine activates the PNS. I think this "breakthrough" is really interesting. Have there been any tests done with acethylcholine? Injections?
Dear Anonymous, your message is interesting, but I don't have the medical background to answer your question meaningfully. I would suggest that you ask Dr Martin Schwartz as he would be in a good position to respond. He can be reached via his website at www.stuttering.com Good luck with your research! Kind regards.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I have asked Dr Schwartz to respond, and he replies as follows:
ReplyDelete"There is some indirect evidence which suggests that there is a deficiency of acetylcholine in the basal ganglia in people who stutter. Vitamin B1 is crucial in the production of acetylcholine. To my knowledge there have been no attempts to inject acetylcholine in people who stutter.
"I tend to stay away from Xanax, or any drug for that matter, for two reasons: (1) Side effects, and (2) the results are not as dramatic as B1 when it works."
peter have you tried the Thiamine yourself? does it work?
ReplyDeleteI did not find thiamine alone in a preparation in my city so i am taking a combination of B1+B6+B12 since 2 days.. I dont see any major change. Can you please put some light how long it takes to see the effects. Previosly i was on erythromycin since 3 months for my acne, but i have stopped taking it a week before starting thiamine.
Is that enough to avoid any interations.?
Eagerly waiting for your reply
Thank You
Anonymous, I haven't tried thiamine myself, firstly because I don't really need it (my speech is no longer a real hindrance in my daily life) and also because, no longer being young, I take various pills for other ailments and don't want to take more pills. But if you read the comments below some of the other posts on thiamine on this blog you will conclude that thiamine does reduce stuttering in some people. It could just be stress reduction or speech muscle relaxation, or something else that improves fluency, we don't know yet. Not everybody benefits from thiamine, and the test period is two weeks, so if you find that, after two weeks, thiamine doesn't do anything for you, you should of course stop taking it. With these things you should't expect too much - don't get your hopes up prematurely - if it does help you, you are lucky. I do think that you should try to find thiamine and not the combination you mentioned. Check out the other posts on thiamine on this blog, and especially the comments below them, because there you will find more info. As I remember you should try to find thiamine hydrochloride, but if that is unavailable try ordinary thiamine (another name for vitamin B1). The dosage is 300 mg per day (100 mg taken three times per day). But always get the green light from your doctor before taking such supplements. Regard it as an experiment in which you have nothing to lose, but don't put all your hopes on it. Do take the trouble of reading all the posts on thiamine on this blog and the comments below them, because this is still very much a work in progress. For some people, thiamine together with magnesium works best. Best of luck and kind regards.
ReplyDeleteI have been taking thiamine with a super b complex for four days with no results.I am pretty sure my stuttering is cause i have anxiety and stress.So i can't relax.Like I want to say i have anxiety disorder but I'm not sure, but anyways I was wondering if taking b1 vitamine with L theanine(its for relax in the mind)safe to take together?
ReplyDeleteBTW I have a mild stutter only and when i'm confident or happy i don't stutter,most people don't even know i stutter.Its just that recently for two years now i have been very fearful of stuttering and now I feel like stuttering is getting worse.I have been scared and ashamed of stuttering.
Dear Anonymous, four days is not very long for reaching a conclusion. The recommended test period is two weeks - check out the main post on thiamine and the many responses thereto at http://stuttersense.blogspot.com/2011/03/thiamine-breakthrough-in-stuttering.html I have no knowledge of "L theanine", but Dr Schwartz who reads the comments below the above link may be able to respond, so you can try asking your question in the post mentioned above. Note that the recommended dosage for thiamine is 300 mg per day, split between 3 intakes of 100 mg each. Check whether the thiamine included with the B Complex which you are taking is 300 mg. Also cut out caffeine in your diet during the test period. Stuttering is to a large extent stress-related, so check out my book and the chapter on stress management for people who stutter, you will find a link to my book here on this blog. For more discussions and info on stuttering, you may want to join one of the Facebook stutter groups such as Stuttering Arena at https://www.facebook.com/groups/239310959439557/ Best of luck and kind regards.
ReplyDeleteyou mean i can't drink soda pepsi!!!That would be impossible,i drink pepsi everyday.Can you tell me why i have to avoid caffeine?Also where can i email Dr.Schwartz.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous: gas drinks such as Pepsi contain caffeine which has anti-thiamine properties. Many people who stutter (me included), though not all, find that caffeine increases their stuttering. I suggest that you experiment with this and don't drink Pepsi for at least two weeks, and then see if there is a difference. Sometimes one has to sacrifice nice things for the sake of better health. In my other blog post on thiamine I quote Dr Schwartz as follows: "It is important to note that some conditions, foods and minerals have anti-thiamine properties. Thiamine deficiency can be caused by malnutrition, antacids, barbiturates, diuretics, a diet high in thiaminase-rich foods (raw freshwater fish, raw shellfish, ferns) and/or foods high in anti-thiamine factors (tea, coffee and carbonated beverages)". Dr Schwartz can be reached through the website of the National Center for Stuttering at http://www.stuttering.com
ReplyDeleteHi Mr Peter Louw and Dr. Schwartz,
ReplyDeleteI'm from India. Can i take Benfotiamine as Thiamine HCL is not available in my country. If yes, shall i take the same quantity of benfotiamine i.e. 300 mg per day as that of Thiamine HCL.
Thanks
Dear Saurabh, Dr Schwartz is the expert and you can try contacting him through his website (The National Center for Stuttering) at www.stuttering.com I am not an expert but I strongly doubt whether Benfotiamine will be effective. My son is a pharmaceutical student and he says that the molecular structures of these two substances differ, so that Benfotiamine will most probably not have the same effect on stuttering as thiamine. I would rather suggest that you somehow try to import thiamine from another country - maybe request a reliable pharmacy or an importer in India to import it for you. Or order it via a reliable source on the internet. Just remember that there is no guarantee that thiamine will work for you. Order a stock which will last you for two weeks (the trial period). If it helps you, you can order some more. Best of luck and kind regards.
ReplyDeletesir you recommended thiamine hydrochloride,when i went to a chemist's shop i found: thymine thiamine hcl.
ReplyDeleteshould i purchase it??is this the only tablet which was recommended by you??
Dear Anonymous, I have now googled "thymine" and it is not the same as "thiamine". Thymine is something different. As I'm not a pharmacist I would rather that you ask your question to a pharmacist, or else try Dr Schwartz at his website at www.stuttering.com Sorry about not being able to help.
ReplyDeleteBenfotiamine is a fat soluble form of Thiamin. Its behavior is not the same as regular Thiamin. I have known some individuals who have tried it, but not enough to pass on its efficacy, even anecdotally. I would therefore not recommend it.
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton both of you for replying and sharing important information. I can get ordinary thiamine i.e. vitamin B-1 over the internet and it's not that expensive. How about i try it for 2 weeks? Incase it doesn't work, i would go for thiamine Hcl.
ReplyDeleteWhich food come in antacids foods.anti thiamine
ReplyDeleteUp to about 1982 thiamine HCL was
ReplyDeletethe only form of thiamin easily available. It was in all "enritched
baked goods and vitamins" Then for
some reason backers and vitamin companys slowley switched to using using Thiamin Mononitrate in backed goods and almost all vitamin pills. The reason I sort of
kept tabs on this is I have a VERRY
odd alergic like reaction to Thiamin HCL. It ( Thiamin HCL) made
MY stuttering 10X or more WORSE !
But I can and do take Thiamin Mononitrate and magnesium. This combination reduces my blocks by
about 75% . I also experimented
with taking some of the Benfortimine in addition to the Thiamin Mononitrate and noted no
further effects.
I can take magnesium citrate fot stammering. Its any different between magnesium and magnesium citrate
ReplyDeletei have read that magnesium can cause upset stomach.so which type and how much should i take to be effective and not cause upset stomach?
ReplyDeleteShould all other supplements be avoided (multivitamin, fish oil, etc) if thiamine (with or without magnesium) has proven beneficial?
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous: I am not an expert, but Dr Schwartz has not said that, if thiamine has proven beneficial, all other supplements should be avoided. Read the list (earlier in this thread) of anti-thiamine conditions, foods and minerals which SHOULD be avoided. If the supplement does not appear on that list, I am sure it would be OK to take it - if your doctor also says it's OK. But also read the other thiamine thread on this blog, as Dr Schwartz has made various important comments there on what to take and what to avoid. For instance, vitamin B2 for some people seems to worsen speech, so if your multivitamin includes B2 it could have a negative effect. This is all very experimental and there are still many questions, so it's best to experiment a bit and see what works best for you, but always in consultation with your doctor.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous who asked about magnesium causing an upset stomach: read Dr Schwartz's comment in the other thiamine thread which states as follows: "The most common expression of too much magnesium is diarrhea. If it occurs, you should reduce the amount. As always, find out from you physician whether you are taking too much or should take any at all. For example, those with impaired kidney function should avoid magnesium supplementation." He has recommended magnesium orotate, and the dosage should be according to your age as recommended in the box or on the bottle or as recommended by the pharmacist. In another comment Dr S. mentioned 2000 mg per day, but that should be reduced if any negative effects appear.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment from a gentleman on the Passive Airflow Facebook page:
ReplyDelete"I have an odd reaction to thiamine HCL that probably only affects one in a million people. Thiamine HCL makes MY stuttering much worse. But thiamine mononitrate reduces my
stuttering about 50%. Note I capitalized the word MY, for most of you thiamine HCL should be fine but I simply can't tolerate it."
My response: this again shows that not everybody reacts in exactly the same way to medications.
The only magnesium i can afford and find is oxide.So with that said does it really matter which type i take,as long as its magnesium right?
ReplyDeleteMagnesium compounds vary in their absorbability. Magnesium oxide has low absorbability, but it is better than nothing, for sure.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this blog is the right place for this, but here goes. I used to stutter very badly, so much that I just avoided speaking. Then in April/1986, due to a reaction to a life event, I because extremely anxious and mildly depressed. This resulted in about a 90% improvement in my speech. This anxiety/depression has continued since and so has my continued speech improvement. I will notice that if I feel better about myself for whatever reason (which is rare) that the stuttering will get dramatically worse. I am just wondering if anyone else has had this experience.
ReplyDeleteThis is off-topic, but it could be that your current anxiety acts as a distraction. It distracts you from stuttering. Though stress usually worsens stuttering it can also distract a person from stuttering. In the literature on stuttering there are a number of examples, though your period of "distraction-related fluency" seems extraordinary long - nearly thirty years. If you are taking medicines for your anxiety and depression, the reason may also be found there - some medicines reduce stress. These are the only reasons I can think of. I am sorry to hear about your problems and would suggest that, if you haven't yet done so, you contact your doctor or other caregiver so that the anxiety and depression can be treated.
ReplyDeleteHi, I had started solgar thiamine capsules 3 times a day after meals. However, they are causing uneasiness in me as I feel heavy, sleepy, lethargic, heavy headed with loss ion appetite due to a feeling of bloatedness and inflamation in the liver area, as if I were having severe acidity. I am off the capsules within 2 days of taking them due to the above stated reasons. Unfortunately, I could not even withstand one capsule. I got these thiamine hcl capsules from a different country io travelled to to purchase them. Magnesium orotate however is in unavailable in my place and I country io got thiamine from.
ReplyDeleteI was feeling smoother while speaking but I was not feeling good inside my body.
Any suggestions?
Ave
Hi dr. S and peter,
ReplyDeleteI have been seeing this website and blog run by some Anna Deeter who is "mentored" by some Russian person and they claim 100% results in 3 days. Cost around 10k usd. Any comments? Do you think this is a scam? They have many testimonials on youtube as well.
Regards
Ave
Dear Ave, regarding your comment on Anna Deeter: When a healer claims to have a very expensive 100% effective stuttering cure, effective within three days, you need to be very suspicious and cautious. Ms. Deeter has been the subject of heated debate on Facebook pages such as the Stuttering Community and Stuttering Arena, so maybe you should ask your question there. Regarding your question on thiamine: the basic rule with supplements, or any foodstuffs for that matter, is that if it has a negative effect on you you should stop taking it. People sometimes respond differently to different supplements. For instance, vitamin B complex gives me headaches. Unfortunately it seems that thiamine doesn't do you any good. Kind regards.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply.
ReplyDeleteI was having hopes on thiamine and it did show its positive effect on speech. Is there any way I can take thiamine and avoid the side effects I had? May be some other supplement along with thiamine to counter the side effects?
Regards
Ave
Dear Ave: remember that the thiamine study is a pioneer study. This is still "terra incognita" (unknown territory). We don't know exactly why thiamine helps some people who stutter. Trying to counter the side effects which you experienced - it seems that's again venturing into unknown territory. Rather stop taking the thiamine and try some other way of dealing with stuttering. I'm no expert but personally I would not be comfortable with taking supplement no. 2 to counter side effects from supplement no. 1. That's taking pills to fight the negative effects of other pills, and I'm not sure if that is a healthy and responsible way of dealing with medications. Kind regards.
ReplyDeleteHi martin Schwartz and Peter louw
ReplyDeleteIn last I found thaimine anf magnesium tablets in india.
I want to ask how much time to be continue this two supplements.and any side effects to use this supplement.
Thanks.you have great job.
Dear Afzal, Dr Schwartz mentioned a test period of two weeks. If there are negative side effects, discontinue. If there is no improvement after two weeks, discontinue. I hope it works for you. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter / Dr Schwartz. I started with thiamine test today, I've had a difficulty finding the magnesium orotate though. Will Magnesium Citrate help?
ReplyDeleteI will keep you updated if I show any improvements.
Regards
Redha
Redha, I am woody and would just like to make a comment on that. I have used both magnesium citrate
ReplyDeleteand magnesium cloride both work
fine for me. But both of these compounds have a strong laxitive
effect. I avoid that by taking 1/4
of my dose with at least 8oz of water 4 times a day. Another way
to get magnesium is to take a rather warm bath with a lot of epsoms salt your body can absorb
some right through your skin!
regards
Woody
One individual taking thiamin has also been taking this product and reports good results. I do not advocate taking this product at this time because not enough in known about its side effects. Here is a comment posted by one manufacturer of the product:
ReplyDeleteIntroducing Swanson Ultra® Magnesium L-Threonate featuring Magtein.™ Developed by MIT researchers, with seven patents pending, Magtein is the only form of supplemental magnesium shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and raise magnesium levels within the brain. By raising the brain's magnesium levels, Magtein promotes healthy neuronal activity for the support of healthy cognitive functions like recall, learning, decision making and spatial recognition.
Magnesium and the Mind
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body. As a cofactor in over 300 different enzymes, it does a lot of things for many organs and tissues. Scientists have been aware of magnesium's role in the brain for decades, but direct evidence of its role in cognitive functioning has been elusive—until now.
In preliminary research published in the prestigious journal Neuron in 2010, MIT researchers screened every available form of supplemental magnesium and demonstrated in an animal model that Magnesium L-Threonate—and only Magnesium L-Threonate—has the ability to cross into the brain and boost magnesium levels. In their experiments, this increase in brain magnesium concentrations resulted in observable benefits in key cognitive measures.
The study was among the most downloaded papers in that year and has led to further studies both here and abroad, in both experimental and human models, to confirm its results and further our understanding of the connection between magnesium and the mind.
How Scientists Think It Works
Conventional brain-supporting supplements work by stimulating neurons that may or may not be a little "worn out." This can lead to a short-term benefit, but the results are fleeting and more servings must be taken to maintain the effects. Furthermore, constant over-stimulation can lead to neuronal burnout, eventually producing the opposite of the intended result.
Magnesium L-Threonate works differently. By boosting magnesium levels within the brain, scientists believe Magnesium L-Threonate helps neurons maintain a state of healthy sustained activity—neither over-stimulated nor under-stimulated. One could say that Magnesium L-Threonate helps keep the brain firing on all cylinders. And, scientists believe, by maintaining this healthy homeostasis, the brain can more easily respond to mental demands and perform cognitive tasks with less stress and fatigue.
For Students, Seniors and Professionals?
Researchers suggest that Magnesium L-Threonate could revolutionize the field of mental nourishment and help everyone achieve and maintain optimum cognitive function at every stage of life. One scientist we spoke to says it helps her perform complex critical thinking and maintain focus while drafting papers during those difficult times of the day when she usually struggles with fatigue and wayward thoughts. Students cramming for exams may find the same support. She also suggests that people whose occupations require prolonged concentration and attention—like executives and professionals, for instance—may benefit from Magnesium L-Threonate. Preliminary studies in aging animal models have shown that Magnesium L-Threonate helps revive cognitive functioning. Follow-up research is focusing on this area, with a variety of planned and in-progress human studies designed to determine if Magnesium L-Threonate might impact specific age-related challenges.
The good news is that we don't have to sit idly by while the scientists continue their investigations. Magnesium L-Threonate is available today for everyone—young and old—who wants to be sharp, clear and focused. Use recommendations include taking 2 capsules in the morning to support healthy cognition throughout the day and 1 capsule at night to help promote a calm yet active mind for healthy and productive sleep.
I used thiamine hcl for one month before negative sexual side effect.what I do.
ReplyDeleteThe basic rule with supplements is that if there are negative side effects, you should discontinue immediately. Not everybody responds in the same way to supplements and medicines. So discontinue and see what happens. The sexual problem may not be related to thiamine but to something else, so if the problem occurs again you will know that it is not caused by thiamine.
ReplyDeleteSome anecdotal reports indicate that if one goes on an alkaline diet, one may discover enhanced fluency. We also know, from some studies, that supplement absorption is enhanced with an alkaline diet. To go on such a diet, Google 'alkaline foods' and choose from the alkaline or high alkaline list. If the diet is going to be useful, you should see effects within one to two weeks.
ReplyDeleteThiamin HCL makes me a little depressed, hungry and stutter more.
ReplyDeleteBut I found I can take thiamin mononitrate without any problems.
Taking it and magnesium has reduced
my blocks by about 75% perhaps more. I just don't think about my stuttering nearly as much now.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have been using thiamine now for more than a month. For me it only helped a lot in the first three days, but after that it looked like the effect just vanished while taking the same amount of thiamine. How can this be?
Unfortunately it seems that you have had a placebo reaction. In other words, your mind may have tricked you. Temporary placebo reactions are very common. What happens is that when somebody believes that a treatment may work, that belief can become a temporary self-fulfilling prophecy. Your base-level tension probably decreased as a result of the new hope and positive expectation, and your fluency improved - because stress and stuttering are to a large extent linked. Placebo reactions regrettably are usually temporary, so after a while your base-level tension rose again to its usual levels, and you began to stutter again. So it may be that unfortunately you are not one of the lucky ones who benefit from thiamine, though it could also be that other factors have prevented your body from absorbing sufficient thiamine. For instance, the thiamine trial needs to be accompanied by a pro-thiamine diet - you can check my thiamine FAQ on this blog for more details. Maybe just check that FAQ to ensure that you haven't missed anything. If not, it seems that unfortunately thiamine doesn't work for you.
ReplyDeleteDo i need to take thiamine with a daily b complex to avoid b deficiency in other b vitamins?
ReplyDeleteIf you search "b complex for stuttering" on the web you will see in one of the results pages that a professor cured his 'blocks' type stuttering which i myself suffer from!
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous, whether you need to take thiamine with B Complex to avoid general B deficiency would depend on your state of health and whether your doctor has found that you have any such deficiency as per a blood test. If you don't have such a deficiency and would still like to experiment with thiamine to improve fluency, note that Dr Schwartz is not in favour of B Complex, as some of the other forms of vitamin B apparently could work against what we are trying to achieve. Regarding your second question on the professor who cured his stuttering after taking B Complex: Firstly, we have to define "cure". If it is true that the professor became fluent, the question arises to what extent - for instance, under great, extraordinary conditions of stress he might again stutter. However, let's assume that he has become fluent for all practical purposes. Cures such as these do happen, though few and far between, and usually it's a result of drastically reduced stress levels. The anti-stress components within B Complex may have reduced this professor's "baseline tension" to such an extent that his speech tension no longer reaches his stuttering threshold. Dr Schwartz has explained these concepts in his excellent book You Can Stop Stuttering. But not everybody reacts so well to B Complex, otherwise stuttering would not be such a problem!
ReplyDeleteOff topic question here but important
ReplyDeletebut is it true that all stutterers stutter simply cuz they inhale,and non stutterers exhale as they speak?
I tried speaking gently(first i started on a book with 100% success) as i start speaking and my blocks are reduced and i notice i exhale thru my stomach.And when i don't talk gently i have bad blocks and i also feel like im sucking in air.Or my chest getting tighter.
Again sorry for the off topic question
I don't think it is correct to say that stuttering is caused by inhaling while speaking. This is a myth, but like many myths it could be based on a few grains of truth. It is true that the breathing patterns of many stutterers are abnormal. But that's just part of the typical struggle behaviours exhibited by stutterers when trying to cope with their tension-sensitive vocal cords that "lock" or "freeze" when under stress. The problem fundamentally lies with the vocal cords, not with abnormal breathing as such which is just a result of the vocal-cord lock. But it is true that good fluency techniques depend on correct breathing. I agree with you that speaking gently helps. It's also called "low energy speech" or "soft contacts". The more gently, slower and softer you speak, the less tension on the vocal cords. Personally I also believe that our focus should be on breathing-out (exhaling), but a particular form of exhaling while speaking called the Passive Airflow Technique; and also there should be a focus on reducing vocal-cord tension (through the Passive Airflow Technique) as well as reducing general tension (stress), in all its many forms.
ReplyDeleteI am been taking Thiamine for about 2 years now from Solgar. Today, I purchased Thiamine HCL from a local store and the label reads, Thiamin as Thiamin HCL 500mg ( 33333%), and Calcium as dicalcium phosphate 75 mg (8 %). I can recall from the previous thread that the Calcium could have negative impact on Thiamine absorption. Could you please confirm if it is still "OK" to take this supplement having Calcium trace( 8%) in it?
ReplyDeleteHi Gopes, nice to hear from you again. I remember that you were one of the first persons on this blog to find that thiamine is helping you significantly. Regarding the calcium - you are right, Dr Schwartz did place a post in which he cautioned about calcium, but for some reason that post seems to have vanished from my blog. Dr Schwartz would be the best person to answer your question, but personally I think it would be best to try and remain with the Solgar. 8% doesn't seem to be much, but still if the Solgar is working for you I think you should try to get it again instead of other brands which may not be as pure and may have all kinds of additives which we don't want for our particular purpose. The 8% calcium probably won't do harm, but try the new brand and see if it has the same effect as the Solgar. If your speech deteriorates it may be an indication that the new brand is not as effective as the Solgar.
ReplyDeleteToday is my first day taken thiamine
ReplyDeletefrom slogar. I live in Egypt and imported from ebay online pharmacy at UK. I hope this will help me to overcome my stuttering. Inshallah I will update you with the results after 2 weeks. Am I expected to see a result from the next day or I should wait the 2 weeks to see the result.
Dear Muhammad, If I were you I would not draw any conclusions before the two weeks have elapsed. In fact, it seems that, according to some of the reports, the thiamine effect can manifest itself fully even after two weeks. A period of at least two weeks will, among other things, also rule out the possibility of a placebo effect during the first few days. In other words, if you do improve shortly after taking the first pill, it could be self-suggestion (the placebo effect) and not as a result of the thiamine. So do take the pills for at least two weeks and then review the situation. But don't get your hopes up, as only 3 out of 10 people benefit substantially. Also read my FAQ and try the pro-thiamine diet, avoid caffeine etc during this period to improve your chances. I hope you are one of the lucky ones. Regards.
ReplyDeleteHello! I am a female stutter, I am 22 years old, and English my second language. I know that test was with males native speakers, but I still want to try that. I hope for better results!will let you know in 2 weeks!
ReplyDeleteJust want to ask you, if my weight just 119 lb and I am female , are the doses still the same - 100 mg 3 times a day?
Thank you!
Dear Irina, 119 lb is pretty average, so I can see no reason why the dosage should be different (though I am not a pharmacist). But do read the whole FAQ on thiamine elsewhere on this blog, so as to ensure that you maximise the chances that you will benefit (eg. no caffeine for the next two weeks, and the pro-thiamine diet). Best of luck and I hope that you are one of the lucky ones who benefit.
ReplyDeleteWhere can i try the passive air flow technique? Cuz all my life i had a mild stutter with little repetitions only that never got in the way of speaking,however recently like 3 years now i have been having real bad blocks.And now its noticeable big time.I don't know if stress caused this or what.Actually i know it was stress but now i calm myself down all the time but the bad stutter is still there.It's like i'm half the man i used to be.Like i'm a different guy who blocks now and has no friends anymore(i avoid people now for years now).I just feel like a worthless loser that spends time alone.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous, I am sorry that you feel that way. Stuttering can really mess up one's social life and self-concept. But not being fluent does not reduce one's worth as a human being. I would suggest that you join one of the Facebook groups dealing with stuttering such as the Stuttering Arena, or the Stuttering Community. You will find links to them on the left side of this blog. In these groups you will find many people struggling with the same issues, but you will also get lots of support and hear of suggestions to work toward solutions in terms of both psychological mindset and improved fluency. Yes, your current stuttering is probably due to increased stress levels. If your current ways to manage stress are not effective, try other relaxation methods - in my book, for which you will also find a link to on the left side of this blog, I have a whole chapter on stress management. Regarding the Passive Airflow Technique - this is probably the best fluency technique around, but note that all such techniques are not miracle cures and demand regular work, effort and motivation. As far as I know, there are no airflow workshops, so you will have to "do-it-yourself". I would suggest that you purchase Dr Schwartz's airflow CD course - again I have a link to his course on my blog. It's self-therapy, but stuttering therapy is anyway self-therapy - a therapist can guide you, but the work will have to be done by the client himself. I would also suggest that you read Dr Schwartz's free online book on the airflow as well as mine. Lastly, check out my YouTube video on the airflow as well as the Airflow Facebook page. Links to these are all on this blog. At some stage I also intend to offer a Google Hangout airflow demonstration, so if interested please leave your name in the Airflow Facebook, and "like" it to get regular messages. All the best and do not give up - I hope to hear from you on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to take the dialy thaimine dose for 1 day, 2 days and one time at the morning but take the other 2 (luch and dinner) and I drink a pepsi for one time aloso :(
Should I repeat for another 2 weeks or just add 5 more days to complete the 2 weeks test period?
Thanks
Is this dagner to take for a month?
Dear Muhammad, I am not an expert, but if you are otherwise in good health and not experiencing side effects it should not be dangerous to take it for a month. In fact a number of people for whom it is helping have been taking thiamine for years. Excessive thiamine is excreted through the urine, and tests have shown that even large overdoses of thiamine HCL are not detrimental to health. The purpose of the two-week test period is to establish with some accuracy whether the thiamine has a positive effect on fluency, and to try and remove the possibility of a temporary but false placebo effect (self-suggestion). Your guess is as good as mine, but if you want to make absolutely sure that thiamine is either improving your fluency or not, maybe take it for another two weeks; however just adding five more days should also give you an indication of whether this is working for you. Whatever your decision, good luck and I hope that it works for you.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am interested in supporting my 7 year old son who stutters with the protocol. The article mentions that the dose is less for women and children but doesn’t specify the dose. Can you recommend a dose for his age. Also if there is anything else you recommend I do to support him I would greatly appreciate the guidance. Thank you very much.
Hi Julie - Not being a doctor, pharmacist or other health professional I hesitate to reply to your question, but note the following points: 1) Only a minority of children and adults find this protocol helpful, so your son might unfortunately not be in that category. 2) Please consult your doctor or other relevant medical professional before trying this protocol for your son. 3) Anecdotally according to some parents who have responded in this blog, some have found that 100 mg of thiamin (the hydrochloride version) per day has been beneficial for their children (for adults, Dr Schwartz's recommended dosage is 300 mg per day). For magnesium, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for a boy aged 7 is 130 mg per day (for adults it is 420). Note that the protocol also includes avoiding foods and drinks that deplete thiamin in the body such as raw fish (sushi etc), all teas and coffees, sugars and sugary drinks. Stop the protocol after a month if there are no positive results. As regards other ways to support him: Stuttering apparently is stress / anxiety related, with the anxiety often hidden (repressed), so try to reduce stress and anxiety as much as possible for him. Slower speech does help. In my book Coping With Stuttering I have a chapter on stuttering children, so you might want to read that; it's online for free at http://copingwithstuttering.blogspot.com/2010/02/stuttering-child.html I have since written a second book, Stuttering as a mindbody disorder (2020), in which I propose that stuttering is a stress-related "mind-body" disorder not unlike other stress disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and many other digestive and other issues. Mind-body issues often arise when children or adults unconsciously repress their hidden fears, anger, sadness etc. instead of expressing them, so it may help to encourage your son to open up, instead of bottling it up, in any way possible, perhaps by expressive hobbies / activities such as painting, drawing, singing, karate etc. and, when old enough, writing in a diary etc. Mind-body disorders have the common feature that sufferers, when children, are usually Highly Sensitive Children. In fact, research has found that 4/5 of stuttering children are Highly Sensitive. This is an inborn trait. It's a great trait to have and most poets, artists etc. have it but it really helps to be aware of it. Such children are quite prone to stress and to pick up a mind-body issue. You might want to do the online Highly Sensitive Child test for your son here: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-child-test/ For more information, google "Highly Sensitive Children" and look for guidelines on how to support them (in my second book you will also find a lot of information on this!) I hope this will help! It is a journey ... also consider joining my Facebook group "Stuttering as a mindbody disorder" though it's more aimed at adults. Best wishes!
DeleteB complex has thiamine. Or do I have to buy only thiamine ???
ReplyDeleteB complex contains only a minimal amount of thiamine ... the whole point of the thiamine protocol is to significantly increase the amount of thiamine in your body. That's why Dr Schwartz recommends a thiamine-only protocol, but do add the magnesium as recommended - of course, after consulting with your doctor.
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