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Tardive Dyskinesia (Tics)The side effect of tics, associated with psychiatric medications, is not new. I do receive several e-mails each week from people, now suffering from tics, that never had this symptom before using an SSRI. Most physicians are not aware of this problem. Zoloft appears to induce this side effect more often then other SSRIs. The prozactruth.com Web Site tries to provide information in an easy to understand format. At times there is no alternative but to use medical terms or chemical terms. We do try and define those terms for you as best as is possible. What can be done? Click here to read clinical trials that support this information. All links are removed from the page (except one to allow you to return to this page easily) to make it easier for you to print. I do recommend you take this information to your physician. It has been proven that increasing lecithin can get rid of tics. Below is first response back from person using these method. "I am taking Lecithin, vitamin B complex, & folic acid for nearly three weeks now. My muscle twitches have already stopped!" What is lecithin? Lecithin is a type of lipid (essential fatty substance) that is needed by every living cell in the human body. The cell membranes, which regulate the passage of nutrients into and out of the cells, are largely composed of lecithin. The protective sheaths surrounding the brain are composed of lecithin, as well are the muscles and nerve cells. Lecithin consist mostly of the B vitamin choline, and also contains linoleic acid and inositol. Lecithin is partly soluble in water and thus acts as an emulsifying agent. How does lecithin relate to tics? Lecithin resides in the cell membranes and serves as a second messenger in cell signaling. This is the process used by hormones and other substances to transmit signals from outside of a cell to the interior of the cell. Cell signaling, or lack of signaling, is the focus here.
G proteins are one of the many targets of antidepressants. Antidepressants do not increase the number of G proteins but they do make the G proteins more active. It is the increased activity of the G proteins that affect the cell membranes and lecithin. Cells send signals to other cells and to other parts of the body. Other parts of the body will send signals to the cells. It is the disruption of the signal that causes the tic. It is that simple. Much like an electrical wire or electrical switch that does not receive the required voltage, it will not work properly. Many parts of our bodies are composed of positive and negative terminals, the same as an electrical switch. If you reverse the polarity, changing the negative to positive or changing the positive to negative, the switch will not work or will short out. The same is true within our body. Many people experience a change in their heart beat while taking antidepressants. This is caused by the antidepressants altering certain functions in the body that regulate the voltage to the heart. How much lecithin should you take? Each individual will be different. We all react differently to supplements as well as to medications. You will find dosage recommendations in the chart below. In one clinical trial, there was a significant improvement of tics in 14 days with lecithin administration, even while the patients still used the neuroleptic medication that caused the tics. (This is the first clinical trial shown on the clinical trial page) Always start at a low dosage and work up. Let your body get accustomed to the initial dose, then increase if needed. There are not consistent reports of how much lecithin is safe to take for a prolonged period. Some suggest no more then 25,000 mg of lecithin should be used. 25,000 mg a day of lecithin is a very high dosage and I do not recommend anyone come close to that dosage. The lecithin I recommend has 7,500 mg of lecithin, along with other key nutrients. All supplements usually work better if combined with other specific supplements. Lecithin is no different. If you are taking lecithin, you should also be taking Folic Acid and vitamin B12. I am recommending a specific folic acid and B12 vitamin because it is in a combination form and is delivered as a lozenge that will give a quicker and better absorption into the body. Before starting any supplement while still taking a medication, it is very important that you inform your doctor of your plans. I know most of you have already talked with your physician regarding tics before you arrived at this Web Site. You probably did not get the answer you were looking for or did not receive an answer at all. That is probably why you are still looking for information. Please let your doctor know what you plan to do Are there side effects to lecithin? Sorry to say, there are no consistent reports on lecithin side effects. There have been reported side effects of lecithin causing gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, and excessive sweating. These reports did not show what dosage of lecithin was being used. The side effects immediately subsided after the lecithin was discontinued. You will find below the lecithin, B12 and folic acid recommended. Source references: Source Neuoroscience 2001;102(2) :361-7 Source J Neurochem 1995 Feb;64(2) : 724-32 Source J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1995 Oct;275(1) :509-17 The statements and articles presented on this web site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The articles and information herein are presented strictly for the purposes of information and education, and are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The products presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Anybody with a medical condition or concern, should consult a physician. As with any new regime, the advice of a professional health practitioner should be attained before embarking on any new nutritional supplementation or diet program.
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