Family and Caregiver Schizophrenia Discussion Forum

Sarcosine and Ways to Ingest It

#1

Hi there! So I’m new to this. I have a loved with one SZD (Schizoaffective Disorder, a subset of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder) and would like to help them out with alternative treatments since they don’t want to take psychiatric medications for their schizophrenia (they experience all the symptoms of both disorders) and I can’t force them to. I heard Sarcosine can help reduce the symptoms relatively well and would like to buy it for them so that they can try it, but I have no idea how to dispense it.

I went to other forum, but some moderator kicked me out saying that it was only for those had been diagnosed. Nothing in the Terms of Service or FAQ states that family members cannot post there. It only says “For people who have been diagnosed or think they may have psychosis,” which is ambiguous. If I post something there, as someone who has not been diagnosed, that doesn’t and shouldn’t exempt me from asking a question for someone who has been diagnosed. Therefore, “For people who have been diagnosed.” They should make that more clear if it really is that way, the phrasing is ambiguous. Linguistics can be a double-edged sword when it comes to the law. I just feel that their action was unfair considering the website itself was misguiding in stating their exclusitivity. Seems like that person just enjoys kicking people out because half of their activity consists of that. Anyway, so that’s why I’m here asking this and hoping that maybe at least one of you has experience with this if you distribute medication for your family members or maybe you know if and how they take this.

How do they take Sarcosine? How do you measure it? What do you use to measure it? Do you pour it over their food or in water or smoothies? Do you have any recipes? What have the results been so far? What other medications do they take with it?

#2

Hi, Welcome. This is the family member area; you are in the right place now. Just a note: all of the moderators who volunteer for the site have done a huge amount of work for a very long time. People are dedicated to the site. The moderators and admin make complex decisions about the site based on what works for the most people. They have many, many considerations. This is where family members post.

I have zero experience with sarcosine. I’m glad you’re here.

#3

Thank you. I get that, but the reason that I had posted over there was because I had been linked by redditors and I had no idea that there were divisions on the site since I’m on mobile nor was it stated. That aside, I find the individuals themselves to be more helpful and knowledgable when it comes to their experiences and treatments than family members who are usually inexperienced with the disorders, how to cope, and unsupportive. I know this personally from both my experience and my partner’s, as schizophrenia runs in my mother’s side of the family.

#4

I use it frequently - you just mix it in with water (or I also just sprinkle a gram or two in my hand and pop it onto my tongue). It tastes good - slightly sweet. If you order it from BrainVitaminz it comes with a little 1 gram scoop - so you just scoop out what you want.

I take it for mood - and it seems to help for that. You can read on the web site about the science behind it - more info about it and other supplements that seem to help for schizophrenia is here:

http://schizophrenia.com/treatments.php

You can read people’s experiences in this poll:

#5

Thank you, I’ll look into it!

#6

Thanks for letting us know you take it.

#7

I just ordered this for my son. He already said he would try it. I’ll keep you posted.

#8

Thank you! I hope it really does work, I’m trying for him to take it, but he refuses and says that he feels fine. :disappointed:

#9

I just told my son the statistics that I read off the site.

#10

I bought some for my son. He doesn’t seem to be using it much, but he is on anti-psychotics and doing alright at the moment. I have tried it myself. It does improve my motivation and concentration. I don’t know how much good it does if the person with sz is not taking medication, but it can’t do any harm. According to what i have read, it will be most effective combined with meds, but also combined with exercise, when it is also supposed to be good at reinforcing learning and memory.

#11

I’m glad things are better for your son now. It’s hard to think that was only a year ago.

#12

I wouldn’t take any supplements or medications if they’ve been specified to treat a mental illness if I didn’t have it myself. My psychiatrist prescribed 0.5 mg of Risperidone to help me sleep, but after taking it for 4 days I ended up having a seizure. Risperidone, also known as Risperidal, is meant to treat Schizophrenia (which I do not have). There are medications that will have contraindicative side effects if you do not have said illness. Just a fair warning, so be careful.

#13

Sarcosine is an amino acid and can do no harm. Since it is known that many of the relatives of people with sz have negative symptoms too, to varying extents, it may do some good. Risperidone is a very powerful drug, not a simple amino acid. I wouldn’t take it either!

#14

Interesting, I wasn’t aware of that information. What kind of symptoms do they experience?

#15

Negative symptoms are things like lack of focus, lack of motivation, absence of feeling, poor memory, etc. The anti-psychotics tend not to make much difference to them, but everybody has different ones anyway. Personally these days my attention span is terrible. I took some sarcosine when I was at my son’s place and it made quite a difference. I’m going to buy myself a pack!

#16

Oh, I didn’t know that. Schizophrenia runs in my mom’s side of the family, but the only of those things that I’ve experienced is absence of feeling and that’s because I’m autistic. Poor memory and lack of focus are the only symptoms I’ve seen from family members who suffer from ADHD. Let me know how it affects you after a month’s time, I might be willing to try it. Maybe if my fiancé sees me taking it, he would take it too.

#17

I’ve been meaning to order some & just did.

The reason I was hesitant is that my son will sometimes think he can take supplements only & it still counts as him being on his meds.

I’m going to try it too. I don’t think I have negative symptoms, but when I’m stressed my brain doesn’t seem to fire on all cylinders - especially as I get older. I work a someone high pressure job too, so maybe it’ll help me as much as him.

He’s had memory issues since he was little. When he was 6/7, they tested him for learning disabilities & it said deficits in long-term, short-term & working memory - but he scored off the charts in coming up with unique solutions to unusual problems. Looking back, I think it’s all related to the SZ. As early as 3rd grade, I saw isolated problems, but wrote it off to shyness, etc.

Anyway, if it says it’s a brain vitamin, I won’t have any trouble getting him to try it. He’s tried prevagin, focus factor, 5htp, and a ton of others. I stop buying them because they’re expensive & he’ll either take the whole bottle in a few days or I find them spread out across the floor somewhere.

#18

Did they work on him?

#19

He said the prevagin did - but it’s one of those expensive ones they have lots of commercials for.

I think we got it in CVS for $40 for a 30-day bottle of the regular strength & they were $10/20 more for extra strength.

He said they helped his memory & helped him think - it did nothing for his positive symptoms.

#20

Ok, thank you. I’m just looking at several options. He is in the hospital right now, he had a panic attack and they’re giving him Ativan. I don’t know if they’ll give him anything for SZD that he’s willing to take, so I have to go see today.