DMAE benefit and DMAE side effects - DMAE information by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

DMAE is known chemically as dimethyl-amino-ethanol. DMAE has been known in Europe by the product name Deanol for more than three decades. DMAE has two methyl groups and is chemically similar to choline. DMAE has been popular for many years in those interested in improving mental alertness and clarity of thinking.

DMAE bitartrate 350 mg, 60 Capsules (provides 130 mg of actual DMAE)

 Suggested use: Take half or one DMAE capsule in the morning with breakfast.

Click here to buy DMAE supplement, FREE Diet Rx appetite suppressant, Mind Power Rx for more alertness and focus, Eyesight Rx for better vision, Passion Rx sexual enhancer, additional brain supplements, or to sign up to a very popular and FREE newsletter

Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month we email you a brief abstract of several new studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including DMAE and healthy skin.

Mind Power Rx with DMAE - Formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Mind Power Rx with DMAE is a sophisticated cognitive formula. It combines a delicate balance of brain circulation agents and neurotransmitter precursors with powerful natural brain chemicals that support healthy:

Memory and Mood
Mental clarity
Concentration 
Alertness & Focus

Why buy all the individual herbs and nutrients separately -- at great expense -- when you can buy this excellent combination?
The herbs in Mind Power Rx include: Ashwagandha, Bacopa, Fo-Ti, Ginkgo biloba,  Ginseng, Gotu kola, Mucuna pruriens, Reishi, and Rhodiola.  The nutrients and vitamins in Mind Power Rx include Acetyl-l-carnitine, Carnitine, Carnosine, Choline, DMAE, Inositol, Methylcobalamin, Pantothenic acid, Trimethylglycine, Tyrosine, and Vinpocetine.

Click DMAE above in blue for more information

Source Naturals - Skin Eternal Cream, Net Contents 120 ml (4 fl. oz.)
Source Naturals Skin Eternal ™ Cream is a rich luxurious blend of nutrients and plant extracts. Skin Eternal Cream helps your skin feel supple and replenished without a lingering oily feeling. Source Naturals Skin Eternal Cream contains DMAE, alpha-lipoic acid, ascorbyl palmitate (C ester), coenzyme Q10, MSM and glycolic acid. It has the fresh, light scent of kiwi.
     Apply DMAE skin cream every other day. Excessive use of DMAE skin cream may cause redness of the skin.
Visit www.clubnatural.com/sk1.html to order this DMAE skin cream product

DMAE Research for Alzheimer's, memory loss, age related mental decline
Studies with DMAE go back to the 1950s. One double blind, placebo-controlled trial performed in twenty-seven patients with severe Alzheimer's disease did not show significant benefits (Fisman 1981). Another study on twenty-one patients with memory deficits was also discouraging since no improvement was found in memory (Caffarra 1980). However, DMAE was found helpful in patients with age related mental decline. DMAE was given for four weeks to fourteen older patients (Ferris 1977). Ten patients improved and four were unchanged. The patients on DMAE had reduced depression, less anxiety, and increased motivation, but they had no improvement in memory. The researchers say, "the results thus suggest that although DMAE may not improve memory, it may produce positive behavioral changes in some senile patients." Dementia is a term that is now substituted for senility and is sometimes used to denote a severe case of age related cognitive decline.
   DMAE has been touted as an anti-aging nutrient but there have not been any human studies evaluating the claim that DMAE slows aging.

DMAE Positive effects - Benefit of DMAE - DMAE Enhances Mood and Alertness
Most people notice being more alert and focused within a couple of hours after taking DMAE. The DMAE benefit of alertness and focus can last most of the day. A few report a higher sense of wellbeing. DMAE is recommended to be taken in the early part of the day. I also like the mind boosting effect of Acetyl-l-carnitine, but my favorite is a combination of several nutrients and herbs, including DMAE bitartrate, found in Mind Power Rx.

Efficacy of dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) containing vitamin-mineral drug combination on EEG patterns in the presence of different emotional states. Dimpfel W. Forschung und Entwicklung -, Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 9, D-35440 Linden, Germany. Eur J Med Res. 2003 May 30;8(5):183-91.
The psychophysiological model of provoking different emotional states by watching film excerpts with various emotional contents was used to characterize drug action in 80 subjects (male /f emale = 50%) with threshold emotional disturbance within a randomized, group-parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Analyzing the brain's electrical reaction during presentation of 5 videoclips of 7 min duration followed by 3 minutes pause revealed a content specific representation of topographical frequency changes. This procedure was repeated after 6 and 12 weeks of daily intake of a vitamin-mineral drug combination containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) or placebo. Subjects taking DMAE supplement for 3 months developed significant less theta and alpha1 power in sensomotoric areas of the cortex. Since decreases in theta and alpha1 electrical power have been associated with increased vigilance and attention, subjects taking DMAE combination obviously were more active and felt better. Therefore the vitamin-mineral combination containing DMAE can be interpreted to induce a psychophysiological state of better feeling of wellbeing on both levels of analysis mood and electrical pattern of brain activity in subjects suffering from borderline emotional disturbance.

DMAE Side effects
DMAE is available in varying dosages. It is best to start with a low dose, such as 50 to 150 mg of actual DMAE to avoid DMAE side effects. High doses can cause anxiety, restlessness, and muscle tenseness or stiffness in the neck, jaw, and shoulders. DMAE taken late in the day may cause insomnia. Other DMAE side effects on high dosages include irritability, headache, and overstimulation.

DMAE Availability
DMAE is usually sold by the name of DMAE bitartrate. A 350 mg pill of DMAE bitartrate yields 130 mg of actual DMAE. It is also available as DMAE liquid. One product contains 35 mg of DMAE per drop. Most users notice an effect from 50 to 150 mg of actual DMAE or 150 to 350 mg of DMAE bitartrate.

Dr. Sahelian' s Experience with a DMAE supplement
Within two hours of taking 130 mg of actual DMAE, I notice a definite increase in alertness and slight mood and visual enhancement. I also get more motivated to work on projects and seem to work more efficiently. On higher amounts I have experienced neck stiffness and anxiety. I also like Acetyl-carnitine as a mind booster.

DMAE Summary
DMAE can be helpful in the elderly who have cognitive decline. This nutrient can also be taken by an adult of any age who needs to be more focused and alert.

DMAE and Skin
A recent study shows DMAE cream is able to increase firmness of skin. Perhaps DMAE cream has anti-wrinkle potential. See below for the abstract.

The role of dimethylaminoethanol in cosmetic dermatology.
Am J Clin Dermatol. 2005;6(1):39-47. Grossman R.
Johnson and Johnson Consumer Products Worldwide, Skillman, NJ 08558
Skincare formulations for the improvement of aging skin are increasingly important consumer products. Here, we review available data on one such agent - 2-dimethylaminoethanol ( DMAE ) or deanol - that has recently been evaluated in a placebo-controlled trial. DMAE is an analog of the B vitamin choline and is a precursor of acetylcholine. Although the role of acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter is well known, growing evidence points to acetylcholine as a ubiquitous cytokine-like molecule that regulates basic cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, locomotion, and secretion in a paracrine and autocrine fashion. Indeed, this modulatory role may contribute to the cutaneous activity of DMAE. In a randomized clinical study, 3% DMAE facial gel applied daily for 16 weeks has been shown to be safe and efficacious in the mitigation of forehead lines and periorbital fine wrinkles, and in improving lip shape and fullness and the overall appearance of aging skin. Conclusions: Thus, the benefits of DMAE in dermatology include a potential anti-inflammatory effect and a documented increase in skin firmness with possible improvement in underlying facial muscle tone. Studies are needed to evaluate the relative efficacy of DMAE compared with other skin-care regimens (e.g., topical antioxidant creams, alpha-hydroxy acids).

Split face study on the cutaneous tensile effect of 2-dimethylaminoethanol (dmae) gel.
Skin Res Technol 2002 Aug;8(3):164-7
Beyond subjective assessments, the effect of skin tensors is difficult to assess. The present 2-phase randomized double-blind split face study was designed to compare the effect of a gel containing 3% 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol, DMAE) with the same formulation without DMAE. METHODS: In a first pilot study, sensorial assessments and measures of the skin distension under suction were performed in eight volunteers. In a second study conducted in 30 volunteers, shear wave propagation was measured. RESULTS: Large interindividual variations precluded any significant finding in the first study. The DMAE formulation showed, however, a significant effect characterized by increased shear wave velocity in the direction where the mechanical anisotropy of skin showed looseness. The DMAE formulation under investigation increased skin firmness.

DMAE supplement emals
Q. What are the differences between CDP-Choline and GPC-choline? 2. I've had a chronic problem with stiff neck and DMAE bitartrate made it worse. What's probability that either of these 2 versions of choline would do the same?
   A. We have come across GPC-choline but have not really looked into it in any detail since we can't find any revealing human trials with it. DMAE can make neck tenseness worse in higher dosages. We are not aware that CDP-choline would do the same. But to assure this, we recommend less than a full dose.

Q. Should DMAE be taken every day?
   A. My personal preference is that DMAE should not be taken every day. If DMAE gives you positive benefits, you may take a bread for a couple of days a week and if you really wanted to take another mind booster, you could try acetyl-l-carntine.

Q. I get muscle tenseness in the neck when I take 2 tablets of DMAE bitartrate. Is this common?
   A. I'm not sure why high doses of DMAE cause this problem in the neck. But in my experience, low doses of DMAE don't cause the neck muscle tenseness.

Q. Is aDMAE supplement best taken with or without food?
   A. For better absorption, a lower amount of DMAE a few minutes before breakfast or lunch should work well. You may need a higher dose if taken with food. If a particular DMAE supplement you are using is potent, then taking the DMAE with food would slow the absorption and reduce the risk for side effects.

Q. I have seen a skin care product with DMAE and Alpha LIpoic Acid cream combinations and a dmae gel. Does the combination alpha lipoic acid dmae cream work better together for skin wrinkles?
   A. There have been some studies that DMAE and alpha lipoic acid cream individually could reduce fine wrinkles, but a few more studies are needed before being more confident in the appropriate cream strength and how often to use them. I have not yet seen any good studies using the combination of DMAE and alpha lipoic acid cream or dmae gel skin care product used together for human skin wrinkles.

Q. What do you think of using phosphatidylserine and dmae bitartrate together?
   A. I an not impressed by phosphatidylserine as a brain supplement.

Q. Is liquid dmae better that a dmae oral supplement?
   A. DMAE in a capsule form is quite well absorbed, I don't see the need for liquid DMAE.

Q. Can DMAE cause insomnia?
   A. Yes, DMAE can cause insomnia, especially if the DMAE supplement is taken later in the day. Most brain supplements are better used in the morning.

Q. I have seen a spelling dmae or dimethylaminoethanol as dimethylamine dmae. Which is right?
   A. Dimethylaminoethanol is the correct DMAE abbreviation.

Q. I gave my 12 year old daughter 50 mg of DMAE supplement each morning before school and it helped her grades tremendously, raising them from Bs to As, she dropped back to Bs when off the DMAE. I find DMAE helps me stay focused and improves my short term memory and word recall.

Q. Is DMAE a vitamin?
   A. DMAE is not a vitamin since it can be made by the body by itself.

Q. What's the best dmae product?
   A. Many companies make a DMAE product and I would suspect most of them are quite true to their label.

Q. What is DMAE serum?
   A. I don't know what a company means by DMAE serum, perhaps they mean DMAE liquid? I think of the word serum having to do with blood.

Q. I noticed that you did not list increased blood pressure as a side effect of DMAE. Much of the information I have seen says that DMAE can raise BP. What is your experience/opinion?
   A. We have not seen any studies regarding the influence of DMAE on blood pressure, but it could be possible. We will await for further research or individual feedback to make this determination.