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...phycomin™ facts
PHYCOMIN™
Love Molecules
Ingredient for the mind.™
Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a blue-green alga growing naturally in Klamath Lake, Southern Oregon, which has been used as a dietary supplement for more than two decades. Most commonly reported benefits are an increase in mental clarity and energy, an elevation of mood, and a reduction of the symptoms of attention deficit disorder and depression. PHYCOMIN™ is an extract from AFA containing high concentrations of the active ingredient, PEA.
Phenylethylamine (PEA)
PEA is a compound naturally produced by the brain and is responsible for the mediation of experiences associated with pleasure and mental awareness . For example, PEA is released in the brain when one experiences a feeling of love and joy; for this reason it is often referred to as “the molecule of love.”
Mechanism of action of PEA
When taken orally, PEA is known to readily cross the blood-brain barrier and be immediately available in the brain. In the brain PEA acts by increasing the concentration of dopamine in the synaptic cleft.
Effect of dietary PEA
When taken orally at concentrations equivalent to 1 gram of 0.5% AFA extract twice daily, PEA was shown to decrease the symptoms of depression . PEA is an endogenous neuromodulator responsible for triggering or sustaining wakefulness, alertness, and excitement and may therefore prove to be a safe and effective alternative for the management of ADD . PEA has also been coined as a “mood elevator”.
1 Sabelli et al. (1995) Phenylethylamine modulation of affect: therapeutic and diagnostic implications.
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 7(1):6-14
2 Barroso et al. (1996) Action of beta-phenylethylamine and related amines on nigrostriatal dopamine neurotransmission. Eur J Pharmacol 1996 297(3):195-203
3 Sabelli et al. (1996) Sustained antidepressant effect of PEA replacement.
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosc