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Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Does D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) really cause permanent Brain Damage?

 

Wow! Such a nefarious blog title for a seemingly innocent health supplement!  I felt the need to post this today after I found myself yesterday typing into the search engine different search phrases, such as: 1) Does DAA really damage NMDA receptors in the brain? 2) Is D-Aspartic Acid really safe?  3) Is DAA an exotoxin?  4) What are the side effects of D-Aspartic Acid? And so on and so forth...

At any rate, what started as a monthly visit to Amazon to buy random stuff, supplements, the usual, ended up in me doing something I rarely do. Which is, going back the next day and cancelling certain items from my order. When it comes to pills, I usually order the same tried-and-true supplements that I have been using for many years, but every so often I will gingerly try a new supplement that supports athletic performance, energy, stamina, testosterone, etc.   I say "gingerly" because I'm really cautious when it comes to new pills - especially ones that could affect hormone levels, etc.  Hormone balance is a good thing considering there are so many different types in the human body, and too much of this, not enough of that, agonist of this versus an antagonist of that and whatnot can often turn into an undesirable imbalance. Whether it is stress hormones, sex hormones, you name it, I've heard too many stories over the years in health forums to say the least. Some people mix and match so many supplements or take too much of certain hormones that they end up being depressed with poor cognitive and sexual function.  Some side effects are transitory albeit some may be permanent. 

Anyway, D-Aspartic Acid is not a hormone, so let's get that out of the way. It's a non-essential amino acid. By what I've read, the D form of this is pretty much metabolized into a substance that stimulates the NMDA receptors of the brain. Over excitement in this part of your grey matter can supposedly cause cellular death and/or brain damage in those particular receptors if too much is taken. See, that's the part that gets me right there. How do we know what is too much? Unlike a lot of other supplements out there, this one doesn't seem to be as thoroughly tested. Even the anecdotal evidence is not extremely abundant by what I can tell, and that is uncommon for hyped-up supplements. However, I have read that D-Aspartic Acid has similar negative effects on the brain as MSG and an artificial sweetener known as "aspartame." Well, that almost made me change my mind and put the DAA back into my Amazon shopping cart because MSG is in tons of stuff! Plus, I like Chinese food and they love using MSG on the food at the buffet! Ha! You'd think millions of people in America would already have permanent brain damage if it could be caused by MSG as well. Oh, wait a minute... Ha-ha! Never mind...

I must say, though, that the benefits and customer reviews (what few I read) do sound appealing for D-Aspartic Acid.  It stimulates testosterone production, growth hormone, GABA, increases luteinizing hormone (wakes your balls up, so to speak), boosts libido along with several other things. But doesn't a lot of other pills on the market claim those very same things? 

Either way, before I end this post, I'll provide an excerpt from another website that had a lot of good information about this subject along with a link to visit the website, if interested: "DAA along with its analogs are considered to be exotoxins (like MSG & aspartame) because they overstimulate the brain’s NMDA receptors. If overstimulation occurs, cell death can be the result. Thus, if you have a hereditary or genetic predisposition to any neuro-degenerative conditions, we advise that you steer clear of exotoxins. Because of this, DAA is much more dangerous in comparison to the other T boosting products that have already been tested clinically and on humans." You can read more, here: D-Aspartic Acid: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - Supplements Engine

My final thoughts about this DAA supplement:

Do I think it would really cause permanent brain damage? I doubt it would under normal circumstances. However, it might cause damage if you take an enormous amount or perhaps half the bottle at once? Plus, if you have certain brain/neurological/nervous system disorders in your family tree, I would definitely shy away from this and lean toward the side of caution.

Do I think there are safer alternatives to try when it comes to testosterone boosters? Yes. Absolutely.

Would I try D-Aspartic Acid since there is a good chance it might work? I'm not sure and still undecided. If I did, I would probably just take it one or two days a week and at the minimum dose until I felt more comfortable about it.

Well, to wrap this up, if you'd still like to check this product out on Amazon, I will provide a link below.  Then, after that, I will provide a link to a product on Amazon that I tried a few months ago that actually seemed decent.  Please note, if you click through and buy any of these supplements through this blog, I will get a miniscule commission at no extra cost to you, of course. I'll take all the pennies, nickels and dimes I can get. LOL!

'Click Here' to review the product page for D-Aspartic Acid on Amazon *

Below, you will find a fine product known for boosting testosterone and lowering stress hormones while not having a reputation for causing permanent brain damage. This product goes by the name "Tongkat Ali Extract." I've tried this myself and was actually pleased with this supplement.  A lot of people think it is best used 5 days on and 2 days off, but use your own discretion. It is well known that stress hormones like cortisol lower testosterone and this particular supplement definitely seems to lower the effect that stress has on your body.

--- End of Post "Does D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) really cause permanent Brain Damage?"

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