Mucuna Pruriens Benefits for Mood, Bodybuilding & More

Some of the reported Mucuna pruriens benefits for mind and body include powerful mood enhancement, natural energy, and increased mental focus.

Long used as a traditional folk medicine for a broad range of physical ailments, Mucuna has also been studied in recent years as a treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

Mucuna provides a natural source of Levodopa (L-Dopa), a compound that the body needs to make the neurotransmitter Dopamine, as well as other neurochemicals and hormones.

Now, Mucuna has become popular as a nootropic supplement for healthy minds. Here are the facts about how it works in the body, common Mucuna pruriens benefits, commonly recommended dosages, and possible side effects.

Mucuna Pruriens

Herbal Supplement

Mood

Nootropic

Body -building

How It Works:

• Elevates dopamine & norepinephrine
• Boosts mood, focus & motivation
• Improves stress response & libido

Dosage:

Between 500 - 1000 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Traditional Uses of Mucuna pruriens

Mucuna Pruriens grows in the tropical forests of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

The plant, which can grow as tall as 15 meters, is famous for 2 qualities – the severe itching that occurs from contact with the hairs on the seed pods, and the L-Dopa (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) found in its seeds.

For centuries, native cultures harvested the seeds and ground them into a powder which could be used as a medicinal.

The main use of Mucuna was as a snakebite remedy, though it was also used to treat dysentery, muscle issues, coughs, and even tuberculosis.

Mucuna pruriens has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India for Parkinson’s for many years. Recently, this traditional use has been supported by laboratory research showing that Mucuna contains L-Dopa, the main compound that is found in conventional Parkinson’s medications.

Another of Mucuna’s many uses, as a sexual health booster, has also endured to today.

How Mucuna pruriens Benefits The Mind and Body

All Mucuna pruriens benefits arise from the certain chemicals it contains that can cross the blood-brain barrier (the protective membrane which separates the bloodstream from brain tissue). Specifically, the L-Dopa in Mucuna extract is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and act as a precursor to various neurochemicals.

Once in the brain, L-Dopa acts as a direct precursor of the neurotransmitter Dopamine. L-Dopa also is known to cause the release of Serotonin, Epinephrine (Adrenaline), and Norepinephrine.

Once activated, Dopamine and Serotonin work to regulate mood and produce strong, natural energy in the mind and body. Elevated levels of these neurotransmitters may heighten feelings of both peacefulness and pleasure, creating a sense of positivity in users, which is why some people take Mucuna for depression.

Proper levels of Serotonin can also help sleep cycles return to normal. Norepinephrine and Epinephrine regulate nerve impulses, boost cellular metabolism, increase oxygen flow, and dilate blood vessels. This can result in a feeling of alert energy.

One area of great interest is using Mucuna pruriens extract as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Preliminary research has shown that some Mucuna preparations may improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s when used in combination with conventional drugs.

There is also evidence from one study that a single dose of Mucuna powder had a quicker onset and duration of action, and provided higher drug levels compared to conventional Levodopa and Carbidopa.

One area that may interest some users is the potential sexual health benefits Mucuna may deliver. The supplement has been used to increase libido in both women and men, though more frequently in men.

In research on rats and infertile men, Mucuna pruriens has been seen to boost the production of testosterone and improve potency by protecting sperm from oxidation. Research on fertile, healthy men is lacking, and more studies would need to be done to determine if this testosterone boosting effect is seen in healthy men.

Research on Mucuna pruriens benefits has been very promising so far, however more research is still needed to fully determine the effects it may have. At this time the FDA has not approved Mucuna pruriens as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions, and it is available as a dietary supplement only.

Dosages for Best Mucuna pruriens Benefits

Proper dosage is dependent on many different factors including age, sex, personal sensitivities, and the reason for taking a supplement. Your personal dosage may differ from the general recommendations below, and it is always recommended that you speak with your doctor to determine the best dosage for your needs.

There is a range of effective dosages for Mucuna pills. In research studies on Parkinson’s, doses as high as 15-30 g per day have been used, however for most people this is much too high of a dosage.

For most people, the median effective dose is 500 mg per day. Most users say that this amount is generally sufficient to produce mood enhancement, energy, and sexual health effects.

As with most supplements, it is often advised to start with a smaller dose, closer to 100 mg per day. You will still feel mild effects at this dose. The maximum recommended dose per day is 900 mg to 1 gram.

Unless taken under doctor supervision, at doses over 1 gram, greater benefits may not be felt, but you may increase the risk of side effects.

Possible Mucuna Side Effects

Even though most people can tolerate Mucuna quite well and report no side effects, there are some important warnings pertaining to overdose.

Our bodies naturally produce all of the compounds which Mucuna stimulates, such as Dopamine and Adrenaline. But if these hormones are released too quickly, in too large of amounts, certain side effects may occur.

Almost all Mucuna side effects are a result of taking too large a dose. These side effects include high blood pressure, vomiting, nausea, sleeplessness, and even internal bleeding. At lower doses, few side effects have been reported.

If you start to feel any side effects associated with Mucuna use, stop using it immediately, and perhaps lower the dose substantially on subsequent attempts.

Remember, doses as low as 100 mg per day are often enough to generate baseline effects for most users. Unless advised to do so by your doctor, there is no reason to take high doses of this supplement, so to avoid side effects and experience the maximum Mucuna Pruriens benefits, keep dosages under 1 gram.

There are many medications, supplements, and herbs that are contraindicated with Mucuna pruriens, including Methyldopa, MAOIs, antipsychotic drugs, and antidiabetes drugs. It is recommended that you speak to your doctor to help determine if there may be interactions with any of your current drugs or supplements.

It is also recommended to cycle this supplement or only use it a few days out of a week. You may want to cycle it with an L-Tyrosine supplement, which is also taken to increase Dopamine levels. By cycling with other supplements, you may avoid tolerances, dependencies, and side effects, and instead experience mood lifting, energizing Mucuna pruriens benefits.

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