Mucuna Pruriens Powder: How Does It Work?

Mucuna pruriens powder comes from a tropical legume plant by the same name which is also called velvet bean or cowitch.

It is notorious for the extreme itching it produces on contact, especially with the young foliage and the stinging hairs on the seed pods.

This is not an issue to worry about with powdered supplements though, as the best Mucuna pruriens powder come from the beans (or seeds) alone, which do not cause this reaction.

The plant is an annual, climbing shrub with long vines that can reach over 15 meters in length. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen and also helps to fertilize soil (this is the most common use for the plant, worldwide).

Mucuna pruriens powder is used as a coffee substitute and for a number of health benefits. People use it for anxiety, depression, enhancing concentration, and to increase libido in both men and women.

Mucuna pruriens is a natural source of Levodopa (L-Dopa), which is used in the body as a direct precursor to the neurotransmitter Dopamine. This process is thought to be responsible for boosting mood and energy in most people.

This article will discuss the most common uses and benefits of Mucuna pruriens powder, some common dosages, as well as safety and any potential 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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Mucuna pruriens Powder

Mucuna pruriens has been used in traditional medicine for many years. In traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine, mucuna has been used as an aphrodisiac, for nervous disorders and arthritis, and for Parkinson’s disease.

Mucuna pruriens powder is still commonly taken today for similar uses, and there is now some scientific knowledge behind how this supplement acts in the body.

When taken as a supplement, Mucuna pruriens powder will enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, cross over the blood-brain barrier, and enter into the central nervous system directly.

As this happens, the various compounds within the supplement begin to break down and exert their own effects.

The main compound that is believed to cause most Mucuna pruriens effects is L-Dopa. L-Dopa, which is an amino acid derived from another amino, Tyrosine, is used in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter Dopamine.

This particular brain chemical is thought to control a variety of processes related to mood and movement. Dopamine is also famous for being the good-feeling and pleasure neurotransmitter.

Dopamine is also a precursor to the neurotransmitter Norepinephrine, which in turn is used to synthesis Epinephrine. These hormones play an important role in stress responses in the body.

Mucuna pruriens Benefits

Since Dopamine exerts a powerful influence upon mood and movement it should not be a surprise that people will take Mucuna pruriens powder to help boost mood and overall positive sensations.

Users say that this boost in mood and energy does not lead to any type of jittery or stimulant-related side effects. In fact, the effects of this herbal nootropic are typically accompanied by a feeling of clarity and mental alertness.

Mucuna pruriens is also believed to work as an antioxidant in the body. This means that it may be helpful in removing free radicals, toxins, and other poisons from the body. Many of these are the result of damage due to oxidation, which can be harmful to a wide variety of biological processes.

There is some evidence to suggest that this supplement may help protect the brain and various other organs from a wide range of damage due to both environmental and man-made toxins, however research on this is lacking at the moment.

Traditional cultures have used Mucuna pruriens powdered extract for a wide range of medicinal purposes. Some of these include dysentery, diarrhea, snake bites, sexual issues, coughs, tuberculosis, muscular pain, sterility, diabetes, menstrual issues, and even for treating tumors and cancer.

The supplement is also used as a modern-day natural source of L-Dopa for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is associated with a decrease in Dopamine activity which can inhibit movement as well as brain function. Current treatments today cannot yet help cure this disease, but instead help improve the side effects.

By boosting Dopamine circulation, Mucuna pruriens may help alleviate some of the side effects associated with this degenerative disease. It seems to be most effective against symptoms and side effects like nausea, rigidity, slowness, and improving the overall quality of life available to such patients.

There is preliminary evidence that some Mucuna pruriens powder preparations may help improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease when used in combination with or even sometimes instead of conventional drugs. One study found that a 30 g dose of Mucuna pruriens powder had a quicker onset and longer duration of action, and provided higher drug levels than a traditional treatment of 200 mg conventional L-Dopa combined with Carbidopa.

One of the effects of Dopamine which is not often discussed is its relationship with testosterone. Dopamine can influence testosterone levels, and vice versa. Because of this connection, Mucuna pruriens has been used to increase libido in both men and women.

It has been used for these purposes for many centuries throughout a number of indigenous cultures and people from India to Brazil. Research on this topic is limited though, with only a few studies showing increased testosterone and semen qualities in infertile men. Effects in healthy men and women have not been studied yet.

Research on Mucuna pruriens has been very promising so far, especially on its use for Parkinson’s disease, however more large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are still needed. 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.

Mucuna pruriens Dosage

Proper dosage depends on many different factors including age, weight, sex, and the reason for taking a supplement. The following dosage recommendations are general guidelines only, and your personal dosage may differ. It is always recommended that you speak with your doctor before beginning any new supplement to determine the best dosage for your personal physiology.

The most common daily dosage range for Mucuna pruriens supplements is between 100 and 900 mg, depending on the purpose for taking it.

Most users take between 250 and 500 mg for general health and wellness issues. It may be taken all at once or divided into small administrations throughout the day.

For people using Mucuna for Parkinson’s disease, a higher dose will most likely be in order, but it should definitely be spaced out into equally divided administrations two to three times per day to help keep consistent levels throughout the day.

If you are interested in using Mucuna pruriens powder for this reason, you should consult with your doctor about an appropriate dosage and usage schedule.

Mucuna pruriens Side Effects

Mucuna pruriens powder has been rated by the Natural Medicines database as Possibly Safe when used orally and appropriately. While this supplement is generally well-tolerated, especially in healthy adults, there are a number of side effects associated with its use.

These include things like high blood pressure (only with higher doses), nausea, GI bleeding, disturbed or impaired breathing, hair loss, confusion, anxiety, excessive libido, insomnia, hallucinations, and an inability to control muscles.

Generally, these side effects are only present when users are taking very high doses. There is also anecdotal evidence that the nootropic supplement may become less effective over time as your body builds up a tolerance to the increased Dopamine levels.

If you experience this diminished effectiveness, you may want to cycle off the herbal extract to allow your receptors the chance to renormalize before using it again.

Mucuna pruriens Review

The dopaminergic effects of Mucuna pruriens powder may be beneficial for a wide range of individuals from students to elderly people to persons suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

If you are already taking nootropics like Piracetam, Aniracetam or Noopept, there are many reports that adding a Dopamine-boosting compound such as this may intensify your results.

Not only may Mucuna pruriens improve your mood, it is also connected to increased concentration, focus and cognitive ability. For anyone who prefers natural nootropics over synthetic compounds, Mucuna pruriens powder offers many potential benefits with low risk of side effects.

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