Kellie (Oklahoma) on 03/26/2019
About a year ago I developed shaking of both hands (action tremor). This developed suddenly and I was experiencing some other symptoms as well that led my doctor to believe I could have Hyperthyroidism. Tests came back negative for Hyperthyroidism, but I do have antibodies against my thyroid, so the doctor started me on Selenium and a Gluten-free diet. I also had pretty severe iron-deficiency anemia, and mild B-12 & vitamin D deficiency. I felt better after those things were corrected, but the tremors continued as well as the foot/leg cramps and eyelid twitching I had been experiencing. This led the doctor to believe I could be Magnesium deficient. I began taking 460mg of a high quality Magnesium Glycinate supplement. The cramps & twitching resolved (other than occasional cramps), but the tremors only improved a little.
At this point, I was frustrated, upset & worried that I had developed Essential Tremor. I have no family history of ET & come from a very large family; I even knew my extended family & no one had ET. It's possible for it to develop in someone without a family history of course, but I'm in my 40's & wanted to be sure I tried to thoroughly get to the bottom of this before resigning myself to the ET diagnosis.
I started doing some research & came across information about l-theanine being helpful for tremors, so I began taking 200mg twice daily. This helped a lot, but the tremors weren't completely gone. The doctor suggested increasing my dosage of Magnesium, but I have trouble tolerating the higher doses (even of the glycinate).
During my research, I found the Earth Clinic website & was encouraged by the tremor-reducing suggestions. I added 500mg of Taurine once/day a few days ago & my tremor is 99% gone! In fact, if I wasn't so sensitive to it, I wouldn't know I had it at all. It's too early to assume that the Taurine, l-Theanine, Magnesium combo will continue to work, but I'm very encouraged!
Sorry for the long post, but if I can help anyone going through a similar situation, I want to be detailed as to what is working for me in case someone is going through the same thing.
*A positive side effect of taking the l-theanine & taurine is improved mood & less anxiety/stress.
Replied By Denise (United States) on 05/12/2019
my ET has improved some since starting Magnesium back in Oct. 2019. Due to finding info here on Earth Clinic. Mine gets worse under stress though, real bad. For example, I like playing games, video games, but only single-player puzzle types. I ran across one I really loved, but unfortunately, it had a small part that timed you. I didn't think much about it and started the timer, then I would try and get to this little door before it slammed shut. There's a "puzzle" piece behind the door. Anyway, I was trying so hard because you can't move on with the game til you do each part of it, no skipping. My hand on the mouse was shaking so bad I couldn't even click the button each time I tried again. I even tried holding it with the other hand. I was crying and frustrated so bad but I wouldn't give up, stupid of me I know. So much of mine is triggered by my brain. I'm learning some calming techniques, like just sitting in my chair with nothing on except a beautiful nature video and soft music playing. But I have recently read about Taurine again, and going to try it. The article said 3 grams a day, that I read, so I just took 1 gram to start out. I take the Mag. glyconate as well, have the L-theanine but don't take it at this time.
I have to be careful because although some things that have been a help to me with one issue, make another issue (like tinnitus) worse. Trial an error, and then try again:)
Replied By Denise (Northern Ca) on 08/17/2020
I don't know if you will get this or if you are on EC anymore but I so loved the info, and how thorough you were. I suffer with ET and haven't found anything that has helped. But I also have not stuck with anything very long because of side-effects I felt may be caused by some of the supplements that were suggested in other posts.
I would love to know how you are doing today if you do get this, and know that I am following your regime starting tomorrow a.m. as I've found taking any supplements is best for me in the a.m. I have Taurine and L-Theonine. I don't have the right dosages (your dosages) but I will try the ones I have. I have already used Magnesium Glycinate in I think it was 400 mg and that was twice a day. I tolerate it very well. I still take Magnesium Chelate at night and a.m. and notice I sleep really well from the nightime dose. So I'm not afraid to try your suggestion of more, or I should say your Doctors suggestion. I tolerate Magnesium very well but it alone has not effected my ET. I shake bad with my head, and my hands.
So I will try this, and stick to it even if I get some side effects that are not horrible as I may adapt if I hang in there ;) Thank you for your post and if anyone at all is reading this, please feel welcome to share any progress you may have made with your ET.
Replied By Pacific Coast Lady (Crescent City, CA) on 06/15/2021
- NOW
- Life Extension
- Source Naturals
These are the brands I gravitate to when buying, as long as I can afford the price. NOW is a "goto" for price, but it's always hard for me to know if something is really working, and "which" something. I'm pretty focused on my tremor as it seems to be getting worse. Been on magnesium for maybe 2 years steady, but not the other 2 as I dropped the ball on searching for an answer to my ET's.
Head shaking, maybe not when asleep, but every waking minute my head is shaking. My left hand shakes at times, like when too focused on carrying a cup of coffee for example. It's like as if my thoughts control the shaking, or high-anxiety or stress situations. I think of stress as emotional pressure, or mental. I shook so bad when in a Math class test, I couldn't begin to think or calculate answers but my homework was A's. The head-shaking feels like the same thing only it's much worse than the left hand.
Anyway, I'm going to order Taurine as I already have NOW brand of L-theanine. I'll start lower than the lady above did just to see how I tolerate it. I don't take drugs of any kind so seems like even supplements can give me weird side-effects if I'm not careful. I mean that I don't tolerate some things, and definitely turn down prescriptions for several years now.
Feedback appreciated, and very welcome!
Replied By MTCO (Brisbane, Australia) on 05/21/2023
hi PC Lady - maybe you should let your hand throw the coffee away? I did that several years ago, and so happy I did. heaps of better things to drink to lift your energy smoothly. have you tried deep diaphragmatic breathing? that will calm your body and flip your autonomic nervous system over to the deep healing mode rather than the panic - emergency mode that coffee induces. lie on your back with hands by sides, and feet flat on floor with knees up. take 20 deep breaths into your stomach thru your nose, then out the mouth with a slight groan / rumbling of the chest. It will loosen your blood and make it flow smoothly and help it flow to all your extremities, as opposed to coffee stopping it from getting to the extremities. Good luck with it.https://archive.org/details/shutyourmouthan00catlgoog/page/n26/mode/2up
Replied By Pacific Coast Lady (Crescent City, CA) on 06/18/2021
I ordered Life Extension Taurine, and they had a good buy on 1000mg capsules so I bought those. I was afraid to take that dose, so I poured out half of the capsule. I took it with my 500mg capsule of Magnesium w/Mag. Oxide, citrate, succinate, Mag. lysyl glycinate chelate. I did not notice when I ordered the final content of the Magnesium. I thought I was ordering Citrate so I am not at all sure about the content but am checking today. I was warned against Oxide by Dr. Berg, but he didn't give a reason.
I slept more hours than I had in ages, one time up to go to the bathroom, but fell right back to sleep. Also, I noticed I had no grogginess, or hangover from the Taurine. Felt good and balanced in the a.m. ready to go. Oh, and I wasn't shaking when I woke up that one time, and not this morning either. I feel calm but not sleepy.
I plan to post again here to keep folks up to date that are interested. I took a Taurine full 1000mg 45 minutes ago, and want to see if it keeps me calmer (lessens tremors) w/o any sort of drowsiness during the day, very hopeful.
I also supplement with B vitamins, C, D, ALA, E, and Zinc but I have been on those, plus the Magnesium months now. Tolerate all very well. No drugs or herbals. Forgot to mention that I have lost 16 lbs since Jan. 2021. I should also tell you that my tremor is pretty bad, as I cannot begin to put makeup on for the last few years, and handwriting is almost impossible. Most of tremor is in my head, shakes side to side, and left-hand is worst, right hand only at times. I don't have Parkinson's, doctors don't know what it is, possibly hereditary but I'm going to break that "chain" if I can ;)
Replied By Ruby (Tennessee ) on 10/01/2022
Replied By Art (California) on 10/01/2022
Ruby,If those three supplements don't pan out for you or they help, but not enough, you might consider the addition of Citicoline for Essential Tremor (ET) as described in the study link below, which was beneficial for people with ET :
http://rmsjournal.org/Articles/635925245011741851.pdf
Here is a relevant quote from the study:
' Citicoline significantly improved essential tremor in this small group of subjects. '
Two caveats that I see to this study is the small size group and the fact that the equivalent oral dose used(400 mg/day), is significantly lower than other studies that have used Citicoline at 1000 mg or more per day for other health issues.
Art