Symptoms of Low Glutamate Levels in the Brain / Body (& How to Treat Glutamate Deficiency Naturally)

There seems to be a lack of ease in finding information related to low glutamate signs/symptoms, if you do a simple search in Google. Some of the results are actually confusing. As a result of continuous requests and these unsatisfactory results, I have decided to write an article describing the symptoms of low glutamate levels.

We all know that high Glutamate, particularly at kainate-Receptors, and sometimes at NMDA-Receptors, can lead to the notable condition ''excitotoxicity'', which , through peroxynitrate and other free radicals, leads to brain cell death and altered memory function (1) (2).

...But what does LOW Glutamate do?

Here we go. 

(Simply click the numbers next to each 'Symptom' to proceed to the medical reference / Study)

MENTAL / COGNITIVE SYMPTOMS OF LOW GLUTAMATE

• Mental Fatigue (Poor thought collection, weakened motivation, passivity) (3) 
• Depression, Poor Attention Span |!| |!!|
• Impaired Perception of Environment (height of people, objects, form, and writing appearance/placing) (4) (5) (6) (7)
• Lessened Emotional Function : Apathy, Anhedonia, lack of Anger, Crying, Joy etc (8) (9) (10)
• Altered Time & Movement Perception (including overestimation, and more commonly, underestimation of internal time) (11) (12) 
• Loss of Appetite (13)

            PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF LOW GLUTAMATE

• Loss of Taste Buds / Decreased Taste Perception (14)
• Loss of Pain Sensation / Decreased Feeling (15) (16)
• Odd Eye Movements (delayed eye movement, untimely movement, delayed fixation on object/target)  (!)

HEART / BLOOD PRESSURE

• Profound Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure), or Orthostatic Hypotension (including dizziness upon standing) may or may not be present, but it is probable (17) (18) (19).
• Low Heart Rate (Bradycardia) (20) (21) (22)
• Fast Heart Rate (Tachycardia( (23) (24)

Suggestions for INCREASING A Low Glutamate Level

1. Eat a HIGH-PROTEIN Diet - with emphasis on glutamic acid containing foods; Chicken contains high amounts (!) as does Soy-Prottein (!). You could also buy good 'ol fashioned Swanson Chicken Broth which contains a whopping 14,250 MG of Glutamic Acid (Glutamate @ > 14 Grams!!). 
2. You could also supplement with Pea Protein powder, the Vanilla-flavored PlantFusion brand is delicious! Like a Mocha-milkshake type taste. Pea Protein contains tons of glutamic acid <!>.
3. Exercise HARD for at least a half-hour a day, as it has been shown that when you subject your muscles to moderate weight and low-moderate intensity, glutamate levels rise - this can happen with cardio as well but moreso with weight lifting and / or resistance exercise (!).
4. Piracetam is easily one of the most powerful ''brain-boosting'' supplements and is shown to be successful in medical literature and in independent human reports in terms of aiding memory and enhancing an already good intellect (1) (2) (3) .  However, in an increasingly large marketplace for these types of chemicals, it is essential that it is purchased from a store that provides third-party chemical test results (Certificate of Analysis) in order to confirm purity. Ceretropic has a superb track-record and remains the best of the nootropic suppliers. 
5. Piracetam is also shown to improve other disorders that are characterized by glutamate-deficiencies, such as Autism (4) & Schhizophrenia (5). It may also reduce agitation in those with Dementia/Alzheimer's [!]. It acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA-Glutamate Receptor (!) and can even void the amnesic effects of several memory-impairing drugs {!}...

**OTHER SOURCES**

Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension

Roy Freeman, M.B., Ch.B.

Journal of Human Hypertension 

The impact of blood pressure on hippocampal glutamate and mnestic function


Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 1998;12 Suppl 2:S21-8.
Interfering with the pathologic activation of microglial cells and astrocytes in dementia.

Examine.com Piracetam

• Piracetam & Piracetam like Drugs 
• Piracetam and other structurally related nootropics.
• Piracetam improves mitochondrial dysfunction following oxidative stress
• Piracetam: a review of pharmacological properties and clinical uses.