Dr. Morrison says my trusty non-prescription relaxation pills are just fine

While I was writing my book, Jeffrey Morrison, MD, a New York City-based integrative doctor and founder of The Morrison Center, was a huge help. Besides heaping tons of great mama-info on  me, he also provided a tidy list of “extra-credit” health exams new mothers should consider taking to completely recover their pre-baby mojo. The best part? It was all very easy to understand and highly motivating.

So since he’s such a medical know-it-all, I decided to pick his brain about my latest obsession: All those “relaxation shots” cropping up at my neighborhood drugstore. I’m sure you’ve seen them, too – Dream Water, Tranquila, etc. And since we were on the subject, I pestered him about some calming supplements I’ve been using for a while. Is all this stuff safe? Is it habit-forming? Read on and find out.

Me: Moms, especially mothers of newborns, are under a lot of stress, and can also have a hard time falling and/or staying asleep. Though there are other ways to zap some of this tension (yoga, meditation, aerobic exercise, etc), I’m also noticing an influx of drugstore relaxation remedies. What’s your general take on these? Would you recommend any of them to your patients as an alternative to prescription anti-anxiety or insomnia meds?

Dr. Morrison: It’s amazing how everyone is recognizing how stress really does takes its toll on our health. People are really feeling overwhelmed and drained from the many day-to-day responsibilities of modern life —running a house, going to work, studying for exams, taking care of the kids, going shopping for food and then cooking for the family.

There have been a number of well-marketed products designed to induce relaxation.  I’ve taken a look at the fortified beverages – Dream Water, Tranquila and Tranquila PM, to name a few.  The active ingredients include GABA, 5-HTP, and melatonin, which are good to help a person relax. My reservation with any of the fortified beverages are in what’s listed on the bottles as Other Ingredients.  As you know, my background is environmental medicine and nutrition, so I am very particular to avoid preservatives like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate as well as artificial sweeteners and flavorings, like sucralose and “natural flavors.” So always be sure to check the Other Ingredients, and if you have no idea what those ingredients come from, it’s best to avoid them.

Me again: For a few years now, I’ve taken a supplement called Brain Calm every night before bed. Its chief ingredients are GABA and inositol. Do I need to worry about either of those building up in my system?

Dr. Morrison again: Yes, the ingredients in Brain Calm include GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), inositol, glycine and passion flower. All of these ingredients are safe to take over extended periods of time. GABA and glycine are calming amino acids, inositol was once considered a B-vitamin, and research has shown that at high doses it can be calming.  Passion flower is actually an extract from a flowering plant that has calming properties. All of these are natural, and the body is capable of using what it needs and getting rid of what it doesn’t need.

And again with me: Why not just take old-school valerian or melatonin? What about kava? Kava was really “having a moment,” but I don’t hear much about it anymore.

And yet again with Dr. Morrison: There is no question that the time-tested herbs valerian and kava are still very useful for helping to calm people. Valerian works like an herbal version of Valium, without the side effects, and it is not addicting. The main drawback is that it smells like old socks. But don’t let that dissuade you; it works great for calming and sleep.

Kava also works well for anxiety and is less sedating than valerian.  However, a few years ago, it got bad publicity suggesting it caused liver toxicity.  The problem with kava is not that it causes toxicity, but that it can make other drugs that a person is taking more toxic.  So people should not take this when they are on prescription medications.  As for melatonin, it’s is a great sleep aid.  It’s the hormone our body should make when we sleep in a pitch black room. If you sleep in a room that that has enough light to allow you to see your hand when you wave it in front of your face, then most likely you are not getting your required amount of melatonin, and therefore you are not getting a deep night’s sleep. Some people find that when they take melatonin, they tend to get nightmares. So I usually recommend very low doses, like 0.5mg as a spray under the tongue at bedtime, and people seem to do very well with this.

Me one last time: Should moms who are still breastfeeding steer clear of any and all drugstore relaxants until they get the green-light from their doctor?

Dr. Morrison one last time: There isn’t a doubt in my mind that any mom who is still breastfeeding should check with her doctor before taking any over-the-counter relaxant — and really before taking any supplement. It’s always safer to ask first.