I've been following your discussion on Biotin and Manganese (Mn) and it raises some questions. I've eliminated at 85% of my supplements in attempts to find out what's causing my overstimulation. Today and yesterday I experienced it after having my protein shake. Both days I took 400-800 mcg Biotin, 3mg Manganese, 400 mg mangesium, and carnitine. Yesterday I also took 2000 mg Malic acid and today I took 3000 mg of Creatine AKG instead of the malic acid. On both days I also took a B125 timed release tablet about 2 hours earlier which included another 125 mcg Biotin. For someone sensitive like myself could the combination of those cause overstimulation? The overstimulation was physical, but whatever caused that also completely wrecked my mood which is why I was considering Progesterone from the Evening Primrose Oil and Borage Seed Oil which I had taken earlier in the day. However, my mood was pretty good up until after I took the other stuff I mentioned so I'm not sure about the Progesterone although maybe it did affect my cortisol.
First are you really sure your overstimulation is due to your supplements? You are eliminating supplements on the basis
that they you are sensitive to them. But like you said you have removed most and still are overstimulated.
I had massive overstimulation for years and I never took any supplements ... not one.
In my case it was large amounts of norepinephrine, low dopamine and serotonin, high reverse T3, yada, yada, yada.
I have never heard of biotin causing overstimulation. I would think twice about sensitivity to biotin.
Mangesium helps with energy sure, but it is about relaxation not overstimulation. It deactivated the NMDA receptors. Being sensitive to magnesium would be highly unlikely.
But ...
a) I would not take the oils for a few days, for people in a catabolic state they can lead to much lipid peroxidation ... that may not be good for you even if has nothing to do with the stimulation
b) B-vitamins can always be stimulating; what exactly is in them? Can you link the amounts of each B-vitamin? If they are as I suspect 125 units across the board then yeah that can be a problem. For a long time my body freaked on pantothenic acid (energy but insomnia galore) now I am up to 50 mg woot. 125 mg of B6 is a LOT imo and almost impossible to justify. B2 and B3 are stimulating but B2 is usually cap absorbed at 30 - 40 mg in one dose, then again you are taking a time release so you are probably absorbing considerably more. Is the B3 niacin or niacinamide? B1 also provides energy. This is why I never take a B-complex. If you want my opinion, split them all out and decide carefully what proportions work for you ... but again I don't necessarily buy that this has anything to do with sensitivity.
c) That is a lot of malic acid to take. Fine but be aware that will lead to a lot of oxacetalate in the Krebs cycle which is the equivalent of speeding up oxidation big time. On top of that some of your B-vitamins speed up metabolic oxidation, meaning dependent on your diet, sugar and starch may be kicking your metabolism all around the block. Just a thought.
d) How much carnitine? The reason I ask is carnitine can be a HUGE difference maker in energy and stimulation. Too much (depending on type) can elevate your cardiovascular parameters and mean no sleep.
e) Do you take creatine regularly? Some people overdo it. There is a maximum saturation dose per body weight. I can't remember the formula. I take creatine pyruvate ~ 3.0 grams per day (1.8 g creatine and 1.2 g pyruvate). I used to take double that dose and I got overloaded with energy at times. That being said I went back to 3 g and separately supplement an additional 2.4 grams of pyrvuate via 3 g of calcium pyruvate. The point is too high creatine for body weight is a problem for some. I believe for my body weight (~70 or so kg) the saturation dose is like 2-2.4 g creatine. Anything more than that is too much and you get only the negative side effects of creatine. Probably not the main factor in your overstimulation but for example too much creatine and not enough fluids = dehydration which will definitely stimulate you in a bad way. Remember creatine is hygroscopic.
f) Not sure about manganese. I have read it can increase glutamate levels relative GABA in animal neurons but then again it is a cofactor for making glutamine. So not sure. Unless you are already toxic (take a hair test for manganese to check) 3 mg is a small amount. I can't see that otherwise being a big deal.
If you want my honest opinion think out of the box for a bit (might not be right but might be worth a shot still) and think less in terms of sensitivity and more in terms of what are my symptoms (stimulation is too generic, are there for example CV symptoms, etc?), am I taking too much of something, am I overworking something (energy pathway, neurotransmitters, etc.)?
The borage oil and primrose oil are not essential imho on the time scale of a few days. Then test hypotheses one by one on the remainder. I would really take a long hard look at the carnitine, the B - vitamin amounts, and pick either the malic acid or creatine AKG at first dependent on which you like better. Then experiment some.
Good luck and God Bless!