Condition
Autonomic Dysfunction
Autonomic dysfunction, or dysautonomia, is a problem with the nervous system that controls automatic functions like heart rate and blood pressure, often bringing lightheadedness on standing. Sodium and electrolytes have the strongest evidence, rated moderate, since extra sodium expands blood volume. Matured hop extract raised heart rate variability in one small trial of 34 healthy older adults, but that evidence is very limited and may not apply to people with dysautonomia.
Sources: PMID 32474473
- Supplements studied
- 3
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 2
- People studied
- 43
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomic Nervous System Function A randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial (n=34) found a single dose of MHBA significantly increased high-frequency heart rate variability (HF power, p=0.033) and total power (p=0.025) during cognitive tasks compared to placebo, suggesting enhanced parasympathetic (vagal) tone. This is consistent with the proposed vagus nerve activation mechanism identified in animal studies. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 34 people | ||
Studies that measured autonomic nervous system function | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain | Improves (the measure goes down) | 3 studies | 12 people | |||
Studies that measured pain
| ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 31 people | |||
Studies that measured orthostatic hypotension symptoms | ||||||
Key findings
- Autonomic Nervous System FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
The Autonomic Dysfunction/Dysautonomia Support protocol
2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements
- Sodium/ElectrolytesIncrease dietary sodium to 3–5 g daily (with increased fluids 2–3 L); electrolyte drinks
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)100–300 mg daily (sometimes higher in specific deficiency states)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Autonomic Dysfunction. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
37 studies from PubMed
- Effect of non-alcoholic beer containing matured hop bitter acids on mood states in healthy adults: A single-arm pilot study
- Supplementation with Matured Hop Bitter Acids Improves Cognitive Performance and Mood State in Healthy Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline
- Effects of Hop Bitter Acids, Bitter Components in Beer, on Cognition in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Hop bitter acids containing a β-carbonyl moiety prevent inflammation-induced cognitive decline via the vagus nerve and noradrenergic system
- Matured Hop Bitter Acids in Beer Improve Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depression-Like Behavior
- Matured hop bitter acids improve spatial working and object recognition memory via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
- Matured Hop-Derived Bitter Components in Beer Improve Hippocampus-Dependent Memory Through Activation of the Vagus Nerve
- Matured hop extract reduces body fat in healthy overweight humans: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study
- Matured Hop Bittering Components Induce Thermogenesis in Brown Adipose Tissue via Sympathetic Nerve Activity
- Effects of Cannabidiol and Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Emotion, Cognition, and Attention: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Experimental Trial in Healthy Volunteers
- Cannabidiol presents an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve in a simulated public speaking test
- The effects of cannabidiol on persecutory ideation and anxiety in a high trait paranoid group
- Cannabidiol (CBD) as an Adjunctive Therapy in Schizophrenia: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
- The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cognition and symptoms in outpatients with chronic schizophrenia a randomized placebo controlled trial
- Low-Dose Cannabidiol Is Safe but Not Effective in the Treatment for Crohn's Disease, a Randomized Controlled Trial
- Inverted U-Shaped Dose-Response Curve of the Anxiolytic Effect of Cannabidiol during Public Speaking in Real Life
- Action of cannabidiol on the anxiety and other effects produced by delta 9-THC in normal subjects
- Effects of ipsapirone and cannabidiol on human experimental anxiety
- A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group, Pilot Study of Cannabidiol-rich Botanical Extract in the Symptomatic Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis
- Effect of Cannabidiol on Drop Seizures in the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
- Cannabidiol in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy: an open-label interventional trial
- Cannabidiol as a new treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex
- The efficacy of cannabidiol for seizures reduction in pharmacoresistant epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Chronic Pain Treatment With Cannabidiol in Kidney Transplant Patients in Uruguay
- Short-Term Efficacy of CBD-Enriched Hemp Oil in Girls with Dysautonomic Syndrome after Human Papillomavirus Vaccination
- A preliminary controlled study to determine whether whole-plant cannabis extracts can improve intractable neurogenic symptoms
- Melatonin responses to clonidine and yohimbine challenges
- Psychological and neuroendocrine responses to social stress and to the administration of the alpha-2-receptor antagonist, yohimbine, in highly trained endurance athletes in comparison to untrained healthy controls
- Effects of yohimbine on cerebral blood flow, symptoms, and physiological functions in humans
- Yohimbine treatment of organic erectile dysfunction in a dose-escalation trial
- Yohimbine for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
- Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players
- Facilitation of fear extinction in phobic participants with a novel cognitive enhancer: a randomized placebo controlled trial of yohimbine augmentation
- Pharmacologically induced alcohol craving in treatment seeking alcoholics correlates with alcoholism severity, but is insensitive to acamprosate
- Effect of anti-obesity drugs promoting energy expenditure, yohimbine and ephedrine, on gastric emptying in obese patients
- Comparative efficacy of yohimbine against pyridostigmine for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension in autonomic failure
- Does yohimbine hydrochloride facilitate fear extinction in virtual reality treatment of fear of flying? A randomized placebo-controlled trial