DMAE 250 by Vitamin Research Products

LIKELY INEFFECTIVE

• Alzheimer disease. Small clinical studies show that taking deanol orally does not seem to improve symptoms of Alzheimer disease when compared with placebo (1680,1681).
• Tardive dyskinesia. Meta-analyses and individual clinical studies show that taking deanol orally does not improve symptoms of tardive dyskinesia when compared with baseline or placebo (1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,1803,1804).

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Athletic performance. Preliminary clinical research shows that taking deanol orally in combination with ginseng, vitamins, and minerals for 6 weeks improves exercise performance by increasing total work load and maximal oxygen consumption during exercise (1671). The effect of deanol alone on athletic performance is unclear.
• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Clinical studies using deanol for treating ADHD-like symptoms have produced inconclusive results (1669,1677,1679,92702). Some preliminary clinical research shows that taking deanol 500 mg daily for 3 months significantly improves performance when compared with placebo in children with behavior and learning disorders, most of whom also had hyperactivity. The improvements seen with deanol were similar to those reported with methylphenidate 40 mg daily (1679). Additional preliminary clinical research in children 6-12 years of age with behavior problems consistent with ADHD shows that taking deanol 300-500 mg daily for 12 weeks improves some measures of performance (92702). However, other research shows that deanol does not improve ADHD symptoms in children (1669,1677). The children evaluated in each of these studies were not diagnosed with ADHD using current diagnostic guidelines, limiting the applicability of these results in clinical practice. More evidence is needed to rate deanol for these uses.

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POSSIBLY SAFE ...when used orally and appropriately. Deanol has been safely used at doses up to 2 grams daily for up to 4 weeks and doses up to 500 mg daily for up to 3 months (1668,1671,1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,1679,1680,1681). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of deanol when used topically.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS Interaction Rating = Minor Be watchful with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Unlikely •  Level of Evidence = D Deanol is thought to increase acetylcholine levels (1669). Theoretically, concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs and deanol might decrease the effectiveness of the anticholinergic agent.  Details Some anticholinergic drugs include atropine, benztropine (Cogentin), biperiden (Akineton), procyclidine (Kemadrin), trihexyphenidyl (Artane), and others.

CHOLINERGIC DRUGS Interaction Rating = Minor Be watchful with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Unlikely •  Level of Evidence = D Deanol is thought to increase acetylcholine levels (1669). Theoretically, concurrent use of deanol with cholinergic drugs might have additive effects and increase the risk of cholinergic side effects.  Details Some cholinergic drugs include bethanechol (Urecholine), donepezil (Aricept), echothiophate (Phospholine Iodide), edrophonium (Enlon, Reversol, Tensilon), neostigmine (Prostigmin), physostigmine (Antilirium), pyridostigmine (Mestinon, Regonol), succinylcholine (Anectine, Quelicin), and tacrine (Cognex).

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General ...Deanol is well-tolerated in most patients (1668,1671,1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,1679,1680,1681). However, deanol has been reported to cause constipation, diarrhea, urticaria, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, overstimulation, lucid dreams, confusion, motor retardation, depression, hypomania, and an increase in schizophrenia symptoms (1674,1680,1684,1685,1686,2706).

Cardiovascular ...Orally, small elevations in blood pressure have been reported in some patients taking deanol up to 1800 mg daily. These effects improved after deanol discontinuation (1680).

Gastrointestinal ...Orally, deanol has been reported to cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting (1674,1680).

Musculoskeletal ...Orally, deanol up to 1800 mg daily has been reported to cause motor retardation in a small number of patients. This effect improved after deanol discontinuation (1680).

Neurologic/CNS ...Orally, deanol has been reported to cause drowsiness, apathy, and confusion (1674,1680). In one case report, a physician promoted the use of deanol to induce lucid dreams, which may be considered an undesirable outcome for some patients (1686).

Psychiatric ...Orally, taking deanol at doses greater than 1000 mg daily has been reported to cause mood changes, including depression and hypomania, in patients with psychiatric conditions (1685). Deanol 1500 mg daily has been reported to increase schizophrenic symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia (1674).

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