Picamilon Review
According to wikipedia, Picamilon “is a compound formed by reacting niacin with GABA.” (GABA is an amino acid that acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in your central nervous system). When GABA transmitters are activated, it creates a calming effect, minimizing feelings of anxiety and stress.
To quote wikipedia further:
Studies from Russia demonstrate that Picamilon improves nervous control, recovery time after work, blood pressure and memory. The drug even shows benefits in treating traumatic brain injury.
It’s interesting to read about picamilon because the literature references its “tranquilizing” effects fairly often (when it’s given in small doses). Though I couldn’t find a source for this number, in two separate places I found that a small dose is considered 1 mg/kg of bodyweight). I weigh 172 lb, or 78kg, so I’d need 78mg of picamilon for it to be effective.
To be clear, picamilon is not a tranquilizer in the same sense of other tranquilizers. It doesn’t make you lethargic, drowsy, or force muscle relaxation. It simply activates more of those GABA receptors mentioned above.1
So why would picamilon be included in a diet pill? If a pill had a significant amount of stimulants (such as synephrine or caffeine) then the inclusion of picamilon would serve as a necessary anxiety remover. Some people react quite quickly to stimulants and can be jittery/jumpy. If this is you, then having picamilon accompany supplementation with these stimulants (esp. caffeine, since synephrine tends to not have those same jittery side effects) may be a good idea.
Also, be cognizant of the required dose. If you see something like 10mg then you know the dose is way too low to bring the desired effect.
- Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2006 Mar-Apr;69(2):10-3. [↩]