This blog explores whether repeated ketamine infusions are safe over time, plus stresses the importance of communicating with your provider about any potential side effects.
Why You Want To Avoid Negativity After A Ketamine Infusion: A Scientific Study Blog
In this blog post, we explore a recent scientific study about the power of positivity following a ketamine infusion and its impact on treatment-resistant depression. Discover why it's crucial to surround yourself with positive influences to enhance your mood and take full advantage of ketamine's effect on neuroplasticity.
Ketamine's Effect On Your Gut Microbiome & Depression
What Is the ACE Model And Why Is it Important in Psychedelic Therapy?
In psychedelic therapy, such as ketamine infusions, speaking with a therapist can be a game-changer. In this blog post, we talk about a study that determines the importance of utilizing a psychological flexibility model, called the ACE model, for therapists to guide patients throughout their psychedelic journey.
Can Age Predict How Well A Person Responds To Ketamine Infusions?
Ketamine’s Ability to Treat Depression Through Increasing Brain Connectivity
Can Ketamine Infusions Help With At-Risk Drinking?
Ketamine Infusions: An Alternative to Electroconvulsive Therapy
Ketamine's Slow Acceptance By The Medical Community
If you are reading this article, then you are likely already aware of the potential of ketamine infusions for the treatment of depression, PTSD, suicidality, and anxiety. Unfortunately, the majority of people are unaware this is an option, or if they are aware, they simply believe ketamine is “just a horse tranquilizer” and drug of abuse that has no benefits in the treatment of mood disorders.
Ketamine's Impact on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
According to the World Health Organization, depression has now surpassed HIV, AIDS, malaria, diabetes, and war as the leading cause of disability. Current antidepressants may take weeks to months to be effective. Unfortunately, one-third of patients are still unresponsive, and are called “treatment-resistant.” However, there are other options available.
Standard & High Dose Ketamine Infusions in Treatment-Resistant Depression
There is a growing body of clinical evidence that has shown how ketamine works to produce antidepressant effects in those with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). These studies have used a common subanesthetic dose of 0.5 mg/kg over a period of 40 minutes when administered through an IV. An outpatient study from 2018, published in Molecular Psychiatry, recently added onto this body of research in order to find the optimal dose for antidepressant effects in those with TRD. They found that single IV doses of ketamine of 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg proved to be more effective than an active placebo in reducing depression over a 3-day period.
Ketamine's Connection to Neurons
Researchers hypothesize that neurogenesis, or neuron growth, is an antidepressant action. This hypothesis is linked to the understanding that nearly all antidepressants increase birth of granule neurons in rodents. Ketamine, however, has such rapid antidepressant effects, within hours, suggesting that the mechanisms involved with ketamine are not involved with neuron birth. Instead, researchers hypothesized that ketamine’s rapid effects are due to it enhancing the maturation of neurons born previously.
Ketamine and Its Anti-Microbial Effect
Raise your hand if you like cleanliness or if you're against getting infections! Well if you raised your hand, you are in luck. We are excited to share another health property of ketamine you may not have been aware of. Ketamine is also an anti-microbial (aka kills or stops growth of microorganisms)!
