It's a fact that DMT is created by the human brain/ body but is the level of DMT significant? Is there enough DMT stored in the brain for one to achieve a breakthrough into Hyperspace? Do we even know the answer to this question or do we know enough to speculate about the answer? If there's not high enough level, perhaps DMT is just merely a signature/fingerprint of our creator(s)?

Significant level for what purpose? There are levels of dmt in the body, so it does something and it is there for some reason. So it's levels are significant enough to allow it to act in whatever physiological processes it is supposed to act.

If you're asking whether its levels ever get high enough to evoke other processes (e.g. tripping/dreaming/whatever-may-you), the answer is we don't know it yet. We do not know any instances in people where dmt levels are going way up the baseline other than some association studies that show that schizophrenics tend to have higher serum/urine dmt levels.


We don't know

its a very interesting question. personally i believe that it may be possible, through yoga/meditation practice or similar, to both become sensitive enough and to increase the level of dmt in the body. I have heard of studies that show that dmt is released when we are born and when we die, and that it could partially account for out-of-body near-death experiences.

DMT has been found to be present in the brain. There is also very strong evidence that it functions much like a classical neurotransmitter. Steve Barker performed this work and published a beautiful review on his and others work with endogenous DMT in the 80's. Unfortunately this is a very hard article to obtain although if one can it is great.

Bufotenine and 5-MeO-DMT are also found in the CNS and likely act as neurotransmitters as well.

It is likely these compounds play a role in normal physiological processes. Wallach proposed a neurotransmitter function and the possibility of these compounds being involved in sensory perception and higher level cognitive processes. ( http://www.erowid.org/re...=7404&DocPartID=6553 ). They may act at the trace amine receptors. The level of distribution and regions of expression of the trace amine receptors correlate with the proposed neurotransmitter function of endogenous DMT and the proposed role in physiology. Although other sites may also be the endogenous site.

SIGNIFICANT?
The levels are not significant enough to make you trip if that is what you are asking however they are significant to be a functioning neurotransmitter and compute transmit information in normal functioning physiology. These levels have not been found to change and have been shown to be relatively constant in all individuals tested. they are always detected when properly detected. When one administers a drug it functions like a hormone rather than a neurotransmitter and thus acts indiscriminately. By using neurotransmitters the brain is able to control and compartmentalize information and selectively activate neurons and thus process and transmit information. A hormone and administered drug will act at any receptor site in comes into contact with. In normal physiology DMT is likely a neurotransmitter however in physiological disorders such as psychosis the regulation of this neurotransmitter may be lost and it may act indiscriminately. This is one of Wallach's points it is an interesting article and worth reading... it also talks about the visual effects and possible mechanisms... as the 5-HT sites may not be involved in these effects...

Where have you heard these studies from? (Other than Strassman's book, in which case it is just wild hypotheses and not a fact).

Yes this has not been shown it is just a belief. There is no evidence for such claims and based on the observed facts this is highly unlikely.

DMT appears to be a normal and vital neurotransmitter required by the human nervous system, and it has recently been found that it binds to the sigma-1 receptor. However, while this answers one question, many questions on what its purpose is inside us remain unanswered and unknown.

http://www.sciencemag.or...ontent/full/323/5916/934

DMT is also widespead throught out nature - that much is known.

However, some people seem to spiel out a stream of DMT propoganda (I'm not having a go at anyone in particular here).DMT has NOT been proven to be formed or reside in the pineal gland, cause dreams, out of body/near death experiences, surge in levels during high stress situations, or at the 21st day following conception, at birth or when we die...this is all pure speculation.

I also appreciate "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". I think the pineal theory may be on to something, as this is where melatonin is created and exerts its influence, and the pineal gland does appear to posses the necessary 'machinery' and enzymes with which to form DMT.

The entire brain posses the enzymes needed to synthesize DMT from tryptamine. The enzyme is called N-methyl-transferase, it uses SAM-e as a co-enzyme. Although other enzymes are reported with different co-enzymes. 5-MeO-tryptamine has been found in the pineal as would be expected as it is a precursor to melatonin. Also various beta-carbolines have also been found in the pineal.

Endogenous DMT has NOT been shown to bind to the Sigma-1 receptor in the normal functioning body. Although DMT does bind to the receptor and thus this site may be involved in some of the subjective effects of administered DMT. A variety of drugs bind to Sigma receptors, in fact most drugs do (cocaine, hormones, anti-psychotics, amphetamines....) . Sigma-1 is a strange receptor and many factors make it unlikely to be the endogenous site of DMT. It does not appear to be a neurotransmitter receptor but rather a intracellular regulator protein. Although more work needs to be performed.

Ok thanks for pointing this out - I was unaware if it had been proven or not;
In that case, I must admit I have been guilty of spreading DMT propaganda a little of late...
Its good to be reminded not to re-spout stuff you read or hear just because it sounds good.

Being in the sciences I have grown very skeptical of most things that people say. I just don't buy stuff unless I see how it was proven. It is amazing how much stuff people just assume is true because someone else said it. Some people get mad but if I don't know something I admit it, one should always check their information. It is hard but so much out there is complete BS... it is amazing...

It is amazing though how many people believe the DMT near death... birth... stuff. It does sound fascinating but it is not proven.

This is all very interesting though...we know really very little of what is going on inside our own heads...space might be the final fronteir, but the human brain is definitely another fronteir of which only a tiny amount has been mapped.

Interesting 5-Meo being present in the pineal and a natural precursor to melatonin...I didn't know that.

You are right I'm very fascinated with this theory but i still need to prove it to myself as with everything in life i never just believe something blindly. Always question everything............



Much Peace