Neurotyping Update

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

As you know I always keep researching and trying to improve my work. There was one aspect of the neurotyping system that did not satisfy me completely: why are 2Bs emotional and love the mind muscle connection so much? Why are they the most attracted by aesthetics. My working theory was that the low self-esteem and adrenaline sensitivity did that. But I could not understand how did adrenaline sensitivity led to that since I’m a 2A, thus adrenaline sensitive, but I’m not really emotional.

Turns out that one main neurotransmitter was neglected: glutamate (because it was left out in both the Braverman and Cloninger assessments I never bothered researching it).

But signs of high glutamate activity include:

Insomnia (excessive excitation)
Social anxiety
Extremely emotional
Hypersensitive to sensations
Racing thoughts especially related to emotional scenarios
Open demonstrations of emotions
Easy attachment to anything (or anybody) giving them good feelings
Easily fall in love
Emotional reaction to stress and failure
Attracted by beauty, love shopping and look at stuff; emotional buyers
Easily becomes addicted to anything that give them pleasure
More at risk of manic disorders

Sounds like a 2B to me! So it’s even clearer now. But just like the Braverman didn’t test for adrenaline and a lot of the dopamine dominance symptoms were in fact signs of high adrenaline sensitivity I think that glutamate dominance was measured as something else.

Anyway, it doesn’t change the nature of the profiles, but it just makes it even clearer for me now.

10 Likes
2

This is awesome stuff. I find your continued research to be inspiring in terms of never being satisfied and calling it “done,” and look forward to many more breakthroughs in neurotype analysis and the corollary gym tips.

So as far as this point goes, would a 2B want to try to inhibit Glutamate activity like we should try to stimulate Serotonin/GABA?

3

Lol. I knew I was a 2B but I scored 9/12! Just underscores the point I guess!!

4

Hmmm. I thought I was a 2B, but I am not emotional at all. You think that rules out 2B?

5

Pretty much since that is literally the cornerstone of a 2B

6

Gotcha. Well, I have a good amount of 2B and 3 traits. Maybe being unemotional is the tiebreaker that makes me a 3.

7

As you can see 2Bs and 3s are similar in many regards, they just express their anxiety differently. So much as that I might start referring the 2Bs as 3As or 2B/3A like in my graphic)

NTenglish

1 Like
8

BTW a type 3 CAN be good at building muscle mass if he has the ACTN3 RR variation, which is likely around 15-20% of all types 3

1 Like
9

Interesting. Yeah, all of my anxiety is expressed through OCD habits.

10

Well here’s hoping I am of that variation. Ha

11

Just out of curiosity, what does that variation do/why does it allow muscle growth in someone who’s body might not otherwise be good for it?

12

By these standards I’m 2b as well. Though was labelled 2A previously. CT I think in a few threads here you mention you were 2A and also 2B…

13

@Sigil
Yes. I believe he is typically a 2A but when under stress takes on characteristics of a 2B.

14

This describes me. 3b without a doubt, but according to 23andme, I’ve got the ACTN3 gene.

15

Im a slightly confused as to if im a 2a or 2b…

Emotions wise i am zen like all the time, except I am an actor and when i want to conjure up genuine emotions I am very good at it with my imagination. Very good at reading people as well.
If i had to choose muscle over strength I would choose muscle as it is important to me.

While I have done all types of training and improved I could do the same thing for a long time and it gives me peace of mind to go in and do somthing I know works instead of ‘risking’ it.
Saying that - i hate things like gvt…boring!!

I am prone to impulsive behaivour a lot. In the past to the point of stupidity.

…

Writing all this makes me think…2a for sure?

16

What are differences between low GABA 2A and low serotonin 2A?

I would be interested about same table, but even with high/low acetylcholine differentiation in each category.

17

I’m a 2A. I can take on 2B traits either when I’m around 2Bs or when I stressed (which depletes my GABA).

It’s hard for me to diagnose you without asking you questions or talking to you

18

If you have low GABA but higher serotonin you can more easily adapt your personality to a situation, person or stay in the optimal neural activation zone.

If you have low serotonin an higher GABA you will be more “on or off”

19

CT,

Here’s what I’m wondering. How do we use the insights you’ve gained to address some of the less desirable qualities on that list? Let’s say you’re a type B who is impulsive and “Easily becomes addicted to anything that give them pleasure”, but you have long term goals you need to chase. Working towards those long term goals doesn’t provide the instantaneous feel-good sensation that browsing the internet or playing video games might. So, what’s a type B to do? Is it too much to hope there’s a magic pill/supplement that will dampen the effect of that dopamine hit (assuming that’s what it is) we get when we experience these short-term pleasures?

20

Make your question make sense. There is no “Type B”… there is a Type 1B and a Type 2B… and dopamine dominant is 1A and 1B. You are mix and matching everything.

There is no magic pill. If there was one, psychologists would be out of business! I hate to say this but the only real things you can do are:

  1. Know yourself. Understand the reason behind your feelings and when they happen you will better be able to deal with them.

  2. Know the things that are the most prone to have a negative impact on your behavior and avoid them. If you know you easily become a crap eating machine the moment you eat “cheat foods”, well don’t eat cheat foods at all… human beings survived thousands of years without pizza, burgers, candy and donuts. I know that if I start to allow myself to have a cheat once in a while, I will lose control after a few weeks. When I want to be in great shape I simply accept that for 8, 10, 12, 16 weeks I will not have a single piece of junk. I also know that since I need to feel loved, desired, wanted, i easily “fall in love” with any girl who admires me or show profound interest. So I learned to put barriers even before it happens.

  3. Reduce your life stress as much as possible. The more stress you are under the more likely you are to go to your profile “darker side”.

  4. Use the proper type of training for you… again, if the training causes too much stress (and leads to dopamine depletion or adrenal glands desensitization) you are very likely to look for other things to feel better, like junk food, drugs or other destructive habits.

  5. Some supplements can help a bit, but they are not a magic pill at all and they have to target your problematic neurotransmitter.

  6. Again know yourself. when you understand WHY you are feeling and acting the way you do; it is easier to accept your shortcomings and often turn your flaws into strengths. For example I have very low self-esteem and need to feel respected, admired or have the approval of others to feel good about myself. This can be a flaw BUT it also allows me to work harder than most in our field and become a great teacher because I want to be loved.

I’m still emotionally the same person I was 15 years ago. I still have low self-esteem, the need for the approval of others, feel bad when I’m not included in something, tend to binge eat if I’m not strict with my diet, I’m lazy when there is no rush to produce (but super productive under stress).

I’ve gotten better mostly because now I know why I’m like that and I accept myself instead of being hard on myself. By understanding why I feel a certain way also allows me to make better decisions when I’m faced with a strong emotion. I’m a better person than I was. I’m much happier than I was and I’m more productive too. But I still have the same emotional responses as I ever did, I just am better are acting up on them.

You mentioned video games. And video game addiction is a real thing. It’s as addictive (within reason) as nicotine and harder drugs because they also provide a strong neurological response. And I know what I’m talking about. I used to be a huge gamer (Quake); playing for 10+ hours a day for a few years. And when I didn’t play, I was thinking about playing. I had to stop playing altogether because if I played a little bit, I couldn’t stop. It’s exactly like those who try to stop smoking gradually, that rarely, if ever, works. Only Type 3 can do it that way, from experience.

So at one point it’s up to you to make an objective decision.

If video games addiction prevents you from reaching your long term goals you have to decide whether your goals or pleasure you get from the video games is more important.

And it sounds easy right? Get good future or have fun playing video games but don’t achieve much. But in reality it’s super hard. Heck you have people who have a heart attack, gets told by their doctor that if they don’t lose weight and eat better they will die within 5 years, and they still eat crap and gain weight!!! Addiction is hard to beat because we are fighting against our brain.

It’s not surprising that 90% of the people who lose weight regain it… it’s the same thing with most addictions.

3 Likes