https://www.bravermantest.
com 2020-10-19
Braverman Personality Type Assessment
Part 1: Determining your Dominant Nature
Instructions: Answer each question by selecting either True or False. Answer the questions in terms of how you feel
most of the time. For example, if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep and feel tired today, answer the questions that
pertain to your energy levels based on how you feel on a more average day.
Total Results Summary
1A Total Number of True Responses - DOPAMINE Nature: 34
2A Total Number of True Responses - ACETYLCHOLINE Nature: 22
3A Total Number of True Responses - GABA Nature: 20
4A Total Number of True Responses - SEROTONIN Nature: 28
You are DOPAMINE Dominant. Share on Facebook
DOPAMINE NATURE If you have a dopamine nature, you are part of 17% of the population. When you are
balanced, you are likely to be strong-willed who knows exactly what you want and how to get it. You are fast on your
feet and self-confident. You are highly rational, more comfortable with facts and figures than with feelings and
emotions. You are able to assess yourself critically, but you may not respond well to the criticisms of others. You
focus intently on the task at hand and take pride in achievement. Strategic thinking, masterminding, inventing,
problem solving, envisioning, and pragmatism are exciting and you function well under stress. A majority of doctors,
scientists, researchers, inventors, engineers, generals and architects are dopamine dominant, but this does not
preclude you from other professions. You may like to play chess, listen to books on tape, or do difficult crossword
puzzles. You are tireless, perhaps overly alert, and may need less sleep than others. When exercising, you may
enjoy weight-lifting more than aerobic activities. You may not be overly sensitive and miss it when others consider
their feelings more important than your reasons. You may be distant from your children, and the stability of your
marriage may depend on the loyalty and goodwill of your spouse.
Excessive dopamine Too much dopamine can lead to excessive risk-taking behaviors and impulsive actions.
Violence and over-control of others may be recurrent problems. Sexual activity level might be too high for sustained
relationships to endure, as extramarital sexual activity may result. As teenagers, reckless driving, shoplifting, or date
rape may result if you did not learn to balance your dopamine extremes in time.
ACETYLCHOLINE NATURE You are adept at working with your senses and view the world in sensory terms. You
are highly creative and open to new ideas. You are a quick thinker who is always taking other people into
consideration. You are devoted to making things the best they can be, no matter how much effort it requires. You are
flexible, creative, and spontaneous, and are willing to try anything new as long as it promises to be new and
exciting. If your acetylcholine nature is in balance, you are intuitive and innovative. You take pleasure in anything
involving words, ideas, and communication. (Acetylcholine is produced to a great extent in the parietal lobes of the
brain, which is responsible for language, intelligence, and comprehension) You may be ideal in the roles as
counselor, mediator, think tank member, yoga and meditation instructor, religious leader, and in public service.
Strong acetylcholine levels are associated with high brain speed, which impacts the creative function, so artists,
writers, advertising professionals, and actors are frequently acetylcholine dominant. You are extremely social, even
charismatic. You love meeting and greeting and making new friends. You come across to others as authentic and
grounded. People find you charming, and you find relationships come easy to you. You invest a great deal of energy
and time into your relationships and feel that you are personally reaping the rewards. You are an optimist, and your
see the possibilities in people. You are attentive to the needs of children and romantic with you significant other. You
are good at remembering other people’s feelings and reactions, and this enables you to not hurt others. You are
altruistic and benevolent. You love adventure. You are open to new things and not afraid of failure. You like to travel,
but you can also enjoy reading about the lives of others. Your quest for learning makes you interested in a variety of
topics and adept at sharing your knowledge with others.
Too Much Acetylcholine You may give too much of yourself, to the point of not considering your own needs or
becoming masochistic. You may feel the world is taking advantage of you, or become paranoid. You may become
socially isolated as a result. Panic disorder, manic episodes, or anxiety can result.
GABA NATURE A person with a GABA nature is stable. Almost 50% of the world share this nature, whose
hallmarks are consistency, sociability, and concern for others. If you have a GABA nature, you will likely show up
every day for work and be there when others need you. When your GABA is in balance, you remain calm when
chaos swirls around you. Characteristics of objectivity, levelheadedness, punctuality, practicality, and confidence all
come naturally to you. Staying organized is very important to you, and rigid schedules are comforting rather than
confining – they eliminate uncertainty and ensure smooth sailing. GABA dominant people tend to gravitate to
careers as administrators, accountants, security officers, nurses, medical technicians, air-traffic controllers, news
reporters, EMT’s, meeting planners, bus drivers, and homemakers. No matter what the job, the GABA-natured
person is the one who tethers the group, who stays focused on the matter at hand, yet usually defers to the majority.
You are the consummate team player, deriving pleasure from fulfilling your obligations and taking care of those you
love. You are sensible, settled, and not prone to wide swings of emotion or outbursts of anger. You both relish group
activities and cherish one-to-one connections. Making others comfortable makes you happy. Marriage is seen as a
long-term haven. You probably believe in traditions and institutions, and enjoy your part in making them work,
especially at your place of worship. You look forward to holiday gatherings, and planning for them seems more like
play than work. You probably like history books and biographies. Collecting memorabilia and creating scrapbooks
may provide hours of entertainment. There are times when you feel you’ve had a strong nurturing effect on others,
such as after hosting a holiday dinner.
EXCESS GABA Producing too much GABA may ratchet up your nurturing tendencies to the point where you ignore
your own needs or end up getting hurt. You may spend too much energy looking for love, and then relying too
heavily on you mates. You may look too much to authority figures for advice and continuously craving and following
the advice of others.
SEROTONIN NATURE Serotonin resynchronizes your brain while you sleep so you wake every morning with a
fresh start. If you have a serotonin nature, you are among 17% of the population who really know how to enjoy
themselves. Serotonin is associated with delta waves (which are produced in abundance when we sleep) and
affects our ability to rest, regenerate, and find security. If you have a serotonin nature, you know how to live in the
moment. You are a realist, keenly responsive to sensory input, yet you can be impulsive, too. You love to participate
in activities for the “love of the game” and not as a means to an end. Achievement to you means getting something
done now. You thrive on change – you’ll alternate tasks and find new ways of doing repetitive ones. You will try new
foods, pick up a new hobby, and plan a different vacation every year. When balanced, a person with a serotonin
nature is receptive to stimuli, in touch with both mind and body, often physically coordinated, and very resourceful.
You are not put off by struggle and undeterred by setbacks. If your work doesn’t feel like play, it is not worth doing.
Your serotonin nature is ideal for professions requiring motor skills, hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and crisis
management. Tools are extensions of the serotonin brain. Construction workers, oil riggers, truck and ambulance
drivers, military personnel, hairstylists, bartenders, pilots, and computer programmers – who get to play with the
most advanced and expensive tools – are all likely to have a serotonin nature. Professional athletes, movie stars,
photographers, and fashion models might also have serotonin natures. Serotonin dominance would also be
essential for trouble-shooting business executives hired to save floundering companies; for surgeons, orthopedists,
and chiropractors; for detectives and investigators; and for specialists in crisis intervention. If there is excitement
anywhere, you will find it, whether it be parties, celebrations, video games, casino gambling, mountain climbing,
hunting, skydiving, hang-gliding, skiing, or scuba diving. You are passionate in your relationships, but refuse to be
tied down. It is important that those close to you recognize your need for freedom. You can be the life of the party;
you can be cheerful, optimistic, and easygoing. You want everyone to join in and be part of your fun. You may have
a special fondness for children, although you may be overwhelmed by the commitment needed to care for them. You
delight in playing with them, and the roles of a favorite aunt, uncle or grandparent appeal the most to you. You are
intensely loyal to coworkers, friends, and family. People appreciate your practical side and the way you make the
best of any situation. You have many and varied friendships, but they may be more broad than deep. Your
impulsivity and desire for new experiences may move you away before deeper roots are formed. You disdain order
and routine, and with your love for independence, this can put a strain on your closest relationships. When you are
maximizing your serotonin mature, you experience serenity throughout the day. You experience highs doing what
others consider dangerous, such as bungee jumping, motorboat racing, whitewater rafting, motorcycling, or just
staying out all night carousing. When you play hard, your body is in serotonin overdrive, and you are having the time
of your life.
TOO MUCH SEROTONIN Producing too much serotonin can make you extremely nervous. You can become
hesitant, distracted, vulnerable to any manner of criticism, and morbidly afraid of being disliked. In the extreme,
someone with an excessive serotonin personality is painfully shy and sees himself as inadequate and inferior. Such
people are plagued by sadness, anger, and a desperate desire for interpersonal interaction, which, ironically, they
are too fearful to attempt.
Part 2: Defining your Deficiencies
Instructions: Answer each question by selecting either True or False. The second assessment will determine if you
are deficient in any of the four biochemicals, including the one that governs your nature. Many of the questions
relate to symptoms you might now be experiencing. Answer the questions in terms of how you feel right now; it
doesn’t matter how long you’ve been experiencing these symptoms, or even if they occurred today for the first time.
Deficiency Results Summary
1B Total Number of True Responses - DOPAMINE Deficiency: 6
2B Total Number of True Responses - ACETYLCHOLINE Deficiency: 12
3B Total Number of True Responses - GABA Deficiency: 28
4B Total Number of True Responses - SEROTONIN Deficiency: 20
This test and the following recommendations are taken directly from Dr. Eric R. Braverman’s book, “The Edge Effect:
Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage” New York: Sterling Publications, 2005.
Dopamine Deficiency
Deficient dopamine Early warning signs are loss of energy, fatigue, sluggishness, memory loss, or the blues.
Physical issues: Anemia, balance problems, blood sugar instability, bone density loss, carbohydrate cravings,
decreased appetite, decreased strength, diabetes, diarrhea, anorgasmia, digestion problems, hypersomnia, head
and facial tremors, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, joint pain, kidney problems, light-headedness, low libido,
narcolepsy, obesity, Parkinson’s, slow metabolism, slow rigid movements, substance abuse, sugar cravings,
tension, tremors, thyroid problems, swallowing problems. Personality Issues: Aggression, anger, carelessness,
depression, fear of being observed, guilt, hopelessness, worthlessness, pleasure-seeking behavior, stress
intolerance, social isolation, mood swings, procrastination, self-destructive thoughts. Memory Issues: Distractibility,
lack of follow-through, forgetfulness, lack of working memory, poor abstract thinking, slow processing speed.
Attention Issues: ADD, decreased alertness, failure to finish tasks, hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, poor
concentration.
Dopamine Boosters for Brain Energy
Minor Deficit (0-5) Moderate Deficit (6-15) Major Deficit (15+)
Phenylalanine 500 mg 1000 mg 1000-2000 mg
Tyrosine 500 mg 1000 mg 1000-2000 mg
Methionine 250 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Rhodiola 50 mg 100 mg 200 mg
Pyroxidine 5 mg 10 mg 50 mg
B complex 25 mg 50 mg 100 mg
Phosphatidylserine 50 mg 100 mg 200 mg
Ginko Biloba 50 mg 75 mg 100 mg
Dietary modifications can boost dopamine as well. Increase your intake of phenylalanine and tyrosine (use Equal as
a sugar substitute), eat chicken, cottage cheese, eggs, pork, ricotta cheese, soybean products, turkey, walnuts,
wheat germ, granola, oats, duck, and milk and yogurt.
To prevent dopamine burnout, practice deep breathing (from abdomen), alternating nostrils, watch nonviolent
movies and TV shows, weight lifting 3 times per week. Prevent exposure to lead and cadmium. Stop smoking. A cup
or two of caffeine in the morning is a very common way to increase dopamine, however this can cause insomnia or
tremors if dosage is too high or it is taken too late in the day.
Acetylcholine Deficiency
Deficient Acetylcholine Acetylcholine controls your brain speed and the rate at which electrical signals are
processed, connecting your physical experiences to memories and thoughts. When your brain speed 10 slows with
deficient acetylcholine, the brain does not have time to connect all the new stimuli to previously stored information,
so it is discarded when the new information pours in. Your recall may become spotty, and you may not react to
sensory stimuli as fast as before. This causes forgetfulness.
Physical issues: Agitation, Alzheimers, anxiety, arthritis, autism, high cholesterol, decreased sexual ability, diabetes,
problems urinating, dry cough, dry mouth, dyslexia, frequent urination, eye disorders, fat cravings, frequent bowel
movements, glaucoma, lack of arousal, inflammatory problems, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, reading/writing
disorders, slowness of movement, speech problems
Personality issues: Bipolar disorder, math errors, changes in personality and language, hysterical behavior, mood
swings, rule breaking.
Memory issues: Learning disorders, loss of immediate visual and verbal memory, memory disturbance, memory
lapses
Attention issues: Attention problems, difficulty concentrating, diminished comprehension, impaired abstract thinking,
impaired creativity.
Acetylcholine Boosters
Minor Deficit (0-5) Moderate Deficit (6-15) Major Deficit (15+)
Choline (GPC choline) 100 mg 200 mg 500 mg
Phosphatidylcholine 500 mg 1000 mg 2000 mg
Phosphatidylserine 50 mg 100 mg 200 mg
Acetyl-l-carnitine 250 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) 200 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Thiamine 25 mg 50 mg 100 mg
Pantothenic Acid 25 mg 50 mg 100 mg
Vitamin B12 100 mg 200 mg 500 mg
Taurine 250 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Huperzine-A 50 mg 100 mg 200 mg
Ginko Biloba 50 mg 75 mg 100 mg
Korean Ginseng 100 mg 200 mg 500 mg
GABA Deficiency
Deficient GABA Gaba is produced in the temporal lobes and is associated throughout the brain with calming,
rhythmic theta waves – the “idling frequency” of neurons. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain,
which keeps all of the other biochemicals in check. GABA controls the brains rhythm so that you function mentally
and physically at a steady pace. When your rhythm is thrown off by a GABA deficiency, you may begin to feel
anxious, nervous, or irritable. Without enough GABA, your brain produces energy in bursts, which impacts your
emotional well-being.
Physical issues: Tremors, allergies, appetite changes, backache, blurred vision, carbohydrate cravings, chest pain,
clammy hands, constipation, decreased libido, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, dry mouth, excessive
sleepiness, headache, hypertension, hyperventilation, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle loss, muscle
tension, nausea, night sweats, parethesias, PMS, protein cravings, seizures, shortness of breath, stroke, heart
palpitations, ringing in ears, trembling, twitching, urinary frequency.
Personality issues: Problems adjusting to stress, anxiety, depression, feelings of dread, excessive guilt,
worthlessness, hopelessness, emotional immaturity, manic depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobias,
rage, restlessness, thoughts of suicide, psychosis.
Memory issues: Learning disorders, loss of immediate visual and verbal memory, memory disturbance, memory
lapses
Attention issues: Poor verbal memory, global memory problems. Attention Issues: Difficulty concentrating,
disorganized attention pattern associated with anxiety, high anxiety, impulsive attention errors (jumping the gun,
erratic driving), inability to think clearly.
GABA Boosters
Minor Deficit (0-5) Moderate Deficit (6-15) Major Deficit (15+)
Inositol 500 mg 1000 mg 2000 mg
GABA (not well-absorbed) 100 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Glutamic Acid 250 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Melatonin (at night) 1 mg 2 mg 3-6 mg
Thiamine 200 mg 400 mg 600 mg
Niacinamide 25 mg 100 mg 500 mg
Pyridoxine 5 mg 10 mg 50 mg
Valerian root 100 mg 200 mg 500 mg
Passionflower 200 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Serotonin Deficiency
Serotonin Deficiency Serotonin is produced in great quantities in the occipital lobes and helps create the
neurological electricity for sight and rest, and also controls your cravings. The occipital lobes maintain your brain’s
overall balance, or synchrony, by regulating the output of all the primary brain waves. The four brain waves appear
in varying combinations throughout the day, but at night serotonin allows the brain to recharge and rebalance. If
these brain waves are out of sync, the left and right sides of your brain will be out of balance, and you might feel like
you are going off the edge; you are overtired, out of control, and unable to get a restful sleep. When serotonin is
unbalanced, your brain’s ability to recharge itself is compromised. Serotonin burnout can occur from experiencing
too much excitement or not getting enough sleep. When this happens, you simply cannot think clearly.
Physical issues: Aches and soreness, allergies, arthritis, backache, blurred vision, carbohydrate cravings, clammy
hands, constipation or diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, drug or alcohol addiction, drug reactions, dry mouth,
hallucinations, headaches, high pain/pleasure threshold, hypersensitivity, excessive sleeping, hypertension,
insomnia, muscle tension, nausea, night sweats, palpitations, parethesias, PMS, premature ejaculation, premature
orgasm for women, salt cravings, tachycardia, ringing in ears, tremors, urinary frequency, vomiting, weight gain.
Personality issues: Codependency, depersonalization, depression, impulsiveness, lack of artistic appreciation, lack
of common sense, lack of pleasure, social isolation, masochistic tendencies, obsessive compulsive disorder,
paranoia, perfectionism, phobias, rage, self-absorption, shyness.
Memory issues: Confusion, memory loss, too many ideas to manage.
Attention issues: Difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, restlessness, slow reaction time.
Serotonin Boosters
Minor Deficit (0-5) Moderate Deficit (6-15) Major Deficit (15+)
Calcium 500 mg 750 mg 1000 mg
Fish oil (pharmaceutical grade) 500 mg 1000 mg 2000 mg
Minor Deficit (0-5) Moderate Deficit (6-15) Major Deficit (15+)
5-HTP (with decarboxylase inhibitor) 100 mg 200 mg 500 mg
Magnesium 200 mg 400 mg 600 mg
Melatonin (at night) 1/3 mg 1/2-2 mg 1-6 mg
Passionflower 200 mg 500 mg 1000 mg
Pyridoxine 5 mg 10 mg 50 mg
SAM-e 50 mg 100 mg 200 mg
St. John’s Wort 200 mg 400 mg 600 mg
Tryptophan (prescription) 500 mg 1000 mg 1500-2000 mg
Zinc 15 mg 30 mg 45 mg
Part 3: Resources
What Type of Athlete are You? (This Test Will Tell You.) (http://www.theinertia.com/surf/the-five-elements-of-
athlete-its-all-about-neurotransmitters/) Write up about Braverman's test
5 Things I Learned at Charles Poliquin’s Advanced Program Design Seminar (http://www.cleanhealth.com.au
/5-things-i-learned-at-charles-poliquins-advanced-program-design-seminar/) Applying Braverman's Test to
training.
Charles Poliquin - Mass Building Program (Tim Ferriss Show) (http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/11
/06/charles-poliquin-mass-building-program/) Podcast that covers Braverman's test and usage for training and
muscle building.
Another Blog - more explanation for your results. (http://www.signaturefitness.com.au/blog/83-what-goes-up-
must-come-down)
