# GABA: Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid



## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I started taking this supplement awhile back. I was researching, then trying each supplement I bought individually. 
The goal was to find ones that worked, & then combine them into a regimen that would help me everyday.
My best successes to date have been with GABA, ashwagandha root, & L-theanine. 
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, L- theanine is an amino acid, as is gamma-amino butyric acid.
I decided to put up this post because I found a really informative article listing sources, with some great information about this amino acid. 
It has had a definite positive effect in the treatment of my social anxiety, & general anxiety. With no side effects on my weight, or my sex drive.



> _*GABA'S ROLE IN THE BRAIN *_
> GABA is made in brain cells from glutamate, and functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter - meaning that it blocks nerve impulses. Glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter and when bound to adjacent cells encourages them to "fire" and send a nerve impulse. GABA does the opposite and tells the adjoining cells not to "fire", not to send an impulse.
> 
> Without GABA, nerve cells fire too often and too easily. Anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, seizure disorders, and numerous other conditions including addiction, headaches, Parkinson's syndrome, and cognitive impairment are all related to low GABA activity. GABA hinders the transmission of nerve impulses from one neuron to another. It has a calming or quieting influence.


Much more here (& an excellent section on different ways to increase GABA effect toward the bottom) *
->* http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/GABA.html

If anyone has any comments, experiences, or information to add... Your contribution is certainly very welcome.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

oral gaba supplements are unable to cross the blood-brain barrier and so i don't think they'd have much of an impact. they made no difference when i took them. 

l-theanine, on the other hand, is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and is a glutamine and glutamate analogue. it has markedly more pronounced effects when compared to gaba supplements, per peer-reviewed, empirical studies, anyway.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

Idk, I tried it by itself, & then added a few other things in dosages I was already accustomed to. & I feel it does work. 
I came across this while reading...


> _*CAN IT WORK? *_
> GABA supplements are promoted as an alternative to these tranquilizing drugs. There's a problem. There is scant evidence that it does anything. Current medical belief is that GABA will not pass the blood brain barrier.
> The blood brain barrier is a biologic firewall between the body's general blood circulation and the blood circulation that supplies the brain. It prevents many of the chemicals and drugs which circulate in the blood from reaching the brain. GABA can not cross from the body into the brain. If GABA doesn't reach the brain, can it work? Common medical wisdom says it can't.
> So why are so many people buying and taking GABA insisting that it is helpful for its tranquilizing action?
> ...


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I am a big fan of L-theanine... I keep forgetting to add that I also take 5-htp.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

i'm going with the placebo effect on whatever positive benefits you're experiencing due to taking gaba supplements. that, or the l-theanine and 5htp are playing a larger role than you're giving them credit.

not too sure on the effects of withania somnifera.


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## Dr Hobo Scratch MD (Jun 24, 2011)

dismiss said:


> I am a big fan of L-theanine... I keep forgetting to add that I also take 5-htp.


check out sunatheanine. its a more potent lab created version of l-theanine.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Dr Hobo Scratch MD said:


> check out sunatheanine. its a more potent lab created version of l-theanine.


suntheanine is also proprietary. i second this.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

Yes, that's what I have, it's Swanson's brand suntheanine. 

Thanks for the input, guys.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I'll try removing it from the regimen for awhile. If I do not notice it's absence, I'll stop buying it. Saving money is certainly a benefit I can stand.
I know the ashwagandha works. I'm not the only mental health professional who uses it. People with thyroid issues need to either avoid it, or speak with a doctor about taking it.
You can feel it kick in. I take a 2 capsule 900mg dose in the morning with my smoothie. I had started with 500mg. Sometimes will take a 450mg capsule in the evening as a booster.
I have not needed to increase dosage... It's been over a year now at that one.


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## Walther (Aug 19, 2012)

I tried an oral GABA supplement (with Vitamin B and inositol), but it never did anything for me. Probably because it didn't cross the blood-brain-barrier?

Thomas Chand writes in his book "Killing anxiety from the roots" that instead of taking GABA, it might be better to try raising GABA by supplementing the amino acids that your body can use to make it. These are L-Theanine, L-Taurine and L-Glutamine.

However, I'm unsure on whether I should take those separately or at the same time.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Walther said:


> I tried an oral GABA supplement (with Vitamin B and inositol), but it never did anything for me. Probably because it didn't cross the blood-brain-barrier?


myo-inositol does cross the blood brain barrier, however. although you were probably not taking nearly enough of it to help you out.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I take inositol everyday, ba, you seem knowledgeable... How much should one take?


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

dismiss said:


> I take inositol everyday, ba, you seem knowledgeable... How much should one take?


well, i can't tell you how much to take as i'm not a physician, but i can point you in the right direction via studies that have been done on myo-inositol/inositol and anxiety-spectrum disorders. it seems that the few studies that have been conducted on treating said disorders were using fairly high doses - 12 to 18grams/day. of course you should always run any supplements by with your physician before starting such high doses to avoid contraindications with other medications you may be taking.

the double-blind studies are particularly interesting.
panic disorder -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7793450
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11386498
ocd -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8780431
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11281989
depression-
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7726322
meta-analysis-
http://www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com/article/S0924-977X(97)00409-4/abstract

best of luck! keep us updated!


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## Dr Hobo Scratch MD (Jun 24, 2011)

cardio exercise.

"Moving the body also triggers the release of gamma aminobutyric acid ( GABA ), which is the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter ( and the primary target for most of our anti-anxiety medicines ). Having normal levels of GABA is crucial to stopping, at the cellular level, the self-fulfilling prophecy of anxiety -- it interrupts the obsessive feedback loop within the brain. And when the heart stops beating hard, it's muscle cells produces a molecule called atrial natriuretic peptide ( ANP ) that puts the brakes on the hyper aroused state. ANP is another tool the body uses to regulate distress response, which I'll explain more later."


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

Dr Hobo Scratch MD said:


> cardio exercise.
> 
> "Moving the body also triggers the release of gamma aminobutyric acid ( GABA ), which is the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter ( and the primary target for most of our anti-anxiety medicines ). Having normal levels of GABA is crucial to stopping, at the cellular level, the self-fulfilling prophecy of anxiety -- it interrupts the obsessive feedback loop within the brain. And when the heart stops beating hard, it's muscle cells produces a molecule called atrial natriuretic peptide ( ANP ) that puts the brakes on the hyper aroused state. ANP is another tool the body uses to regulate distress response, which I'll explain more later."


thanks for sharing this - don't forget to post more on ANP later as i'm interested in learning more about it. i was unaware that the body released gaba during exercise; i knew, naturally, that it released endorphins, but gaba was new to me.

anyhow, would love to see some studies and such and/or some more anecdotal information!


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## Broshious2 (Jan 21, 2009)

Dr Hobo Scratch MD said:


> check out sunatheanine. its a more potent lab created version of l-theanine.


How is it more potent? It's supposedly 100% pure L-Theanine...and that's it.


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

Dr Hobo Scratch MD said:


> cardio exercise.
> 
> "Moving the body also triggers the release of gamma aminobutyric acid ( GABA ), which is the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter ( and the primary target for most of our anti-anxiety medicines ). Having normal levels of GABA is crucial to stopping, at the cellular level, the self-fulfilling prophecy of anxiety -- it interrupts the obsessive feedback loop within the brain. And when the heart stops beating hard, it's muscle cells produces a molecule called atrial natriuretic peptide ( ANP ) that puts the brakes on the hyper aroused state. ANP is another tool the body uses to regulate distress response, which I'll explain more later."


Good stuff...


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## Dr Hobo Scratch MD (Jun 24, 2011)

basuraeuropea said:


> thanks for sharing this - don't forget to post more on ANP later as i'm interested in learning more about it. i was unaware that the body released gaba during exercise; i knew, naturally, that it released endorphins, but gaba was new to me.
> 
> anyhow, would love to see some studies and such and/or some more anecdotal information!





dismiss said:


> Good stuff...


send me your e-mail guys


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

Have ordered picamilon, 150 mgs, 120 tablets. It's GABA combined with niacin to cross the BBB. 
Haven't received it yet. Will post back with experiences, or start new thread on it... Am off to research old ones now...


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## dismiss (Jul 26, 2012)

I see it hasn't helped some, but a few people see it as valuable. Curious to see how it will add to my regimen. I use 400-500 mgs of suntheanine and 950 mgs of ashwagandha a day, along with 100-200 mgs of 5htp.


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

basuraeuropea said:


> oral gaba supplements are unable to cross the blood-brain barrier


True.

Man imagine how addictive it would be if it could. I dunno, Phenibut is pretty much close.


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