# Any Success with GABA Supplements despite what science says?



## sbcy1 (Mar 13, 2012)

Has anyone had any success with GABA supplements in treating their symptoms? Years ago I read that simply taking a GABA supplement is pointless for increasing GABA levels in the brain because it will not cross the blood brain barrier, so I never tried it despite having a bottle sitting on my shelf.

I was reading this article:
http://www.balancingbrainchemistry.co.uk/peter-smith/26/GABA-Deficient-Anxiety.html

And he's saying that in some people it can "leak" through. Anyone experienced this?


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## ShapesinO (Jan 16, 2014)

Not sure if was the same article, but, I've heard something like this before. Got discouraged after I started thinking GABA supplementation as just placebo, and not actually having a chemical effect.


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## Anxiolytic (Nov 20, 2014)

sbcy1 said:


> Has anyone had any success with GABA supplements in treating their symptoms? Years ago I read that simply taking a GABA supplement is pointless for increasing GABA levels in the brain because it will not cross the blood brain barrier, so I never tried it despite having a bottle sitting on my shelf.
> 
> I was reading this article:
> http://www.balancingbrainchemistry.co.uk/peter-smith/26/GABA-Deficient-Anxiety.html
> ...


Science is wrong on this one =O. It definitely does something...I took three 750mg capsules today after having ate a light lunch two hours prior, and an hour after ingestion my heart rate increased dramatically. I felt my face flush, and experienced shortness of breath and difficulty speaking without gasping for air in between words. After that subsided, I went for a short walk with a girl from work, and noticed a reduction of uncomfortableness in my normal anxiety ridden self. I take them before work occasionally and I know it is more than placebo due to the physiological effects present before the anxiolytic relief. I must add; it is subtle, but noticeable.


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## vko (Nov 15, 2015)

I like Gaba.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Well there would be double blind trials to prove its efficacy, but oh, what do you know? You can't patent GABA, so there is no profit to be made, so I guess there won't be any.

I think what is most important is what works, even if the why is not completely understood.


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

Im ready to try Gaba. I have tried Inositol, B complex and Ashwagandha root powder, all didnt work.


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## longtimenolove (Oct 21, 2015)

I had AMAZING success with this for a few days, and then nothing. I still cherish a vivid memory where I was at work talking to a customer and everything went slow motion and I thought to myself "This is what it feels like to be normal." A moment in my life that I'll treasure forever. 

Wish it had stayed that way, but tolerance kicked in super fast.


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

longtimenolove said:


> I had AMAZING success with this for a few days, and then nothing. I still cherish a vivid memory where I was at work talking to a customer and everything went slow motion and I thought to myself "This is what it feels like to be normal." A moment in my life that I'll treasure forever.
> 
> Wish it had stayed that way, but tolerance kicked in super fast.


did you try uping the dose?


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## longtimenolove (Oct 21, 2015)

sunbreached said:


> did you try uping the dose?


No, actually. I don't even remember what dose I was on. It was my second time taking it. Previously I took it while on all sorts of other medications (benzo's, morphine, SSRI...) I couldn't feel it with all the other meds, but then I quit for a while (all meds) and took up Gaba by itself. It was my brief wonder drug. I miss it.


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

"However, with so many benefits to improving GABA levels, neuroscientists have invested a lot of resources to finding anxiety reducing supplements that can lead to higher GABA concentration in the brain. These nootropics include GABA precursors that give you more of the components needed to synthesize this neurotransmitter as well as other compounds that break down directly into GABA. An excellent natural GABA booster is L-Theanine which is found in Green Tea and is known to help you relax and focus. One option is to take Phenibut which is a derivative of GABA that can get across the blood-brain barrier and stimulate your receptors for this neurotransmitter to promote calm and tranquility. Another great choice is Picamilon which breaks down into GABA and once it reaches your brain."

This is a snippet I took from a site, seems like L-Theanine is more promising?


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenibut

this is like the gaba supplement, except its made to cross the blood brain barrier.


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

Yeah, phenibut is a good indication of what GABA would do if it could cross the BBB.

But since it can't, it can't. GABA is fantastic if you have tight muscles, though. As for the "leaking" theory, it's been shown that even incredibly large amounts of GABA do not affect the brain.


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

has anyone tried 5-HTP dosing?


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

Doesn't do a thing for me.


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## sbcy1 (Mar 13, 2012)

sunbreached said:


> has anyone tried 5-HTP dosing?


I have but it gave me nausea if I ever ate anything within an hour or 2 taking it and tryptophan didn't have this issue to anywhere near the extent that 5-HTP did (and seems to work for me a little better for what little it does) but in my case requires high dosages atleast 3 x 1g per day. I generally have a very high tolerance to meds and supplements though.


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## sunbreached (Apr 19, 2015)

sbcy1 said:


> I have but it gave me nausea if I ever ate anything within an hour or 2 taking it and tryptophan didn't have this issue to anywhere near the extent that 5-HTP did (and seems to work for me a little better for what little it does) but in my case requires high dosages atleast 3 x 1g per day. I generally have a very high tolerance to meds and supplements though.


"*Cortisol and 5-HTP*
L-5-hydroxytryptophan induced increase in salivary cortisol in panic disorder patients and healthy volunteers.
Psychopharmacology 2002. 
The results show that L-5-hydroxytryptophan stimulated salivary cortisol is a useful probe of serotonin function in healthy volunteers as well as panic disorder patients, and provide some evidence against a serotonin receptor hypersensitivity in panic disorder."

http://www.raysahelian.com/cortisol.html

so it might be counter intuitive to take 5htp afterall if it increases cortisol the stress hormone.


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## mastercowboy (Sep 11, 2012)

No GABA as any other supplement is complete waste of money. 

Better buy a pizza. It is yummy and makes you happy!


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## JimCarres (Jan 29, 2016)

I suggest GABA as the best sleep supplement which improves concentration and sleep by reducing the stress, anxiety and in-turn increases the calmness.

gaba supplement benefits
gaba benefits and side effects


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## Dark Shines (Feb 11, 2013)

I haven't tried GABA due to the BBB issue. I've had success with 5-HTP, though as with most nootropics, I found I had to dose higher than recommended and with 5-HTP, I found the margin for error between effective dose and nausea to be fairly small. Phenibut obvious works well, but then it's efficacy is well supported in pharmacology. Tolerance with Phenibut builds very quickly though, I'd say certainly more quickly than the Valium I'm prescribed, but unlike Valium, it has the additional positive effect of lifting mood as well as calming it. I find Valium makes me depressed if I take it for a few days in a row, Phenibut seems not to. I haven't tried Theanine yet, might give that a go at some stage.


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