GABA for Anxiety: Why you SHOULD NOT Use this Product

When researching supplements used for anxiety, many people may wonder if GABA is a good supplement to use.

Anxiety disorders affect about 18% of the adult population in the US. This means over 40 million individuals suffer regularly from one anxiety related disorder or another.

The financial tally related to anxiety disorders is right around $42 billion dollars each year, with about half of that going towards anxiety medications.

Many people prefer to handle their anxiety through natural methods such as dietary changes, nutritional supplements, exercise, regular sleep regimens, and meditation.

Using Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) for anxiety has become particularly popular in recent years, but new findings show that when used this way this supplement’s effects may be more placebo effect than anything else.

GABA is produced naturally within our bodies. It is an amino acid with two primary functions in our bodies – it works as a neurotransmitter in our brain, as well as working to regulate muscle tone throughout our body.

In our brain it works by exerting a calming effect on neurotransmitters when they are firing rapidly in an over-excited way.

When GABA is available in adequate amounts within our brains, and is working properly, we experience a sense of well-being and calmness. It enables us to focus better and may even help fight symptoms of depression.

GABA

GABAergic Supplement

Mood

Sleep

Body- building

How It Works:

• Anxiolytic effects to reduce stress
• May improve sleep & anxiety
• Supports fat loss & increases HGH

Dosage:

Between 250 - 1500 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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Endogenous GABA’s Anti-Anxiety Effects

Neurotransmitters in our brains are referred to as excitatory or inhibitory. Some of them are able to function as both, depending on need.

In the brains of adult humans, GABA is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter and therefore a potent anxiolytic.

It functions by responding to over-excited firings of other neurotransmitters, exerting an inhibitory effect, and keeping the brain in balance.

When other excitatory neurotransmitters, such as Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, Dopamine, Serotonin, and Glutamate are stimulating neurons to fire, GABA comes in and slows down the firing, allowing our brains to regain a sense of calm.

Without enough GABA, our neurons can begin to fire too easily and too often, setting us up for anxiety and even panic.

Scientists tell us that GABA supplements, taken orally, are unable to cross a membrane called the blood-brain barrier. This protective membrane surrounds the brain and acts as a filtration system between the bloodstream and the brain tissue. This is important information because if the supplement cannot reach the brain, it is unable to have the desired effects on our brain chemistry.

However, there are countless users reviews online that report positive mental effects from using GABA supplements. It is possible that these effects are entirely due to the placebo effect at work. As well, there are a couple alternative theories on why GABA seems to causes effects in some users.

Blood-brain barrier hyperpermeability (also called “leaky blood-brain barrier”) is an area of current research. One theory therefore, is that individual differences in blood-brain barrier permeability could allow supplemental GABA into the brains of some people, where it could then have an effect.

Another theory states that GABA does not need to cross the blood-brain barrier at all to have mental effects in the body. The theory is that supplemental GABA can interact with GABA receptors outside of the brain (specifically in the enteric nervous system in the gut) and cause effects in the brain. One supplement that works on this theory is PharmaGABA.

Much more research needs to be done on GABA supplementation to reconcile the growing number of positive anecdotal reports with the current contradictory scientific understanding.

Other GABA Boosting, Anxiety Reducing Choices

Eating a diet which is rich in GABA boosting foods can prove beneficial. Two of the best GABA-producing foods are mackerel and wheat germ. Other choices include beef liver, broccoli, brown rice, and almonds.

In an effort to find a GABA supplement which is able to effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier, there are a few other options known to be effective. Two supplements which are GABAergic compounds are Lemon Balm and L-Theanine.

These two supplements have similar mechanisms of action and similar benefits, though there are a few differences between them. Both of them have been scientifically shown to be able to travel to the brain in order to be used at GABA receptors similarly to endogenous GABA.

GABA Dosage

Proper dosage is dependent on many different factors, and it is always recommended that you speak with your doctor before beginning any new supplements. The below dosage recommendations are general guidelines only, and your personal dosage may be different.

Supplementing with GABA usually requires a bit of trial and error to find your own sweet spot which can provide you with the benefits you want while not causing any of the potential side effects.

For anxiety most people begin with a dose of 250mg, taken 2-3 times throughout the day.

Until you are sure of how this supplement does (or does not) affect you, do not drive or operate other equipment. Drowsiness is a potentially common side effect. Stay with this dose for three to five days, allowing your system to adjust itself to the supplement.

If necessary, increase the dose by 50mg and maintain that dosage for three to five days. You can increase the dose by 50mg increments up to 650mg safely.

Safety and Side Effects of GABA

Potential side effects of GABA include:

• increased heart rate
• rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• tingling, tickling or itching sensation of the face, neck or limbs
• nausea

Those taking medications for depression should not take GABA. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not take GABA. It is unknown whether GABA is safe for children and should not be given without the supervision of a doctor.

GABA for Anxiety Review

Although there is a growing number of anecdotal reports to support claims that GABA supplementation can help with anxiety, research shows that these supplements are unable to cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore are considered generally ineffective.

Using GABA for anxiety is unlikely to cause negative side effects, but there is little research evidence of its positive effects either.

Those who may have tried GABA supplementation without success may wish to consider some supplements such as L-Theanine and Lemon Balm, both of which can pass through the blood-brain barrier effectively and produce a GABAergic response within the brain.

There are a number of other Nootropics that are used for anxiety that you may wish to look into as well.

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