GABA Plus Review, Benefits, Ingredients and Side Effects

GABA Plus is a dietary supplement that contains Gamma-aminobutyric acid and a proprietary blend of L-Glutamine, Passionflower, Taurine and Spirulina.

It is designed to promote relaxation, concentration, and stress relief.

By providing nutrients necessary to increase levels of GABA activity in the brain, this supplement is said to provide relief from feelings of over-stimulation, anxiety, worries and the sense of being overwhelmed.

Users take GABA Plus pills to help them focus on their work without being distracted by a hyper-active mind. This supplement is said to have a positive effect on mood, calming the central nervous system and providing emotional balance.

As a specially formulated GABA booster, this supplement provides several synergistic natural compounds that have a sedating effect on the mind while also supporting overall brain function and health.

What are the benefits of GABA Plus and who should use this supplement?

Note: There are several different brands of GABA Plus capsules available for sale online, including one by TwinLabs. This review review refers to the brand sold by Nature’s Sunshine (NSP).

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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What Does GABA Do in the Body?

GABA is an amino acid that acts primarily as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Inhibitory neurotransmitters block the signaling capacities of nerve impulses and are necessary to counteract excitatory neurotransmitters.

GABA is the central nervous system’s major inhibitor, working to regulate biological and psychological patterns, like sleep cycles, heartbeat rhythms, and autonomic breathing habits.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is closely related to glutamate, the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. GABA works to prevent over-stimulation caused by excess glutamate and is also synthesized from this neurochemical.

Sufficient levels of GABA are important to ensure efficacy of neurotransmission and to regulate a number of factors related to health.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid impedes the signaling capacities between certain neurons when necessary to maintain homeostatic equilibrium. Excitatory neurotransmitters like Glutamate cause neurons to respond in some way when it reaches neuroreceptors in the brain.

As an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA blocks some of these responses which is important for maintaining a clear mind and promoting balance. It makes sure that only the important signals get through.

GABA regulates a number of functions in the brain. It prevents anxiety and the over-stimulation response that occurs when excitatory neurotransmitters cause neural circuits to become too active.

The role of GABA is to stop or reduce the likelihood of these neurons from firing, allowing for better communication patterns throughout the brain.

In times of stress and excessive worry, it can feel like you cannot turn your brain off or clear your mind of certain negative thoughts. Even if you do not suffer from general anxiety disorder or social anxiety, we have all experienced the feeling of an anxious mind.

Using a supplement like GABA Plus may counteract hyperactive neuronal firing and maintain balance, helping to improve mood, feelings of well-being and support a calm state of mind. GABA supplements are also used for:

• Naturally increasing synthesis of human growth hormone (hGH)
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Increasing lean muscle gains
• Promoting fat loss

Common Uses of GABA Plus

GABA Plus is most often taken as a general mood booster to help users relax and concentrate.

But GABA supplements have also been used for a number of different applications, including for some mood disorders, improving sleep quality, and as a bodybuilding supplement.

In certain clincal settings. GABA is used to treat patients with bipolar disease as well as depression. In a clinical study, subjects with manic-depression were administered 750 mg of GABA daily for 6 months. Bipolar symptoms were controlled as effectively as with conventional lithium therapy combined with fluoxetine.

In a human trial involving bodybuilders between the 21 and 28 years old, GABA capsules taken just before vigorous workouts improved the production of certain forms of hGH.

Many bodybuilders use supplements like GABA Plus in doses between 3 grams and 12 grams daily to accommodate increases in lean muscle tissue, decreases in fat stores, and improved energy at the gym.

Doctors sometimes recommend Gamma-aminobutyric acid supplements like GABA Plus for the amelioration of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Research shows that GABA levels are often low in women who experience depression during menstruation.

This supplement may be helpful for improving mood and alleviating depressive episodes.

However, not all users see positive results when taking this supplement for this purpose. Complicated relationships exist between certain sex hormones and GABA. In most healthy women, GABA levels decrease during menstruation, particularly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Some women who experience premenstrual depression may experience increased depression when taking this supplement

In several studies GABA has been shown to increase insulin production from the pancreas, and to improve the absorption of glucose. GABA Plus may act to naturally lower blood-glucose levels, and help to control the long-term symptoms of diabetes mellitus.

Another ingredient in this supplement, Spirulina, is believed to support healthy blood sugar levels.

In the USA, GABA Plus and other GABA supplements are available as dietary supplements only, and the FDA has not approved GABA as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.

Is GABA Plus Effective?

There is some debate about how effective supplemental GABA is when used for anxiety and mood disorders. While several research studies do show positive results, others have shown no conclusive effect.

Many naturopathic doctors recommend this supplement as a natural treatment option and there is a high degree of anecdotal evidence demonstrating some level of effectiveness, but there are questions about the specific pathways by which this compound works.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid when taken orally has low uptake into the brain where it can be used directly in the cerebral cortex. It cannot efficiently cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). This is a filtration system that controls which chemicals in your blood are able to reach your brain cells.

It has been shown that under normal circumstances, GABA cannot penetrate this barrier and may not be able to reach neuroreceptors in the Central Nervous System.

There is a theory that personal differences in blood-brain barrier permeability (whether naturally or due to conditions such as chronic inflammation) may allow supplemental GABA into the brains of some people, however this has not been proven at this point, and would be a good area for future research.

Additionally, some studies have shown that specific forms of orally supplemented GABA may bind to receptors in the Peripheral Nervous System, particularly on receptors in the enteric nervous system in the gastrointestinal tract. This has been proposed as a possible pathway for influencing mood, but more research is needed to understand this link.

Side Effects of GABA Plus

GABA has been rated by the Natural Medicines database as Likely Safe when used orally and appropriately. While GABA is generally well tolerated, there are few serious side effects that have been experienced from taking GABA supplements. GABA Plus may cause itchiness, tingling, jitteriness, anxiousness, irritability, and other side effects when not taken appropriately, or when taken by sensitive individuals.

Nature’s Sunshine recommends that users take one or two capsules of GABA Plus with a meal twice per day. They also recommend that you drink one glass of 8 ounces of water with their product. Each capsule contains 190 mg of GABA alongside 820 mg of their proprietary blend containing L-Glutamine, Passionflower, Taurine and Spirulina.

Clinical research is currently underway to determine GABA’s complete therapeutic potentials. Those considering GABA supplementation should speak with their doctors about it. Although GABA is considered safe for supplementation purposes, there are certain possible interactions between GABA and other medicinal substances, including certain pharmaceuticals and herbals.

Conclusion

GABA Plus is a Gamma-aminobutyric acid supplement formula that contains a complex of synergistic herbs and nutrients. It is designed to promote relaxation, concentration, and improved mood.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is known to possibly interact with certain drugs and herbals. To ensure your safety from such complications, please consult with your doctor before starting to supplement with GABA Plus.

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