Research shows that GABA might play a key role in protecting against depression and anxiety. For instance, a review article published in the journal Neuropharmacology in concluded that people with anxiety and depression are more likely to have low levels of GABA. However, there isn't enough research on the health effects of GABA supplements to make any conclusions. What's more, scientists haven't yet figured out if GABA taken as a supplement can actually reach the brain and trigger any beneficial changes.
Substances used to help you relax, such as alcohol , stimulate GABA receptors. This leads to feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. The same effect occurs as a result of taking sleep-inducing drugs such as Ambien zolpidem. But these approaches are only effective for a short period of time. They can also have undesirable side effects. Certain herbal supplements including valerian may help elevate GABA levels in the brain. Certain mind-body practices may also help boost your brain's levels of GABA.
As a result, you may end up in a better mood and experience less anxiety. While alcohol and sleeping pills can increase your GABA levels, they also may cause unpleasant side effects.
Some herbal supplements, like valerian, can provide a natural boost in GABA levels. Practicing yoga can also help relax the body and increase the level of GABA in your brain.
GABA supplements are considered likely to be safe when taken by mouth for up to 12 weeks. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid GABA as there is not enough information to determine if it is safe or effective for them.
Since there isn't enough research to support its effectiveness, it's too soon to recommend GABA supplements or other herbal supplements said to increase GABA levels for any condition. If you're considering the use of GABA supplements for the prevention or treatment of a specific health problem, talk to your doctor before starting your supplement regimen. Because there is limited information about GABA supplements, there are no guidelines on the appropriate dosage to take for any condition.
If you choose to take a GABA supplement, follow the directions on the label. GABA supplements are sold in pill and capsule form.
You may also see the supplement sold as a powder. It's important to check the label if you choose to purchase these products because there may be a variety of ingredients listed on the package. GABA is also available as a supplement. I call GABA the brakes of the brain.
By inhibiting neural activity, GABA facilitates sleep, reduces mental and physical stress, lowers anxiety, and creates a calmness of mood.
GABA also plays an important role in regulating muscle tone. Low GABA activity is also associated with substance use disorders. GABA enables the body and mind to relax and fall asleep, and sleep soundly throughout the night.
Low GABA activity is linked to insomnia and disrupted sleep. In one study, GABA levels in people with insomnia were almost 30 percent lower than in people without the sleep disorder. And these low GABA levels also corresponded to more restless, wakeful sleep. Research indicates that one negative side effect of these sleep medications — hallucinations —may result from their alterations to GABA activity. Some recent research suggests that GABA produced in fermented food may increase sleep time and decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.
Supplemental GABA may benefit sleep by aiding relaxation and providing relief from anxiety and stress. While that scientific debate goes on, some studies have shown GABA to be effective in lowering anxiety and boosting relaxation. One small study of a group of 13 adults showed GABA effective as a relaxant and anxiety reliever , with slowed brain waves seen within an hour of taking the supplement.
This study also found a boost to immune system also occurred with GABA, suggesting supplemental GABA may enhance immunity in people who are undergoing mental stress. We have suggested that GABA supplements might work through the ENS, but far more research is needed in order to support this hypothesis. Indeed, at this point it is even too early to conclude whether these supplements reach the brain in sufficient concentrations to exert a biologically relevant effect. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Colzato Vidi grant: National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Front Psychol v. Front Psychol. Published online Oct 6. Forstmann , 3, 4 and Sander Nieuwenhuis 1, 2. Lorenza S. Birte U. Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. This article was submitted to Cognition, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
Received Aug 31; Accepted Sep The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author s or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Keywords: GABA, cognition, blood—brain barrier, enteric nervous system, food supplements. Introduction Gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA serves as the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human cortex Roberts and Kuriyama, ; Petroff, Blood—Brain Barrier Permeability The BBB protects most of the brain from toxins and ion abnormalities that find their way into vascular space through ingestion, infection, or other means Purves et al.
Open in a separate window. GABA as a Food Supplement In recent years researchers have reported a number of placebo-controlled studies in which GABA was administered as a food supplement to healthy participants and participants with a history of acrophobia.
Conflict of Interest Statement The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Abdou A.
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