# GABA Supplements: Do They Work?



## german brite

Can you guys and girls help me? I have a question. Okay, do the GABA supplements cross the blood brain barrier or not? I know the recommended does is 750 mg, but I've read articles that say since the GABA supplement doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, then it is nothing more than a placebo. I don't understand how GABA in benzos can cross the blood brain barrier, but the GABA in supplements can't. That seems very strange to me. There are still claims that it works, but if it can't get to the brain how else would it decrease abnormal excitement in the brain?


----------



## Visual

german brite said:


> Can you guys and girls help me? I have a question. Okay, do the GABA supplements cross the blood brain barrier or not? I know the recommended does is 750 mg, but I've read articles that say since the GABA supplement doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, then it is nothing more than a placebo. I don't understand how GABA in benzos can cross the blood brain barrier, but the GABA in supplements can't. That seems very strange to me. There are still claims that it works, but if it can't get to the brain how else would it decrease abnormal excitement in the brain?


It is more a matter of how much. Apparently, GABA _mostly_ doesn't. Benzo's are different chemicals that do cross BBB and attach to benzo sites (technically not quite the same thing as GABA synapses).

Know a lady with epilepsy. Doctors said she wasn't epileptic since seizures never happed while in the office or connected to an EEG. So told her to try GABA supplement. She got a slight reduction in seizures. She told her doc so he gave her Gabapentin prescription. It helped a lot. Now the doctors believe she is epileptic and are working with her to better resolve the problem.

People love to parrot all sorts of rules - dos and don'ts, will and won't. And rabid declarations of myth and fact. Life is never really so black and white.

So if you are thinking of trying GABA for anxiety (or whatever), give it a try.


----------



## german brite

Thanks, Visual. The thing that always happens with me is that I have DP/DR and then I go straight into a panic attack since the sensations are so scary. I also have agoraphobia and it's come to the point that I am scared to go out on dates with my boyfriend. I told him about my situation and he is sympathetic, but doesn't really understand it. There are only a few times I've been DP'd without being terrified. A lot of people say if you cure the panic first, then the DP and DR will go away. Thanks for you informative and friendly post. I really appreciate it!

Have a nice day!


----------



## Guest

I'm never sure about GABA
It's said to be the body's peacemaker, and I've been taking glutamine for years which is meant to produce GABA, as well as doing other stuff like protecting your gut and rebuilding muscle tissue.
But GABA is also a neuro-transmitter and makes me feel abit perculiar. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
But I guess it's all relative, so you decide if it's helping you at this time or not.


----------



## kate_edwin

Yeah GABA isn't *in* benzos. And I'd dint think it's a chemical that's strongly linked to dissociation or you'd see more people using mood stabilizers like neurontin and such


----------



## Pure

Phantasm,

Did you take the Glutamine before DP? I took a lot too BEFORE my DP and think it caused it. Glutamine is an excitotoxin

Let me know.

Thanks



Phantasm said:


> I'm never sure about GABA
> It's said to be the body's peacemaker, and I've been taking glutamine for years which is meant to produce GABA, as well as doing other stuff like protecting your gut and rebuilding muscle tissue.
> But GABA is also a neuro-transmitter and makes me feel abit perculiar. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
> But I guess it's all relative, so you decide if it's helping you at this time or not.


----------



## kate_edwin

i dont think glutamate supplements could cause dp, unless you od'd or something


----------



## kate_edwin

i dont think glutamate supplements could cause dp, unless you od'd or something


----------



## snr

GABA has a very hard time crossing the blood brain barrier, so GABA supplements are damn near useless. If you are serious about supplementing GABA, check out Picamilon. It's basically a GABA molecule combined with a Niacin molecule, and this supposedly allows it to cross the blood brain barrier much more freely than GABA.

`snr


----------



## kate_edwin

There are several medications that increase availabiliity of GABA with not too many side effects, don't think I've seen any studies around GABA, but then again there aren't studies on the dementia med that may be helping me either


----------



## Visual

*There are still claims that it works, but if it can't get to the brain how else would it decrease abnormal excitement in the brain?*

Regardless of how little GABA may cross the BBB, its peripheral effects are direct and profound.

GABA is 'hormone or trophic factor' for non-neuronal cells. "_GABA is widely distributed in endocrine tissues including the pituitary, pancreas, adrenal glands, uterus, ovaries, placenta and testis. Moreover, GABA is involved in the pathophysiology of endocrine disorders such as diabetes mellitus, diseases of adrenal glands and reproductive tracts._" Link

GABA is an anti-inflammatory as well. "_GABA also modulates inflammation. GABA receptor transcripts are present in immune cells. GABA treatment decreases inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral macrophages&#8230;_" http://www.pnas.org/content/107/6/2580.full

Inflammation is increased metabolic activity. In the brain, this increases neuronal activities. Prolonged inflammation is a primary causal factor in virtually all disease.

So taking a GABA supplement can have indirect effects on anxiety and other over-activity even if it lacks the direct effect to the brain that benzodiazepines have.


----------



## Rebekah

I get rather depressed on GABA, especially if I use it to sleep, and it doesn't give me a restful sleep. I prefer Xanax to relax, and it keeps me from being depressed.


----------



## kate_edwin

if the supplements dont cross into the brain it would be more effective to take a med that increases the level in the brain


----------



## Guest

Pure said:


> Phantasm,
> 
> Did you take the Glutamine before DP? I took a lot too BEFORE my DP and think it caused it. Glutamine is an excitotoxin
> 
> Let me know.
> 
> Thanks


No, I had dp long before I took glutamine. It did help me feel calmer and more grounded for years, although it doesn't seem to have much effect these days. Like I said, I guess it's all relative to how you are at that time.
And, I think, brand and quality are an issue. Suppliments vary alot, I reckon. Even if they say the same thing.

I doubt it caused your dp, and chemicals are only triggers anyway. Even if you're a body builder and took loads.


----------



## fiberglasscottoncandy

I don't think they really cross the blood brain barrier. I've taken GABA a few times and it didn't do anything. They make supplements that will effect GABA and DO cross the blood brain barrier. One of them is called Phenibut. I've heard mixed things about it though. It's suppose to effect you like how xanax or klonapin would.


----------



## TonyTP

Normal GABA: Tried a bunch of times at all hours, absolutely no effect what so ever. Just got pharmaGABA today, and tried 2 x 100mg for the first time. Can't say I noticed anything remotely close to benzos (if I noticed anything at all). Will try pharmaGABA a few more times in different scenarios, since some people claim it's suppose to be able to pass the blood brain barrier... although I can't say I see any logical reason to why it should be able to do so better than regular GABA.


----------



## Infrared

Nope, you're out of luck, gaba doesn't cross the blood brain barrier.

Unless you're planning on synthesizing GHB, it's useless.


----------



## Guest

Supplements are largely unregulated here in the US and are sometimes not even the chemical it says, or like 15% of what is advertised.
B6 + glutamate = GABA
Try B6.

_[There also maybe a way in which i know that can help GABA supplements be more able to cross the BBB, im not telling though [hah!]_
_There are only a few people i would trust to listen to about these sorts of matters one is me and the other visual {maybe a couple others of which i have yet to meet}]_


----------



## Guest

I definitely believe that GABA works because I take the supplement for sleep. Before I started taking it, I was having issues with getting to sleep in a timely manner. I also wake up feeling very relaxed the next morning. So it does do something.


----------



## IngloriousBear219

I have heard that Gaba doesn't cross the blood brain barrier but I have taken Gaba myself in decent dosage 750 mg - 3g for sleep aid and it did help. There are Supplements that you can take along with Gaba that will help it cross the blood brain barier including L- Theanine, Taurine, Vitamin B-6, and Magnesium Glycinate, Ashwaganda root also helps regulate Gaba in your body naturally. Depending on what you take it for, it may not be working for a few reasons. Not a high enough dosage and not a good brand are two main reasons though. When resorting to any supplement, it is best to stay away from the cheaper/unorganic/non gmp brands because they generally arnen't great quality. Good places to get supplements are Whole Foods or other Health Food Stores. Just to clarify for any confusion though, I was only using Gaba for sleep aid, nothing more.

-Josh


----------



## Visual

The blood-brain-barrier isn't 100% efficient ... traces of many things gets through. Also, this barrier can be damaged to some extent and become more 'leaky'. And finally, this barrier wasn't made to filter lipid-soluable stuff like petro-chemicals that are part of our modern world.

GABA supplementation would only have some 'penetration' to the brain. But for some people, that is enough to feel some calming benefits.

Also, the peripheral nervous system would be affected (no 'barrier' there) and this calming would reduce signals to and from the CNS ... which could subsequently help calm the brain.

The effect people get seems to go beyond a placebo effect.


----------



## silverb

fiberglasscottoncandy said:


> I don't think they really cross the blood brain barrier. I've taken GABA a few times and it didn't do anything. They make supplements that will effect GABA and DO cross the blood brain barrier. One of them is called Phenibut. I've heard mixed things about it though. It's suppose to effect you like how xanax or klonapin would.


I've tried Phenibut and it didn't work for me. It calmed me a little but generally made my DP worse. Plus you build a tolerance quite quickly.


----------



## Guest

Penetrating the BBB seems mildly sexual to me.


----------



## Skynet

I took Picamilon for 6 weeks. It didn't appear to do a damn thing. It's really to bad. I thought it would help.


----------



## soul

the best is DMT...... ITS DYNAMITE !!!!!!!!!


----------



## Guest

I think you need 3 weeks of constant intravenous DMT.

GABA my ball-sack guys!


----------

