My husband is low in GABA and he had significant coordination problems and sensory sensitivity ….. until GABA Calm. 3 tablets per day work great. If he has none, he gets hyper sensitive again and starts tripping over things in the house.
He has always struggled with anxiety and sound / tactile hypersensitivity. Alongside that he often tripped over things. He made great progress when he started using The Listening Program. I wonder if this sound therapy raises GABA and that was why it helped him (although it only partially helped with anxiety)?
When he stopped The Listening Program then his symptoms came back.
He started taking GABA Calm as I saw it in your blogs years ago. Then he found that he didn’t need to do the Listening Program any more.
GABA Calm is a game changer for him.
Denise shared this feedback about her husband’s great results on a blog post about GABA Calm helping with anxiety and sensorimotor skills in an autistic child.
I thanked her for sharing these wonderful results her husband is experiencing. I am inspired to share this feedback as a blog to give others hope. And also because this illustrates the diversity of how GABA can help i.e. it works for adults and children, males and females, and there is different dosing according to each person’s unique needs.
Music therapy: calming effect and GABA mechanisms
This study, Emotional Inhibitory Effect of Music Therapy on Anxiety Neurosis Based on Neural Content Analysis in Hippocampus, reports that music therapy has a calming effect by adjusting the glutamate/GABA balance. This is likely why Denise’s husband found The Listening Program to be helpful in certain ways – glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter and GABA is the main calming neurotransmitter.
GABA, the GABA Calm supplement, hypersensitivity and sensorimotor difficulties (research)
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is your main inhibitory neurotransmitter and the amino acid GABA can be used as a supplement to raise GABA levels and ease physical anxiety symptoms, help with insomnia, stress eating, intrusive thoughts and stiff/tense muscles.
GABA Calm is one of many different GABA supplements that I recommend to my clients. This particular one is a sublingual/chewable offered as a 125mg dose, which is where I have most of my clients start. Denise’s husband finds that 3 GABA Calm used throughout the day are enough for his needs. These alleviate his anxiety and also stop his sound and tactile hypersensitivity, and significant coordination problems such as tripping.
This paper reports that“Sensory over-responsivity (SOR), extreme sensitivity to or avoidance of sensory stimuli (e.g., scratchy fabrics, loud sounds)… is present in 5–15% of the general population and is even more common (rates over 50%) in individuals with both genetic and environmentally-based psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders such as anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, early life adversity, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).”
The authors discuss altered thalamic sensory gating and an excitatory (glutamate) / inhibitory (GABA) neurochemical imbalance in ASD youth. Most of the research on sensory issues and GABA has been done in ASD children but it clearly applies to adults with anxiety too.
I highlight the motor issues with GABA/glutamate imbalances in the above GABA sensorimotor skills blog. This research is also looking at ASD populations but these mechanisms may account for her husband’s significant coordination problems/tripping.
You can read the current list of low GABA symptoms here. This list will be updated with sound and tactile hypersensitivity, and coordination problems/tripping (and a few others like asthma and laryngospasm).
An occupational therapist who is training as a nutritional therapist
Denise is an occupational therapist (OT) who is training as a nutritional therapist so she can recommend supplements for the kids she works with, alongside the other therapies she uses as an OT. I love this. I’m a big believer in using everything we have at our disposal and am a huge advocate of OT. I would love to see more OTs and other practitioners using the amino acids and nutritional therapy.
Denise shared that she actually started her journey in nutritional therapy 20 years ago due to the impact she was seeing in diet and autism. She took a very long break and had her own children and has now restarted her training. She shared this:
I plan to integrate nutritional advice into my work with families. As I am currently a NT student I haven’t been able to advise families even regarding the GABA Oolong tea [more on that below]. I am excited to qualify as I see various sensory, motor and attention issues that can be easily treated through nutritional adjustments and supplements.
Denise is already using the amino acids personally and with her family, sharing: “I love using aminos e.g. 5-HTP and L-theanine for myself and my daughters and GABA for my husband, tyrosine occasionally for my son.”
She has my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution”, a great resource that is practical and fully referenced, for both consumers and practitioners.
I encouraged her to also look into the amino acid training I offer for practitioners once she has completed her training as a nutritional therapist, so she can confidently use them with her clients too.
Having her in the program is also an opportunity for me and others in the group to learn from Denise about her expertise on integrating amino acids, nutrition and OT.
Her feedback on GABA oolong tea or GABA Calm for children with autism?
She also commented that she loved reading the GABA Oolong research – GABA Oolong tea in children with autism: improvements in sensorimotor skills, autism profiles, anxiety and sleep (new research)
I asked for her feedback and if she has kids in her practice, see any benefits when drinking this GABA Oolong tea. And what their responses are to the taste. Since she is still a student she can’t yet advise families regarding the GABA Oolong tea but she did say this:
To be honest I think the Source Naturals GABA Calm sublingual will be easier to tolerate for lots of children compared with tea.
As fascinating as the GABA Oolong tea research is, I feel the same way and I really appreciate this feedback from an OT. I have actually received similar feedback from a number of other practitioners too. Stay tuned as I continue to gather feedback.
Autism: diet, GABA and working with an OT
It’s amazing that 20 years ago Denise was seeing the impact of diet in kids with autism. If you would like to learn more, this blog – Nutritional and Dietary Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder – summarizes a 2018 study and offers many insights into to the progress since then.
As I mentioned above, her husband’s success with 3 GABA Calm illustrates the diversity of how GABA can help i.e. adults and children, males and females, and different dosing according to each person’s unique needs.
This is the blog Denise commented on – Half a crushed GABA Calm for my autistic child: sleep, anxiety and sensorimotor skills (writing, horse riding and swimming) improve.
In the above blog, I share Vic’s feedback about just half a GABA Calm improving her daughter’s sleep, social skills and sensorimotor skills such as pen and pencil use, horse riding and swimming. Her daughter is also working with an OT and getting those added benefits too.
Resources if you are new to using GABA and other amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using tryptophan, GABA or any of the other amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low GABA and low serotonin).
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, self-medicating with alcohol and more.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all in my online store.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
Have you or a family member had GABA help with sound and tactile hypersensitivity, coordination problems and anxiety?
Which GABA product and how much?
And is the GABA product used sublingually or the capsule opened?
Are you an OT using amino acids and nutritional approaches with your clients, in addition to other approaches?
Do you find music therapy to be calming, in a similar way to the calming effects of GABA?
If you have other questions and feedback please share them here too.
So are you saying GABA helps hyperacusis?
Mary
As mentioned in the blog “excitatory (glutamate) / inhibitory (GABA) neurochemical imbalance” may be a root cause of “extreme sensitivity to or avoidance of sensory stimuli (e.g., scratchy fabrics, loud sounds)” so GABA may very well help when someone has a diagnosis of hyperacusis and other low GABA symptoms (anxiety is very common with hyperacusis. I’m not aware of any research on hyperacusis and GABA but outside of the extreme sensitivity in the autism/ASD community, there is a large body of research on GABA/glutamate imbalances in tinnitus. One example https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2012.00009/full
There can be a number of causes of hyperacusis as outlined in this summary https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557713/ (definition for other readers – “Hyperacusis is a rare hearing disorder characterized by a decreased tolerance to sound where patients report excessive loudness or pain, often leading to sound avoidant behavior.”)
As with any condition, I have clients rate low GABA symptoms and do a trial of GABA. Which low GABA symptoms do you have?
My book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place for the foundations/dietary changes and it has a chapter on the amino acids with dosing/timing information. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
My online GABA Quickstart group program is helpful when you have questions related to GABA and need guidance (and moral support/encouragement). More here about the program and purchase info https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/gabaquickstart/
Hi Trudy I purchase your book a while ago as I have been suffering with anxiety for the last couple of years. I have tried 5HTP which I bought from the local Holland and Barrett store, it didn’t really help. I have the racing mind, panicky feels, and many of the anxiety symptoms you describe. I wanted to try GABA Calm however I can’t seem to find a stockist in the uk. Can you recommend anyone please?
Reading your book would suggest I’m probably low in serotonin and GABA can you offer some guidance?
Thanks
Manjit
Manjit
Keep in mind that I have clients trial tryptophan when they have low serotonin symptoms and 5-HTP doesn’t help.
You can purchase supplements from iherb – use this link to save 5% https://www.iherb.com/?rcode=BAN2021
I can’t tell you how encouraging this was to me. I am an Occupational Therapist also working for a doctorate degree in nutrition. My caseload has greatly increased with students on the spectrum over the last 8 years I have been working in a low income public school system. I see the need for nutrition in most of my students, especially those with an autism diagnosis. Yet, I have not been given permission by administration to share information on nutrition with families. If Denise is working in a public school system as an Occupational Therapist, I wold love to learn more on how she is able to combine OT and nutrition within her job.
Karen
I love that this is encouraging – it’s why I shared this about Denise and her nutrition knowledge, feedback and desire to study further. I also love that you are working on a doctorate degree in nutrition and appreciate your insights (and passion) on seeing the need for nutrition in your students on the spectrum. May I ask where you are studying?
I suspect you may have a challenge convincing the public school system (presumably in the US?) about the value of functional nutrition and supplementation. Hopefully having a doctorate will help, plus sharing with them all the growing research in this area. There is also strength in numbers so I’d join an organization of OTs who are already doing this kind of work.
Denise is in private practice in the UK so I’d assume she has much fewer limitations. Hopefully she’ll jump on and comment. You can also find a link to her site on the blog she initially commented on here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/half-a-crushed-gaba-calm-for-my-autistic-child-sleep-anxiety-and-sensorimotor-skills-writing-horse-riding-and-swimming-improve/
Thank you Trudy for your reply. This also is encouraging to me. It’s a long story regarding my studying nutrition. I chose an online program due to the frequently changing scheduling issue of serving multiple schools with IEP meetings after school. I started with one school but became unsatisfied with services and transferred to Hawthorn University in California (which I loved). It closed due to financial difficulties from the pandemic. Thankfully the entire doctorate program was transferred to the American College of Health Sciences (ACHS). I am in the last half of the doctorate program and would definitely love to hear from other OTs who include nutrition in their “tool-belt” and how they are able to do this.
Karen
I love Hawthorn and was not aware they had closed. How unfortunate but wonderful you were able to transfer. ACHS is also a great school.
Yes Trudy, I was sad when they announced Hawthorn would be closing. The entire doctorate program was transplanted to ACHS with some of the instructors due to ACHS not having a doctorate program previous to this. I will share with you that I just started the course on Nutrition and Neuroscience, and as I looked over the units and assignments I was happily surprised to see your name with one of the links under Unit 3 “Mood”, so I look forward to that unit for sure! 🙂
I want to see if I can give Gaba both to my husband and my grandson age 10.
He is not very coordinated and my husband
stumbles.
My husband is a diabetic his kegs are weak age 76.
My grandson is little only 10 I don’t know which amino acids to give him nor how much . I was told to take him to a specialist because he has early puberty and Thyroid was low. When I took him to the specialist I was shocked at the horrible medication and they want to put him in. Can you give me some advice. I think 10 is not early puberty but they told his bones were if 13 year old and he is only . Afraid the meds would do more harm than good .
Diana
There are many many causes of coordination problems, stumbling and weak legs. I’d only consider GABA if there are also the main low GABA symptoms i.e physical anxiety, stiff and tense muscles, stress eating, panic and intrusive thoughts. A GABA trial is worthwhile when the person has these low GABA symptoms in addition to having coordination problems.
As a reminder we also look at dietary factors (gluten is a big one), gut health/microbiome and adrenal support if needed (and everything else covered in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” -more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/.
When a client is concerned with advice from a doctor/specialist the best advice is a second opinion.
Hi Trudy,
Is there a GABA supplement you recommend for before bed? Sometimes anxiety kicks in right before I go to sleep, and I’m trying to figure out what I can take to calm my nervous system, when breathwork doesn’t help bring me down. While I like GABA Calm, I find that it can wake me up if I don’t time it right. (Is that due to the L-Tyrosine?)
Thanks.
Kristi
GABA Calm can be a bit stimulating for some folks at night and for others it’s work well. NOW GABA powder or NFH GABA-T SAP with GABA/theanine are options. More about both on the supplements blog
In situations like this we also look into high cortisol with saliva testing
Hi Trudy,
I came across your blog while doing some research about Pyroluria after it was mentioned by my son’s psychotherapist. He is 15 and suffering from sudden onset social anxiety and insomnia, among other things, to the point where he has been unable to go to school for the past 4 months. He does not have a formal diagnosis but is being assessed for ASD, ADHD and PTSD.
We did the Pyroluria questionnaire and he scored 22, so I was going to get all the supplements that you recommend. We also did the Amino Acid questionnaires and he scored higer on the Tryptophan questionnaire so I was considering a trial with Tryptophan alongside the Pyroluria supplements. Is this advisable?
However, now that I have read the blog above, it seems that we might have to trial GABA as he has sever sound and tactile hypersensitivity. I am confused and do not know where to start. Please help!
I have recently bought your book but have not read it in great detail yet. What I have read so far has not helped to make it any clearer.
I’d be grateful for any advice.
Kind regards,
Marlize
Marlize
I’m sorry to hear about your son. My approach is to pick the neurotransmitter deficiency area that is most problematic and start there and find the ideal dose – and then move to the next area and find that ideal dose. This way we know what is working.
At the same time we start the pyroluria supplements and we start to discuss dietary changes and everything else that may be causing low neurotransmitters.
With sudden onset of symptoms we also always consider an infection like PANS/PANDAS. It’s not addressed in my book but I have this blog https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/kid-not-crazy-panspandas-awareness-day-2017/
I’m so glad to hear your son’s psychotherapist is open to nutrients and mentioned pyroluria.
I recently saw you write something to the effect that to minimize anxiety one should take Gaba not only at night but also during the day. I have, after a lot of trial and error, found that a bit more than 1 Gaba Calm is what I need at night, along with 5 htp and my meds. When I was experimenting with doses I found that anymore than this amount of Gaba Calm kept me awake.
So I wonder how taking some Gaba Calm during the day might affect the amount I can take at night? Do you know how long it remains in the system?Thank you.
Brenda
This is the norm – finding the ideal dose based on your unique needs. And yes we often adjust nighttime dose when it’s used in the day. GABA remains in the system 4-8 hours.
Thanks Trudy. Knowing how long GABA remains in the system is really helpful.
Brenda
My neurologist said GABA would not be harmful. I want to try it for IBS pain and tactile and auditory hypersensitivity. I am also autistic. I cannot use one with tyrosine though, because of my migraines, so I chose Thorne’s PharmaGABA 100 to try. This one also does not have the xylitol that can be irritating to IBS as you said in another blog article. I just need to wait for my thyroid level to stabilize and talk to me endocrine doctor and then I will be ready to try it. I want to start in the evening because it sounds like it can make you tired, although being someone that has trouble sleeping, that would be a good thing if it helps me get deeper sleep. How is GABA used and where do I start?
Crystal
GABA can often help all of this and sounds like a great approach. We always start low and increase each week based on the response. I also have sensitive clients consider a GABA only powder as some folks don’t tolerate pharmaGABA due to a histamine reaction.
Be sure to read the amino acids chapter in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/