Is there a place for using the amino acid GABA as a supplement to help with bladder pain/interstitial cystitis and urgency and also help with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) pain – at the same time as easing physical anxiety caused by low GABA levels?
I’d like to share some quotes from this commentary, GABAB receptors in the bladder and bowel: therapeutic potential for positive allosteric modulators?
The bladder pain syndrome (or interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome) is a spectrum of urological symptoms characterized by frequency, urgency and pain on bladder filling.
Bladder pain syndrome is often present in those who have IBS and abdominal pain and the authors mention the role of GABA in both:
Of further note is the co-morbidity between bladder pain syndrome and other functional pain syndromes, in particular, irritable bowel syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder associated with visceral abdominal pain and altered bowel habit.
… it is tempting to speculate that GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulators may display efficacy in not only functional pain disorders of the bladder, but also of the bowel, through modulation of either central and peripheral GABAB receptors, or both
Positive allosteric modulators increase the activity of the receptor so in this case they are referring to increasing the activity of the GABAB receptor, reducing both bladder pain and gut pain.
This commentary and the original paper refer to ADX71441, which has been shown in animal studies to be “a novel positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the GABAB receptor that has shown encouraging results in pre-clinical models of anxiety, pain, overactive bladder and alcohol addiction.”
We know GABA eases anxiety and pain and is extremely beneficial when it comes to alcohol and other addictions. In a recent blog post I shared how PharmaGABA eases physical anxiety in a young man who has recently given up Adderall, alcohol and nicotine.
And given that depression, anxiety and stress is higher in women with urinary incontinence it makes sense that an amino acid such as GABA may also help ease some of the symptoms of bladder pain syndrome when low GABA is a factor.
Depending on the root cause/s it’s likely addressing low serotonin, low endorphins and low vitamin D may play a role too. Of course, a full functional medicine and nutritional work up and review of diet is key too. Bladder dysfunction is seen in up to one third of celiac patients. This can cause leaky gut and nutritional deficiencies leading to low levels of neurotransmitters such a GABA and serotonin. Dietary oxalates can often be a factor with bladder issues and pain.
Considering all of this in conjunction with learning from/working with a pelvic floor physical therapist is key. I highly recommend someone like Isa Herrera, MSPT, CSCS who hosts online masterclass training sessions for those with pelvic health issues. Her next series airs online mid-February and you can learn more and register here.
Here are some related blog posts that you may find helpful:
- How GABA eases agonizing rectal pain and spasms in under 2 minutesProctalgia fugax is described as a condition that leads to rectal spasms and sharp fleeting pain in the lower rectum or anus….and GABA can ease the severe pain or prevent the spasms before they get severe
In case you’re new to GABA you can read more about it here: GABA for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety.
The supplements blog lists GABA products I use with clients and recommend to those in my community.
I’m proposing that there is a place for doing a trial of the amino acid GABA (as a supplement) to help with bladder pain/interstitial cystitis and urgency, especially when there are symptoms of low GABA. If GABA helps to ease the visceral pain caused by IBS/SIBO, it may also help with bladder pain.
Have you observed less bladder pain when using GABA for easing physical symptoms of low GABA anxiety (stiff and tense muscles, overwhelm, lying awake tensely at night, anxious and using alcohol to self-medicate in order to calm down)?
Have you noticed any reduction in bladder urgency when using GABA for anxiety?
Do you also have IBS pain or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) pain that is eased by GABA?
Have the following helped: going gluten-free, lowering oxalates and/or working with a pelvic floor physical therapist?
If you’re a practitioner have you made any of these observations?
Please do share in the comments below and let me know if you found this helpful, what else has helped you or if you have questions.
I have used the Super Strength Aloe Vera capsules made by Desert Harvest for Interstitial Cystitis and have had great success. I can’t recommend another brand because their company has done a lot of research and they work with the Interstitial Cystitis community. So I have not used another brand. I had the bladder cystoscopy with hydrodistention procedure performed about 20 years ago by an MD, and took Elmiron for a few years. I can control the problem now with the Aloe Vera capsules. Hope this info helps others.
Paula
Thanks for sharing your great results. Can you share which symptoms of interstitial cystitis it helps – urgency and pain/pressure? And does it require ongoing use?
I’m posting a link to the article on the site so folks can read more https://www.desertharvest.com/desert-harvest-aloe-vera-for-ic-bps.html. It states “In 2002, Dr. Kristene E. Whitmore M.D. published Complementary and Alternative Therapies as Treatment Approaches for Interstitial Cystitis citing Desert Harvest Super-Strength Aloe Vera among the nutraceuticals effective for managing IC symptoms.” It’s a comprehensive paper (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1476005/) that also mentions stress reduction but not GABA.
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
Hi Trudy, Thank you for reaching out to me. I originally found your website when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. I am much better now because of the information that you were so kind in providing for free. God bless you! The Desert Harvest Aloe Vera has helped me with both the pain/pressure and the urgency. I generally take 6 capsules daily, as recommended, if I am having a severe case of interstitial cystitis. I have noticed that my diet has a huge effect on my symptoms, especially eating acidic foods like salsa and drinking coffee. In 2020 I also had cystitis problems while taking high doses (1000mg) of Vitamin C daily in an effort to keep me healthy during COVID. As a result, I am now taking a maintenance dosage of 2 Aloe Vera capsules daily and also take 2 Desert Harvest Buffered Vitamin C daily. The combination works good for keeping me symptom free while still allowing me to take 800 mg of Vitamin C daily. I only drink coffee once in a blue moon now and drink black tea on occasion (if I absolutely must have a little caffeine boost to wake up). I am able to eat Mexican Food with hot Salsa once every two weeks while on this maintenance dosage with no symptoms. I sincerely hope this information helps others.
Paula
Thanks for coming back and sharing more detailed info. This will be very helpful for others!
And you’re most welcome – I assume one or more of the amino acids helped with your depression and anxiety.
How much gaba do you recommend as therapy for bladder urgency? Does it help prolapsed bladder?
Jean
I start low for everyone – 125mg and go up based on symptom resolution. Working with a pelvic floor physical therapist is my recommendation for prolapsed bladder – in person and/or with someone like Isa Herrera who offers online group training and teaches at-home exercises.
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
i first want to thank you for all your sharing of your work…i have watched you on every summit and each and every one i learn something new…you are a treasure..
not sure if this question belongs here so i apologize in advance if not…i just read your blog about Gaba for Interstitial Cystitis and was wondering what your thoughts are regarding the “C” long haulers who are suffering from long term lung damage and the condition called ? where the infection has penetrated the lungs, similiar to how Interstitial cystitis affects the bladder…would love your thoughts because i know of several who are now stuck on oxygen and have been told it’s permenant
Susan
Thanks for your very kind words – I love feedback like this 🙂
I’m not sure what you’re referring to when making the COVID-19 connection to interstitial cystitis and the bladder. I would appreciate you sharing more as I am curious.
But I can share this fascinating new research/preprint – GABA administration limits viral replication and pneumonitis in a mouse model of COVID-19 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.09.430446v1.full (as it states on the site – “A reminder: these are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or be reported in news media as established information.”)
I haven’t yet seen any research on GABA for COVID-19 long-haulers but there is research on GABA and asthma. The authors propose that airway inflammation may be a factor in asthma and since GABA reduces SP (substance P) and CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), eases neurogenic inflammation and tracheal spasms it may offer a new approach for the prevention and treatment of asthma (more on this here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/acupuncture-gaba-reduce-back-pain/). It would be interesting to see this explored for COVID-19 long haulers.
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
Hi Trudy, I have suffered from IBS for as long as I remember and now I have bladder symptoms of urgency, frequent urination and bladder pain (the worst) which started after covid earlier this year, which also caused dysbiosis symptoms. Symptoms come and go, and I have tested negative to a UTI twice (tho I have not ruled out an embedded UTI) and I have not been diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, OAB, etc. I have hypermobility syndrome (hEDS) and can link most of my bowel / bladder my symptoms to hEDS, I have also been reading about the link between covid and interstitial cystitis. As you know it can be very complicated. After much research I started taking GABA (with NAC and Mg) which has reduced all of my bladder symptoms, it has been amazing.
Em
Wonderful to hear! How much of each are you using and how quickly did you notice improvements?
Where can I find this GABA that has helped you with your bladder symptoms?
Betsy
You can find all the GABA products I use with clients here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/
Hi,
how much GABA, NAC and Mg are you taking and how long did it take for you to see results?
What GABA? Is it a supplement or are you talking gabapentin the drug?
Becky
It’s an amino acid supplement – more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-physical-tension-stiff-tense-muscles-type-anxiety/ and in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Feel free to search he blog for many more GABA articles
Dear Trudy,
My husband has a very severe OAB issues. And also some Gaba symptoms like stiff muscles. He also has sleep apnea, treated with a Cpap. And some heart anormality and angina pectoris and a high blood pressure that is now controlled by Losartankalium, Metropolol and Amlodipine. His urologist don’t have any more medication or cure to offer him. He tried also acupuncture and Chinese hierbs. chi lamps, homeopatic medicine and other natural supplement and of course pelvic therapy and everything else that we could google. Nothing works. Except for some hours Thai food. But his stomach can’t deal with this for more then 2 or 3 days. We really are desperate because his life quality is really very reduced for his great urgency. So now by coincidence we have read in your blog positive news about Gaba and urgency. Could you please recommend us how much you would advice him to take. And how to build this up. Many thanks!! PS we have bought your book.
Joyce
I typically start with 125mg GABA (sublingual or opened capsule) and increase from there. I also recommend that folks read my book The Antianxiety Food Solution. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/ It covers GABA in the amino acids chapter.
When someone is taking blood pressure medications I have them discuss with the prescribing doctor and ask to be monitored. This is especially relevant since GABA helps to reduce blood pressure and medication doses often need adjusting.
With symptoms of OAB, stiff muscles, high blood pressure and heart issues, looking into primary hyperparathyroidism may be warranted https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/psychiatric-complications-of-primary-hyperparathyroidism-and-mild-hypercalcemia-anxiety-depression-anger-irritability-delusions-and-impaired-cognition/
I’ve previously worked with a pelvic floor physical therapist, but this is something that I’ll definitely give more thought so and discuss with my practitioner. Thanks.
Would love to hear back when you do