5-HTP

How the correct approach, dose and sublingual use of GABA can be calming and not cause a flushed and itchy face and neck

October 10, 2025 By Trudy Scott 12 Comments

I started GABA 750mg and think it gently chills out my anxiety a bit, however 20 minutes after I take it, I feel flushed and itchy in my face and neck. This lasts for 5 minutes and then goes away.

I am in a migraine program with a health coach who has referenced your book several times. She recommended I stop it because it sounds like an allergy. I personally would think it would last longer if it was an allergy.

What do you think? Have you heard of this reaction before? I thought it would maybe get better as my body gets used to taking it? I wanted to continue because I think it’s helping. Thank you.

Sharon posted the above feedback about her promising calming results with GABA and her flushed/itchy question on one of the blogs. She also asked this:

Just read other posts and I’m just beginning to learn all of this info on your site. I’m also getting your book. Looks like I may have started too high? Could I open up one of my capsules and just take powder orally and then work up?

Read on below to learn more about the fact that too much GABA does cause flushing; the correct approach, dose and sublingual use of GABA for Sharon; Holly’s similar story with 750mg GABA; and GABA, serotonin and endorphin support for Sharon’s other symptoms (headaches, migraines, PMS, sleep issues and rectal spasms); plus additional resources when are new to amino acids such as GABA, 5-HTP, DPA and others.

Too much GABA does cause a flush feeling

Firstly, it’s wonderful that GABA gently chills out Sharon’s anxiety a bit. And she is correct – her flush and itchy face and neck is unlikely to be an allergic reaction. Too much GABA does cause a niacin-like flush or tingling feeling and yes, I have heard of this reaction many times. Unfortunately it leads to many people giving up on GABA when they really do need it.

Sharon shared this: “I thought it would maybe get better as my body gets used to taking it?” Unfortunately, many individuals think the same and end up pushing through the discomfort and it’s not what I advise. She was wise in exercising caution and finding out by reading more on the blog, getting a copy of my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution and asking on the blog.

I have no idea why supplement companies produce such a high dose GABA product and it’s something I caution all my clients and GABA Quickstart program participants about.

The correct approach, dose and sublingual use of GABA for Sharon

Sharon also acknowledges she probably started with too high a dose and asks about opening up the GABA capsule and working her way up. This is exactly what we need to do to get results with GABA and not cause new issues.

Some other options to opening the GABA capsule could be:

a GABA only powder
a GABA sublingual product (such as GABA Calm)
a liposomal GABA product
a GABA cream (she reported migraines and neck tension so a cream may be a good option for her too)

I also have clients start with only one amino acid product and find the ideal dose before adding the next amino acid acid. And track results carefully so they can course correct, adjusting up or down as needed.

Sharon did come back and comment a week later sharing this adjustment she had made:

So I have been opening the GABA capsule and taking half a dose (so 375mg) on my tongue in the morning and then in the afternoon. I don’t notice the real calm like I did with the whole capsule though.

She’s on the right track and the next step could be to use three-quarters of a dose twice a day and see how that helps. Another option is half a dose, maybe 4 x day. There is no one-size fits all and it’s a matter of Sharon finding what works best for her unique needs.

Keep in mind that for some individuals even 375mg is too high a dose. I typically have clients start with 125mg GABA and less if they are super-sensitive.

Holly’s story with 750mg GABA is very similar

I’ve actually blogged about this before: Too much GABA causes a tingling niacin-like flush sensation (in the brain and body). It’s awful and very uncomfortable!) and shared Holly’s niacin-like flush result when using the same dose:

I experienced the niacin-like flush when I tried to go from GABA Calm [mostly dissolved in my mouth] to a pill form and didn’t realize the dosage would be way too high all at one time. The pill was 750 mg GABA [and swallowed with food], so it wasn’t going to work well anyway.

The flush lasted about 15-20 minutes. It was awful. I was sure I was going to throw up every time.

It took me a couple of weeks to figure out the cause. My therapist recommended your website and book and those helped me understand when to take it and why it would help.

When I eliminated the 750 mg GABA pill the symptoms completely went away.

Now I stick to GABA Calm. I take one in the morning and one before bed and sometimes one midday.

You can read more about this flush feeling on the above blog and another example.

GABA, serotonin and endorphin support for Sharon’s other symptoms

Sharon also has headaches, migraines, PMS, sleep issues and rectal spasms:

I’ve got chronic headaches and frequent migraines. Other weird symptoms are lip dermatitis, hormone imbalance, PMS, and rare rectal spasms which I saw referenced on your site too. Serotonin issues too and I also recently started 5-HTP 200mg at night which seems to be helping my PMS insomnia.

It’s great that 5-HTP is helping her PMS-related sleep issues. Both GABA and 5-HTP (for serotonin support) may help with her hormone balance, which in turn, may help with her headaches and migraines too. She may also want to consider a trial of d-phenylalanine/DPA for endorphin support/pain relief. GABA itself helps to ease neck tension and headaches.

GABA does stop very painful rectal spasms very quickly. More about this here – GABA lozenge relieves excruciating pelvic floor/rectal pain and spasms within 30 seconds: a solution for proctalgia fugax.

As I mentioned above, I have clients and those in the GABA Quickstart program start with GABA and find the ideal dose before adding the next amino acid acid. For Sharon, I’d recommend that she finds her ideal dose of GABA before bumping up her 5-HTP and adding DPA.

Additional resources when you are new to using GABA or other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low GABA (indicating a possible need for GABA or theanine) or low serotonin (indicating a need for tryptophan or 5-HTP) or low endorphins (indicating a possible need for DPA) or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

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, anxiety and mood issues. The importance of quality animal protein and healthy fats is also covered.

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.

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 also need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to get help. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening.

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.

Now I’d love to hear from you…

I appreciate Sharon and Holly for sharing their experiences and asking questions. I’m hoping their stories have enlightened you!

And I am thrilled that her migraine health coach referenced my book and told her about GABA. It’s a great book that many practitioners share with their clients and patients.

Have you experienced this uncomfortable feeling when using too much GABA? And did you learn to use less in order to get the calming benefits of GABA?

How much do you find helps? And do you use powder or capsules opened or liposomal or cream?

Has serotonin or endorphin support helped too?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Flight anxiety with heightened breath, physical tension and also fearing the worst (the role of low GABA and low serotonin)

September 19, 2025 By Trudy Scott Leave a Comment

Do you have suggestions for supplements for flight anxiety, something to make flying bearable without heightened breath, etc, or is that out of the supplement realm?

I also have physical tension and fear the worst. Any kind of turbulence or warnings of turbulence makes me extremely nervous.

K asked this question on one of my blogs and I responded that this is very much in the supplement realm! And what we use depends on the type of anxiety someone is experiencing.

I would first consider serotonin support before and during flying – tryptophan or 5-HTP – because she fears the worst and feels extremely nervous. With low serotonin there may also be worry and fear leading up to the trip, as well as feelings of panic and imagining the worst during the flight.

GABA support – using the amino acid GABA or theanine – should also be considered for the more physical symptoms of heightened breath and physical tension. With low GABA there can be other physical symptoms such as excessive sweating (like the palms), a racing or pounding heart and a dry mouth. These amino acids could also be used leading up to the flight and during the trip if needed.

Read on for more on my insights on using these amino acids in a situation like this, additional information about fear of flying and a success story with GABA.

Serotonin and/or GABA support for fear of flying

In an ideal situation I would want to address both low serotonin and low GABA before flying and have her use extra during the flight, as needed. It’s very likely that many of the low serotonin and low GABA symptoms are present in some way in her day to day life too.

This means she can be methodical about doing a trial of the respective amino acids and figure out the optimal dose of each in familiar surroundings – using powder, capsule opened, sublingual, chewable or liposomal.

As always we trial one at a time so we know which one is working best. Keep in mind some folks do better with tryptophan and some do better with 5-HTP so both may need to be trialed. The same can be said for GABA and theanine.

Once the product and dose of each has been figured out, she’ll need to find a suitable option for use while traveling i.e. a sublingual or chewable tablet

It’s always a comprehensive approach

It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet so I recommend eating real whole food, quality animal protein, eating for blood sugar stability, going gluten-free, sugar-free and caffeine-free, eating healthy fats, organic vegetables and fruit and fermented foods. My book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start when you are new to the amino acids and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc.

During travel it’s important to be prepared with healthy travel foods and drinks. I share some ideas here.

The definition of a specific phobia such as the fear of flying

The fear of flying is called aviophobia and it’s one of many common phobias about something specific. According to this ebook

Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive and irrational fear of a particular object, situation, or activity. The anxiety response goes beyond normal apprehension and leads to avoidance behavior. The intensity of the fear is often disproportionate to the actual danger posed by the phobic stimulus.

Common examples of specific phobias include fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of spiders (arachnophobia), fear of flying (aviophobia), and fear of needles (trypanophobia). People with specific phobias may experience intense anxiety or panic attacks when exposed to the feared object or situation.

This Australian article reports that “One in six people have a significant fear that prevents them from flying, and about one in five regular flyers use alcohol or prescription drugs to “help” them through a flight, according to Victoria’s Department of Health.”

Using the amino acids to address low serotonin and/or low GABA addresses the root cause and does away with the need for alcohol and antianxiety meds (and the associated side-effects).

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy is often recommended for aviophobia but doesn’t always help, and doesn’t address the biochemical imbalances.

A success story with GABA before and during a flight – cool as a cucumber

Melissa started using Source Naturals GABA Calm in anticipation of holiday travel and holiday gatherings and shared this:

I’m glad I saw the post about GABA on your FB page a couple weeks ago. I bought Source Naturals GABA Calm and have been taking 1-3 per day for two weeks.

I’m glad I bought it before travelling home for Christmas – I was cool as a cucumber at the airport and was much calmer when visiting family and friends compared to last year! The true test of its efficacy will be in two weeks when the semester starts. For now, I notice a general calmness and am sleeping well.

Notice that she started using it in the 2 weeks leading up to her trip and not on the flight itself.

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or GABA and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

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 (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues. The importance of quality animal protein and healthy fats is also covered.

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 too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

If you need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to get help. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening.

Have you had success using serotonin and/or GABA support for your fear of flying (or other phobia/s)? If yes, which amino acids have helped you?

Did you have any success with CBT or exposure therapy or other approaches?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

How can I help my anxious daughter withdraw from vaping? She wants to quit but gets more anxious when she tries to quit!

September 5, 2025 By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

withdraw from vaping

I have been trying to help my daughter withdraw from vaping but it is proving such a vicious cycle.

She wants to quit but has anxiety and gets health anxiety when she doesn’t use the vape within a certain period – the physical withdrawal signs come thru very quickly for her – rapid heart beat, pain inside etc. which freaks her out and then she vapes…

It’s a hopeless cycle of withdrawals with horrible physical symptoms and then the emotional frustration of using vaping to manage the symptoms and feeling so frustrated with herself.

We tried 5-HTP which did not help. I make sure she gets a great protein, veg, good fat and some carbs for breakfast and she takes home made food to work but she works in hospitality and has really late night / early morning finishes and I feel like we are dealing with a lot more than the addiction here. I’d love to try and find a way to get her use down and hopefully kicked to the kerb.

If we could put her into a deep deep sleep for a few days till the toxin is washed out of her system and have a way to deal with the emotional aspect of withdrawal I think myself and so many other parents in Australia would be grateful.

Vaping is a huge problem in our young people – it’s all thru the schools too. It doesn’t smell, tastes like lollies and parents can’t detect it easily.

Louise is a mom in the community who posted this question on one of the blogs. I feel for her and her daughter and hear her concerns – vaping is a huge problem. However, there is a solution that doesn’t involve putting her daughter into a deep deep sleep – addressing neurotransmitter imbalances as a root cause.

Read on below for information on vaping and the very harmful effects (on the lungs and even bones); how to figure out which emotions are driving the need to use vaping to self-medicate and which amino acids to trial (including my insights for Louise’s daughter); why the amino acids are so powerful when it comes to vaping and other addictions; dietary aspects are foundational and important too, as are really late nights; and additional amino acid resources.

What is vaping and why is it so harmful?

This 2023 Harvard Health Publishing article, Can vaping damage your lungs? What we do (and don’t) know, provides an overview of vaping if you’re not exactly sure what is involved:

Vaping involves heating a liquid and inhaling the aerosol into the lungs. With vaping, a device such as an e-cigarette is used that heats up a liquid (called vape juice or e-liquid) until it turns into a vapor that is inhaled. These devices are commonly called vapes, mods, e-hookahs, sub-ohms, tank systems, and vape pens. They may all look a bit different, but work in similar ways.

These devices heat up various flavorings, nicotine, marijuana, or other potentially harmful substances.

The authors list the potentially harmful substances found in vapes:

nicotine
ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease
volatile organic compounds
cancer-causing chemicals
heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead.

And they explain some of the serious lung problems that occur in those who vape: EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury) and “popcorn lung” or bronchiolitis obliterans (BO).

One adverse effect that I seldom see mentioned is the potential harms to bone health, including “accelerating bone associated disease progression, impacting skeletal development in younger users and to advise patients following orthopaedic surgery, dental surgery, or injury to maximise bone healing.”

Unfortunately it’s the flavors in nicotine and cannabis vape products – candy/dessert, fruit, and fruit-ice combination vs tobacco flavor – that increased adolescents’ willingness to try them. “Comprehensive bans on flavored vapes would likely reduce adolescent use.”

There is growing awareness of these issues and fortunately rates of vaping are declining, however we do have to address why teens and young adults are seeking something calming or soothing such as vaping (or smoking or drinking) i.e. neurotransmitter imbalances.

How to figure out which emotions are driving the need to use vaping to self-medicate and which amino acids to trial?

This is how I would suggest this mom works with her daughter to help them figure out which emotions are driving the need to use vaping to self-medicate and which amino acids to trial:

How do you feel before vaping?	How do you feel after vaping?	Likely brain chemistry imbalance	Amino acid/s to supplement
Anxious or stressed (physical anxiety)	Calm or relaxed	Low GABA	GABA, pharmaGABA or theanine
Low mood, worried, fearful? (mental anxiety)	Happy or content	Low serotonin	Tryptophan or 5-HTP
Tired, unfocused, low motivation	Energetic, alert, or focused	Low catecholamines, low dopamine	Tyrosine
Desire for a reward or treat, sad (weepy), emotional	Rewarded or comforted	Low endorphins	DPA (d-phenylalanine) or DLPA
Irritable and shaky	Grounded or stable	Low blood sugar	Glutamine

We use this in conjunction with the symptoms questionnaire for each neurotransmitter and trial the respective amino acids one at a time.

I often see low GABA to be a driving reason for vaping, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol – they are all ways of self-medicating in order to calm down and reduce stress. And research supports this connection with “disturbances to GABA dynamics” “found to play a key role in … substance dependence and addiction.”

Louise mentions her daughter notices “physical withdrawal signs” of “rapid heart beat, pain inside” when trying to quit so it’s very possible there is a low GABA aspect to her addiction. I would consider a trial of GABA to start if she also has other low GABA symptoms.

She also shares that her daughter has “health anxiety” and freaks out when she starts to get withdrawal symptoms. If she resonates with being fearful and worried then it’s possible there is also a low serotonin aspect for her. Louise mentions that 5-HTP didn’t help but not how much they trialed or if they increased to try and find the ideal amount. If her daughter has other low serotonin symptoms I’d revisit this and also consider a trial of tryptophan as some individuals do better on one vs the other. I’d also use both as powder on the tongue in case that makes a difference.

And when I hear “hopeless” and “emotional” I would also be considering low endorphins and a trial of DPA (d-phenylalanine).

Why the amino acids are so powerful when it comes to vaping and other addictions

The amino acids play many roles in addressing a vaping addiction:

They address the root cause of the addiction i.e. the neurotransmitter imbalance/s
They help you to quit vaping with no willpower and without feeling deprived
They help to mitigate many of the adverse effects (like worse sleep issues and feeling more anxious)
They address the emotional aspect so mood and anxiety is improved
They prevent the need to find a replacement like sugar, coffee, Diet soda and alcohol and cigarettes (intake of any of these may increase when vaping is stopped, unless the neurotransmitter imbalances are addressed)

Many individuals with addiction issues have imbalances in all areas. We use a similar approach for vaping as we use for addictions to alcohol, cigarettes and sugar/carb/junk food i.e. we tackle one imbalance at a time so we know which amino acid is helping and how much is needed.

Dietary aspects are foundational and important too, as are really late nights and detox

I love that mom makes sure her daughter is well-nourished with real whole food – it’s foundational, as I explain in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution.”

Louise mentions she gets a good breakfast. I’d be making sure she has good quality animal protein at breakfast in order to help with blood sugar stability as this helps with addictions too. And I’d want to make sure she takes healthy protein snacks to work too – like a boiled egg, beef jerky/biltong, a grass-fed beef stick etc.

With really late night / early morning finishes we always consider adrenal issues and address that as needed, after doing salivary testing.

And once Louise’s daughter has quit I would be focusing on detoxification of the toxins using sauna, red light, dry skin brushing and other detox approaches. And making a concerted effort to focus on improving antioxidants and other nutritional deficiencies, and assessing and working to improve her bone health.

Additional resources when you are new to using GABA, tryptophan and other amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low GABA or low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

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.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I appreciate Louise for asking this question so I could share on this blog and enlighten her and other parents whose teen and young adult children are struggling with vaping.

Does your teen or young adult child struggle with quitting vaping? And have the amino acids helped – if yes, which ones?

Have you personally had a similar issue?

And are you aware how harmful vaping is – for the lungs and even the bones?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Tryptophan and GABA for relaxation, jaw pain, sleep, anger and mood symptoms

June 13, 2025 By Trudy Scott 10 Comments

I typically start clients on tryptophan if they have signs of low serotonin: stressed, overwhelmed worry, fears, obsessing, feeling anxious, ruminations, low mood, anger issues/rage, sleep problems, pain issues, PMS, low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and afternoon/evening carb cravings etc. If we don’t get expected results we switch to 5-HTP as some people do better on one vs the other.

With signs of low GABA – a more physical kind of anxiety, with some overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, tension, sleep issues (often lying awake tense), stress-eating and/or drinking and pain – I typically recommend a GABA only product (as a powder or capsule opened) or GABA Calm (a sublingual). In some cases we may consider theanine and pharmaGABA.

The best way to assess low GABA and low serotonin is the symptoms questionnaire and a trial of the respective amino acids – one at a time. But the key is to find the ideal amount for the unique needs of each person. We do that by methodically and systematically increasing the amino acid slowly and tracking improvements for each increase.

In this blog you can read some success stories from women who used tryptophan and GABA for relaxation, jaw pain, sleep, anger and mood symptoms, and my commentary with some additional insights.

Tryptophan and GABA (as powders) – for her stress and pain

Amy uses both tryptophan and GABA for relaxation and jaw pain:

I use both tryptophan and GABA, I just take them separately. When my jaw was really bad the tryptophan really helped. I also do vagus nerve stimulating exercises that make me yawn and it stretches and releases the jaw.

As for the GABA …when I’m very stressed, I need extra to feel the effects. I use a pinch between the fingers of the Now powder and let it dissolve on my tongue. I feel my body relax in about 30 seconds. If nothing then I take a second pinch. Most days 1 pinch is enough.

I also let tryptophan dissolve in my mouth and most days I feel the same physical relaxation after a few moments. It’s not always obvious with the tryptophan though. I use 1/4 tsp of powder but you can use capsules. I mix the powder with pudding powder because it’s very bitter.

Both tryptophan and GABA can help with pain, and also feeling anxious and stressed.

The benefits are via different mechanisms – tryptophan boosts low serotonin and it’s typically more of a mental type of relaxation. This blog illustrates the use of tryptophan for TMJ (temporomandibular joint) – Tryptophan ends TMJ pain, headaches and worry, and improves mood and sleep: a success story.

The amino acid GABA boots low GABA levels and it provides more of a physical type of relaxation and also helps with pain relief.

I like that Amy is using both amino acids as powder and I’m happy for her. GABA powder tastes pleasant and is much more effective used this way (or capsule opened or sublingual).

Tryptophan can be swallowed but many find it more effective as a powder or capsule opened. As Amy says, it’s very bitter as a powder.

Tryptophan or 5-HTP and different forms of GABA – for sleep, anger and mood symptoms

Kerry tried 5-HTP and pharmaGABA but did better with tryptophan and GABA Calm:

My naturopath had me on 5-HTP but I never felt a benefit, and pharmaGaba was a histamine trigger. After reading your book I tried tryptophan and spent many months on 2 x 500mg at bedtime. This helped with sleep and definitely stopped the surges of anger that happened often.

I read a lady say her staple was 2 x Gaba Calm at bedtime and on rising, so I tried this and it helped.

I now take both tryptophan and Gaba Calm only if I feel niggly mood symptoms.

My previous diet was standard vegetarian, then vegan for several years. I now have lots of protein in the form of beef liver capsules, eggs and protein powder. I don’t like meat.

Kerry shared all this in a recent blog comment, describing how tryptophan and GABA Calm were big game-changers for her, in addition to “a long slow mold detox …addressing nutritional deficiencies and implementing dietary changes.”

Mycotoxins caused by mold, nutritional deficiencies and a poor quality diet can impact neurotransmitter production. The good news is that when you find the right combination of amino acids – in this case tryptophan and GABA Calm – you can get relief right away while the other factors are being addressed. It reduces the overwhelm, stress and fears too.

Kerry’s approach of consistent use of both amino acids is the best way to go and I’m so happy for her. And once levels are sufficient they can be used as needed, provided other underlying causes (like toxins, diet etc) are being addressed.

I will add that some individuals do better on 5-HTP and some do better on tryptophan so it’s often a matter of doing a trial of both. I typically recommend tryptophan to start because 5-HTP can be an issue if cortisol is high.

I also always recommend starting with some forms of GABA because of the potential histamine issues with pharmaGABA. That said, some individuals do tolerate pharamGABA so it’s worth doing a trial of both. And we may also consider theanine when we want to support low GABA, low serotonin and low dopamine.

Theanine and tryptophan and diet/lifestyle changes – and feeling her best!

Luna worked with a health practitioner to taper off Prozac (very slowly) and used amino acids during the taper and afterwards:

As someone who took Prozac for years and eventually came off, please pay special attention to Trudy’s advice to come off it SLOWLY. I’d say do it so slowly it may seem ridiculous.

I tried three times to get off Prozac and it was only with the help of an ND/PharmD did I finally get the info needed to come off it without *awful* side effects. To do it well, the process takes MONTHS – not weeks as many doctors recommend.

These days, I take L-Theanine and L-Tryptophan. And I’m preparing to add some GABA soon. Combined with daily 45 minute walks outside, and a low-sugar/low-gluten diet, I’m doing the best I have in my adult life.

A comprehensive approach that includes amino acids, dietary changes, and getting out in nature can make a world of difference. I love it when I hear feedback like this.

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan and GABA and other amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

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.

Wrapping up and your feedback

Now I’d love to hear from you – how has tryptophan and GABA helped you or a loved one?

If you’d like to get on the notification list for the next Serotonin Quickstart Program (a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls), please do so here.

If you’re a practitioner do you use tryptophan and GABA with your clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

I feel so dependent on my nightly “cocktail” of GABA, 5-HTP, melatonin and Ambien for insomnia – how do I reduce them?

May 2, 2025 By Trudy Scott 3 Comments

I have had insomnia for years. I have used GABA Calm with good results and also 5-HTP, melatonin and Ambien. Recently I discovered I have mild sleep apnea and have made huge progress in modifying my night awakening.

With my sleep apnea issues addressed, I would like to try to reduce my supplements and the Ambien… but the thought of this causes more anxiety. I feel so dependent on my nightly “cocktail”.

What is the best way to reduce the fear of withdrawal and my nagging brain that tells me I “need” these things?

Many thanks for all the wonderful information you share!

Lynn asked this on one of the blogs and since it’s a common question I’m sharing my feedback in this new blog post. I’m pleased to hear she has discovered sleep apnea is a factor as it’s not always checked and it definitely can cause disrupted sleep and waking in the night.

There is no need to taper amino acids and melatonin but I typically have clients gradually reduce them, one at a time, especially when they are concerned and are not sure how much they may still be helping.

She has a nagging feeling she still needs these supplements, feels dependent on them and feels anxious about stopping. All of this, in conjunction with the fact that stopping a sleep medication such as Ambien can also cause rebound insomnia has me advising a go-slow approach in a situation like this. Also, Ambien does need to be tapered very slowly and under medical supervision, so she would need to keep this in mind too.

A go-slow approach and one amino acid at a time

Lynn may still need one or more of the GABA, 5-HTP and/or melatonin and we don’t want to lose any gains.

As mentioned above, there is no need to taper amino acids and melatonin but I typically have clients gradually reduce them, one at a time, especially when they are concerned and are not sure how much they may still be helping.

I would start with assessing other low GABA symptoms and other low serotonin symptoms and if there are none, start with reducing either GABA or 5-HTP over a few weeks, watching for worsening sleep or other symptoms showing up. She could then do the same with melatonin.

As a reminder, other than sleep issues (with physical tension at night), these are low GABA symptoms: feeling anxious with physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles, overwhelm, feelings of panic, and the need to self-medicate to calm down, often with alcohol but sometimes with carbs and sugary foods. You can also experience anger, rage and agitation, poor focus, intrusive thoughts/overactive brain, spasms, visceral pain/belly pain with IBS and more. You can read the entire list of low GABA signs and symptoms here.

With low serotonin, we see sleep issues with ruminating thoughts and worry (at night too), and fears, phobias, ruminations, obsessing, feelings of panic, perfectionism and lack of confidence, low mood, rage, anger and irritability.

Lynn has a nagging feeling she still needs these supplements, feels dependent on them and feels anxious about stopping. All this is a clue she may still need them or at least need one or more to some extent. Doing a reverse-trial of reducing each one, one at a time, with careful tracking is my approach.

I would tackle the above amino acid and melatonin reduction – if she decides to go ahead with it – only AFTER she has worked with her prescribing doctor on a slow taper on the Ambien. Stopping a sleep medication such as Ambien can cause rebound insomnia/discontinuation syndrome and she may find she does still need nutritional support to tide her over the Ambien taper period. This may be the same as she is currently using or she may even need to adjust upwards on one or more.

Ambien: dependence, withdrawal, rebound insomnia, slow tapering, falls and memory issues

Ambien/Zolpidem “is a non-benzodiazepine receptor modulator primarily used in the …short-term treatment of insomnia aimed at patients with difficulty falling asleep,” increasing “GABA inhibitory effects leading to sedation.”

I seldom see it used short-term i.e. 7 to 10 days. With longer-term use, “this drug has a high potential for overuse and daily dependence” and “withdrawal symptoms may occur if the zolpidem dose is tapered off rapidly or discontinued.”

Other factors to be aware of:

Complex sleep behaviors can occur after using zolpidem, such as sleep-driving, sleep-walking, and engaging in activities while not fully awake
Changes in behavior and abnormal thinking have been reported after zolpidem administration. In addition, patients have demonstrated aggressiveness and extroversion uncommon for the person’s usual behavior
Worsening of depression or suicidal ideation may occur with zolpidem therapy

I encourage you to read the article here and be fully informed.

This 2024 paper supports that “long-term use of Zolpidem may lead to drug tolerance, dependence, rebound phenomena, and withdrawal symptoms, making discontinuation difficult.” Other concerns include: dizziness, headache, falls, and cognitive decline.

Many of the papers published prior to 2023 do not report many of these issues, however awareness is growing. This 2024 paper, Case report: Additional grounds for tighter regulation? A case series of five women with zolpidem dependence from a Brazilian women-specific substance use disorder outpatient service, also reports adverse effects in women such as “memory and social impairment, falls, seizures” and “withdrawal symptoms, including rebound insomnia, social impairment, and craving.”

The authors recommend tighter regulation, stating that: “The surge in zolpidem prescriptions, driven by its perceived safety and low abuse potential compared to benzodiazepines, may lead to a global health issue of dependence.”

Because of much of this it’s important to work with the prescribing doctor on doing a very slow taper under their medical supervision. She may need to adjust her amino acids up during the taper period if her sleep gets worse in the short-term. And then do the taper approach I mentioned at the start of this blog.

With these safety, dependence and withdrawal issues, I would love to see GABA, tryptophan/5-HTP and/or melatonin (and other nutritional and functional medicine approaches), addressing sleep apnea and lifestyle factors/sleep hygiene be considered as the first approach for sleep issues – instead of Ambien/Zolipdem.

Additional resources when you are new to using GABA, 5-HTP and other amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

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.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I appreciate Lynn for asking this question and want to acknowledge that she is wise to be cautious and have concerns about the best way to tackle this. And she may find she does have a physical dependence on the Ambien.

Have you found that GABA, 5-HTP and/or melatonin helped/helps with your sleep issues?

And is sleep apnea a factor for you too?

And have you been prescribed Ambien and had any of the issues mentioned?

And how have you adjusted your amino acids and other sleep supplements as you’ve tapered your sleep medication?

Feel free to share your feedback and ask your questions below in the comments section.

Mouth-taping for improved sleep, the image of vertical taping that changed my mind and GABA and serotonin support if you still feel anxious

March 28, 2025 By Trudy Scott 19 Comments

mouth taping

I had been exploring mouth-breathing and using mouth-taping for my own personal use when I came across this paper, The Impact of Mouth-Taping in Mouth-Breathers with Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I had tried mouth-taping a few times but it felt uncomfortable to completely seal my mouth with the large piece of tape I was seeing various health practitioners recommend. And to be honest, it also felt a little scary too, even though I already use tryptophan and GABA for sleep and anxiety.

As soon as I saw the image of the man with a narrow strip of mouth-tape it gave me confidence to start mouth-taping again and I haven’t looked back! I don’t have mild obstructive sleep apnea and don’t snore but I was aware I was starting to mouth-breathe and sleep with a slightly open mouth because of waking with an incredibly dry mouth.

I do not go a single night without it and love the benefits of improved sleep and more energy the next day, and no more dry mouth during the night. I know it’s reducing future tooth decay too.

I share more about the paper, where I first learned about mouth-taping (and an image of sealing the mouth completely) and how GABA and tryptophan may help alleviate any fear and anxiety you may still have about taping your mouth closed at night.

The image that changed my mind and excerpts from the mouth-taping paper

This is the image I’m referring to: the man on the top right with his mouth taped (as circled in yellow). You can see he has a narrow piece of tape, used vertically, instead of a wide piece of tape placed horizontally across his entire mouth/lips (I share an example of the latter below).

As you can see in the image above, there is a difference in “airflow during mouth-breathing vs. nasal-breathing” as indicated by the blue arrows.

Here is the study objective:

Many patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are mouth-breathers. Mouth-breathing not only narrows the upper airway, consequently worsening the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, but also it affects compliance with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. This study aimed to investigate changes in obstructive sleep apnea by the use of mouth tape in mouth-breathers with mild obstructive sleep apnea.

And the conclusion:

Mouth-taping during sleep improved snoring and the severity of sleep apnea in mouth-breathers with mild obstructive sleep apnea, with AHI (apnea/hypopnea index) and SI (snoring index) being reduced by about half. The higher the level of baseline AHI and SI, the greater the improvement was shown after mouth-taping.

Mouth-taping could be an alternative treatment in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea before turning to CPAP therapy or surgical intervention.

The snoring index is the number of snoring events per hour. And according to the Cleveland Clinic, the AHI /apnea/hypopnea index “identifies how many times your breathing slows or stops during an hour of sleep. You might see an AHI after a sleep study or on a CPAP machine.

The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is the average number of times you stop breathing (apneas) and have shallow breathing events (hypopneas) per hour of sleep.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine uses a range to categorize the severity of apnea and hypopnea events in adults:

Mild: Five to fewer than 15 events per hour
Moderate: 15 to fewer than 30 events per hour
Severe: 30 or more events per hour”

In the above mouth-taping study, both the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and snoring index were reduced by about half, which I find impressive.

They used 3M tape that was “easy to adhere, easy to remove, and non-allergenic.”

My first introduction to mouth-taping and an example of taping your entire mouth with horizontal tape

This interview and taping demo with Mike Mutzel and Mark Burhenne was my first introduction to mouth-taping. It’s a fascinating interview and the benefits are numerous – do read the highlights and watch the interview.

As you can see, Dr. Mark Burhenne tapes his entire mouth with horizontal tape. This approach did not work for me and I gave up after a few tries.

mouth taping

If you have considered taping in the past and were put off or afraid because of this approach of taping the entire mouth, I’m hoping my insights below about taping vertically and the above study will get you trying it again.

How I tape my mouth and what I use

As mentioned above, I use a narrow strip of hypoallergenic paper tape that I simply tear off the roll each night. I sometimes use the same piece for a second night. I use lip ice/lip balm before taping as that prevents the tape from actually sticking to my lips. It feels more comfortable this way and still keeps my mouth closed. And it also allows me to cough and sneeze without feeling like I’ll lose skin on my lips. I can also sort of talk, although not very clearly, and it makes it easy to remove.

I do not go to bed without taping and it has added another element to improving my sleep. I do this together with the amino acids GABA, theanine and tryptophan, magnesium, Seriphos for high cortisol (when it’s high), eating low oxalates and calcium to counter the effects of oxalates, and avoiding EMFs).

If needed, I can slide a GABA Calm into my mouth without removing the tape. I will do this if I happen to need it due to waking in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep.

If you are still fearful and anxious about trying this: serotonin and GABA support

If you are still fearful about taping your mouth closed at night, know you’re not alone! It felt a bit scary to me when I first started taping and I even yanked it off a few times during the night.

Trying it out in the daytime first definitely helps to get used to it. And it’s ok to test-drive taping for a few hours at night initially, and pulling it off later in the night.

Also, be sure to address low serotonin if you have low serotonin type of worry, ruminating, negative self-talk type of anxiety. With this type of anxiety, fears and phobias, and feelings of panic can be heightened. Personally, I use tryptophan and theanine for my low serotonin and also recommend this for clients and those in my group online programs. Keep in mind that some individuals do better with 5-HTP than tryptophan.

When you feel anxious, it’s common to have low GABA type of physical tension and anxiety. This may also make mouth-taping feel too overwhelming and give you feelings of panic. I’m a GABA girl myself and use GABA every night. I’m also getting some GABA support from the theanine I use. I know both are firm favorites with clients and group program members.

And, of course, an added bonus is that by addressing low serotonin and low GABA, we also address sleep issues which is a common sign of low levels of both these neurotransmitters.

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan, 5-HTP, GABA and other amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

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.

Wrapping up and your feedback

Have you used vertical mouth-taping and if yes how has it helped you? Or are you fine with horizontal taping and covering your entire mouth? I’d love to hear how you tape, what tape you use and if you also use lip balm/lip ice before taping.

And if you have words of wisdom for newbies who may need some encouragement feel free to share this too!

I am curious if you have also used GABA, theanine, tryptophan or 5-HTP for overcoming the fear of mouth-taping and continue to use one or more of these amino acids for sleep support too?

Feel free to share your feedback and ask your questions below in the comments section.