Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that used as a supplement to help ease physical anxiety and help with insomnia, and a host of other symptoms ranging from pain to throat spasms (you can see the most recent list of symptoms here)
Research shows that GABA lowers blood pressure too. This has implications if you have high blood pressure/hypertension and are currently taking blood pressure medication or if you happen to have low blood pressure. The latter is already a precaution I review with my clients i.e. to watch the use of GABA when blood pressure is low. But we do need to add another precaution to cover folks already on blood pressure medications. Read on to learn about these precautions and what they may mean for you, and to read about the GABA (and taurine) hypertension research. And the fact that anxiety is common when you have high blood pressure and can actually be a driving factor.
This paper, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Safety Review of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), published in 2021, reports the results of a 4-week study that investigated the tolerability of GABA supplementation in mildly hypertensive but otherwise healthy adults:
The authors first established an optimum dose in mildly hypertensive subjects (SBP/systolic blood pressure between 130 and 180 mm Hg) who were randomized to receive oral doses of GABA at 0 (placebo), 20, 40, or 80 mg/day for 4 weeks.
An intake of 80 mg/day of GABA was associated with a significant reduction of the BP in adults with mild hypertension, and no adverse effects were reported.
A subsequent study evaluated long-term effects of GABA at 80 mg daily versus placebo in mildly hypertensive subjects for 8 weeks:
At the end of the 8-week study, SBP [systolic blood pressure i.e. the top number] and DBP [diastolic blood pressure i.e. the bottom number] were on average 5% lower in all the subjects who received 80 mg/day of GABA compared to participants in the placebo group whose blood pressure levels remained above normal.
This is a substantial reduction when 80 mg of GABA a day is considered a very low dose. I typically have my anxious clients start with 125mg GABA and increase from there. They may end up using 125 mg GABA 3 or 4 times a day and sometimes 250 mg a few times a day.
I’m not suggesting using only GABA or taurine (more on this below) when blood pressure is high as there can be many variables and root causes. I would, however, like to see GABA be given more consideration, especially when anxiety is a symptom too.
The existing GABA precautions: a new one if you are taking medication for high blood pressure
If you are currently taking blood pressure medication for high blood pressure and plan to do a trial of GABA, it’s worth monitoring your blood pressure and discussing with your prescribing doctor. GABA may lower your blood pressure enough that your medication can be reduced or possibly stopped. The above paper states this:
Because some studies showed that GABA was associated with decreases in blood pressure, it is conceivable that concurrent use of GABA with anti-hypertensive medications could increase risk of hypotension [low blood pressure].
I have now added this as a new precaution – High blood pressure and on blood pressure medications: GABA, taurine. You can see it on the Amino Acid Precautions blog.
The existing GABA precautions: watch when you have low blood pressure and don’t use when pregnant or nursing
As you can read in the amino acids chapter of my book and on the above precautions blog, there is already a precaution stating to watch the use of GABA when you have low blood pressure. It’s worth being aware of but is not something I’ve actually seen to be an issue. Occasionally folks reduce their GABA dose because they feel light-headed.
This precaution is already addressed – not to use GABA when pregnant or nursing – but it’s worth repeating here as it’s a frequent question I am asked . The above paper states:
Caution is advised for pregnant and lactating women since GABA can affect neurotransmitters and the endocrine system, i.e., increases in growth hormone and prolactin levels.
Taurine: hypertension, stroke and heart disease
You’ll notice taurine grouped with GABA on the list of precautions. Based on the research, this amino acid also helps reduce blood pressure and is cardio-protective: “Advances in extensive studies on experimental models indicate that taurine is preventive against hypertension, stroke and atherosclerotic arterial diseases.”
This is one of the proposed mechanisms of taurine for lowering blood pressure : “The preventive mechanisms of taurine were ascribed to sympathetic modulation for reducing blood pressure (BP) and anti-inflammatory action.” GABA works in a similar way.
The same precautions would apply: low blood pressure and high blood pressure with blood pressure medication.
As I mentioned above, there is more to hypertension than adding only taurine or GABA. This book by Dr. Mark Houston MD, is an excellent resource – What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM): Hypertension: The Revolutionary Nutrition and Lifestyle Program to Help Fight High Blood Pressure (my Amazon link).
He does mention taurine and recommends 1 to 1.5 g of taurine twice a day for high blood pressure. He does not mention GABA supplementation but does mention how vitamin B6 is important for GABA and serotonin production and improving sympathetic function.
Stress, anxiety and fear affect blood pressure and GABA helps
Dr. Houston shares that “numerous studies have linked stress, anxiety, fear and other negative emotions to an elevation in blood pressure. Conversely, as stress decreases, so does blood pressure. ”
This supports my comments above about giving GABA more consideration when it comes to high blood pressure, especially when anxiety is a symptom too. Here are some cases studies:
- GABA for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety
- PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome): GABA helped ease lifelong anxiety, wean off anxiety medication, ovulate each month and stop PCOS meds
- Multiple sclerosis: low GABA research and the amino acid GABA for anxiety, muscle stiffness, swallowing/voice issues and pain
- GABA lessens anxiety, agitation and defiance in 98 year old mother who has been “sundowning” for a couple of years
When GABA is not available taurine is a viable option for anxiety and hypertension.
Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements
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 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 too). 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.
If you have low blood pressure, has GABA (or taurine) been an issue for you?
Do you have high blood pressure and has GABA (or taurine) lowered it? If yes, how much did you use and how much did your blood pressure improve? And did you have to adjust your blood pressure medication (and which one)?
Has GABA (or taurine) helped ease your physical anxiety and other low GABA symptoms?
If you have questions and other feedback please share in the comments too.
