Today I’m answering this question that has been asked of me a number of times: How did you come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue? Since there is so much controversy about GABA and the blood brain barrier and whether GABA actually works, it’s time to address this question via a blog post. Using GABA on the tongue, under the tongue and/or on the inside cheek approach is also the most effective way to use GABA and when it’s not used in one of these ways many individuals end up saying GABA didn’t help ease their anxiety and other low GABA symptoms. I also define sublingual – the term I use when discussing this approach – and how this method is broader than just being sublingual. And I share a case study. More on all this below.
So how did I come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue?
I’ve always had clients use a GABA capsule opened on to their tongue for the initial trial, based on them having low GABA symptoms of physical anxiety, stiff and tense muscles, tension, stress eating, insomnia, laryngospasms, intrusive thoughts and self-medicating with alcohol. Doing it this way means we get results right away (for example within 5 minutes they can say their physical anxiety has improved from 9/10 to say 6/10) and we know how to proceed in terms of dosing.
Then I’d have clients go home and swallow the GABA capsules. However not everyone continued to get the same benefits they experienced in the one-off trial so I’d suggest a higher dose, also swallowed.
Then I decided to have clients just continue to use GABA capsules opened or as powder or a liposomal product (more on these below) after the initial one-off trial. Having clients use GABA this way resulted in consistent and superior results and it’s what I continue to recommend.
The many benefits of this approach
There are many benefits to using this approach of using GABA on the tongue:
- Seeing better results and in some cases getting results (fullstop!)when you were not seeing any benefits swallowing a GABA capsule
- Better results when you have digestive and/or liver issues because GABA bypasses the liver and digestive system.
- Quicker/almost immediate results (in 5-10 minutes and often quicker) which is more encouraging and gives you hope right away.
- You need less GABA so it’s money-saving too.
I now have folks use all the amino acids this way and it’s working very well.
Defining sublingual, buccal and roof of the mouth and which is best
I use the term sublingual very broadly – under the tongue, in the cheek or on the tongue – for at least 2 minutes and not washed down with water or food right away.
It’s easier but technically sublingual means using GABA under the tongue. This way it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream for immediate use, bypassing the liver and digestive system.
When I talk and write about using GABA on the tongue or sublingually, I’m often asked: How is on tongue vs under tongue different or is it?
This paper, Sublingual Mucosa as a Route for Systemic Drug Delivery summarizes the benefits of sublingual delivery and which area of the mouth provides better results (for drug delivery)
Drug delivery via the oral mucous membrane is considered to be a promising alternative to the oral route. Sublingual route is useful when rapid onset of action is desired with better patient compliance than orally ingested tablets.
In terms of permeability, the sublingual area of the oral cavity (i.e. the floor of the mouth) is more permeable than the buccal (cheek) area, which in turn is more permeable than the palatal (roof of the mouth) area.
The portion of drug absorbed through the sublingual blood vessels bypasses the hepatic first‐pass metabolic processes giving acceptable bioavailability.
I find that either way works (under and on the tongue) and so does using it rubbed on the inside of the cheek/buccal area. I share more on that here – Paroxysmal laryngospasm with low GABA physical-tension-type-anxiety: Is GABA powder rubbed on the inside of the cheek a solution?
One way you could hedge your bets is to use a GABA powder (with some water) or lozenge or liposomal and swish it in the mouth, making sure it gets under the tongue, onto the cheek areas and on top of the tongue. Swish it for about 2 minutes before swallowing. And don’t wash it down with water or food right away.
Amanda’s feedback on GABA calm vs GABA capsules
When I shared some of this on Facebook, Amanda shared her positive feedback:
Sublingual is more effective and faster. I’ve been taking capsules at night and noticed improvement with sleep. Last week we decided to sell our house and I was soooo stressed with prepping and dealing with people.
I had a bottle of GABA Calm I ordered from your recommendation (I didn’t mean to order because I had lots of gaba capsules). I was so thankful because I took two of those and about 15 minutes later I was much more relaxed. They are so helpful!!
A common question I get is this: is GABA Calm better than plain GABA powder? Some folks prefer GABA Calm and others the powder. Either way we do increase to find the ideal dose and using powder allows us to go higher more easily.
But we are all unique and it’s a matter of finding what works best for your needs. Amanda also shared why she feels GABA Calm is so helpful:
GABA Calm also has tyrosine, magnesium, and taurine. It seems for me the combination of the magnesium and taurine with the GABA takes it from helpful to stellar. I know I have a history of low taurine so perhaps that’s why for me.
All this and the fact that it’s a lozenge that is dissolved in your mouth and absorbed quickly makes it so effective for her and so many of my clients.
Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using 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, low serotonin and low endorphins).
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.
What have you found, is GABA opened/sublingual more effective than a GABA capsule swallowed?
What works best for your unique needs – a powder, a chewable or a liposomal product?
And do you find it more effective under the tongue/sublingual, in the cheek/buccal or on the tongue? Or have you not noticed or perhaps find similar benefits with all three ways?
If you have questions and other feedback please share it here too.
