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sublingual

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

correct use of gaba

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.

Filed Under: Anxiety, GABA Tagged With: 5-HTP, 750mg, allergy, amino acids, anxiety, calming, chill, dose, DPA, endorphin, flushed, flushing, GABA, Headaches, itchy, migraines, PMS, rectal spasms, serotonin, sleep issues, sublingual, too high

How did you come up with the idea of using GABA on the tongue? (GABA is a calming amino acid supplement used to ease physical anxiety symptoms)

May 5, 2023 By Trudy Scott 27 Comments

gaba on tongue

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.

Filed Under: Amino Acids, Anxiety, GABA Tagged With: amino acid, anxiety, buccal, calming, GABA, GABA capsules, GABA on the tongue, GABA Quickstart online program; Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program for practitioners, inside cheek, insomnia, intrusive thoughts, laryngospasms, liposomal, lozenge, on the tongue, physical anxiety, powder, roof of mouth, self-medicating with alcohol, stiff muscles, stress-eating, sublingual, swallowed, tension, under the tongue

Using 750 mg GABA in a hard tablet form for anxiety: I do not experience the flush but I am also not sure it is doing much of anything for me

July 15, 2022 By Trudy Scott 21 Comments

gaba hard tablet

Today I’m addressing a question from someone in this community about a particular GABA product and her confusion about dosing with 750mg and using a hard tablet (she calls it a pill). When she uses it she doesn’t notice any effect i.e. no calming benefits and no adverse niacin-type tingly flush either. This is what she asked:

Not sure if “Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind” is on your list, but I thought it was one you had recommended at one time? Anyway, these are pills that cannot be opened like a capsule and 1 pill = 750 mg.

Personally, I had the tingly flush when I used a different product that WAS a capsule and opened it on my tongue…unfortunately I do not recall dosage or product name but I purchased at Whole Foods.

With this particular product (Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind) in pill form, although the dosage could be higher, I do not experience the flush…(however, I also am not sure it is doing much of anything for me).

This is my feedback for her: I have never recommended the Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind 750 mg tablet ever (she calls it a pill but I know she is referring to the hard tablets).

These are not a very effective way to use GABA. As you can see, she doesn’t feel it’s doing anything for her in terms of easing her anxiety and being calming. With a high dose of GABA we also often see a niacin-like flush or tingling and yet with this pill/tablet form she didn’t experience this either. GABA is much more effective when used sublingually or opening a capsule (and starting low at 125mg). More on this below.

But I’m not surprised she is confused and asking this question. The Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind has a very similar bottle/name/label to Source Naturals GABA Calm (the sublingual with 125mg GABA) and there is also a Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind 750 mg capsules (which can be opened).

She mentions the tingly flush when using a different product that was a capsule and opened on to her tongue. I’d suspect the tingling happened with a 500 mg GABA or 750 mg GABA product as this is a common dosage found in health stores. Opening the capsule and using less is best when starting out.

If you have to break it it’s a tablet and much less effective

All this logic applies to any brand of hard GABA tablet. Someone just shared on Facebook that she had purchased a GABA product in the Netherlands and broke it in half in order to use a lower dose. If you have to break it it’s a tablet and much less effective and possibly not at all effective. Be sure to read the front and back of the bottle and avoid hard tablets.

From time to time someone will see some benefit with a GABA tablet that is swallowed but it’s usually minimal.

The most effective forms of GABA to use

Here is a quick recap if you’re new to GABA. It’s an amino acid that is used as a supplement to boost GABA levels (a calming neurotransmitter) and ease physical tension type anxiety symptoms. It’s most effective when used sublingually, or as a powder or by using a GABA capsule opened on to the tongue or as a liposomal product.

When using GABA it must ideally be in one of these forms for the best effects:

  • Capsule form so the gelatin or cellulose capsule can be opened and the contents sprinkled onto the tongue, or some of it depending on dosing (NFH GABA-T SAP is a good example of this one – it contains GABA and theanine)
  • Sublingual form which is sucked/held in the mouth (Source Naturals GABA Calm 125mg is a good example of this – this is the GABA product that I have the most success with and it’s easy to use when out and about; PharmaGABA chewables are another option)
  • Powder form which is measured out using special tiny measuring spoon and sprinkled on to the tongue (Healthwise and Bulk Nutrients are good examples of this one)
  • Liposomal form which is sprayed into the mouth and held for a few minutes (Designs for Health Liposomal Neurocalm and Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal GABA with L-Theanine are good examples of this form)

This blog, 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 a list of selected GABA products.

Here are a few success stories where the above different forms have been used:

  • Drastic reduction in intrusive thoughts, anxiety and fears (and better sleep) with GABA, tryptophan, 5-HTP and the pyroluria protocol
  • Keep GABA powder handy for choking episodes, stridor and panic (and find the ideal dose and be consistent for prevention/easing anxiety)
  • GABA helps 14-year-old with Tourette’s Syndrome (the tics and sleep), and tyrosine makes him happier and his mind sharper
  • GABA, Heartmath and EFT ease Micki’s mold-induced anxiety and panic attacks
  • PharmaGABA eases physical anxiety in a young man who has recently given up Adderall, alcohol and nicotine
  • GABA is the answer after 40 years of a lump-in-the-throat sensation, nervousness and muscle tension at work

Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using any of the 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).

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 as mentioned above, 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. There are many moms in the program who are having much success with their kids.

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 with success with their clients/patients.

Did you use a GABA product that didn’t work for you before finding the ideal product and dose?

Please share which product didn’t work (was it a hard tablet?) and what did work for you. And be sure to share how it helps to ease your physical anxiety, insomnia, pain, intrusive thoughts and cravings (for sugar or alcohol).

Have you experienced the niacin-like flush or tingle from using too high a dose of GABA? How much did that and which product?

If you’re a practitioner, which forms of GABA do you find the most success with?

If you have questions please share them here too.

Filed Under: Amino Acids, Anxiety, GABA, Supplements Tagged With: 125mg, 750 mg GABA, anxiety, Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals, calming, choking, flush, GABA, GABA Calm, GABA Quickstart program, hard tablet, intrusive thoughts, lump-in-the-throat sensation, mold-induced anxiety, muscle tension, nervousness, niacin-type flush, not doing much, opening a capsule, panic, pharmaGABA, pill, sleep, Source Naturals GABA Calm Mind, sublingual, tics, tingly, Tourette’s Syndrome

GABA Calm is in short supply – what other GABA products are there for easing anxiety?

January 22, 2021 By Trudy Scott 90 Comments

gaba calm alternatives

Sheila contacted me via the blog asking about Source Naturals GABA Calm ~ I am from Brussels/Belgium. I cannot find the Source Naturals GABA Calm sublingual anymore. The one you recommend. I’ve been recommending this for years to clients since I read your book “The Antianxiety Food Solution.” I already contacted Source Naturals a few times but no response. Do you know why they have stopped selling this in Europe?

After doing some checking around and contacting Source Naturals it seems there is a world-wide shortage of Source Naturals GABA Calm 125mg lozenges. When I reached out to them I was told it’s indefinite (with no reason why) and to check back at the end of January. Two other people were told it would be available mid-January and mid-February so the messages are mixed.

Today I’m sharing some other GABA product options until GABA Calm comes back or in case it doesn’t or if there is another shortage in the future. It’s such a pity since it is so effective for so many folks as you can see in these blogs:

  • Source Naturals GABA Calm™: Why I recommend it for anxiety
  • GABA Calm instead of Xanax for panic attacks, heightened stress and anxiety: questions and my feedback
  • GABA for children: ADHD, focus issues, irritability, anxiety and tantrums

I also posted this message on Facebook to let my community there know and to find out what they were using instead.

gaba calm alternative question facebook

This is some of the feedback I received:

  • Mary ~ Oh my goodness! I just found it in my local Vitamin Shoppe tonight! There was one bottle left.
  • Diana ~I noticed. My son uses this, I’m a little worried.

I shared that there are other products that will hopefully work as well and asked everyone who was using something else: Do  you use it opened onto the tongue or swallowed? And if you’ve used Source Naturals GABA Calm in the past how does it compare for you?

A number of people said they like Thorne pharmaGABA capsules, someone said she like Now GABA Powder and a few people like Natural Factors pharmaGABA chewables:

  • Tara ~ I’ve only used Thorne PharmaGABA because of how it’s derived [fermented]. I just swallow the capsule and I’m immediately calm within 5-15 mins. I was previously prescribed a benzo & this is much better. 100mg is all I take when I feel a panic attack coming on. I’ve been thru a few years of absolute hell of benzo withdrawal coming off of my klonopin prescription. The GABA feels almost the exact same as the benzo except the benzo would actually cause rebound panic attacks (I didn’t realize it at the time) & the GABA does not.
  • Jane ~I use Now Foods GABA powder. A little under the tongue works well.I have found both effective. Powder good for rapid effect at home (1/4 teaspoon as needed). GABA Calm good to take out with you.
  • Meesh ~ I use the Natural Factors pharmaGABA (100mg) and it works great. I use it in combo with L-theanine 250mg (which also contains 20mg of magnesium)… and the combination is magic

I’ve updated the supplements blog with the above products and a few additional similar products so you have many options to select from based on your unique needs and taste preferences, and what’s available at the time:

  • Thorne PharmaGABA-100: the label says Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) 100 mg but it also states that the product uses Pharma Foods International’s Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (PharmaGABA®).  This is also pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and is most effective when used this way. [AS OF NOV 24, 2021 THIS MAY ALSO BE UNAVAILABLE]
  • Thorne PharmaGABA-250: as above but contains 250mg of PharmaGABA®. This is also pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and is most effective when used this way. [AS OF NOV 24, 2021 THIS MAY ALSO BE UNAVAILABLE]
  • Designs for Health PharmaGABA Chewables: gamma-amino butyric acid (pharmaGABA) 200 mg in 2 chewable tablets. It’s quick-acting and convenient like GABA-Calm because it’s chewable. This does contain xylitol, natural flavors, stevia and some other ingredients so taste may be a factor and xylitol can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea when too much is consumed.
  • Natural Factors PharmaGABA: gamma-amino butyric acid (pharmaGABA) 200 mg in 2 chewable tablets. It’s quick-acting and convenient like GABA-Calm because it’s chewable. However it also contains organic cane sugar and natural fruit flavors so it’s a little too candy-like for my preference, especially if you have low GABA-related sugar cravings. Also 2 chewable tablets – 4g of carbs which is almost 1 teaspoon of sugar!
    [January 22, 2021: I’ve included this as a stand-by option for occasional use until Source Naturals GABA Calm is readily available again or if Designs for Health PharmaGABA Chewables are not available.]
  • Now Foods GABA Powder: 1/4 Level Teaspoon (500mg). This is pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and is most effective when used this way. The only challenge with powder like this is making sure you don’t use too much by mistake. And it’s especially challenging when you only need 100mg.
  • Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal GABA with L-Theanine: 2ml (4 Pumps) provides (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) 240mg, L-Theanine 100mg and Phosphatidylcholine 120mg (from purified sunflower seed lecithin). It does contain ethanol so would not be suitable for alcoholics or young children.
  • GABA-Pro Calming Effect Chewable: This is a chewable that contains 100 mg of pharmaGABA in 1 tablet. It is pharmaGABA even though the product says GABA-Pro on the front and the label states Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA). This product is a reasonable replacement for Source Naturals GABA Calm.  It does contain natural flavors and xylitol.
  • GABA-Pro Calming Effect: This contains 100 mg of pharmaGABA in 1 tablet. It is pharmaGABA even though the product says GABA-Pro on the front and the label states Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA). This capsule can be opened onto the tongue.  It does contain rice flour which can be an issue if you have a rice allergy/sensitivity and/or SIBO.

I do want to add that Nutritional Fundamentals for Health GABA-T SAP is still a firm favorite of mine: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) 300 mg, l-Theanine 150 mg. This is pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and works very well when GABA Calm can’t be used (because of the tyrosine or taste or sugar alcohols). It is also often used with GABA Calm – like GABA Calm in the day and GABA-T SAP at night or some combination.  I find best results when it is used opened on to the tongue and it offers a feeling of calm focus. It could easily be used as a substitute for GABA Calm in the short-term.

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.

UPDATE Nov 24, 2021:
=================

Source Naturals GABA Calm is in short supply again, so I’ve updated this blog with some other options (above) because the Thorne Products may also be unavailable for now:

  • GABA-Pro Calming Effect Chewable
  • GABA-Pro Calming Effect

Is Source Naturals GABA Calm a favorite of yours? And how has it helped you?  What have you found works as well – for physical anxiety, tension, insomnia, pain, sugar cravings, muscle spasms – when it’s not available?

If you’ve used a GABA product in capsules, do you use it opened onto the tongue or swallowed? And if you’ve used Source Naturals GABA Calm in the past how does it compare for you?

If you’re a practitioner do you use GABA Calm and/or other GABA products?

Please do share in the comments below and let me know if you found this helpful or if you have questions. And thanks for the questions and contributions so far!

Filed Under: Amino Acids, Anxiety, GABA Tagged With: ADHD, chewable, cravings, GABA, GABA Calm, insomnia, irritability, opened onto tongue, panic, pharmaGABA, powder, Source Naturals GABA Calm, sublingual, sugar, tension

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