GABA supplements don’t work – GABA is too big a molecule to get across the blood brain barrier. They don’t typically work unless you have a leaky gut which means you have a leaky brain” (also referred to as leaky blood brain barrier/BBB).
This is one of the most common myths I hear about GABA. Neither of the above statements are true. I stand by my recommendations of GABA Calm and other GABA products as an effective way to boost GABA levels that are low, and ease physical anxiety symptoms and the other symptoms you can experience with low GABA levels.
A few weeks ago, Suzanne asked a question on the blog after hearing a doctor state the above about GABA supplements not working for anxiety. She was justifiably confused and concerned:
I stumbled across this video on Youtube and am seeking your thoughts on it please. In my quest to achieve a state of calm as naturally as possible, I research a lot of stuff. I have always taken on board the knowledge you share about GABA.
The video, made by a quite well known fitness trainer, focuses on GABA. Your team suggested I time stamp the part of the video of interest, but frankly, there are poignant points made throughout.
I would be really appreciative if you have time to watch it, as now I’m unsure that the GABA Calm I have purchased, and yet to take, is in fact, going to be effective.
The video she had watched was a very recent Youtube video where a well-known fitness trainer interviews an integrative medical doctor. It’s the doctor who said: “GABA supplements don’t work.”
I reassured Suzanne and provided her with some additional reading (more on that below). This topic has been discussed by me before but it’s time for another blog post that gathers the information into one place. Hopefully it offers you confidence if you are also uncertain and can be a resource for you to share with the naysayers or those who just don’t yet know that GABA supplements really do work (when used in a specific way)!
The effects of GABA supplements may be exerted through BBB passage or indirectly, via an effect on the enteric nervous system (but we don’t really know)
I first discussed GABA and the blood brain barrier controversy during one of my interviews during The Anxiety Summit in 2016. I shared this October 2015 paper, Neurotransmitters as food supplements: the effects of GABA on brain and behavior, which states that we don’t really know how GABA supplements work:
There is some evidence in favor of a calming effect of GABA food supplements, but most of this evidence was reported by researchers with a potential conflict of interest. We suggest that any veridical effects of GABA food supplements on brain and cognition might be exerted through BBB passage or, more indirectly, via an effect on the enteric nervous system. We conclude that the mechanism of action of GABA food supplements is far from clear, and that further work is needed to establish the behavioral effects of GABA.
I also discuss the fact that GABA’s relaxing effect may be due to peripheral effects rather than the effect on/in the brain. Here is an excerpt from this paper: GABA-receptors in peripheral tissues
GABA and its receptors are found in a wide range of peripheral tissues, including parts of the peripheral nervous system, endocrine, and non-neural tissues such as smooth muscle and the female reproductive system.
Feel free to read more about this here
Valuable feedback about GABA’s effectiveness from other practitioners
Dr. Josh Friedman, integrative psychotherapist uses amino acids and other nutritional approaches in his practice:
[GABA] is definitely something I use. I am not a biochemist, so I actually don’t really know whether it crosses the blood/brain barrier, nor do I care actually. The first question should be, is it harmful? Are any of these things going to cause harm? And the answer with all the amino acids is no, they’re not going to cause harm, especially when compared to psychiatric medicines. The second question is, does it work? Is it helpful for our patients that we see in our practice? Yes it is.
Jonathan Prousky, ND, MSc, editor of the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine and author of Anxiety: Orthomolecular Diagnosis and Treatment shared this in our season 2 interview: Tapering off psychiatric drugs so they do not ruin your life
I have found GABA to be invariably helpful and I don’t really know exactly how GABA works but I know it to be very, very safe and, to me, that is fundamentally important. It’s not associated with any withdrawal, with any tolerance, with any habituation, so people can try it without a lot of concern.
I feel the same way – GABA supplementation works, it is safe and it doesn’t really matter how it works.
Dr. Kharrazian’s GABA Challenge for a leaky blood brain barrier is a theory
In addition to sharing the above with Suzanne, I also shared this blog with her: Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s GABA Challenge for a leaky blood brain barrier is a theory and we still have much to learn.
I had the pleasure of interviewing him late in 2019 and we talked about his GABA challenge for testing for a leaky blood brain barrier. Read the above blog to learn how Dr. Kharrazian came up with the GABA Challenge and the fact that it’s just a theory.
GABA case studies/success stories if you’re still unsure
If you’re still unsure I encourage you to read the many case studies published in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” and on this blog. Here are some of them:
- My 6 year old was having panic attacks getting out of the car for Kindergarten: GABA has completely relieved him of his fears
- GABA Calm is a game changer for husband’s sound and tactile hypersensitivity, significant coordination problems and his anxiety
- GABA lessens anxiety, agitation and defiance in 98 year old mother who has been “sundowning” for a couple of years
- Her mum just passed away and although she is sad, GABA allows her to sit with a feeling of peace and calm most of the time
- PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome): GABA helped ease lifelong anxiety, wean off anxiety medication, ovulate each month and stop PCOS meds
- GABA helps ease symptoms of anger, rage, and dark moods (symptoms we typically associate with low serotonin)
- GABA worked amazingly for 18-year-old during a MCAS/histamine flare, helping with OCD, anxiety, rage and skin issues
Do a trial of GABA and use it in a specific way
Doing a trial of GABA is another way to find out how effective it is. Keep in mind GABA will only work if you have the low GABA type of physical anxiety, stiff and tense muscles, insomnia caused by low GABA, overwhelm and panic attacks, and other low GABA symptoms. You can see all the low GABA symptoms here.
Also, GABA needs to be used in a specific way. It is most effective provided it’s used as a sublingual, liposomal, a powder or capsules opened on to the tongue or rubbed inside the cheek, or as a GABA cream (as you’ll read in the case studies above). It’s best to start low – at 125mg – and increase from there based on your own unique needs. I believe many practitioners are not on board because they have clients and patients swallow GABA capsules, and often use high dose GABA capsules.
I appreciate Suzanne for asking this question and I’m hoping my feedback gave you and her confidence.
It also helps me to know what is still being taught so I can offer educational resources – for both the consumer like Suzanne and practitioners – and hopefully further the field.
Am I surprised to hear that this myth is still being shared? Not really. So I’ll continue to share what I know and the wonderful GABA success stories so this message gets out there.
Additional resources when you are new to using GABA and the other amino acids as supplements
We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low GABA or low serotonin or low endorphins or low dopamine or low blood sugar 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 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.
How many times have you heard this myth about GABA not working? How long ago and where from?
Has GABA helped you? If yes, I’m thrilled for you. Please do share how it’s helped, how much helps and how you use GABA (as a sublingual, liposomal, a powder or capsules opened on to the tongue or inside the cheek, or as a GABA cream)?
If you’re a practitioner do you have success using GABA this way with your clients/patients? And were you also taught – in the past – that GABA supplements don’t work or taught the GABA leaky BBB theory?
Feel free to share and ask your questions below.