Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)

Some interesting facts about GABA:

• GABA is a non-essential amino acid
  GABA is a non-essential amino acid, which means the body can metabolise (or make) it from the essential amino acids. It is not necessarily required in high levels in the diet.
• GABA functions as a building block of protein in the body
  GABA, just like all the other amino acids, is one of the building blocks of all proteins in the body, which not only include muscles, but also all the other proteins required for normal function of the body.
• GABA is manufactured in the body from glutamic acid
  Even if the diet is in short supply of GABA, the body can make as much as it requires, from the amino acid glutamic acid (as long as there is adequate intake of this amino acid in the diet).

GABA is a non-essential amino acid, which means the body can metabolise (or make) it from the essential amino acids. It is not necessarily required in high levels in the diet

GABA’s benefits

• GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to calm the brain
  GABA is an amino acid neurotransmitter of an inhibitory nature, which means it calms the brain and ensures moods are less volatile. GABA balances high levels of excitatory neurotransmitters and relaxes the mind.
• GABA is required to enable the body to sleep well
  GABA is vital to ensure the body calms down and enables sleep. GABA is directly involved with the thalamus’ function in enabling sleep. In fact, GABA’s impact on sleep are so important that medications to help people sleep (sleeping tablets) are manufactured to target the GABA receptors so that they induce sleep in those experiencing insomnia.
• GABA ensures the nerves in the brain function correctly
  GABA also ensures that all the neurons in the brain function correctly, by ensuring they accept and act upon the the signals sent to them, which are to decrease activity and inhibit nerve cells from over-firing. GABA prevents anxiety and stress-related messages from reaching the motor centers of the brain by occupying their receptor sites, thus blocking these sites from the neural impulses.

GABA and health

• Promote better sleep – GABA promotes relaxation and induces better sleep by easing anxiety
• Epilepsy – a link has been made to low GABA levels and epileptic seizures in some patients. In these cases, extra GABA appeared to inhibit nerve cells in the brain from firing and setting off seizures.
• Chronic pain – stress can aggravate pain, making it feel worse. As a natural stress-reducer, GABA supplements can help to relieve the intensity of pain and as it reduces the pain-related nerve impulses to make the sensation of feeling pain a lesser experience
• ADHD – GABA is effective in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Depression – some evidence suggests that GABA may have mood-elevating properties
• Panic attacks – it has been suggested that a shortage of GABA may cause panic attacks, since an intake of tranquilizers can decrease the level of GABA in the body
• PMS – GABA may also be effective in treating PMS (premenstrual syndrome) in women

Talk to a medical professional about GABA supplements before taking them

GABA is an amino acid neurotransmitter of an inhibitory nature, which means it calms the brain and ensures moods are less volatile

GABA recommended daily intake (RDI)

There is no current recommended daily intake or tolerable upper intake for GABA.

Therapeutic dosage

There is a therapeutic dosage for GABA, which is the most that can be safely taken for a short period before supplementation produces side effects:

• Adults: 250mg-500mg per day (divided into equal portions)

Supplementation of GABA should only be taken in smaller doses through the day and not in one huge supplement. The higher levels of GABA should only be taken under strict medical supervision because supplementation at very high levels may cause some side effects in some people.

GABA food sources

The best (but not the only) food sources of GABA are the following:

• Almonds
• Whole wheat
• Mackerel
• Halibut
• Whole grain oats
• Beef liver
• Walnuts
• Rice bran
• Lentils

GABA exists in a whole range of foods in a number of foods groups, so it is easy to obtain in the diet

Groups at risk of GABA deficiency

The brain normally produces all the non-essential amino acid GABA that is required, but unfortunately, due to poor diet, exposure to environmental toxins, or other factors, levels of GABA may become depleted and so many people may be deficient without even realising it.

The following are the only people who may be at highest risk of experiencing a deficiency of GABA:

• People on low protein diets
  People who are on low protein diets may become deficient not just in GABA but all of the amino acids (and especially the essential amino acids) if their protein intake is not sufficient.
• People who are malnutritioned or starving
  People who are malnutritioned or starving are not not be eating enough foods to sustain health and will not be getting enough of not just GABA but also all the amino acids (and especially the essential amino acids).

GABA deficiency symptoms

Symptoms of GABA deficiency include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Palpitations

People with any of these symptoms should seek advice from their medical practitioner to determine if GABA supplementation is required.

GABA works best with

• Folic Acid
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
• Vitamin H (Biotin)
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Taurine

GABA cautions

Certain groups of people should not take GABA supplements:

• People taking sleeping tablets
• People taking any type of sedating medications
• People with liver or kidney disease
• People with any type of medical condition
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

GABA has a sedating effect on the body, so when it is used in combinations with other sedating prescription medications (sleeping tablets, codeine, anti-nausea medications) it can cause excessive drowsiness and other dangerous side effects.

In addition to this, people taking GABA supplements for the first time should not drive or operate machinery until the extent of the sedative effect of GABA is established.

Toxic levels of GABA

While GABA may be essentially non-toxic, it can produce some toxicity at doses greater than 2000mg per day.

Overdosage and toxicity symptoms

Toxic levels for GABA have not yet been established, but very high doses can cause the following side effects:

• Mild gastric problems
• Nausea
• Numbness around the mouth
• Shortness of breath
• Tingling in the extremities

Medications and supplements

At the time of writing this article (May 2008), there were no well-known interactions between GABA and any medications.

People who are taking sleeping tablets of any type should seek advice from their doctor before trying GABA supplements.

Other interactions with GABA

There are none reported.

GABA’s effect on lab tests

There are none reported.

References

1. Osieki H. The Nutrient Bible. Everything You Need to Know About Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Enzymes – Even Toxic Metals. BioConcepts Publishing QLD. 2002