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|Herbs&Supplements:
GABA
Sources/Requirements|TherapeuticDosages|TherapeuticUses|SafetyIssues|References
AlternateNames
•Gamma-aminobutyricAcid
ProposedUses:
•Hypertension
ProbablyIneffectiveUses
•Anxiety;Insomnia;StressThesubstancegamma-aminobutyricacid(GABA)isaneurotransmitter,achemicalusedbythehumannervoussystemtosendmessagesandmodulateitsownfunction.GABAactsinaninhibitorymanner,tendingtocausenervesto“calmdown.”Drugsinthebenzodiazepine-receptor-agonist(BzRA)family(afamilythatincludestruebenzodiazepinessuchasvalium,aswellasrelateddrugssuchasAmbienorLunesta)exerttheireffectbyfacilitatingtheabilityofGABAtobindtoreceptorsitesinthebrain.Thisinturnleadstorelaxation,relieffromanxiety,inductionofsleep,andsuppressionofseizure-activity.Unfortunately,whenGABAistakenorally,GABAlevelsinthebraindonotincrease,presumablybecausethe
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substanceitselfcannotpasstheblood-brainbarrierandenterthecentralnervoussystem. Forthisreason,oralGABAsupplementscannotreplicatetheeffectoftranquilizingdrugs,eventhoughtheyworkthroughaGABA-relatedmechanism.GABAsupplementscanaffecttheperipheralnervoussystem,however,aswellasanyotherpartofthebodynotprotectedbythebloodbrainbarrier.SomeevidencesuggeststhatorallyingestedGABAmightcausephysiologicalchangesthatleadtobenefitforhypertension.
Sources/Requirements
GABAisnotarequirednutrientanditisnotfoundtoanyextentinfood.However,certainprobioticsinthe
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LactobacillusfamilycanbeinducedtoproduceGABAastheyfermentmilkandsoyproducts. GABAsupplementscanalsobecreatedentirelysynthetically.
TherapeuticDosages
InthebestdesignedstudyofGABAforreducingbloodpressure(describedbelow),thedosageusedwas10mgdaily.Muchhigherdosagesaresometimesrecommendedbyalternativepractitionersfortreatinganxietyorinsomnia,ashighas1000mgdaily,inthe(probablyvain)hopethatsometinyamountofthisorallyingestedGABAmightmakeitintothebrain.
TherapeuticUses
Asnotedabove,GABAisstillsometimesrecommendedfortreatmentofanxietyandinsomnia,butitisalmost
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certainlyineffectiveforthesepurposes.
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However,evidencefromanimalstudiesandpreliminarystudiesinhumanshintthatGABAsupplementscanreducebloodpressure.Inthebestofthehumantrials,39peoplewithmildhypertensionweregiveneitherafermentedmilkproduct
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providingGABAatadoseof10mgdaily,orplacebo,for12weeks. TheresultsindicatedthatGABAmodestlydecreasedbloodpressurelevels.However,thisstudywassmallandsufferedfromsignificantproblemsindesign.AdditionalresearchwillbenecessarybeforeGABAcanbeconsideredaneffectivetreatmentforhighbloodpressure.
SafetyIssues
NoseriousadverseeffectshavebeenassociatedwiththeuseofGABA.Nonetheless,comprehensivesafetystudieshavenotbeenperformed.Maximumsafedosesinyoungchildren,pregnantornursingwomen,orpeoplewithsevereliverorkidneydiseasehavenotbeenestablished.
References[+]
1.InoueK,ShiraiT,OchiaiH,etal.Blood-pressure-loweringeffectofanovelfermentedmilkcontaininggamma-aminobutyricacid(GABA)inmildhypertensives.
 EurJClinNutr.
2003;57:490-495.2.HayakawaK,KimuraM,YamoriY.Roleoftherenalnervesingamma-aminobutyricacid-inducedantihypertensiveeffectinspontaneouslyhypertensiverats.
 EurJPharmacol.
2005;524:120-125.3.HayakawaK,KimuraM,KasahaK,etal.Effectofagamma-aminobutyricacid-enricheddairyproductonthebloodpressureofspontaneouslyhypertensiveandnormotensiveWistar-Kyotorats.
 BrJNutr.
2004;92:411-417.4.HayakawaK,KimuraM,KasahaK,etal.Effectofagamma-aminobutyricacid-enricheddairyproductonthebloodpressureofspontaneouslyhypertensiveandnormotensiveWistar-Kyotorats.
 BrJNutr.
2004;92:411-417.5.HayakawaK,KimuraM,KamataK.Mechanismunderlyinggamma-aminobutyricacid-inducedantihypertensiveeffectinspontaneouslyhypertensiverats.
 EurJPharmacol.
2002;438:107-113.6.YamakoshiJ,FukudaS,SatohT,etal.Antihypertensiveandnatriureticeffectsofless-sodiumsoysaucecontaininggamma-aminobutyricacidinspontaneouslyhypertensiverats.
 BiosciBiotechnolBiochem.
2007;71:165-173.7.HirataH,KimuraM,NakagawaS,etal.Hypotensiveeffectoffermentedmilkcontaininggamma-aminobutyricacid(GABA)insubjectswithhighnormalbloodpressure.
 JournaloftheJapaneseSociety forFoodScienceandTechnology.
2004;51:79-868.ParkKB,OhSH.Productionofyogurtwithenhancedlevelsofgamma-aminobutyricacidandvaluablenutrientsusinglacticacidbacteriaandgerminatedsoybeanextract.
 BioresourTechnol.
2007;98:1675-1679.LastreviewedSeptember2009byEBSCOCAMReviewBoardLastUpdated:09/01/2009AllEBSCOPublishingproprietary,consumerhealthandmedicalinformationfoundonthissiteisaccreditedby
Page2of3Copyright©2009EBSCOPublishing.Allrightsreserved.
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