Posted by Larry Hoover on March 23, 2007, at 9:48:46
In reply to GABA to replace neurontin?, posted by platinumbride on March 22, 2007, at 13:15:05
> Would taking gaba alone be a good replacement for neurontin?
Probably not. People seem to vary considerably as to whether they feel a central nervous system effect from oral GABA. Standard wisdom has it that none can cross the blood/brain barrier, but there are too many people reporting anxiolytic effects for this to be dismissed out of hand. Also, as GABA is a natural brain chemical, there are multiple interlinked biochemical systems which modulate and moderate its effects. Drugs do have an advantage in that regard, as they are artificial.
That said, gabapentin (neurontin) has a very short half life, so it may have a similar period of efficacy to oral GABA, if it works for you at all.
> Does it cause cognitive problems?
None that I've heard about.
> Finally, is there a recommended brand and how much does one have to take if anxiety is a SERIOUS issue?
I can't recommend one brand over another, having no experience with different sources. Dose? You're going to have to experiment, and use common sense. If you're vastly exceeding label doses, or frequency recommendations, then I'd suggest this intervention is not appropriate for you.
There are GABA-A receptor co-factors that might potentiate oral GABA. Magnesium and niacinamide both improve receptor sensitivity. With these multiple variables, some experimentation is inevitable.
> Oh - and side effects?
>
> Thanks,
>
> DianeSome people report mild transient tingling sensations. That's all I know.
GABA synthesis depends on vitamin B-6. More specifically, the "activated" form known as pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, also known as P-5-P or PLP. There are known genetic defects in this biosynthesis route, so it is possible that you might have an idiosyncratic metabolic deficiency.
Lar
BTW, iherb has all this stuff. They're one of the cheaper sources. http://www.iherb.com/store/Default.aspx
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:743218
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20070320/msgs/743425.html