Posted by bleauberry on January 11, 2008, at 18:44:50
In reply to GABA, posted by ConRon on January 7, 2008, at 14:40:20
> What supplement can you take to increase GABA?
GABA itself. Theories say it does not cross the brain barrier. Yet quite a few doctors give it to their patients and it works. So who knows. To me, it feels like it gets in the brain for sure. Much research deals with rats. They have quite different brain barriers than humans, so what happens with a rat is not direct evidence it also happens with humans. But they often report it that way anyway.
Picamilon. This is a nootropic drug sold mailorder that is a bond of niacin and GABA. Somehow the niacin guarantees brain entry. I was calm and relaxed as could be on this stuff, though the effect was delayed a day after my dose. Weird.
L-theanine. An amino acid extracted from green tea. It makes GABA in the brain, as well as dopamine. I only tried it once, when trying to calm down a lexapro induced anxiety attack. Theanine turned it into a full blown panic attack. I react strange. Most people find theanine very relaxing and that is what it is for.
Other things that act similarly to GABA and do similar functions are glycine, magnesium, taurine. I think it is NOW Foods that has a supplement with all of them in it.
Valerian. Doesn't actually increase GABA, but makes your GABA work better. Other good ones are Passionflower, Skullcap, Lemon Balm.
poster:bleauberry
thread:804850
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080110/msgs/805784.html