GABA anyone?
 

Has anyone used or currently using the supplement GABA? If so, how long and with what results? And what kind-I have found tablets, capsules, lotions that absorb into your skin, even lozenges that dissolve under the tongue!

I ask because it is one of the main inhibitory neurotransmitters and may help calm things down. For every article I find that says it doesn't easily cross the BBB, I find another that says it does! Aahh!

I tried it briefly some time back. It seemed to conflict in some way with the meds. However, it has been a long time and I am not sure that I was using plain GABA as opposed to a formulation that included other ingredients. So, give it a try but watch for conflicts.

Gaba and Valerian
 

I have used 1 tablet of Gaba (Source Naturals 750 mg) and 2 capsules of Valerian (Now 500 mg) in combination as a complete substitute for Clonazepam over a period of the last 5 years to relieve feelings of panic, anxiety, and racing thoughts brought on by stress. Clonazepam worked well for me but I found it extremely addicting and easily abused. Clonazepam also resulted in feelings of slight depression. Gaba and Valerian proved as effective without undesirable side effects. Increased dosage of Gaba and Valerian result in sleepiness which can be a beneficial side effect in my mind. Gaba and Valerian also share Clonazepams benefits on muscle and pain problems.

Currently Gaba and Valerian are standard bedtime for me and "if and as needed" during the day.

I tried GABA for the past 3 months, but didn't notice any difference in symptoms, so I stopped a week ago. I'm a badly trained white rat with no sense of clinical discipline, so I've tried most every supplement that is mentioned favorably on Neurotalk. Sometimes all at one time. Do let us know if you have a favorable result. Jon

oops
 

LFAC,

i was reading and accidentally hit the thank you button...to your post. Not that you aren't genuinely appreciated, just wanted to explain it coming after so many replies. lol

paula

Hi,
From what I read, GABA doesnot cross Blood Brain barrier. It enters brain if BBB is damaged and if there are any leaks. However, a few papers say that a small fraction does get transported across the BBB, via a carrier. GABA is also used as a crude test to see if BBB is intact. If you feel the effects of GABA: BBB is leaky! Ron has done quite bit of research on BBB and he may know more about GABA transport. I wonder if we survey pWPs here on the use of GABA, may be we get the answer to a million $$ question(Ron's hypothesis) "Is BBB intact in PWPs?" I will wait till Ron gets back from his vacation......

girija

GABA and the BBB
 

Hi Girija,
Sorry for delay, only just back from vacation.
I have no information about GABA, which is gamma-aminobutyric acid.
I did a quick search, and came across one statement that " GABA does not cross the normal BBB".
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...asp?Doi=101274
Very interesting that they say "normal" BBB. Implying that it does cross a defective one. However, Wilkipedia says, "it is unknown whether GABA can pass the blood-brain barrier.

I feel there is confusion in the literature about what does and does not pass "the BBB" What is the permeability of a "normal healthy BBB"? Do all healthy people have an exactly identical BBB permeability, say 100? I think not, no more than we are all exactly 6 feet tall. There will be a bell shaped curve in both the heights of a group of people and their BBB permeability.
I believe the normal human rules apply, and healthy people will AVERAGE around say 100. People with PD, and those about to show PD, will be on the high side, say 130 to 150. Remember the permeablity increases with aging, so those on the right hand side of the graph will tend to be older. So when a reference says, X crosses or does not cross the BBB, they should qualify their statement with a permeability measurement.
This explains why there is so much contradiction in the literature on what passes and what does not. As Lurking says,
"For every article I find that says it doesn't easily cross the BBB, I find another that says it does! Aahh!!"

Ron
PS The Dutch scientist Prof.Leenders has shown the BBB's of PWP are defective, high in permeability, ref in my report.

Thanks Ron. How was your vacation? Hope you had a great time in Venice! I have beautiful pictures of my daughter at St Mark's square, completely covered by pigeons and the stunned look on her face. Thats all comes to my mind when I think about Venice!!! If you are upto it, please tell us about your vacation, it would be a great diversion from all the serious talk that is going on here these days!!

Girija