GABA: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Other name(s)
Beta-Phenyl-Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid
Scientific name(s)
Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
Family or group:
Amino acids
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Stress ✪✪✪✪✪
Preliminary clinical research suggests that taking a single oral dose of 100-200 mg GABA 10-70 minutes before the end of a mentally stressful task attenuates the reduction of alpha waves and reduces the increase of beta waves on the EEG during the test compared to placebo. However, GABA does not seem to affect subjective stress measures.
Posologie
Orally
100 - 200 mg
High blood pressure ✪✪✪✪✪
Clinical studies have shown that consuming 100 ml of fermented milk containing 10 to 12 mg of GABA at breakfast for 12 weeks reduced systolic blood pressure by about 17 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by about 7 mmHg from baseline in hypertensive patients. Compared to patients treated with placebo, these reductions were significant. Other clinical research has shown that taking a chlorella supplement containing 20 mg of GABA twice daily for 12 weeks reduced systolic blood pressure compared to placebo in hypertensive patients.
Posologie
Orally
10 - 12 mg
12 weeks
Epilepsy ✪✪✪✪✪
Preliminary clinical research shows that taking a combination of 2,500 to 3,000 mg GABA and 500 mg phosphatidylserine per day for 3 to 8 months reduces seizure frequency compared to placebo in patients with absence seizures, but not partial or complex seizures.
Posologie
Orally
2500 - 3000 mg
8 months
Synergies
Properties
Neurological
GABA exerts anticonvulsant effects at the cellular level. Consequently, GABAergic drugs, or those that enhance GABA activity, are used to treat epilepsy. However, GABA supplements do not seem to be effective anticonvulsants because GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier when administered orally or systemically. On the other hand, GABA may have neuroprotective effects. In animal research, the excessive release of neurotoxic glutamate after cerebral ischemia was improved by exogenous GABA, probably through increased GABA(B) receptor activity.
Usages associés
Cardiovascular
Clinical research results suggest that taking GABA may decrease blood pressure. In animals, antihypertensive effects have been demonstrated from GABA-enriched tomatoes, green tea, rice, soy, and fermented milk. The exact mechanism of GABA's antihypertensive effect is unclear. Some animal research suggests it might inhibit angiotensin II without acting on the angiotensin I-converting enzyme. However, other animal research suggests GABA's hypotensive effect could be due to increased sodium excretion.
Usages associés
Anxiolytic
Endogenous GABA exerts sedative and anxiolytic effects at the cellular level. Thus, the effects of exogenous GABA are not yet clear. Indeed, when administered orally or systemically, GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier. However, research claims its anxiolytic effect when administered intravenously in a dose-dependent manner. Also, some clinical research suggests that oral GABA intake can induce a 'lack of alertness' in healthy individuals.
Sedative
GABA(A) receptors have an established physiological role in sleep. Many sedative pharmacological agents used to treat insomnia target GABA(A) receptors. GABA agonists seem to exert sleep-promoting effects at the level of the hypothalamus, a brain region associated with sleep. Moreover, the effects of GABA supplements are not as clear. When administered orally or systemically, GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier, so it seems unlikely to have sedative effects.
Safety dosage
Adult from 18 years: 10 mg - 3000 mg (dry extract)
GABA has been used safely at doses up to 3000 mg for 8 months.
Interactions
Médicaments
Antihypertensive: moderate interaction
Some clinical research shows that GABA can lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Theoretically, concomitant use with hypotensive drugs could increase the risk of hypotension.
Precautions
Pregnant women: avoid
Gamma aminobutyric acid should be avoided in pregnant women due to a lack of reliable information.
Breastfeeding women: avoid
Gamma aminobutyric acid should be avoided in breastfeeding women due to a lack of reliable information.
