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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ConRon on January 7, 2008, at 14:40:20
What supplement can you take to increase GABA?
Posted by Jamal Spelling on January 10, 2008, at 16:47:07
In reply to GABA, posted by ConRon on January 7, 2008, at 14:40:20
According to Ray Sahelian, GABA is made in the brain from glutamate with the help of vitamin B6. It might be a little more complicated than that, though; it always is, lol!
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.
Posted by bleauberry on January 11, 2008, at 18:49:56
In reply to GABA, posted by ConRon on January 7, 2008, at 14:40:20
> What supplement can you take to increase GABA?
I forgot to commment in my last post about glutamate. It may or may not convert primarily to GABA. Actually the conversion process goes back and forth constantly between glutamate, glutamine, and GABA. Depending on genetics it may go strong in one direction and not another. Glutamate for me absolutely does not go to GABA. Indeed glutamate from proteins in food goes into GABA production, but that is only a fraction of what it does. To me glutamate feels anti-GABa pro-caffeine.
Posted by sregan on January 12, 2008, at 22:15:55
In reply to GABA, posted by ConRon on January 7, 2008, at 14:40:20
> What supplement can you take to increase GABA?
Try L-Glutamine, it is a precursor to GABA. You should take with 200-400mg magnesium to block any glutamate that the glutamine might make also (the gaba will do that also). B6 and Zinc are a good idea also. B6 will help dreams/dream memory. If you don't remember your dreams yo need B6.
This is the end of the thread.
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