How to Increase GABA Naturally- The Complete Guide
Do you have trouble sleeping? How about anxiety or panic attacks? If so, there is a good chance that your GABA neurotransmitter levels are low. This article will discuss how to naturally increase GABA neurotransmitters with lifestyle choices, diet, and supplementation. We will also cover what symptoms may occur if GABA levels are too high or too low.
Table of Contents
What is GABA?
GABA, also known as gamma-aminobutyric acid. Is a neurotransmitter that works to relax the body, including the muscles. (Jorgensen E. M., 2005) One way you could relax and increase your GABA is through traveling and going to a relaxing environment that is not only exciting but also therapeutic!
Neurotransmitters are the cells in your brain that communicate and cause you to feel happy, anxious, sad, angry, etc. They also communicate with the rest of the body to help you function properly. They are named based on the location of the cells.
A lack of GABA can cause weight gain, because GABA supports Leptin production making you feel full ans satiated.
What stimulates GABA release?
The best way to naturally increase GABA is through relaxation.
It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that causes you to relax, helps reduce insomnia and signs of depression. (Ngo, D. H., & Vo, T. S., 2019)
This may be achieved by practicing meditation, getting a massage, or listening to music. If you are feeling stressed out, try taking a hot bath with Epsom salts and lavender oil added in for an even more relaxing effect.
Doing some yoga stretches can also help calm the mind while strengthening the muscles at the same time!
Other ways of increasing GABA release include being around people that you love, spending time outside on nature hikes, and staying away from stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine which can actually cause GABA levels to drop over time.
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How much does diet affect GABA?
A healthy balanced diet high in proteins but low in carbohydrates will promote optimal nervous system function including helping neurotransmitter production.
Gut bacteria are able to produce GABA, therefore eating pre-biotic and probiotic-rich foods can help increase GABA production in the gut.
The best pre-biotic & probiotic foods are:
- bananas (prebiotic)
- onions (prebiotic)
- garlic (prebiotic)
- Kefir (probiotic)
- sauerkraut (probiotic)
- kimchi (probiotic)
What happens if GABA levels get too high?
Too much GABA can cause sedation or sleepiness.
An excess of GABA neurotransmitters may also manifest itself in muscle weakness, slow breathing rates (less than 12 breaths per minute), and hypotension which is low blood pressure.
How do you know if your GABA levels are becoming too high?
One way to tell that there might be an issue with elevated GABA would be excessive yawning during the day followed by drowsiness soon after. If this occurs it should become a priority to decrease one’s exposure to things such as alcohol
What causes a GABA deficiency?
Causes of GABA deficiency may include a poor diet, alcohol consumption, and common prescription medications.
How do you know if your GABA levels are low? If an individual feels irritable or restless when they can’t sleep at night this is a good indication that their neurotransmitter levels should be checked. Another symptom would be feelings of panic attacks which leads to rapid breathing rates (more than 16 breaths per minute) with little exertion
How much GABA does the body produce naturally each day?
The average adult produces roughly 70mg-100mg of GABA on their own. This amount will fluctuate depending upon what time it is throughout the day though due to bodily functions such as digestion slowing down during sleep.
Does exercise increase GABA?
Yes, research has shown that both aerobic and anaerobic exercises will increase GABA levels in the body. How much does exercise affect neurotransmitter production? One study showed a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms when participants engaged in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
Side effects:
Some people may experience drowsiness or fatigue after taking GABA supplements even with the dosage taken early in the day.
How do you know if your GABA is too high? If one experiences excessive sedation after taking a dose then they should consult their physician about how to lower these levels through diet changes such as decreasing caffeine intake while increasing protein consumption which can help maintain healthy nervous system function without side effects
What is the best form of GABA to take?
Supplemental forms of GABA are available in capsule or tablet form.
If you are having trouble sleeping, research shows taking a GABA supplement with L-Theanine (amino acid) is effective for improving the quality of sleep by increasing the amount of NREM sleep individual experiences.
GABA and Theanine together increase your NREM sleep.
Anxiety sufferers typically have issues sleeping and they have poor sleep quality, therefore the combination of GABA with L-Theanine is a great combination for anxiety sufferers to take at night before bed. (Papadimitriou, G. N., & Linkowski, P., 2005)
- GABA, L-Theanine & Ashwagandha are calming and help improve sleep, relaxation and overall stress response
- GABA, Taurine, Inositol & L-Theanine
What foods promote GABA neurotransmitter production the most?
Foods that contain large amounts of glutamate (the precursor to GABA) include eggs, beef liver, and almonds.
What supplements increase GABA in the brain?
Certain supplements have been shown to increase GABA levels in the brain. How much does GABA help with depression? In a study involving rats, those that were given magnesium showed significant improvement of symptoms within two weeks as compared to control subjects who did not receive this supplement.
How do you restore GABA receptors? How long does it take?
There isn’t a way to restore the receptors, however, GABA levels can return back to normal through dietary changes as well as supplementation.
References:
Jorgensen E. M. (2005). GABA. WormBook : the online review of C. elegans biology, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1895/wormbook.1.14.1
Ngo, D. H., & Vo, T. S. (2019). An Updated Review on Pharmaceutical Properties of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 24(15), 2678. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24152678
Papadimitriou, G. N., & Linkowski, P. (2005). Sleep disturbance in anxiety disorders. International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 17(4), 229–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540260500104524
Originally posted 2021-09-14 03:33:31.
Megan Santiago
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