GABA Buyer's Guide

WEAK EVIDENCE

There are limited human studies on isolated GABA supplementation.

• GABA (in rice germ) at 75mg and 300 mg has MODERATE EVIDENCE for sleep (PubMed)(PubMed)
• GABA (sports drink) at 100mg or 1 g has MODERATE EVIDENCE for reducing body temperature (PubMed)(PubMed)
• GABA has WEAK EVIDENCE for stress at 100 mg (PubMed)
• GABA has WEAK EVIDENCE for mood at 100 mg (PubMed)
• GABA has WEAK EVIDENCE for attention at 800 mg (PubMed)

Recommended Products

USP Approved Supplements

There are no USP Approved GABA supplements.

NSF Approved Supplements

There are no NSF Approved GABA supplements.

Informed Sport Approved Supplements

There are no Informed Sport approved GABA supplements.

Informed Choice Approved Supplements

There are no Informed Choice Certified Approved GABA supplements.

Other Good Options

• Thorne Research, Pharma GABA-100
• Thorne Research, Pharma GABA-250
• NOW Foods, GABA, 750 mg, 100 Veg Capsules
• NOW Foods, GABA, 750 mg, 200 Veg Capsules
• NOW Foods, GABA, Pure Powder, 6 oz (170 g)

Other Options for those with dietary limitations

• Solgar Kosher GABA 500 Mg is Kosher

For Athletes

Verdict

We don't recommend athletes to use GABA for sleep benefits. No banned substance tested GABA products are available on the market.
For non-athletes, it may be useful to know that there is limited human research on the benefits of GABA supplementation. Almost all studies examine the effects of foods containing GABA, including tea or many fermented drinks. Anecdotally, there are benefits for sleep and relaxation, and GABA appears to be safe, but the literature does not support this with robust evidence (PubMed).

Best Product for Athletes

There are no banned substance tested and label accuracy verified supplements for athletes.

For general use, we recommend Thorne Pharma GABA as it is manufactured according to TGA regulations (Australia Therapeutic Goods Association).

How to take

Studies have used 20 to 300 mg, but there is no optimal known dose. Studies finding benefits for mood have ranged from daily dosage of 75 to 100 mg.

Warning

GABA may have sedative effects at higher doses. GABA is likely safe when used at dosages of 75 mg to 1.5 grams per day for up to one month but long term use has not been examined (PubMed)(PubMed)(PubMed). A dose of above 100 mg can be considered high as even 100 mg can have sedative effects.

For Healthcare Practitioners

Mechanism of Action

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). GABA binds to GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors in the brain. It is also found in the pancreas, some immune cells and the gastrointestinal tract.
In the brain, GABA is synthesized via the decarboxylation of glutamate by glutamic acid decarboxylase (PubMed). Other sources of GABA include spermine, putrescine, spermidine and ornithine, which produce GABA via deamination and decarboxylation reactions. Dietary intake of GABA can be achieved through germinated beans, brown rice, barley, kimchi (PubMed), fermented milk (PubMed) and fermented fruit juices (PubMed).
Oral ingestion can ameliorate the rise in core temperature at rest and during exercise in hot conditions (PubMed)(PubMed).

Interactions

Drug Interactions

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS
GABA may increase the effects of antihypertensive drugs.
Study 1: In those with mild hypertension given a fermented milk product containing GABA, blood pressure was reduced significantly compared to placebo group.