17 replies to this topic

[teemi]

Has anyone tried taking GABA for anxiety? Thanks!

[FiveNotions]

Good question.... I haven't tried it ... Am using chamomile tea for now, with a bit of damiana leaf added in .....

Here are a couple of threads discussing GABA from this site ....

https://www.cymbalta...better/?hl=gaba

https://www.cymbalta...=gaba#entry5160

Here's a discussion from the Social Anxiety Forum site
http://www.socialanx...f56/gaba-84147/


This article has some interesting points, but don't go out and buy GABA without researching it fully yourself and getting input from others on this list .... Don't let yourself make Anxiety-based decisions about self treating :-)

http://pro.psychcent...ty/002711.html#

[teemi]

Great, thanks! I definitely don't want to add anything I don't need; my system is stressed enough! 

[FiveNotions]

Hi teemi .... Look into l-theanine (suntheanine) as an alternative .... One article I read indicates that it's a precursor to GABA and may be easier to tolerate .... It's found in green and black tea .... But to get high enuf concentrations for therapeutic effects it's taken as a supplement ....

This is an old article, but it may get you started on what to research ....

http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/417

I bought a small bottle of theanine today, 100 mg capsules .... I'm not feeling so great today however, so I'm going to wait until I'm better before trying it .... For me it wld be for a sleep aid, I think .... I'll try just one capsule the lowest dose first ... If it works, I'll post here to share with you and others...

[equuswoman]

Has anyone tried taking GABA for anxiety? Thanks!

 

No sorry I am no help with this.

[FiveNotions]

On another discussion today, Fishinghat told me that, just as there are different types of depression. Which respond to different types of ADs, there are different types of anxiety ....

Rather than just trying any of the various supplemts that may help anxiety, willy nilly, maybe reading up on the types and seeing which one, ore several, you feel you have ....

Here's some basic info on the types of anxiety from NIMH
http://www.nimh.nih....ers/index.shtml

And here's an article that wld benefit me ... It says GABA inhibits dopamine ... So It would be a bad choice for me, as I have dopamine-deficient depression ....
http://www.news-medi...uppression.aspx

GABA for anxiety - does it work?
http://overcomingyou...ba-for-anxiety/

"Before you decide to take a GABA supplement, you might want to learn more about GABA and even more, how different types of anxiety might respond differently to a GABA supplement."

Natural anxiety remedies- Different types of anxiety need different remedies
http://overcomingyou...nxietyremedies/

[fishinghat]

Five Notions, great job. I forgot about NIMH. They can be a great source of info.

[fishinghat]

I would strongly urge anyone suffering from anxiety to read the NIMH info. Please note that the center for anxiety in the brain is the hippocampus. Then if you look at the last article I posted yesterday you will see why it was so important. The ssris change the shape and function of the nerve cells in the hippocampus, causes release of glutamate (the strongest excitatory neurostimulator" and once the medicine is removed which blocks the glutamate , then all heck can break loose. And as we all know nerve cells heal slowly.I really think that paper is going to result in ALOT more research in the next few years and lead to a much better understanding of long-term effects and the dangers of ssris.

[FiveNotions]

This article discusses GABA, serotonin, acetylcholine and serotonin ..... I like the way it's organized, simple description of what role each of these play along with a list of which foods to eat for each one....doesn't, however, discuss supplements....

http://www.huffingto...o_b_175323.html

[gail]

Hi FiveNotions,

 

I read one of your post and you mentionned that you suffer from dopamine deficiency depression. Tell me, how did you find this out? Could it be that Wellbutrin would have been better for you?

 

I've been on lexapro 4 months, nada. On Cymbalta 4 months, nada. I've always wondered since my dad had Parkinson, dopamine deficiency, maybe it's not related, but could it be that I would have responded better on Wellbutrin?

 

Questions and questions, sorry, curious to know how you found out about the dopamine deficiency.

 

Thanks, Gail

[FiveNotions]

I was just researching 5-HTP, and found this on GABA..... The site as a whole has a lot of great info., see esp. It's index of all the supplements, with links....

http://wholehealthmd...85E884AC&tier=2

[gail]

Good question.... I haven't tried it ... Am using chamomile tea for now, with a bit of damiana leaf added in .....
Here are a couple of threads discussing GABA from this site ....
https://www.cymbalta...better/?hl=gaba
https://www.cymbalta...=gaba#entry5160
Here's a discussion from the Social Anxiety Forum site
http://www.socialanx...f56/gaba-84147/
This article has some interesting points, but don't go out and buy GABA without researching it fully yourself and getting input from others on this list .... Don't let yourself make Anxiety-based decisions about self treating :-)
http://pro.psychcent...ty/002711.html#

Interesting about Gaba. After researching it myself, Gaba pills are worthless. They don't cross the blood brain barrier.

Other suppliments disguised as Gaba do.

Phenibut and Picamilon. As for Picamilon, added to the Gaba molecule is vitamin B3, once Picamilon is in, the B3 goes away, leaving pure Gaba behind.

As for Phenibut, sorry, my research goes this far.

Also, Nootropus, supplements, can also reduce anxiety, improve mood, decrease stress and help with sleep.

Those Are the effects associated with increasing !evels of Gaba in the brain.

I'm just saying and copying this from an article. Please do your own research. I do believe in Gaba for anxiety as I've been on Gabapentin for almost a year, and it made an extreme difference.

[fishinghat]

I totally agree with your information Gail but would like to point out one thing. Gaba stands for gamma-Aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Gabapentin stands for 1-(aminomethyl) cyclohexaneacetic acid. It is a totally different medicine. Gabapentin is a synthetic compound that is FDA approved for neuralgic pain and seizures.

[gail]

Fishinghat, different medicine with the same effect on anxiety though?

Doesn't GABApentin stand for the same Gaba found in the disguised Picamilon?
Now I'm mixed up. I was real happy to bring this up, not so sure now. Thanks Sir!

Reread your answer, if I understand correctly, Gabapentin is no Gaba? Or no Gaba in Gabapentin? Oh my God! Looking forward to your answer Sir.

[fishinghat]

"Fishinghat, different medicine with the same effect on anxiety though?"

As you know there are dozens of anxiety medicines and most use different control mechanisms. What is so interesting in your case is that Gabapentin is not approved for anxiety and there have only been rare cases of it being successfully used to control severe anxiety. One thought is that gabapentin is designed to control seizures which are often the result of genetics. Some of these same genes may also cause some of the treatment resistant anxiety therefore in those genetic cases you may see a anxiolytic effect. Still definitely theoretical.

"Doesn't GABApentin stand for the same Gaba found in the disguised Picamilon?"

No. The Picmilion and Phenibut refer to gaba (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) while Gabapentin refers to 1-(aminomethyl) cyclohexaneacetic acid.


Reread your answer, if I understand correctly, Gabapentin is no Gaba? Or no Gaba in Gabapentin? Oh my God! Looking forward to your answer Sir.

 

Exactly correct Gaiul. You got it.

[gail]

Thank you Sir!

Sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner, my tablet died and came back to life today.

The No Gaba thing is quite a shock, there is something in Gabapentin that takes away anxiety for myself, for sure as it's like day and night for me. Doesn't touch depression though.

The good news is that I no longer have pain, in the last 5 days, tapering hydromorphone, yeah!
From 11 mg to 8 mg now. No problems at the moment. Well, while it lasts, the no pain thing. I hope to take it only as needed.

Down to 2 mg Valium. Going well. Should be clean in one month. The news of the day!

[fishinghat]

Doing great Gail. Congratulations. Hang in there.

[KathyInFL]

Down to 2 mg Valium. Going well. Should be clean in one month. The news of the day!

 

 

Great post, gail! I'm all out of likes for the day but I just wanted to say hi!