Gaba dosage for weight loss

Health Benefits, Safety Information, Dosage, and More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Health Benefits

The most important function of GABA is in our brain. When GABA levels get too low, it’s difficult for the body to relax after a stress-induced neurotransmitter release. Low GABA activity leads to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mood disorders.

GABA is a natural brain relaxant that makes us feel good. But GABA can also help with the prevention and treatment of other health issues.

Anxiety Management

Multiple studies have been conducted to determine how GABA can be used to treat anxiety.

In one clinical trial, researchers used EEG to measure participants’ brain waves after taking either GABA or a placebo. Just one hour after taking GABA, they saw a significant increase in alpha waves, which caused feelings of calm and relaxation.

Controlled Hypertension

The effects of GABA can be used to stabilize blood pressure in people with hypertension. High blood pressure is a factor that affects your risk of having a stroke, heart attack, or heart failure.

One study examined how GABA lowered the blood pressure of adults with diagnosed hypertension. Participants took varying doses of GABA and monitored their blood pressure levels over eight weeks. Those taking 80 milligrams of GABA per day saw a significant drop in blood pressure.

Lower Obesity Risk

Obesity is a serious health condition that affects nearly 40% of Americans. It is responsible for an increased risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis. In a study done in Korea, researchers looked at GABA’s possible ability to lower the chances of developing obesity in people.

Participants received either GABA or a placebo and abstained from exercise for eight weeks. GABA supplements caused a reduction in body fat and triglyceride levels while increasing lean muscle mass.

Health Risks

GABA is produced naturally in the body, and GABA supplementation is considered safe. There are no reported drug interactions. However, there isn’t enough research to conclude that GABA supplements are 100% safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

To be completely safe, talk to your doctor before adding GABA supplements to your daily routine for any reason.

Amounts and Dosage

The recommended dosage of GABA varies by age, gender, and condition. Follow directions on product labels and check with your doctor to make sure the dosages are appropriate for you.

You can find GABA in a few food sources such as spinach, sweet potato, kale, and broccoli. Other foods help boost GABA production in the body, such as:

Barley
Beans
Peas
Rice

GABA and Fat Loss - Fat’s Newest Enemy

GABA daba doo!! Come on! We couldn’t resist channeling the Flintstones for a second. Now, that’s out of our system. Let’s talk about GABA or Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid.

This naturally occurring amino acid may promote fat loss while helping other health problems like epilepsy. We’ll give you all of the information you need to decide if taking a GABA supplement is right for you.

GABA Explained

GABA is a chemical in the body that works as a neurotransmitter to inhibit cells from sending and receiving messages. It works together with other neurotransmitters like serotonin and glutamate that allow cells to send and receive messages. The delicate balance between GABA and these neurotransmitters will enable the brain to function correctly.

For example, when you are in a stressful situation, neurotransmitters allow messages to your brain to increase excitement. For you to deal with a problem, GABA blocks messages to cells in the central nervous system to calm you down.

The balance between the two helps you understand your situation without overloading your brain to the point where you can’t deal with the stress.

By blocking messages between cells, GABA is known for having a calming effect on the body. It can relieve stress and anxiety while helping with sleep quality. In comparison, low levels of GABA can cause issues like epilepsy, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

GABA is made naturally within the body but is found in certain foods too. Foods like spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and kale are some of the best resources for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA).

GABA and the Human Growth Hormone

The benefits of GABA go beyond relaxing the nervous system. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research showed that GABA supplements increased the human growth hormone serum levels and muscle protein synthesis in twenty-one healthy adult males over 12 weeks.

Two groups were considered, one receiving only whey protein, while the other had whey protein plus GABA supplements. At the end of the trial, the group with the combination of whey protein powder and GABA supplements had a more significant increase in whole body fat-free mass.

What does this mean for fat loss?

This evidence may suggest that GABA affects metabolism due to higher levels of the human growth hormone secretion when taking GABA supplements. This process has shown an increase in lean body mass and a lowering of body weight in some studies. With increased muscle mass and weight loss on the table, GABA supplements are a favorite among bodybuilders. These supplements and exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy work together to create lean muscle mass and less body fat.

According to Bradford Lowell, the senior author of a paper published in Nature Neuroscience, body weight maintenance consists of three stages–sensory input from the brain, environmental factors mixing with that sensory input, and the brain making adjustments for food intake and energy spent. That said, increasing levels of GABA, which affects the sensory information to the brain and the human growth hormone, may lead to better body composition as you lose fat and build muscle mass.

GABA and Sleep

An essential ingredient for weight loss is sleep quality. Not only does GABA enhance lean mass by igniting the human growth hormone, but it also relaxes the central nervous system, which results in better sleep. Sleep allows muscle recovery from strenuous workouts, but it may also play a role in better metabolism and increased hormones like leptin that make you feel full, leading to fewer hunger pains.

Regarding sleep, read here for our review on Wellthy, a nighttime fat burner. You can also find this supplement in our best nighttime fat burner article.

GABA to the Rescue!

GABA supplements might be an excellent addition to your fitness regimen to increase lean body mass and weight loss.

While its benefits of lowering blood pressure and effects on diabetes are still being studied, its impact on the central nervous system to reduce insomnia and anxiety are reason enough to incorporate it into your diet. The added benefit of fat loss tip the scales even further, in the right direction, of course!

Will GABA help you lose weight and recover from depression?

Is it true that GABA (GABA) tablets will help to get rid of excess weight, anxiety and worry? Answered by endocrinologist Olesya Bruslik, specialist in dietary supplements and vitamins, author of the @dr. bruslik blog.

The neurotransmitter GABA (GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a substance that transmits signals from one nerve cell to another. These signals are calming, relieving anxiety from nerve cells, allowing the brain to rest peacefully, and we can sleep peacefully. nine0007

In the Broken Brain series, Datis Kharisian, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that GABA, one of the 4 substances, the violation of the synthesis of which will make our life dull.

With a lack of GABA, a person is in constant anxiety, the brain is constantly working, but not productively - a kind of restless mind.

In addition, people with depression have lower levels of this substance than people with good mental health. Anxiety disorders, insomnia, panic attacks are also more likely to occur with a lack of GABA. nine0007

GABA for weight loss

But many of you are not reading this article to learn how to relieve anxiety. And because of what you heard - GABA increases the production of growth hormone, which does just incredible: reduces fat and increases muscle mass!

But here with GABA everything is not easy. Thirty-year-old studies say that the level of growth hormone when taking GABA increases significantly! However, in more recent studies, it turns out that it is not the well-studied type of growth hormone that helps to lose weight and build muscle mass that increases, but other, less studied ones, which are not even clear what they affect. There is another catch: in some studies, in a large number of subjects, taking GABA increased not only growth hormone, but also prolactin. And this hormone will not help you lose weight. It works to increase fat mass. Which hormone will dominate when taking GABA is not yet known. And whether it is possible, in principle, to lose weight and build muscle while taking this neurotransmitter is also not clear from the studies. nine0007

GABA for depression and anxiety

How about treating anxiety and sleep problems with GABA? That's bad luck, the brain blocks the flow from the outside of such substances that can radically change its work. Therefore, GABA almost does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier. And it does not have a pronounced sedative effect.

But do not despair! Scientists have outwitted our brains! They found a way to bypass the blood-brain barrier - to supply GABA precursors to it, which will pass the barrier and transform into the amino acid we need, anxious. These precursors include a couple of prescription drugs that I won't list here, and L-theanine. nine0007

Another way to bypass the blood-brain barrier is to give a huge dose of GABA. The protective functions of the brain are not unlimited. According to research results, the maximum inhibition of GABA when entering the brain from the outside is 80%. This means that when taking a neurotransmitter in a very large amount (in studies from 2 to 4 g per day), even a small, but still “working” dose will enter the brain. The younger the patient, the greater this incoming dose will be.

Total:

So far, there is no evidence that GABA tablets will definitely help you lose weight and get rid of anxiety. If you do not want to wait for new research to clarify this issue, I will give you some advice. nine0007

Dose of GABA at least 2 g per day (doses from 2 to 4 g appear in studies, with an average of 3.75 g). Start with a minimum dose of 500 mg, then gradually increase the dose.
GABA with vitamin B6 is recommended.
Best taken after a workout. There is a study that talks about the growth of growth hormone at rest (without any training), but so far there is only one such study.
I recommend GABA Now Foods, 500 mg. It combines GABA with vitamin B6 in one capsule. GABA, Now Foods, 750 mg - also 200 capsules per pack, but the dose is already much higher - 750 mg. Enough 3-4 capsules per day. nine0034
GABA is a dark horse. Its fat burning effect has not been proven. But for the precursor of gamma-aminobutyric acid - L-theanine - there is such evidence. Therefore, with great pleasure for fat burning, I will advise you exactly it. A good dose is 200 mg per capsule.

But most importantly, try to maintain healthy GABA levels naturally.

Beneficial bacteria are responsible for GABA receptors. Therefore, in the first place, avoid foods that injure the intestinal microbiota. Feed her a variety of greens, colored vegetables and berries, nuts, fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha). Eliminate trans fats, harmful vegetable oils (sunflower, flaxseed, grapeseed, corn, rapeseed), gluten and sugar. nine0007

And if your nerves are shattered, drink green tea - a natural source of L-theanine, from which GABA is built.

More about vitamins and dietary supplements - on page @dr.bruslik.

dosages, what to combine the supplement with, side effects

Supplements based on GABA (or GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid) were actively used by athletes, but soon “ordinary” people became interested in them. The secret is that, on the one hand, GABA stimulates the synthesis of somatotropin, a growth hormone, which makes it effective for building muscle mass and reducing subcutaneous fat. On the other hand, gamma-aminobutyric acid is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps our brain calm down and relax, and at the same time fall asleep faster. nine0007

Why GABA supplements are needed

What effects do athletes get from GABA?

Growth hormone stimulation has an anabolic effect on muscle tissue, in other words, the muscles begin to actively grow.
On the other hand, growth hormone triggers the fat burning process, which improves relief and helps to lose weight.

What are the benefits of GABA for those who are not actively involved in sports?

Reduces mental arousal and makes it easier to fall asleep.
Improves cellular respiration and blood supply to the brain.

Taking GABA supplements has a positive effect on brain function, improving memory and mental clarity.

How to take

You should start taking the supplement with 500-1000 mg, then the dosage can be increased to 4 g. The visible effect is achieved from 2 g after a week of administration.

It should be borne in mind that it is best to take a GABA supplement before bed or after a workout, but not in the morning, as this may affect performance. nine0007

Important! GABA in addition to aminobutyric acid must contain vitamin B6. A deficiency in this vitamin can impair both the performance and absorption of a GABA supplement.
In the absence of vitamin B6 in the GABA complex, side effects can be observed in the form of increased nervousness and heart palpitations. You should be aware of other effects associated with the use of large doses: tingling in the limbs, breathing problems, increased heart rate.

At the first negative symptoms, the dosage should be reduced to 2 g. nine0007

The course should last up to 2 months, then you can take a two-week break.

Matching

In addition to B6, GABA can be taken along with 5-HTP, as well as magnesium and zinc, which are responsible for activating GABA receptors.

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