| Herbs & Supplements:

GABA
Sources/Requirements | Therapeutic Dosages | Therapeutic Uses | Safety Issues | References

Alternate Names
• Gamma-aminobutyric Acid
Proposed Uses:
• Hypertension
Probably Ineffective Uses
• Anxiety; Insomnia; Stress

The substance gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter, a chemical used by the human nervous
system to send messages and modulate its own function. GABA acts in an inhibitory manner, tending to cause
nerves to “calm down.” Drugs in the benzodiazepine-receptor-agonist (BzRA) family (a family that includes true
benzodiazepines such as valium, as well as related drugs such as Ambien or Lunesta) exert their effect by
facilitating the ability of GABA to bind to receptor sites in the brain. This in turn leads to relaxation, relief from
anxiety, induction of sleep, and suppression of seizure-activity.

Unfortunately, when GABA is taken orally, GABA levels in the brain do not increase, presumably because the
substance itself cannot pass the blood-brain barrier and enter the central nervous system. 1 For this reason, oral
GABA supplements cannot replicate the effect of tranquilizing drugs, even though they work through a
GABA-related mechanism. GABA supplements can affect the peripheral nervous system, however, as well as
any other part of the body not protected by the blood brain barrier. Some evidence suggests that orally ingested
GABA might cause physiological changes that lead to benefit for hypertension.

Sources/Requirements
GABA is not a required nutrient and it is not found to any extent in food. However, certain probiotics in the
Lactobacillus family can be induced to produce GABA as they ferment milk and soy products. 8 GABA
supplements can also be created entirely synthetically.

Therapeutic Dosages
In the best designed study of GABA for reducing blood pressure (described below), the dosage used was 10 mg
daily.

Much higher dosages are sometimes recommended by alternative practitioners for treating anxiety or insomnia, as
high as 1000 mg daily, in the (probably vain) hope that some tiny amount of this orally ingested GABA might
make it into the brain.

Therapeutic Uses
As noted above, GABA is still sometimes recommended for treatment of anxiety and insomnia, but it is almost

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certainly ineffective for these purposes.

However, evidence from animal studies 2-6 and preliminary studies in humans 1,7
hint that GABA supplements
can reduce blood pressure.

In the best of the human trials, 39 people with mild hypertension were given either a fermented milk product
providing GABA at a dose of 10 mg daily, or placebo, for 12 weeks. 1 The results indicated that GABA modestly
decreased blood pressure levels. However, this study was small and suffered from significant problems in design.
Additional research will be necessary before GABA can be considered an effective treatment for high blood
pressure.

Safety Issues
No serious adverse effects have been associated with the use of GABA. Nonetheless, comprehensive safety
studies have not been performed. Maximum safe doses in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people
with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established.

References [ + ]
1. Inoue K, Shirai T, Ochiai H, et al. Blood-pressure-lowering effect of a novel fermented milk containing
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mild hypertensives. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:490-495.

2. Hayakawa K, Kimura M, Yamori Y. Role of the renal nerves in gamma-aminobutyric acid-induced

antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Eur J Pharmacol. 2005;524:120-125.

3. Hayakawa K, Kimura M, Kasaha K, et al. Effect of a gamma-aminobutyric acid-enriched dairy product on the
blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Br J Nutr. 2004;92:411-417.

4. Hayakawa K, Kimura M, Kasaha K, et al. Effect of a gamma-aminobutyric acid-enriched dairy product on the
blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Br J Nutr. 2004;92:411-417.

5. Hayakawa K, Kimura M, Kamata K. Mechanism underlying gamma-aminobutyric acid-induced

antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Eur J Pharmacol. 2002;438:107-113.

6. Yamakoshi J, Fukuda S, Satoh T, et al. Antihypertensive and natriuretic effects of less-sodium soy sauce
containing gamma-aminobutyric acid in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem.
2007;71:165-173.

7. Hirata H, Kimura M, Nakagawa S, et al. Hypotensive effect of fermented milk containing

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in subjects with high normal blood pressure. Journal of the Japanese Society
for Food Science and Technology. 2004;51:79-86

8. Park KB, Oh SH. Production of yogurt with enhanced levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid and valuable
nutrients using lactic acid bacteria and germinated soybean extract. Bioresour Technol. 2007;98:1675-1679.

Last reviewed September 2009 by EBSCO CAM Review Board

Last Updated: 09/01/2009

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