After noticing GABA being mentioned in a few videos by author, thinker, and chronic fatigue survivor Howard Bloom, I decided to give it a try. What I’ve noticed is:
- Improved sleep quality (deep sleep, and I remember my dreams),
- Faster workout recovery,
- Feeling less amped up.
I’ve even started to see more color and depth in the world, and have had some intense experiences where the entire area I’m in appears to me as a scene in a film. Rather than focus narrowly on some aspect of existence, I’m experiencing more of it all at once, and people are even saying I’m taking better pictures.
The truth is that I have always run hot – literally. My body temp is always high, and I can’t sleep at night without a fan blowing on me in a cold room. (Since my wife doesn’t like the room cold, I use a Chili Pad mattress topper for my side of the bed.)
When you look around at people in high stress, deadline-driven professions, you see a lot of stressed out people who have heart attacks too soon. You don’t see many optimistic and upbeat filmmakers and journalists, do you? Everyone looks sick, and this is due to an overexcited central nervous system.
For me, de-stressing is a key to life, and I regularly go to saunas to detox and do Wim Hof breathing. GABA is the latest powerful addition to my life-long-while-raising-hell mindset.
- Disclaimer: This is what I do personally. This isn’t advice. Check with your doctor. Read Gorilla Mindset.
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is sold as over-the-counter supplement that reduces neuronal excitability. GABA is used by people in high-stress professions to reduce stress. Some people take 500 milligrams throughout the day to mellow out and be more social. I tried this and didn’t notice any results, and had given up on GABA other than as a sleep aid.
Then late one night I watching videos by one of my favorite authors, Howard Bloom. Bloom said he began using high doses of GABA to fight chronic fatigue and for anti-aging purposes.
Bloom is one the most insightful thinkers in America today, and he’s mostly under the radar. When Howard talks, I listen.
I picked up a bottle of GABA and upped my dose. Any reputable supplement company will have GABA, and I generally buy Jarrow and NOW Foods branded supplements.
The first time I took a single dose of 2 grams, I hit the bed hard. It felt like someone tranquilized me, in a good way. I started taking an additional 2 grams on top of the 500 milligram dose that’s in Gorilla Dream.
After a couple of weeks of using 3-5 grams of GABA daily, I noticed my body recovered faster from workouts. This was unexpected as I hadn’t done any research into GABA before trying higher doses. There’s some research indicating that GABA may increase levels of human growth hormone. See, “Growth hormone isoform responses to GABA ingestion at rest and after exercise.”
- It could also be that GABA leads to deeper sleep, thus improving recovery in a mechanism differently from an HGH boost. I’m not interested in a bunch of Internet experts arguing in the comments over this stuff.
I’ve also been more mindful and present.
GABA is not Gabapentin, which Howard Bloom uses and credits with saving a friend’s life.
GABA is an over-the-counter supplement. Gabapentin is a drug. Watch Howard Bloom explain why Gabapentin and GABA work.
You’ve heard of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, But the most miraculous brain elevator of them all may be something no one has ever mentioned tp you. It’s called GABA.
Watch Reverse Your Aging with Howard Bloom.
If you know someone with deep depression or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, please look into Gabapentin.
(Which, again, is different from GABA.)
A lot of people who read my stuff reached out to me once they saw I had been using GABA, as they use Gabapentin in their own lives.
Again, this isn’t medical advice from me or any of the doctors I talked to. And I don’t use Gabapentin, so this isn’t even my first-hand experience. (I’m only sharing what others have told me.)
It breaks my heart when I read about people like Avicii committing suicide. How can we reach people who have a reason to live, when their own brain chemistry is lying to them?
If someone is so low that he or she is willing to die, why not try something else first?
How many suicidal people even know about Gabapentin? How many doctors know people are using it off label to treat depression and anxiety and feelings of low self worth?
Did I notice any side effects from GABA?
My breathing slows down about 30 minutes after taking 3 grams, and my skin would tingle. It feels like a mild niacin flush. Drowsiness hits me hard, and I only take GABA at night. Many sleep aids have a small amount of GABA (around 100 milligrams), which isn’t enough to have an effect on sleepfulness. 250-500 milligrams is better.
What’s the bottom line of GABA?
For me, 500 milligrams is a relaxing sleep aid. Most over the counter sleep aids skimp on the GABA, which is sleazy to do as GABA is an inexpensive ingredient.
Others use GABA throughout the day to become more social and relaxed. That approach doesn’t work for me, and any dose of GABA taken during the day makes me drowsy.
I prefer to take more than 500 milligrams, and take 2-3 additional grams of GABA (Now Foods brand) along with my Gorilla Dream before bed.
GABA has been a game-changer for me, and I suggest others do their own research to decide for themselves if GABA is right for them.
I’ve never taken any supplements or anything like that in my life but I feel like I am missing out on something.
Where do I even begin?
call a naturopathic physician
You need to start with Green Maeng Da Kratom!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trust me it will be the best decision you ever make in your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
never trust anything preceding more than one exclamation mark
Stay away from kratom
Stay away from kratom
I have insomnia and have just started gaba. I’m taking 750 milligram. It relaxes me but still having problems. I will get the narrow or now brand next.
Any updates on side effects? I take 750 before bed and it knocks me out cold.
I’d be interested in what side-effects occur. Also what happens if you stop taking it? Like if you ran out and didn’t take it for a day or two or longer ( perhaps if you traveled to a different country and couldn’t find any).
I’m trying to wean myself off Gabapentin with Gaba and VitB12
What happens if you take GABA long term? LIke long past the 12 week max limit…
I don’t know man, live your own life and figure it out.
Well that’s a scary reply. Gabapentin is incredibly addictive and can cause life threatening seizures on withdrawal (just like benzodiazepines). I don’t think that’s the case with GABA but it sure might be worth looking into before you possibly get hooked
GABA and Gabapentin are not the same. Re-read the article.
He’s not a doctor. He just wrote an article. Do your own research. He’s not your personal Google search engine
Why would you write an article for everyone to see then reply to someone’s question with such a douchey remark as “I don’t know man. Live your own life and figure it out..”? What ever happened to human kindness? Perhaps a better response could be… “Thanks for reading my article. I don’t know the answer to your question, but hope you find what your looking for.”
Gaba has almost saved my life. I’ve taken it for several years. I was desperate. MIke C. I so appreciate your sharing of your experiences which confoirm mine. I’ve had insomnia since I was 9 & my brother & sister died in a fire (the night before my 9th birthday). Your reply seems so dismissive and lacking in empathy and rude that it caused me to question the context of your information Maybe you didn’t mean it that way but why talk (type) that way to anyone ?
Your a jerk! Everyone needs to stop reading anything you write. If you answer in this manner you don’t care about your readers. So A-Hole we don’t give a rat’s A** about you.
Geez. Scary response is an understatement for someone who writes public information on the internet. I’m tapering off it before the 12 weeks and I’m feeling fine. If you don’t here back from me I guess I’m fine. I found your article informative otherwise.
Fab article. I believe that GABA doesn’t pass the BBB (Blood-Brain-Barrier) – however, there are GABA binding sites within the gut or thereabout. I do believe the stories regarding GABA. I have tried 1 gram and felt nothing. I shall try 3.
Cheers.
I have tried various doses of the NOW brand 500mg GABA, for sleep, with no effect! Why does this work for some people and not others?
I was in a deep depression so i took gaba 1000 mg to get out of it now i have insomnia no matter what i take it increases serotonin which causes more insomnia i think any suggestions?
GABA is actually a different neurotransmitter than seratonin. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter and seratonin helps with mood, appetite and sleep.
Try using 5-HTP to boost seratonin and see if that helps. Also melatonin is a natural sleep hormone that is available OTC, so that might be worth a shot.
I was given gabapentin due to leg pain. If taken early in the evening before bed it would knock me out. No dreams. Refreshed. To take it later then try to sleep left me like a zombie all day.
I purchased GABA supplement to try and sleep. I was charged by horrible demons all night and was exhausted by morning trying to survive the dreams.
I’m frankly afraid to try it again!
Gabapentin caused demonic nightmares for myself (I had to stop, they were that bad). I just started taking Gaba about a week ago with no such problems. It doesn’t make me pass out but it does relax me.
I have taken gaba on and off. I take anywhere from 2-5 750 mg pills throughout the day. It’s supposed to increase hgh. I notice a slight difference.
I assure you that gabapentin doesn’t have withdrawals anything like benzodiazepines. I am on both for seizures and if gabapentin has withdrawal symptoms they are 2 mild to notice.
I have tied Gabapentine with no success. I now use GABA 750mg. but I believe
that I will need to increase to 1,000mg. To get more hours sleep.
Give Baclofen a try. Works for me. Sleep, mood and digestion issues better while on it.
I’ve been on Gabapentin 1200 x 3 / day for my leg pain (2 BIG surgeries), for about 5 years.
If you tell people that Gabapentin doesn’t give you withdrawals, you’re SO wrong!
When I ran out my meds, and my prescription is empty, I’m f**ked!
And when it’s 3:rd day, runny nose, chills, throwing up, insomnia,
cold/hot hot/cold chills, damn big anxiety, leg pains (feels like it’s in my bones)..etc etc..
When my doctor renewed my prescription I was throwing up in the morning at 7 am.
I quickly ran in to the bus, to go to my nearest pharmacy, and chewed up 3 x 600mg, and 15min was totally normal.
So, these withdrawals are exactly the same, or even worse than of opiates, and I have been addicted
to opiates many years…(now on Suboxone treatment), but I’ve tried many many medications to my
nerve pain, and ONLY this helps me, so I don’t complain. Just have to be careful with my meds and prescriptions.
I live in Finland, and this is how it works here. If you don’t check regularly your prescriptions online,
to get a new script and ran out of meds… PURE HELL is going to wait you, and I’m SURE I’m NOT the only one with these symptoms. All the people I know, who have to eat these, warns the same.
Have insomnia. Is it sage to take 3 grams of GABA before going to bed.
How hard is it for people to ask a doctor, try out 500 mg a night, see how that works, and then try some more.
Decent article but you seem like a real prick.
I had been taking gabapentin for nerve damage after many surgeries. My whole life I had suffered from crippling depression and other symptoms often related ( I’ll spare everyone the sad pathetic details no one really wants to read). I had been taking it two years before it was canceled by my doctor and I lost my health coverage so finding a new doctor who will has been impossible. Anyways while I was on it my life significantly improved as my mental health issues were much less prominent. Now all of them are back. And I want to die again. I know you said GABA and gabapentin are different but it seems like you are getting SOME of the same benefits from GABA that I was having when I was taking gabapentin. I’m going to try. Please, everyone pray it works for me. I’m lost again and I don’t want to be.
How did it go??
If gabapentin or gabba makes people as rude and unnecessarily vile
as Mike Cernovitch. I think I’ll find an alternative.
He writes an interesting article then blatantly abuses his readers. What sort of idiotic person behaves like that to perfectly nice people. Manners cost nothing and if he must attract attention by airing his views then for goodness sake have the common courtesy to engage with people in a civilised manner.
I found gabba after researching alternatives to Celexa and the like. My son had a near death experience at 11 years of age. I was not happy at the thought of my little boy taking such a serious medication but it gave his mind and spirit peace. Until 6 years later when the forewarned negative side effects came. I took my gabba research to his neuro-psychologist and asked if this could be a safer course of treatment. He gave me the go ahead to try gabba instead of the gabapentin he was going to suggest. I’m thankful that gabba has been a success. My son takes his supplement in the morning with breakfast. He has A.D.H.D. so this method works best for him. He still takes clonidine at night for sleep. Melatonin in external aide didn’t work for him. I discovered Hyland’s homeopathic sleep aides to be a better fit. They work fast. They work well and don’t leave him in a mental fog when he wakes up. I also take the sleep aide and have never slept better. I’m not a Dr nor am I trying to pimp products. I’m just a blessed mom who wants to help leave this world and the life within it better than I found it.