The Secret Power of GABA - Elevate Your Health & Mental Well-Being

Alright, brace yourselves for some brainy scientific talk! But don't worry! I'll make sure it's as entertaining as possible because I wouldn't want you snoozing off. So, here's the deal: most folks nowadays are constantly on edge, finding it nearly impossible to chill out. But fear not, because GABA is here to give you some much needed relaxation! It's like a superhero that puts you in relaxation mode and eases your stress. Think of it as the yin to glutamate's yang. Glutamate is like the super excited messenger in your brain, while GABA is like the tranquiliser, mellowing things out.

Now, get this: your brain has this cool trick up its sleeve. It can turn glutamate into GABA, but sometimes this conversion process gets all wonky. When it does, you end up with an overload of glutamate, which causes all sorts of excitement in your noggin. Not the good kind of excitement, mind you. We're talking about symptoms like being jumpy, anxious, moody, and even prone to addiction. It's like your brain is throwing a wild party without your permission.

Now, why does this conversion process sometimes go haywire? It turns out there are a couple of party poopers that mess things up. One is a lack of B6 and magnesium, which are like the wingmen and women supporting the conversion. The other culprit is an enzyme called glutamate decarboxylase, which does the actual glutamate-to-GABA makeover. This enzyme can get punked by infections and chronic stress, so it's not always up to the task. But wait, there's more! GABA deficiency doesn't just mess with your head. It can wreak havoc on your body too. We're talking about gastrointestinal mayhem, like IBS and diarrhoea. There could also be hypertension, tinnitus, chronic pain, migraines, allergies, and a constant need to pee. Oh, and don't forget the lovely side effects of flushing, sweating, salt cravings, and muscle tension. Yep, GABA deficiency is no joke.

Luckily, there are a few ways to give your GABA levels a boost. First off, there are some fancy supplements like N-nicotinoyl GABA and nanoliposomal GABA, along with some herbal helpers like kava and valerian root. But if you prefer a more natural approach, fear not! Exercise is your GABA-loving best friend. And if that's not your cup of tea, you can always turn to the Zen masters' playbook: meditation, mindfulness training, deep breathing exercises, and yoga. These methods put you in that coveted parasympathetic state, where GABA thrives and your stress levels take a nosedive. So, now that you're armed with this GABA knowledge, go forth and find your inner chill! And remember, if life gets too overwhelming, just say, "GABA my stress away!"

In a recent interview, Dr. Scott Sherr, director of integrative hyperbaric medicine and health optimisation at Hyperbaric Medical Solutions, reviews the action of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the role it plays in your physical and mental health.

"I worked with people all over the world, and I worked with clinics all over the world, using hyperbaric therapy as the fulcrum or main focus point of what I do," Sherr explains. "I then gravitated towards a colleague of mine who was working in a foundational approach to medicine called health optimization medicine and practice, which is an educational platform. It's a non-profit that's training doctors and practitioners, including myself, on how to optimize health. And from there I've kind of delved into multiple things, including neurotransmitter balancers like GABA."

Most modern people live in constant fight-or-flight mode and find it hard to relax. GABA helps put you into parasympathetic mode, which is why it helps promote relaxation and stress reduction. Indirectly, GABA can also aid detoxification because detoxification happens during parasympathetic mode.

Serotonin Is Not the ‘Happy Hormone’

Everyone's heard of serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and norepinephrine, which are the brain's popular rock stars. But here's a little secret: GABA is the underground hero, involved in 20% of your brain's neurotransmission. It's like the Darth Vader to your brain's neurotransmitter empire, maintaining balance alongside its rowdy partner, glutamate. Now, serotonin often gets all the credit, being dubbed as "the happiness hormone." But hold on, because that's just a load of baloney. Depression isn't caused by a deficiency in serotonin, so raising its levels with SSRIs might not be the brightest idea. Turns out, elevated serotonin can wreak havoc on your empathy, love, and wisdom, like a joker stealing the show. So, what's the real deal? Well, enter GABA, the unsung hero of the brain chemical world. Depression often shares a cup of tea with GABA deficiency, and giving this system a little boost can be a game-changer. GABA shortages have been linked to anxiety, fear, depression, short tempers, phobias, you name it! It's even cosying up to the unlikely duo of schizophrenia and OCD. Talk about wearing multiple hats! Sure, you might have popped an SSRI for some of these symptoms in the past, but don't be so quick to blame serotonin. Depression isn't its dance partner. In fact, scientific studies have clearly shown that. So, cue the dramatic reveal: it's time to shine the spotlight on GABA and its cast of characters. Next time you feel like you're stuck in a GABA-deficient rut, remember that it's not just your mood on the line. It's your gut health, your migraines, your allergies, and even your salt cravings. GABA's got its hands in everything. So, skip the serotonin party and join the cool kids' club: the GABA party. Your brain will thank you!

Unveiling the Marvels of GABA - Empowering Your Mental Well-being!

GABA, or as I like to call it, the neuron traffic cop, knows how to put those chatty neurons in their place. It's like the bouncer at a rowdy nightclub, keeping the potential troublemakers in check. When GABA binds to its receptor, it's essentially saying, "Hey, chill out! No firing for you!" So, we can consider it the ultimate buzzkill for our overly excitable neurons. But hey, that’s not all! GABA not only plays the role of a postsynaptic neuron, but it's also a master of disguise as an interneuron. Just like that sneaky spy in a thriller film, GABA slips itself in between other neurons, regulating the whole firing circus. Its job is crucial for our brain functions like learning, memory, and skill acquisition. It's like putting a filter on your brain's inbox, preventing unnecessary information from jamming up the works. So, if we want to level up our mental health game, enhancing and balancing the GABA system is the way to go.

And boy, does GABA have an interesting backstory. It starts its journey as glutamine, a humble amino acid. Through some brain magic, glutamine morphs into glutamate, the party animal excitatory neurotransmitter. But then, glutamate decides to take a chill pill itself and transforms into the more Zen GABA. It's truly a one-way street, because GABA doesn't convert back into glutamate. If this conversion process hits a roadblock, you'll experience excitatory-like symptoms as the glutamate starts piling up like a traffic jam. So, if you want your brain to run smoothly without the chaos of excessive glutamate, make friends with GABA. It's like the smooth operator with its sidekicks, vitamin B6 and magnesium. Together, they ensure that your brain stays cool, calm, and collected./p>

Why Glutamate Can't Convert to GABA

Underlying factors that can prevent the efficient conversion of glutamate to GABA include:

• Not enough of the cofactors — B6 and magnesium.
• Not enough of the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase, which is what converts the glutamate to GABA.

Two common issues that inhibit the function of this enzyme are:

• Infection, either acute or chronic.
• Chronic stress causing cortisol and glucocorticoid elevations — When your stress hormones are elevated, you're going to decrease the production of GABA.

You know, I threw in the towel on low carb and intermittent fasting because let's face it, that chronic stress angle is a real buzzkill. Those strategies actually amp up your stress hormones like they're trying out for a spot in a heavy metal band - epinephrine and cortisol take centre stage. But hold the phone, folks! Turns out the ketogenic diet can actually boost GABA production. Yeah, those ketone bodies have a magical effect on balancing things out. But here's the kicker - fasting can drain your GABA reserves faster than a college student chugging cheap beer. And if you don't have much of a GABA stash to begin with, well, let's just say you're playing with fire. Oh, and guess what? Skimping on food can even mess with your gut lining. Yeah, it's like a twisted domino effect. So, I'm just here to wave the flag for optimising mitochondrial function with the right amount of carbs. It's the holy grail for boosting GABA. And to add some spice to the mix, you'll need about 0.7 grams of protein for every pound of your glorious body weight.

Sherr, the wise one, adds, "Hey, you know those people who barely eat anything? Well, they're probably running low on protein. And let me tell you, that means they're also low on glutamine, a super-important amino acid for that gut lining of yours. So, if you're dealing with a leaky gut or some gut infection drama, or even a leaky brain (yeah, that's a thing), you're gonna need some serious amounts of glutamine to convert to glutamate. Because, guess what, your gut cells are guzzling up all that glutamine like it's the gas in their tanks. No fuel, no glory."

Is Oral GABA Effective?

Alright, folks, let's dive into the wild world of GABA supplementation and its impact on our beloved brains. It's a topic that has people debating left, right, and centre, probably because nobody can quite figure out if GABA can actually cross that stubborn blood-brain barrier (BBB). It's like trying to navigate a maze in the dark. Now, here's where things get interesting. The drug industry and mainstream medicine have been throwing money left and right to fund studies that somehow "prove" GABA supplements do zilch for our brains. Hmm, I wonder why? Well, turns out some of the big-shot anti-anxiety meds, like benzodiazepines, are GABA enthusiasts. If you can just pop a GABA supplement to kiss your anxiety, depression, and sleep woes goodbye, then the pharma industry would be crying in their fancy, expensive suits. In addition, companies are even trying to create GABA-based concoctions that supposedly replace our good old pal alcohol. It seems like the industry is playing a dangerous game. How on earth can synthetic alcohol with GABA do its fancy tricks in the brain if good old GABA itself struggles to get past that stubborn BBB? It's a head-scratcher.

According to the wise words of Sherr, alcohol is a GABA receptor enthusiast. It cosies up to the GABA receptor, along with its buddies, benzos, and barbiturates. They all form one big happy family on those receptor sites, enhancing that lovely inhibition we all adore. Ah, sweet, sweet inhibition. But here's the catch - these substances are like velcro on those receptors, and going cold turkey can lead to withdrawal, and in some cases, a farewell to this world. Yikes! But fret not. There are safer alternatives out there. Take kava, for instance. It's been around for ages, enhancing the GABA receptor without causing any sneaky addiction, withdrawal, or tolerance. Honokiol from magnolia bark is another good lot; it prefers to bind to a different site outside the GABA receptor but still does the job. Valerian root is also in the game, cranking up GABA production without directly binding to that receptor. And let's not forget our friend N-nicotinoyl GABA, a fancy combo of vitamin B3 and GABA that sneaks through the BBB like a pro. It's a GABA party in the brain!

Hey, have you heard of nanoliposomal varieties? They might just do the trick because they come bundled up in a cute little fat molecule. And if you're feeling extra adventurous, you can try taking massive doses of GABA itself. Who knows, it might actually do something! But in the real world, if your gut is relatively happy and functioning well, GABA supplements might as well be sprinkled with fairy dust. That's when we whip out the big guns - vitamin B3 attached to GABA. Those allosteric molecules I mentioned earlier? Yeah, they work like magic. Anxiety, stress, and sleep issues? Poof, gone! Now, let's talk about cannabinoids - CBD, CBG, and THC, oh my! Turns out they're also GABA system enthusiasts. But watch out for THC, it can be a bit of a trickster. Sure, it enhances the GABA receptor, but it might also give you a hefty dose of anxiety. Talk about a rollercoaster ride you didn't ask for. But hey, why not go back to basics? Exercise, my friends! It's a good old reset button for that delicate balance between glutamate and GABA. And if sweating it out isn't your thing, meditation, mindfulness training, breathing exercises, and yoga are also GABA boosters. They'll put your body in a cool, calm, parasympathetic state, pumping up that GABA production like nobody's business.

So, there you have it, folks: A wild journey into the mystical world of GABA and its brain-related wonders. Remember, when it comes to GABA supplementation, knowledge is power, and wit is the cherry on top. Stay curious and keep those GABA receptors happy!

The Significance of Carbon Dioxide

Who would have thought that good old carbon dioxide (CO2) could actually be a superhero in disguise? Many folks mistakenly view it as a useless waste product of breathing, but it's actually a multitasking superstar. You see, CO2 does more than just improve oxygen levels and make stress run for the hills. It's all about that delicate balance between our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Now, I used to be all about oxygen. I rocked the hyperbaric oxygen therapy and thought I knew it all. But then I stumbled upon some breath wizards who introduced me to the world of CO2 retention. It was a game-changer. Turns out, if you're hyperventilating like a maniac, your oxygen is held hostage by your red blood cells and can't reach those needy tissues. It's all about the oxygen dissociation curve, which is influenced by factors like CO2 and pH levels. Fascinating stuff!

But here's where CO2 really shows off its smarts. It's not just a blood vessel enlarger, it's like a magician making sure oxygen reaches all the right places. Too little CO2 and those blood vessels constrict, sabotaging your oxygen transport system. So, it's essential to embrace breath work that boosts your CO2 tolerance. That way, your oxygen dissociation curve gets a sweet makeover, and your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems throw an epic party of balance. Talk about stress resilience! It's a breath of fresh air to know that slow and shallow breathing is the secret weapon. Forget the misconception that you need to huff and puff like a marathon runner to get more oxygen. Nope, it's all about keeping it calm and collected. Inhaling through your nose also becomes your superhero move, enhancing your oxygen carrying capacity and turning you into an oxygen distribution master.

So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, embrace the power of breath and let CO2 work its magic. It's time for your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems to coexist in perfect harmony, with CO2 as their trusty sidekick. And hey, let's give a shout-out to GABA too, because it's always there, keeping the parasympathetic vibes strong. Keep breathing!

"It's okay to feel unstable. It's okay to experience chaos. It's okay to be scared, to feel lost, or to feel alone. It's all a part of the healing process - creating a new version of yourself bit by bit." - Melissa-Ann Brigham