By: Griffin McKenzie  
Entrepreneur, Health Coach, and Blogger 

@griffinmckenzie
www.griffinmckenzie.com

GABA, or Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, is a key ingredient in our SleepIQ and Anxiety IQ supplements for good reason; this neurotransmitter is known to reduce the symptoms of insomnia and anxiety by sending messages in between the brain and nervous system. In fact, it is used in many clinical anti-anxiety drugs, as well as in natural supplements to mitigate the symptoms of ADHD, insomnia, depression, and anxiety, and premenstrual syndrome by calming the nervous system and decreasing inflammation (1).

To dig even deeper, when the GABA content is low in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), high anxiety levels are present because this region of the brain plays an important role in emotional processing (2). GABA also plays a role in functional movement and movement disorders, as the right concentration of GABA produces a muscle relaxant effect. When we’re less tense, we also have more control over the way we move (3).

GABA is truly one of the body’s biggest regulators of emotions such as fear, anxiety, and depression, and when it is lacking, our body processes and our daily functionality are at risk. Obviously, we cannot prevent all of the external circumstances that produce some of these feelings, but we can do something about the way our body reacts to said circumstances. By consuming GABA in natural supplements, we are stimulating these neurotransmitters and helping them perform the chemical messages that allow us to combat anything that life throws our way.

 

References:

  1. https://draxe.com/gaba/

  2. Delli Pizzi, S., Padulo, C., Brancucci, A., Bubbico, G., Edden, R. A., Ferretti, A., & … Bonanni, L. (2016). GABA content within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is related to trait anxiety. Social Cognitive And Affective Neuroscience, 11(5), 758-766. doi:10.1093/scan/nsv155

  3. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/gaba-what-is-it