Trudy Scott: GABA for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety + GABA and theanine for easing anxiety, improving sleep and supporting immunity

If you are having trouble sleeping or just staying calm, or experiencing anxiety, stress and resultant muscle tension, Nutritionist Trudy Scott has some helpful suggestions to help tide you over until your next massage. ~PB

GABA for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety

September 6, 2017 By Trudy Scott 99 Comments

 

 

Today I’m going to review some GABA products for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety, and share some additional resources for you.


The other symptoms we see with low GABA are panic attacks, physical tension in certain settings like public speaking or driving, and the need to self-medicate to calm down, often with alcohol but sometimes with carbs and sugary foods. Insomnia can also be due to low GABA and you’ll experience physical tension (rather than the ruminating thoughts which is the low serotonin type of insomnia – although it’s not uncommon to experience both). GABA also helps with muscle spasms and pain relief when muscles are tight.



The biggest take-aways with GABA:

• Sublingual is best. I find that GABA works best when used sublingually and this is one reason I like Source Naturals GABA Calm so much. If this is not an option (it does contain sugar alcohols that some clients can’t or won’t use and does contain tyrosine which as some contraindications) then opening a capsule of a GABA-only or a GABA-theanine combination are my next choices when working with someone.
  
  
• Start very low and increase as needed. I have found 125mg to be a good starting dose but some pixie dust clients do well on a dab or pinch
  
  
• Do a trial to determine if the anxiety in in fact due to low GABA. I always do this with clients before starting any amino acid. Be sure to read how to do an amino acid trial – it has the low GABA questionnaire, the precautions and information on how to use targeted individual amino acids.
  
  

Here are some of the actual GABA products I recommend and use with clients:

• Source Naturals GABA Calm. This is a pleasant-tasting sublingual product that is my most popular and most effective form of GABA I use with my clients. It contains 125 mg GABA and some glycine, taurine and magnesium, and a small amount of tyrosine to counter the calming effects. You can see the lozenges in the picture above.
  
  
• Nutritional Fundamentals for Health GABA-T SAP: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) 300 mg, l-Theanine 150 mg. This is pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and works very well when GABA Calm can’t be used.  I find best results when it is used opened on to the tongue and I really like that it’s a low dose of GABA. Some of my clients do well with half a capsule. You can see an opened capsule in the picture above.
  
  
• Enzymatic Therapy GABA: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) 250 mg. This is also pleasant-tasting when opened on to the tongue and works very well when GABA Calm can’t be used.  As with all GABA products, I find best results when it is used opened on to the tongue.
  
  
• ProThera 500mg GABA: gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 500 mg.  You will likely need to open this up and start with less than a full capsule during the day and increase as needed based on the trial. A full capsule may be fine at night for some individuals and more than one works in some situations.
  
  

There are a number of other great GABA products. When I reached out on Facebook for feedback I heard from one mom who likes Kirkman Labs GABA with Niacinamide and Inositol for her son who is on the spectrum, and someone else shared she likes Thorne PharmaGABA better than GABA products.


A few people shared this feedback when using GABA: one person felt too tired, someone else felt a niacin-type flush and someone else got an electric shock feeling in her brain. How you respond depends on the dose and with GABA and the other amino acids there is no one recommended dose for anyone. It’s very individualized which is why I have clients do a trial and start low. GABA helps many people tapering from benzodiazepines but some people are so sensitive that even a pinch is too much.


One person asked how to get GABA from food as she is fearful of taking medications and supplements. I always recommend a real whole foods diet with quality animal protein and organic produce, together with health fats and fermented veggies – so this is a great foundation. It may not be enough and when there is fear and phobias I immediately think of low serotonin and would determine if this is a factor an address this first. I covered low serotonin and tryptophan in the product review last week.


Here are some additional GABA resources for you:


Source Naturals GABA Calm™: Why I recommend it for anxiety

It’s a great product to use with children. Trish Soderstrom shared how she used this product with her daughter’s Lyme anxiety.


We’ve used Source Naturals GABA Calm sublinguals with good results. I learned about GABA helping anxiety and because I was treating my young daughter I purchased this because it was easy for her to take.But there may still be some confusion about when to use GABA and when to use tryptophan and how much of each of these amino acids to use.

GABA is calming for me, doesn’t work for my daughter’s anxiety and makes my son sleepy

I have used GABA (several brands, just open capsule and sprinkle small amount under tongue) for years now, with calming results within minutes. It was recommended to me by 2 family members, both bi-polar, who were tested by Dr. Amen. I have also used it with my children (now adults); my daughter says it doesn’t work for her. (She has anxiety issues and occasional panic attacks, and Rescue Remedy helps her.) It does work to calm my 3 sons, but one says it makes him sleepy, and lasts into the next day, so he won’t take it.

GABA for children: ADHD, focus issues, irritability, anxiety and tantrums

My daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD but has a lot of ADHD qualities. We were having a huge amount of behavior problems as she is getting older (she’s 11). I did some research and went to the health food store and bought a bottle. At this point I was mentally exhausted from all the fighting and drama at home and at school. I was desperate and didn’t want to put her on any hard medication.


She has had amazing behavior at school and at home since giving it to her. She’s almost like different child. GABA has truly changed our life. She’s been taking it for almost 2 months.

The blog has many other posts on GABA and serotonin and simply use the “search” function to find them.


This blog post is part of the series of amino acid product reviews:

• Tryptophan for low serotonin (worry-in-the-head anxiety)
• Glutamine for calming, intense sugar cravings, gut healing and low blood sugar
• DPA for weepiness, pain and comfort and reward eating
• Tyrosine for focus, motivation, energy, a good mood and possibly even anxiety

The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and taking the amino acid supplements:


There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.


You can find the GABA products and the others I recommend here on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements



I’d love to hear what GABA product has worked for you and how it’s helped?



If you have questions please post them below or on the supplements blog

 

Additional Anxiety Resources Click on each image to learn more https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-physical-tension-stiff-tense-muscles-type-anxiety/? GABA and theanine for easing anxiety, improving sleep and supporting immunity March 20, 2020 By Trudy Scott 24 Comments Stress and anxiety suppresses immunity and so does poor sleep. One root cause of anxiety and poor sleep can be low GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) levels.  When you boost low levels of GABA (the neurotransmitter) with the amino acid GABA (it has the same name as the neurotransmitter) or theanine (another amino acid), you feel calmer and you sleep better, and you indirectly support your immune function too. We also have research that directly supports the role that GABA and theanine may play when it comes to improving immune function. This paper, Psychological Stress, Immunity, and the Effects on Indigenous Microflora, describes the field of PsychoNeuroImmunology which - has clearly demonstrated that the physiological response to psychological stressors can   - dramatically impact the functioning of the immune system, thus identifying one way in which - susceptibility to or severity of diseases are exacerbated during stressful periods. It’s important that we keep all this in mind as we deal with the coronavirus pandemic and during other times when we may be exposed to infections. The authors also share that psychological stressors impact the microbiome contributing to increases in markers of inflammation even when there is no infection. As you may recall from the recent Anxiety Summit 5: Gut-Brain Axis there is a bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, with poor gut health having a direct impact on anxiety levels. The sleep-immunity connection Here is some of the research supporting the sleep and immunity connection: The Bidirectional Relationship between Sleep and Immunity against Infections Sleep is considered an important modulator of the immune response. Thus, a lack of sleep can weaken immunity, increasing organism susceptibility to infection. Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption Sleep abnormalities affect immune function in a reciprocal manner, leading to changes in proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukins 1 and 6, and C-reactive protein. The multitude of systems that react to sleep loss suggest effects beyond the central nervous system and include total body functioning. The GABA and theanine anxiety-immunity connection Here is some of the research supporting the more direct role GABA and theanine may play when it comes to immune function (and act as a relaxant and anti-stress nutrient at the same time): Relaxation and immunity enhancement effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration in humans GABA could work effectively as a natural relaxant and its effects could be seen within 1 hour of its administration to induce relaxation and diminish anxiety. Moreover, GABA administration could enhance immunity under stress conditions. L-Theanine as a Functional Food Additive: Its Role in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion A number of recent studies have suggested that theanine administration can improve the body’s immune system….one particular study highlighted the use of theanine as an intervention to decrease the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms via enhancing gamma and delta T-lymphocyte function. The authors cite one study where “administration of 200 mg theanine was found to have an “anti-stress” effect on pharmacy students” and “regulate dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain through the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.” The  low GABA type of anxiety When you have the  low GABA type of anxiety you’ll feel physically tense and overwhelmed, fearful and not be sleeping well. You may lie in bed stiff and tense and may also have unwanted thoughts and experience monkey-mind. It’s common to self-medicate with alcohol to stay calm or you may also use carbs to relax. When you use the amino acid supplement GABA, you get quick and very effective relief – when it’s used sublingually. Already using GABA/theanine or have used it in the past? If you are already using GABA or theanine you may find you need extra during this time of added stress.  You don’t want to make the mistake of thinking “This is serious, I need to double-up.” The best approach is to monitor your low GABA symptoms and consider using an extra dose during the day or possibly more at night or possibly more at each dose. Use the trial method to monitor your response. Someone in my facebook community said she was conserving her GABA and noticed her anxiety was creeping back up. Now is not the time to cut back on GABA. If you’ve found benefit from GABA or theanine in the past but are not currently using it you may very likely feel the need for the additional support right now. New to low GABA anxiety symptoms and using GABA/theanine? If you suspect low GABA symptoms and are new to using the amino acids and do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in to taking supplements: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. (get it out of the library if you’re watching your expenses.) There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.  If you’re not a reader there is now also an audible version. Here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and additional information on Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary Please also read and follow these Amino Acid Precautions. This lists The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. Stay tuned for the webinar I’ll be hosting and until then check out my interview on the Best Sleep Ever Summit. We may also make the GABA Quickstart online group program (with Facebook support and a live Q and A) available if there is enough interest. In summary, anxiety and sleep deprivation are not good for your immunity, and theanine and GABA can ease anxiety, improve sleep AND enhance immunity. With the expected surge in coronavirus cases, I do hope this has helped you to connect the dots. From our garden to you … a little “bouquet of hope” as you navigate this awful time. I’m thinking of you self-isolating and sheltering-in-place and appreciating you if you are working in a hospital or doing other essential work! Please share your experiences with GABA and theanine and feel free to ask questions. Let us know if you were aware of the connections to immune function and if you’ve noticed your immune system is stronger when using GABA or theanine? https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-and-theanine-for-easing-anxiety-improving-sleep-and-supporting-immunity/ Additional Anxiety Resources Click on each image to learn more Filed Under: Anxiety Tagged With: anxiety, Coronavirus, GABA, immune function; questionnaire, immune system, immunity, microbiome, psychological stressors, Psychoneuroimmunology, serotonin, sleep, stress, theanine About Trudy Scott Food Mood Expert Trudy Scott is a certified nutritionist on a mission to educate and empower anxious individuals worldwide about natural solutions for anxiety, stress and emotional eating. Trudy is the author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings and host of The Anxiety Summit now in its 4th season and called a “bouquet of hope.” Trudy is passionate about sharing the powerful food mood connection because she experienced the results first-hand, finding complete resolution of her anxiety and panic attacks. About Trudy Scott Food Mood Expert Trudy Scott is a certified nutritionist on a mission to educate and empower anxious individuals worldwide about natural solutions for anxiety, stress and emotional eating. Trudy is the author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings and host of The Anxiety Summit now in its 4th season and called a “bouquet of hope.” Trudy is passionate about sharing the powerful food mood connection because she experienced the results first-hand, finding complete resolution of her anxiety and panic attacks. ~~~