Thinking about Therapy?
Take our quiz to see therapists who are a good match for you.
Take our quiz to see therapists who are a good match for you.
Acid has been a big topic of mental health and mental health treatments lately, but unfortunately this is not the kind of “acid” we are discussing today. Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid (GABA) is an amino acid that acts as a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter both in the brain and the spinal cord. GABA’s job is to inhibit neuronal firing, or in other words block impulses between nerve cells, and keep things from getting overactive. If there is not enough GABA in the system it has been linked to problems such mental health disorders, neurological diseases, epilepsy, and chronic pain. Today, we will focus on mental health and its relation to GABA.
When there is enough GABA in the brain it keeps things balanced and calms and brain and nervous system. The human body creates GABA, and its partner glutamate (which helps to produce GABA), but it is also present in some foods and plants. There are also supplements (herbal and non-herbal) that can increase GABA as well. In the psychology world there are different theories to what causes mental health issues. One of these theories is that inhibitory or excitatory neurotransmitters become out of balance and cause a type of mental illness. The type of mental illness can vary on which neurotransmitters are out of balance and whether there is too much or too little of them.
When we look at GABA through the lens of the inhibitory/excitatory theory and mental illness, there has been research that shows that there is not enough GABA in the brain, which causes the brain and nervous system to be overly “excitable.” This specific connection has been found to play a role in both depression and anxiety, but there has been research exploring GABA’s connection to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder as well. A 2016 study looked at these connections and found where GABA is low in specific parts of the brain does matter. For example, in schizophrenia a reduction in GABA was found specifically in the frontal lobe, occipital lobes, and basal ganglia. Using just GABA as a determinant for diagnosing a mental illness is not accurate enough because there are other contextual factors that come into play. Research over time has found that often people with depression and/or anxiety have lower GABA levels though.
So, for individuals who have anxiety, stress, depression, and/or trauma considering GABA as a supplement can be explored. Increasing levels of GABA can have a calming effect and can help reduce stress, anxiety, and improve sleep. There’s also been research that has shown a decrease in high blood pressure when GABA levels are increased. Common medications that are prescribed for mental health concerns that act on GABA receptors are valium, xanax, other benzodiazepines, barbiturates, valproic acid, and ambien. Using medications like this though can have a lot of side effects and the pros and cons must be thoroughly evaluated before starting one of these. There are GABA supplements that can be used and also herbal supplements that act on GABA receptors in the brain that have similar effects and less side effects. These are herbal supplements such as valerian root, skullcap, passionflower, chamomile, hops, St. John’s wort, kava, lemon balm, and ashwagandha. Always speak with your doctor, naturopath, and/or psychiatrist before just starting a supplement.
As briefly mentioned above, glutamate is another amino acid that helps to produce GABA in the brain/body. Glutamate and GABA is found in a lot foods such as cured and preserved cheeses and meats, slow-cooked meats, bone broths, fish, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, walnuts, fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and tempeh), spinach, brussel sprouts, and sweet potatoes just to name a few. So, adding some of these foods into your diet may help with increasing GABA. Exercise is another way to naturally increase GABA, so going for a walk or adding some resistance training into your weekly routine may be beneficial as well.
