گابا · gamma-aminobutyric acid
Weak evidence
Sold as calm in a capsule. Very little of it reaches the brain.
This is information, not medical advice. This page is information, not medical advice. Nothing here is a prescription, a diagnosis or a recommendation to take anything, and none of it replaces a doctor who knows your history. Supplements are not harmless because they are natural: they interact with prescription medicines, some are unsafe in pregnancy, and a few can cause real damage. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting anything here, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a liver, kidney or heart condition, or take any regular medication. Never stop a prescribed antidepressant to try a supplement instead.
The brain's main calming neurotransmitter, sold as a supplement to take by mouth.
The selling point contains its own problem: GABA taken orally crosses into the brain poorly, so whatever effect people report is unlikely to be the one on the label. The few small trials are of low quality and often industry-run. Prescription anti-anxiety medicines work on GABA receptors, which is not the same as swallowing GABA.
Products typically contain 100 to 750 mg. No dependable protocol exists.
Recorded because a person who has decided to try something will find a number somewhere, and a forum's number is worse than a trial's. It is not a recommendation, and the right amount for you depends on things only a doctor who knows your history can weigh.
Usually well tolerated; tingling and breathlessness are reported at higher doses. Do not stack it with sedatives or alcohol. Not enough safety data in pregnancy.
Widely sold online with confident marketing. L-theanine, glycine or magnesium have better support for the same money.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything else you take, prescription and herbal both. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or have a liver, kidney, heart or thyroid condition, ask first. And if what brought you here is that you have been feeling low or frightened for weeks, that deserves more than a supplement — ask us anything, anonymously, or talk to us on WhatsApp.