Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a naturally produced chemical in the brain, is recognized as a valuable anti-anxiety neurotransmitter. While primarily known for its anti-anxiety properties, GABA offers a spectrum of potential health benefits, including a possible role in weight management. This article explores the multifaceted relationship between GABA and weight loss, drawing upon scientific studies and research findings.
The Role of GABA in the Body
When stress occurs, the adrenal glands release hormones that initiate fight-or-flight responses, like increased heart rate and adrenaline surges. GABA counteracts these stimulants by promoting brain relaxation. Low GABA activity can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mood disorders, as it becomes difficult for the body to relax after stress-induced neurotransmitter release.
Beyond its calming effects, GABA may contribute to the prevention and treatment of other health issues.
Anxiety Management
Studies suggest GABA's potential in anxiety treatment. In one clinical trial, EEG measurements revealed a notable increase in alpha waves, associated with calm and relaxation, just one hour after GABA administration.
Controlled Hypertension
GABA's effects may help stabilize blood pressure in individuals with hypertension, a risk factor for stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. Research indicates that daily intake of 80 milligrams of GABA can lead to a significant reduction in blood pressure levels.
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Lower Obesity Risk
Obesity, affecting a substantial portion of the population, elevates the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis. A study in Korea explored GABA's potential to lower obesity risk. Participants who received GABA supplements experienced a reduction in body fat and triglyceride levels, alongside an increase in lean muscle mass, even without exercise.
GABA and Food Intake Regulation
Research indicates that central GABAergic signaling plays a complex role in regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. Depending on the brain region and neuron type, GABA can either suppress or promote food intake and energy expenditure. For example, GABA signaling from hypothalamic AgRP neurons projecting to the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and parabrachial nucleus promotes feeding. Conversely, GABAergic outputs from AgRP neurons to the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis were found to reduce food intake and body weight, while activation of GABAergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamus increased body temperature. Enhanced GABA signaling in the nucleus accumbens has been proposed to reduce the dopamine reward response associated with various addictions, including food addiction.
GABA's Impact on the Brain
GABA is proposed to play a key role in regulating food intake and body weight by controlling neuronal activity in the frontal cortex (FC). A high-fat diet (HFD) could disrupt glutamate metabolism and consequently GABA levels. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a role in cognitive functions such as food selection, and PFC neurons are activated when individuals show a preference for an appetizing food instead of a non-appetizing one. It has been proposed that the PFC plays a crucial role in the top-down control of behavior, especially under conflict situations when inappropriate responses need to be inhibited, likely by modulating GABA levels.
Studies using rodent models and GABA receptor agonists and antagonists support the involvement of GABA in eating behavior. Changes in brain glucose concentration can modify the release of neurotransmitters. The PFC receives highly processed gustatory and olfactory information along with limbic input from the amygdala and hippocampus and sends projections to the nucleus accumbens Shell, which is involved in profound hyperphagia by decreasing levels of GABA or the opiate receptor. Pathological changes in vmPFC function impair the control of food intake and may facilitate eating disorders, obesity, and other disorders of appetitive motivation.
A study compared lean men with obese men and found a less postprandial activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This area has been implicated in the inhibition of inappropriate behavior and differential responses of neuronal activity to food intake. This area probably may contribute to a propensity for obesity or to the difficulty in losing weight experienced by obese men.
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High-Fat Diet and GABA Levels
Research has explored the effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) on GABA levels in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats. The results indicate that a HFD decreases the GABA concentration in the FC and hippocampus, suggesting that a HFD might disrupt processes of inhibition and subsequently alter food intake.
Hypercaloric diets can modify the GABA levels in the brain. A HFD administered to rats for eight weeks increased the body weight and blood glucose and decreased the GABA concentration in the FC and hippocampus.
It is likely that a HFD disturbs the inhibitory control of appetite and induces the development of obesity by modulating cerebral neurotransmitter metabolism. Thus, GABA levels in PFC are thought to play a key role in the modulation of food intake and body weight gain, although the mechanism is not yet clearly understood.
A study in rats suggests that obesity may be associated with decreased GABA production due to a disturbance in the GABA-glutamate-glutamine cycle in the hippocampus. A decreased GABA concentration in the PFC of rats fed a HFD, could be detrimental to oxidative glucose metabolism and the synthesis of neurotransmitter (i.e., glutamate and GABA). This could cause homeostatic dysregulation between neurons and astrocytes. Thus, it is likely that this homeostatic dysregulation can affect the regulation of the eating behavior by promoting an imbalance in the PFC and their connections with the reward system.
Interestingly, it was observed that the GABA concentration decreased in the hippocampus of HFD-fed rats compared with SD-fed rats, which suggests an alteration in the process of feeding motivation. Therefore, these results allow for a better understanding of the relationship between HFD and GABA concentration.
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The decrease of GABA levels could increase neuronal hyperexcitability. Thus, a reduction of GABA in the hippocampus and frontal cortex could decrease the processes of inhibitory control of food intake. Obese individuals have a hypo-functioning reward circuitry, which suggest a less inhibitory function and therefore, the food appear to be more attractive to obese subjects during hunger state.
Dietary GABA and GABA-T Inhibitory Drugs
Studies have shown that combining dietary GABA with GABA-degradation inhibitory drugs effectively suppresses food intake and promotes weight loss in obese mice, primarily through increased plasma GABA availability. High-fat (HF)-diet-induced obese mice were divided into six groups receiving either the HF diet or the 2% GABA-HF diet with daily administration of PBS or the GABA-degradation inhibitory drugs, vigabatrin and ethanolamine-O-sulfate (EOS). Coadministration of the 2% GABA-HF diet with vigabatrin or EOS significantly decreased food intake (-53%, -35%) and body weight (-22%, -16%) within 11 days in obese mice, along with a marked increase in plasma GABA levels. Mice receiving dietary GABA alone or the drugs alone exhibited no such effects. Hypothalamic GABA levels increased in drug-treated mice, regardless of diet.
GABA and Energy Expenditure
Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy dissipation. Studies indicate that the effects of GABA treatment on body weight and obesity phenotype were not caused by reduced food consumption or energy intake, suggesting that GABA may have promoted energy expenditure in obese mice.
White-to-Beige Adipocyte Conversion
Given the increasing prevalence of obesity, the white-to-beige adipocyte conversion has attracted interest as a target for obesity treatment. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment can reduce obesity, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Studies show that GABA reduced body weight and adipose inflammation and promoted the expression of thermogenic genes in the iWAT.
Additional Benefits of GABA
GABA functions to calm the nervous system and help your nerves process sensory input in an organized way.
Sleep
GABA helps your brain slow down and relax in preparation for sleep.
Calm
GABA helps slow down messages being sent by other neurotransmitters, which allows your brain to process that information at a more relaxed pace.
Metabolism and Appetite Control
As an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA helps ensure that your body has the energy it needs to function. It does this by controlling when you feel hungry and letting you know when youâve had enough.
Blood Pressure
GABA is a natural ACE inhibitor that helps lower your blood pressure.
Inflammation and Immune System Support
GABA reduces your bodyâs inflammatory response and also helps lessen existing inflammation, which enables damaged tissue to heal more rapidly. People with autoimmune conditions and diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), also have low GABA levels.
Protection Against Nerve Damage
GABA also suppresses degeneration of the nervous system generally and supports cognitive function in the brain.
Increasing GABA Levels Naturally
Diet
Eat more foods that contain GABA or boost GABA production. GABA isnât really found in a lot of foods unless theyâre fermented foods (like kimchi or kefir). But there are foods that naturally boost the production of GABA in your body.
Lifestyle
Try yoga to naturally increase GABA activity. Practice meditation and deep breathing every day. Research shows that meditation can increase the production of GABA in your brain, as well as boost its activity. Deep-breathing exercises are a good practice to get in little short bursts of meditation. Engage in vigorous exercise to stimulate GABA production.
Safety and Considerations
GABA is produced naturally in the body, and GABA supplementation is considered safe. There are no reported drug interactions. However, there isnât enough research to conclude that GABA supplements are 100% safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. To be completely safe, talk to your doctor before adding GABA supplements to your daily routine for any reason.
The recommended dosage of GABA varies by age, gender, and condition. Researchers havenât determined a specific recommended dosage, but most products list dosages of around 100mg total taken in a divided dose throughout the day. Watch for mild side effects immediately after taking GABA.