The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and the main excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate released by neurons in the cerebellum play an important role in sensory processing in autism. Research shows GABA to be low and glutamate to be elevated in autism spectrum disorders. While we don’t have any research supporting the amino acid GABA (used as a supplement) to raise GABA levels (and counter high glutamate levels) in autism, we do have much clinical evidence i.e. GABA can have a major impact on sensorimotor skills, as well as improving sleep, anxiety and social interaction. Today I’m sharing feedback from a mom whose autistic child is experiencing these benefits. Here is Vic’s feedback in her own words:
I use half a GABA tablet crushed in liquid for my autistic child (the Source Naturals you recommend) and it definitely helps. A whole GABA tablet and we see increased waking in the night but half seems perfect.
I’m using GABA in combination with 5-HTP. GABA was added after 5-HTP because it didn’t feel enough on its own and sleep and anxiety definitely improved at that point. We tried L–tryptophan first without success.
Sleep and sensorimotor skills have improved since weaning off an SSRI and onto the above combination as her willingness to engage with social interaction. We are also working on OT (occupational therapy) and retained reflexes and so improvements may be from that too.
Oh also supplementing b6, but not zinc as she refused it due to taste (which from reading means she probably doesn’t need it)
On a personal note there’s no way I’d manage to get her to drink [GABA Oolong] tea with her taste sensitivities – same reason I’m crushing rather than sublingual so practically speaking Source Naturals GABA is much easier than copying what they did in the study.
Vic is referring to the GABA Oolong tea study – GABA Oolong tea in children with autism: improvements in sensorimotor skills, autism profiles, anxiety and sleep (new research).
This very small (nine children) recent study found “significant improvement in manual dexterity and some large individual improvements in balance, sensory responsivity, DSM-5 criteria and cortisol levels with GABA tea.” They ingested the equivalent of 39.2 mg GABA for the day.
Sensorimotor skills that have improved: pen and pencil use, horse riding and swimming
I was thrilled to see her wonderful feedback in the comments section of the above blog and shared my delight, asking her which sensorimotor skills have improved. Vic shared this:
Sensorimotor wise, the biggest improvement I’ve noticed is her pen and pencil use – she’s actually being able to write and draw what she wants better than she was and she’s less avoidant of it in general. Her hand/eye referencing is noticeably better and her pressure control with a writing implement.
Her balance and core strength is improving (OT feel core strength generally doesn’t come properly until those internal senses are functioning) – her horse riding instructor commented on the change in how she is able to hold herself on a horse – especially when the horse got an unexpected itch the other week and she could simply adjust her body without conscious effort. Before she would have wobbled if a horse had done that.
She’s now teaching herself to swim as she has a better sense of body awareness to coordinate her limbs to all be doing what she wants.
So yeah mostly vestibular, proprioception and interoception are all working better!
As you’ll read below, research does show that GABA plays a role in sensorimotor difficulties in autism.
Some of my feedback on the GABA product and dosing, and adding it after 5-HTP
In case you’re not familiar with the Source Naturals GABA Calm product, it’s a sublingual tablet that contains 125 mg GABA (and some other ingredients). It’s typically used as a sublingual i.e. held in the mouth and dissolved, but this mom has figured out that crushing it and mixing it in liquid works best for her daughter.
To see these results with only 62 mg GABA is impressive. But as I’ve shared before, dosage does depend on your unique needs and there can be a large variation in dosing. As mentioned above, in the GABA Oolong autism study, the equivalent of 39.2 mg GABA was used daily.
That said, I did say I’d consider exploring a GABA only product at night if there are still some low GABA symptoms that remain. This could also be mixed in water.
Given that her daughter is doing occupational therapy too and also using 5-HTP and vitamin B6 (since low serotonin and pyroluria/social anxiety is common in autism) it can be challenging to tease out how much has improved with GABA alone. Vic did add GABA after having started 5-HTP and this is the best way to know what is helping which symptoms i.e. using a layered approach.
It’s also good that she figured out 5-HTP was beneficial when tryptophan wasn’t. It’s not unusual that some folks do better on one vs the other.
GABA does play a role sensorimotor difficulties in autism – the research
As reported in this 2016 paper, The Role of Sensorimotor Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Conditions:
In addition to difficulties in social communication, current diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum conditions also incorporate sensorimotor difficulties, repetitive motor movements, and atypical reactivity to sensory input.
GABA does play a role in sensorimotor difficulties as reported in this same paper. Here are some of the highlights:
- The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and the main excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate released by [neurons in the cerebellum] play an important role in sensory discrimination in autism. GABA is known to decrease the firing of neurons , thereby reducing and inhibiting sensory feedback.
- GABAergic functioning has been implicated in tactile reactivity.
- Reductions in GABAergic system have been discovered in brain tissue: with significant reductions in GABAA receptors, 63% reduction in comparison to controls, and a reduction by 61% of the glutamic acid decarboxylase protein (the enzyme responsible for converting glutamate into GABA).
- Increased glutamate levels (excitatory neurotransmitter) in blood and platelets have been found in autism subjects, suggesting impaired conversion of glutamate to GABA, consequently increasing the excitatory state of the brain.
In the section on future directions, the authors conclude that addressing the deficiency of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the cerebellum of those with autism, “could have a global impact on sensorimotor planning, cognitive and social development.” They recommend a non-evasive GABA substitute such as oolong tea.
Elsewhere in the paper, they mention the amino acid l-theanine which “blocks the binding of l-glutamic acid to glutamate receptors in the brain, thereby perhaps aiding the improvement in motor activity by increasing inhibition of movement.”
I’d like to propose that the amino acid GABA is the subject of future research, given what we see clinically.
Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using GABA or any of the other amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low GABA and low serotonin).
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, self-medicating with alcohol and more.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all in my online store.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
I’m so happy for this young girl and she and her family must be thrilled with her results. I really do appreciate Vic for sharing this outcome – it’s so inspiring and also motivating if you are a parent.
Have you used the amino acid GABA personally or with clients/patients and observed improvements in sensorimotor skills? How much and what benefits have you seen? Which product have you used? Please do share if the diagnosis is autism spectrum disorder or something else.
Have you also seen improvements with anxiety, sleep and social skills when using the amino acid GABA?
Feel free to post your questions and feedback in the comments below.
I am an OT. My husband is low GABA and had significant co-ordination problems and sensory sensitivity ….. until GABA Calm. 3 tablets per day work great. If he has none, he gets hyper sensitive again and starts tripping over things in the house. I loved reading the GABA Oolong research!
I am training as a nutritional therapist so I can recommend supplements for my kids alongside other therapies.
Denise
Thanks for sharing these wonderful results your husband has experienced. I’m curious if he used GABA Calm for low GABA anxiety symptoms and then found these added benefits for his “significant co-ordination problems and sensory sensitivity” or if you recommended he use GABA Calm specifically for this purpose?
Can you share how has hypersensitivity has improved i.e. hypersensitive to what? And if low GABA anxiety symptoms improved too?
Glad you loved the GABA Oolong tea research. It’s fascinating. I’d love to hear your feedback if you have kids in your practice see any benefits drinking it. And their responses to the taste.
It’s wonderful that you’re also training as a nutritional therapist so you can recommend supplements for your kids alongside the other therapies you offer. I’m a big believer in using everything we have at our disposal and am a huge advocate of OT.
Once you’ve completed your training as a nutritional therapist, be sure to also look into the amino acid training I offer. More about that here https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/balancingneurotransmitters/
My book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is also a great resource that is practical and fully referenced. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Thanks for your response. He has always struggled with anxiety and sound / tactile hypersensitivity. Alongside that he often tripped over things. He made great progress when he started using The Listening Program, I wonder if this sound therapy raises GABA and that was why it helped him. When he stopped Listening then his symptoms came back. Although it only partially helped with anxiety.
He started taking GABA Calm as I saw it in your blogs years ago. Then he found that he didn’t need to do the Listening Program any more. GABA Calm is a game changer for him.
I actually started my journey in nutritional therapy 20 years ago due to the impact I was seeing in diet and autism. I took a very long break and had my own children. Now I have restarted. Yes, I plan to integrate nutritional advice into my work with families. As I am currently a NT student I haven’t been able to advise families even regarding the tea. To be honest I think the source Naturals sublingual will be easier to tolerate for lots of children compared with tea. I am excited to qualify as I see various sensory, motor and attention issues that can be easily treated through nutritional adjustments and supplements.
Trudy I have your book and follow your blogs. I love using aminos eg 5HTP and L theanine for myself and my daughters and GABA for my husband, tyrosine occasionally for my son.
Thanks again!!
Denise
Thanks for sharing this additional info. Very interesting about The Listening Program initially helping and then him switching to GABA and not needing it. I’m inspired by his results and plan to share this feedback as a blog so we can inspire others and give them hope.
Wonderful to hear about your journey and goals. And appreciate your input on the sublingual being better tolerated. Love that you love using the aminos for yourself and your family
Denise
As mentioned I’m inspired by your husband’s results (and your work) and shared your feedback as a blog so we can inspire others and give them hope. Here is the new blog https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-calm-is-a-game-changer-for-husbands-sound-and-tactile-hypersensitivity-significant-coordination-problems-and-his-anxiety/
Thanks again! Feel free to comment there too
Hi Denise. I’m so happy to hear that your husband found relief by taking gaba. I’ve suffered with ocd and hyper sensory sensitivities to noise, fumes, light and touch most of my life, and have never found any health provider offer hope or interest . If it wern’t for blessed supplements like 5-htp, st johns and nac, my ocd would be completely debilitating; but I have not noticed any relief with my sensitivities. I will defenitley do a trial of gaba and would also like to know if your husband has smell(fumes) and light sensitivities. And has he ever been bother by ocd symptoms., thank you.
Francisco
Wonderful to hear that 5-HTP, St Johns Wort and NAC have been helpful for your OCD. A GABA trial is worthwhile when the person has low GABA symptoms in addition to being hyper sensitive. Which low GABA symptoms do you also have? https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
As a reminder we also look at dietary factors (gluten is a big one), gut health/microbiome and adrenal support if needed (and everything else covered in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” -more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/.
Hi Francisco
Yes! Smell sensitive too, all resolved with GABA. And yes he did have a history of OCD, but that was more or less resolved before GABA. I feel his OCD was immune triggered and anxiety exacerbated it. Our 3 kids all have PANS/ PANDAS which causes OCD but is autoimmune triggered. Thankfully 2 are fully healed and the 3rd is moving in the right direction. Nutritional inputs have been vital for all of them.
Good luck!!
Thank you so much for responding. I will dfenetely do a trial for gaba for sensitivities. Not sure if my ocd is immune realated, i know i’m starting to get fybromyalgia symptoms, which im guessing are immune related. Also, ocd becomes very problematic in winter for me( I live in Yakima,WA. , cold temps and dark days for 6 months) . I use to think it was do to not having enough distractions, as my work slows down much. But finally convinced Dr. to chech for vit D and discovered very Low, a lab of 18. I will do my best to find a Naturopathto help me dig more. Such a blessing you were able to find relief for your boys with ocd, amazing! Would you be able to share more info on how you did it, it might be imensely helpful for my ocd. My email incase its necesarry: fjdelgado1@live.com Blessings!
Yes Francisco
Finding the right naturopath is vital. I did personalised nutrition with my children and they made good progress. Then 2 of my children also needed Azithromycin antibiotics and their PANDAS didn’t spontaneously resolve. I used ibuprofen also during flares as it’s an anti-inflammatory. But I did this under the supervision of an immunologist.
Good luck
There was a typo in my last comment. It should have said that
I used Azithromycin with 2 children as their PANDAS did not spontaneously resolve.
Denise
Thanks for sharing all this too. Wonderful to hear about their good progress
lhi Trudy
Can you please help.
i took this gaba product some time back which i think really helped with anxiety i was going through then.
Liposomal gaba with eltheanine and ashwaganda.
im pretty burned out from work and going through a lot of anxiety. Can you please suggest a similar product as tgis seems to b put of stock everywhere. i think the liquid form is better.
many thanks.
Shabana
Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal GABA with L-Theanine is one option. Designs for health also has a liposomal GABA product. Both can be purchased via my online store https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/trudyscott
Thankyou Trudy
How do i access your store? its not giving an option to register..keeps throwing me out?
hi again Trudy
apologies..i did manahe to sign in but the bigger problem seems to be ..UK is not on the shipping list. Is this right? im really struggling here and not getting very far. Whats the next best thing you can suggest i can actually buy from the UK? or from somewhere that ships to the UK.
Many thanks
Hi Shabana
I am also in Uk. You can buy Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal GABA via Life Extension (they have a Uk web page but post from Europe). iherb Uk also send GABA products to Uk from USA and I haven’t had any trouble with either company.
Good luck!
Thanks for your advise. I have almost all low gaba and serotonin symptoms. I’ll try to do a trial of gaba for sensitivities and ocd. I have also tried trials of no Gluten of a week or so, I Might need to go longer. Also worth mentioning, ocd is a big problem in winters, which here in Yakima,WA are about six months of cold dark days. When I finally convinced Dr to check for vit D, it was a low of 15. I will do my best to find a Naturopath to help me look deeper into this. Thanking you for all you do!
Hi Trudy,
I bought some Gaba Calm lozengers to try after reading about them in one of your posts and started taking 1 a day. I ended up more depressed so much so that I had some suicidal thoughts. Is this a common reaction with some people?
Karen
I’m sorry to hear but no this is not a reaction I’ve ever heard about. I’d want to be sure it the Source Naturals GABA Calm product with 125mg GABA and if there were low GABA symptoms i.e. physical anxiety? I’d also want to know if a similar reaction happens with a GABA only product to make sure it wasn’t a reaction to one of the other ingredients in GABA Calm (although I’d also be surprised if this was the case). I’d also want to know what medications and other supplements were being used and what else may have changed at this time.
I would be interested in the B6 the child was able to take. We have a grand child with same issues especially the social aspect and we would like to try B6 but regular pills are too big. How much B6, brand suggestion, maybe a liquid one. Any comments appreciated.
Wendy
You can find 2 liquid B6/P5P products in my online supplement store (and info on how to set up a account). The DFH product works well for kids because it’s sweet – as long as the flavor is tolerated https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/.
Hi Trudy,
Fantastic to read your seeing the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. There lots to see in the Upper sections- Valley of the Waters, Evans and Govetts Leap Lookouts, 3 sisters at Katoomba, Shipley Lookout at Blackheath overlooking the Megalong Valley and viewing the Upper Grose Valley at the end of Hat Hill Rd in Blackheath. We love this area, try to stay around Easter each year. Not far to go if you live in Sydney.
However Richmond Bridge in Tasmania is the oldest bridge in Australia, built in 1825. There’s lots to see around Hobart.
Always interested in your studies as we’ve made huge progress with my daughter over the last 13 years with her intellectual disability and touches on the spectrum. Anxiety can still be an issue at times. Interested in 1/2 a GABA, as I’m sure I tested a whole GABA with our practitioner but it didn’t agree with her. Will get some of this brand and retest, it may be much better. Love reading your emails.{
Gillian
We love all the Blue Mountains and have been to all the places you mention – the hiking, waterfalls and views are superb! Maybe we’ll bump into you one Easter!
Wonderful to hear you’ve made huge progress with your daughter. Please feel to share what has helped in what areas. Moms and families are always looking for inspiring stories. And yes for many children less is better. Please do let us know ho it goes
And thanks for the kind words!
Hi Trudy,
I wonder if you have any experience of clients with Parkinsons? Would very much like to come into contact with you if that is possible.
Kind regards,
CBR
CBR
I’ve worked with a few Parkinson’s clients via their family members (to help with sleep, night-time restlessness and mood/anxiety) but it’s not my area of expertise. I have blogged about both 5-HTP and GABA as being beneficial
– 5-HTP in Parkinson’s disease: benefits for depression, levodopa-induced motor complications, anxiety and sleep issues https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/5-htp-in-parkinsons-disease-benefits-for-depression-levodopa-induced-motor-complications-anxiety-and-sleep-issues/
– GABA and tryptophan for pain and anxiety in Parkinson’s disease? https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/gaba-tryptophan-pain-anxiety-parkinsons-disease/
My book and programs may be helpful if you’re looking for help with sleep, night-time restlessness and mood/anxiety.
Hi Trudy, my 13-year-old autistic daughter is taking 500 mg Gaba in the morning, omega3 at lunch, 1000 mg inositol + 1000mg Tryptophan at night. She is still struggling with OCD, and anxiety. Her routines are slightly more flexible now. Should I increase Inositol? What’s the difference between inositol and myoinositol? Thank you in advance
Michela
I can’t offer specific feedback via the blog but with any improvements with nutrients we increase to find optimal doses. Since OCD and anxiety are often low serotonin related we may consider increasing tryptophan and do the typical dosing of mid-afternoon and evening. Once a good baseline is found we slowly increase inositol up to 18g/day.
Don’t forget all the dietary aspects too – more here in my book “The Antianxiety Food solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/