Today’s blog is about a young man diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) in his early twenties and prescribed Adderal (a stimulant). He was a cigarette smoker and drank alcohol too. His mother shared this encouraging feedback about the recent changes he has made and the benefits he reports with pharmaGABA on a recent blog. She aslo has a question about the GABA timing.
If you’re new to the low GABA type of anxiety, here is a recap: with low GABA the anxiety is the physical anxiety type with stiff and tense muscles and there is often the need to self-medicate with alcohol in order to relax, feel calm and fit in socially. Cigarettes can also be calming for many folks. Anxiety can cause poor focus issues and the inability to focus can drive up anxiety.
Here is her feedback and question:
I have a son that just started GABA after I recommended it from following you all these years. He has given up Adderall, alcohol, and nicotine all this past six months and is feeling so much better than the past ten years of his life. He is 32. He had been diagnosed with ADD in his early twenties.
He has symptoms that fall under low GABA and tried a chewable PharmaGABA 100mg tablet yesterday. He took 2 tablets (200mg total) with his meals three times the past two days and said he felt it work immediately. I told him I thought perhaps on a podcast I heard dosing 30 minutes before meals or an hour after was best?
This was my feedback for this mom about the timing of the pharmaGABA:
- It’s wonderful to hear that the chewable pharmaGABA worked immediately to ease his low GABA physical anxiety symptoms
- The amino acid GABA is best used away from protein so, yes, 30 minutes before meals with protein or an hour after is best.
- Your son will likely find he needs less GABA doing it this way and it’ll be more effective.
I had this encouragement and feedback about quitting and using GABA:
- Good for him getting off Adderall and quitting alcohol and nicotine. It can be tough when using just will-power alone.
- The amino acids actually make it easier to quit because of the self-medication aspect and alcohol and nicotine are often used as a way to ease anxiety.
- Even so, addressing low GABA levels after the fact will make it so much easier for him to stay away from nicotine and alcohol without having to use will-power.
- There is also research showing that GABA may offer gut protection after alcohol consumption
- As I mention above, anxiety can cause poor focus issues and the inability to focus can drive up anxiety. GABA can help improve focus and reduce anxiety)
Imbalances of other neurotransmitter (like low serotonin and low endorphins)
If I was working with young man I would also consider imbalances of other neurotransmitter too (like low serotonin and low endorphins) especially because alcohol and nicotine addictions are so often replaced by sugar and carb addictions.
In this randomized, double blind study, The use of a food supplementation with D-phenylalanine (DPA), L-glutamine and L-5-hydroxytriptophan in the alleviation of alcohol withdrawal symptoms, amino acids were “used to replenish a lack in neurotransmitters and alleviate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.”
In the study 20 patients were given these amino acids before quitting alcohol and this combination was found to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Based on my experience even when will-power is used to quit (as in this case), many of these withdrawal symptoms linger.
Another reason to look at all the neurotransmitter imbalances is that low blood sugar and gut damage is often a factor with drinkers so glutamine may also be helpful for blood sugar stability and gut healing.
Finally, poor focus can also be caused by low catecholamines, so looking into this and considering a trial with tyrosine may also be worthwhile. This may also prevent the caffeine addiction we see once someone quits alcohol too.
Addressing his diet and probable nutrient deficiencies would be the next step for him. Also looking into adrenal health, possible candida and gut issues and food sensitivities.
Additional resources when you are new to using GABA and other amino acids as supplements
As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low GABA may be an issue. The low GABA symptoms include: physical tension, overwhelm, fears, anxiousness, stiff and tense muscles, sleep issues, feelings of panic and stress-eating and drinking.
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 (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.
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.
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.
Wrapping up and your feedback
I appreciate this mom for sharing and applaud her for telling her son about GABA. I also take my hat off to this young man for making these huge changes in his life and being willing to try GABA.
Have you successfully used GABA or any of the other amino acid to help quit alcohol or cigarettes? Or have you used them after you quit to prevent sygar cravings taking the place of alcohol or cigarettes?
Has GABA or pharmGABA helped ease the physical anxiety you experienced and also helped with focus issues?
Feel free to post your questions here on the blog too.