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"Harness Your Natural Tranquilizer - Sleep Drug Free"
by Margaret Gedde, MD, PhD
When you can’t sleep long enough or well enough, every
part of your life suffers. Here’s how to tap the power
of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) to help you sleep
again.
What is GABA? It’s your natural tranquilizer – your
nervous system’s main “calm down” messenger. When the
GABA “off” signal is not strong enough, your nervous
system can’t settle down. You get stressed, anxious and
unable to relax or sleep.
GABA is so key to sleep that it’s the target of ALL the
familiar sleep medications – zolpidem (Ambien),
eszopiclone (Lunesta), benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax,
Ativan), barbiturates, alcohol and others. All of these
work by amping up the “off” signal sent by GABA. The
GABA signal is so powerful that if turned on and left on
– say, in barbiturate overdose – you get not just sleep,
but coma and death.
Are prescription medications the only option for tapping
the power of GABA? Not at all. Here are six ways to
restore normal GABA “off” signals in your sleep circuits
without the toxicity and side effects of prescription
drugs.
1. Take L-glutamine.
L-glutamine is the amino acid precursor to GABA. If your
glutamine levels are low, there’s not enough raw
material to make GABA when you need it.
To support GABA production, add L-glutamine 500-2000 mg
on an empty stomach at bedtime. You can take more if you
wish, and can take it during the day as well.
2. Take L-theanine.
L-theanine is the calming amino acid found in green tea.
It boosts GABA signals, plus promotes brain alpha waves,
giving a calm, alert state of mind. L-theanine is not
naturally in the human body, so it’s an herbal extract
and not a nutrient - but L-theanine is considered safe
in large amounts.
Add L-theanine 200-1000 mg on an empty stomach at
bedtime. You can take more, and can take it during the
day to get its calming effects then too.
3. Take taurine.
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid present all
through your body. One of taurine’s key functions is to
work with GABA to settle down your nervous system and
allow you to sleep. A caution: if you have high levels
of heavy metals such as mercury in your system, you may
need to limit how much taurine you take, because its
sulfur group can mobilize the metals.
Add taurine 500-2000 mg on an empty stomach at bedtime.
You can take more, and can take it during the day to get
its calming effects then too.
4. Add progesterone (for both men and women).
Progesterone is normally seen as a female hormone – but
it is one of the neuroactive steroids, with calming
effects in both men and women. Progesterone crosses into
the brain and boosts GABA signals. Supplementing with
small amounts of topical progesterone cream at bedtime
can help both men and women relax and sleep, on any day
of the month.
Look for an over-the-counter cream with about 22 mg real
USP progesterone per 1/4 tsp of cream. Rub 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of
cream into thin skin not over fatty areas at bedtime,
rotating application sites so you don’t use the same
spot more than every fourth day.
5. Take GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).
Taking GABA itself is lower on our list, because it
doesn’t get into your nervous system very well. This
means you have to take a lot of GABA to get enough in to
calm down your nervous system. It does work though, if
you take enough.
To try this approach, start with 750 mg GABA on an empty
stomach at bedtime. Increase by 750 mg at a time, to a
maximum of 4500-6000 mg.
6. Take GABA analogue 4-amino-3-phenylbutyric acid (Phenibut).
Russian researchers discovered decades ago that adding a
phenyl group to the GABA molecule gives a new chemical
that acts similarly to GABA, but crosses easily into the
nervous system and is effective as a supplement. This
non-prescription pharmaceutical is marketed under the
name Phenibut. I don’t usually recommend
pharmaceuticals, but since Phenibut is sold
over-the-counter, I thought you might want to know about
it.
Take 4-amino-3-phenylbutyric acid 500-1500 mg at bedtime
for no more than 3 days in a row. Take 2-3 days off
before dosing again.
As always, it’s wise to add supplements one at a time,
and to start with a low dose before trying a higher one.
If you feel groggy or sleepy instead of refreshed the
day after using any of these supplements, adjust what
you’re taking until you find the right levels for you.
Disclaimer: Remember, this article is not medical
advice. It is for your information, and the suggestions
here may not fit your situation. Be sure to consult a qualified health
practitioner about your health concerns.
© 2005-2009 Gedde Whole Health LLC.
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