GABA gamma-aminobutyric acid for adrenals?

[LazyMoose]

Though I'd venture over hear from the thyroid forum to pick your brains again (its been a while).

I googled GABA and read mixed reviews. I'm interested in its possibility to support weak adrenals. Having Hashimoto hypothyroid for decades, adrenal insufficiency is something I also must deal with. Doing nothing for weak adrenals in stressful times can contribute to a Hashimoto thyroid being hard to manage, if only more people new this.

So what can anyone tell be about the effects of GABA supplements. And sometimes its mixed with other stuff, any thoughts? I read that people with anxiety take it with good results, but hormone based energy is a different animal.

What supps I've tried for adrenals: Holly Basil can be very calming and also lowers my blood sugar ( good X 2), but creates a belching effect and makes me very sleepy. Ashwaganda made me very edgy , this is what its NOT supposed to do. 5-htp also made me edgy.

thanks

[Paxiled]

Make sure you take taurine without food -- amino acids work better that way.  Be careful with B6 -- take what you need, but don't overdo, as it can cause a neuropathy in some people, though it's not a large number nobody wants to be the one, you know?  By the way, it is the caffeine and sugar that makes them energizing -- the B vitamins and taurine are in there to try to avoid the letdown that follows artificial energy and avoid the nervousness, but if you look at the reports of say %-Hour energy, loaded with B vitamins as well as the caffeine and such, lots of people are having very bad reactions to it.  That's because the caffeine is overwhelming the B vitamins, and because the B12 is best absorbed with food while the taurine is best absorbed without.  Lots of multiple supplements have this problem of combining things that should be taken at separate times.  Eleuthero is probably the best adaptogen out there -- used to be called Siberian Ginseng.  That's because it's energizing without being overstimulating, as Chinese Ginseng usually is, and therefore better at balancing the adrenals rather than just stimulating them.  But different people, as always, will get different results, so you have to see what happens.  American Ginseng is more energizing than eleuthero, but "cooler" (more yin) than Chinese Ginseng.  It also lowers blood sugar, however, as Holy Basil does.  I usually combine eleuthero with ashwagandha, and if I'm going to work out I add American Ginseng.  I'd use more stimulating ones for that but I have an anxiety problem, so I have to be careful.

[LazyMoose]

American Ginseng sounds like one to try.

Two weeks ago I started Taurine (capsule form) with B6 about mid-day. I really couldn't notice much at  all. What led me to try it was how well energy drinks work on me that have taurine and B6 in them. Its not the caffeine and sugar (contrary to popular belief) that make these drinks energizing while lacking nervousness.

What is eleuthero like on its own?

thanks

[Paxiled]

I should have added that it's the adaptogens, not GABA, that targets the adrenals.  Sorry about that.

[Paxiled]

GABA taken as a supplement is generally ineffective because the body can't absorb it -- it doesn't cross the blood/brain barrier.  It's more effective to take taurine, a pseudo-amino acid that helps the body produce GABA in conjunction with co-factors such as B6.  But GABA isn't for the adrenals -- to the contrary, it's for relaxing the body and mitigating nerve pain and preventing seizures.  Holy Basil is great for cutting cortisol and blood sugar, but yeah, it can make you tired, but so can herbs that target GABA such as passionflower or kava or valerian -- they're relaxants, so they relax you.  Aswaghanda is an adaptogen, as is Holy Basil, and it does usually have a relaxing effect.  What you're looking for is an energizing adaptogen that doesn't make you nervous, it sounds like.  I'd recommend combining the ashwaghanda with eleuthero, or replacing the ashwagandha with American ginseng (not as stimulating as Chinese ginseng).  But there are a lot of adaptogenic herbs.  You might want to consult a good herbal on adaptogens and experiment with them.  There are also good combinations available at a good health food store.