Life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them.

Sometimes, everything seems to pile up at once—work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the constant pressure to be "on" 24/7.

It's easy for your mind to feel like it's running a constant marathon that never ends. Experiences like those are at the root of why Blossom was created in the first place. No matter how hard our founder tried, he couldn’t seem to find the off switch. Anxiety and stress became constant companions, leaving him tense and exhausted.

The feelings were debilitating. He tried solution after solution, often finding some relief, but being overcome with unpleasant side effects. After years of trial and error, he learned more about the potential impact of amino acids on mental health. 

That knowledge was a game changer. The whole time, it was possible perhaps his body just wasn't breaking down the food he was consuming in proper ways and giving him access to the necessary amino acids to keep his neurotransmitters firing as they needed to.

One of the most critical amino acids he learned about was GABA.

GABA's Role In Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety and stress have a perfectly logical role in our lives and always have. Your fight or flight response would have been necessary in 1000 B.C. when something was coming after you and you were 100% it was foe, not friend. Anxiety would kick into gear and your feet would get moving.

But it's not quite as useful when your anxiety kicks in at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday morning because a Zoom meeting you've participated in hundreds of times before without issue is coming for you.

When anxiety and stress start to take over, it’s a sign that your brain’s balance is off.

Julia Ross, in The Mood Cure, describes GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) as the brain’s natural calming agent. If your brain isn’t producing enough GABA, it can leave you feeling wired, anxious, and unable to relax.

Consider these questions that Julia typically quizzes folks with:

• Do you often feel overwhelmed or easily stressed?
• Is it hard for you to unwind after a busy day?
• Do you experience physical symptoms of stress, such as muscle tension or a racing heart?
• Are you prone to anxiety, nervousness, or panic attacks?
• Do you have trouble sleeping due to an overactive mind?

If you find yourself nodding in agreement, GABA might be just what your brain needs to restore peace and calm.

What is GABA and Where Does It Come From?

GABA is a neurotransmitter that naturally occurs in the brain. It acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it helps to calm down neural activity, essentially putting the brakes on an overactive mind - hence why we refer to it as "the brakes of the brain."

GABA is crucial for managing stress, promoting relaxation, and ensuring you can enjoy a good night's sleep.

While GABA is naturally produced in the brain, you can also find it in small amounts in certain foods, such as fermented foods like kimchi, miso, and yogurt. However, the amount of GABA from dietary sources is often too low to make a significant difference in anxiety or stress levels, which is where supplementation comes in.

The Mechanisms of Action: How GABA Works

When you take GABA as a supplement, it quickly gets to work, crossing the blood-brain barrier to reach your nervous system. But the key is to find the type of GABA that actually breaks that blood-brain barrier, as not all GABA is created equal.

Here’s what happens:

1. Calming Neural Activity: GABA binds to specific receptors in the brain, known as GABA receptors, which are responsible for reducing the excitability of neurons. By activating these receptors, GABA helps to quiet the overactive areas of your brain that cause anxiety and stress.
2. Reducing Anxiety and Stress: As GABA inhibits excessive neural firing, it brings about a sense of calm and relaxation. This reduction in neural activity helps to lower anxiety, ease stress, and create a sense of tranquility.
3. Promoting Better Sleep: GABA’s calming effects extend to sleep. By reducing the activity in your brain, GABA makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, leading to more restful and rejuvenating sleep cycles.
4. Relaxing Muscles: GABA’s effects aren’t just limited to the brain—it also helps to relax the muscles. This can be particularly helpful if you experience physical symptoms of stress, such as muscle tightness or tension headaches.

What Dose of GABA Should You Take?

• Start with a Low Dose: Begin with 100 mg to 200 mg of GABA, taken once or twice a day. This is a safe starting point that allows you to gauge how your body responds.
• Increase Gradually: If you don’t notice a significant reduction in anxiety or stress after a few days, you can slowly increase the dose by 100 mg at a time. Some people find relief with 500 mg per day, while others may need up to 750 mg or more, spread throughout the day.
• Timing: GABA is most effective when taken during stressful periods or before bed to promote relaxation and sleep. You can experiment with taking it on an empty stomach or with food to see which works better for you.

Embrace Calm with GABA

GABA is more than just a supplement; it’s a way to take back control of your mind and body. By boosting your brain’s natural ability to calm itself, GABA can help you navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and less anxiety. Whether you’re dealing with daily stressors or battling chronic anxiety, GABA might be the key to finding that sense of calm you’ve been searching for.

Remember, as with any supplement, it’s important to start low and go slow, adjusting your dose based on how you feel. With GABA, you can finally hit the pause button on anxiety and stress, and start living life with a little more peace.