What it’s for
- Marketed for stress and sleep
An oral supplement containing gamma-aminobutyric acid, also a signalling molecule in the nervous system.
Purpose, evidence and practical considerations.
A systematic review found limited evidence for stress and very limited evidence for sleep benefits. Oral GABA’s effects should not be equated with those of prescription medicines acting on GABA receptors.
Confidence: weak
Short studies report few serious events, but long-term and high-dose safety data are limited. Sedation may add to alcohol, sleep medicines or other central nervous system depressants; pregnancy and breastfeeding data are inadequate.
GABA is the nervous system's main inhibitory neurotransmitter, but it is uncertain how much orally ingested GABA reaches the human brain. Small studies report stress or sleep signals through possible central or peripheral pathways.
Regulatory status: dietary supplement ingredient; not an FDA-approved insomnia treatment
The evidence on this page does not automatically apply to:
How people use it, with their schedules, context and original sources.
100 mg · 3–4 nights per week · with the sleep stack, 30–60 min before bed
GABA is listed as an ingredient or component in these reviewed interventions.
These share a protocol with this intervention. This does not establish that they work together or are suitable alternatives.