Heh - you got me interested in this, so I looked it up. And you're spot
on right - Gabapentin *mimicks* natural GABA produced by the body
(according to Wikipedia anyway).
Just out of interest, does the "GABA Calm" reduce nerve pain too?
james
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
"Are you sure that GABA's not just another form of Gabapentin?"
*Good Question!* Actually, when the pharmacist first mentioned it, I
thought that was what he was going to suggest, too.
But the answer is *No,* GABA is /_not_ /a form of Gabapentin. My
guess is that 'Gabapentin' got it's name from the fact that it works
on the GABA receptors, which have an inhibitory function (as opposed
to excitatory). But Gabapentin is a drug.
GABA, short for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, is actually an /amino acid/
that acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It's
function is to /decrease neuron activity, thereby preventing neurons
from overfiring./ It's normally manufactured by the body, from other
amino acids, and therefore not /generally/ needed to be consumed.
However, it /is/ used to treat various things, like epilepsy, ADD,
etc.. It acts somewhat like a 'natural' tranquilizor - it's not
addicting.
But, like anything else, it needs to be used in moderation or it could
cause problems like increased anxiety, shortness of breath, etc. So
be sure to follow the recommendations on the bottle unless your doctor
or pharmacist has told you differently. And it's not a 'cure-all'.
You may still need drugs, but maybe not as much or as often.
Sally
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