GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid) is an extensively studied, though poorly understood neurotransmitter found primarily in the limbic system deep inside the brain. Scientists say that it is an 'inhibitory' chemical, which essentially means it can act as a Central Nervous System Depressent.
GABA
Well-documented
Well-documented
Multiple authoritative sources agree on dosing and effects.
- 2 corroborating sources
- 1 ROA with full dose ladder
- duration data present
- 17 combo interactions documented
- PubChem toxicity data
Well-documented
Multiple authoritative sources agree on dosing and effects.
- 2 corroborating sources
- 1 ROA with full dose ladder
- duration data present
- 17 combo interactions documented
- PubChem toxicity data
Summary
GABA, also known as gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. Drugs targeting GABA include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, alcohol and GHB/GBL.
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 200-400mg | 400-800mg | 800-1600mg | 1600mg+ |
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oral | 15-60 min | 5-8 hrs |
Effect Profile
10 reportsScores (1–10) curated from multiple sources:
- Effect keyword matching from PsychonautWiki catalog
- Weighted by importance: core (×3), major (×2), minor (×1)
Benzodiazepine
7.6
Intense
8/10
Strong anxiolysis and euphoria with moderate cognitive impairment, mild sedation
Anxiolysis
×3
10
anxiety suppression
anxiolytic
reduced anxiety
muscle relaxation
Sedation / Relaxation
×2
5
sedation
muscle relaxation
Motor / Cognitive Impairment
×1
7
motor control loss
amnesia
double vision
Euphoria / Mood Lift
×1
10
cognitive euphoria
euphoria
physical euphoria
disinhibition
Based on reports from:
Tolerance
Build-up
develops over 1–4 weeks of daily use; hypnotic tolerance faster than anxiolytic tolerance
Reset
weeks to months depending on half-life and duration of use; taper recommended
Tolerance Decay
Full tolerance
3d
Half tolerance
37d
Baseline
~60d
Acute tolerance: develops within a single session — the reset numbers above apply after sustained heavy use, not after one binge. Within-session tachyphylaxis usually resets largely overnight.
Effects
Aggregated from 10 Erowid experience reports
Positive Effects 2
Anxiety Suppression
60.0%
70%
Sedation
30.0%
70%
Adverse Effects 1
Nausea
30.0%
70%
Combinations
Cross-Check GABA with another substanceCommunity Trip Reports
Anecdotal first-person accounts from Reddit, Erowid, and Bluelight. Click a source to expand. Reports are harm-reduction context, not medical guidance.
Erowid 6 reports 3 neutral 3 cautionary visit
A Very Casual, Clean Experience I had been pretty skeptical about this substance due to conflicting reports and a lack of research on it, but I picked it up a while back just to see for myself since it's also fairly cheap.
GABA was recommended to me by my Doctor as a means to help address low growth hormone levels, as well as tension relief and sleep aid. I have taken a lot of supplements over the years, and have only noted a few that have notable effects on a per-dose basis; GABA is one of them.
GABA was recommended by an enlightened MD who was assisting in getting me off Ativan. I was taking Ativan to relieve anxiety and as a sleep aid, I developed tinnitus and ongoing lethergy while using Ativan, and never would have gone on the stuff if someone had also mentioned the nasty addiction/withdrawal element.
I was suffering badly with anxiety and the local doctors were next to useless, so I started to scout around for alternatives. I had been prescribed Librium (chlordiazepoxide) for a few weeks.
I've noticed there are only two reports on GABA in the experience vault, so I thought I'd share some of what my girlfriend uses it for. She suffers from OCD, generalized anxiety disorder triggered by PTSD and many phobias.
GABA's nerd page
Pharmacology, chemical data, effect profiles, and more
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Helpful Links
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