['lizbeth]

The leaky blood-brain barrier challenge

The tight junctions of a healthy blood-brain barrier only allows nanoparticles, which are very tiny, to pass through while preventing the passage of antigens and environmental compounds.

GABA, a supplement popular for producing a calming, relaxing effect, exceeds the nanoparticle size and does not have a blood-brain barrier transport protein. Therefore, it technically cannot cross a healthy blood-brain barrier. If you take GABA and notice it has an effect, then you probably have a leaky blood-brain barrier.

Take 800-1,000 mg of GABA and give yourself a two-to-three hour window to see whether it affects you. It is best to take GABA between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. so you can sleep it off if it sedates you. If GABA cause relaxation, calming and sedation, don't keep taking it regularly or you risk shutting down your GABA receptor sites and a retest won't be accurate.

If GABA causes anxiety, irritability, or panic this also indicates a permeable blood-brain barrier (for reasons explained in the neurotransmitter section). Easting some protein may help alleviate these symptoms.

Feeling no change after taking GABA is a good sign your blood-brain barrier is intact. GABA should produce no symptoms as GABA "bounces off" a healthy blood-brain barrier.

an excerpt from "Why Isn't my Brain Working?" by Dr. Kharrazian