In-depth Interpretation - GABA (γ-Aminobutyric Acid)

Release time:

2023-07-31

(Article from WeChat Official Account "Healthy New Era". Please contact us for deletion if there is any infringement.)

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is widely found in animals and plants, but in humans, it only exists in nerve tissue.

γ-Aminobutyric acid is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter with various physiological activities, including lowering blood pressure, treating diseases, lowering blood ammonia, and improving brain activity. Although γ-aminobutyric acid is beneficial, it should not be consumed excessively, as it may lead to hypotension and sleep disorders.

γ-Aminobutyric acid, also known as GABA, is a remarkable substance. Present in both animals and plants, it's a neurotransmitter that can induce a sense of calmness. The human body has various neurotransmitters, and their presence is closely linked to emotional states, governing feelings of happiness, sadness, and anxiety.

Different neurotransmitters have distinct functions and maintain a balanced state, jointly regulating emotional states.

So, can γ-aminobutyric acid be consumed freely? What are its effects? Let's delve deeper into GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid).

Physiological Activity of γ-Aminobutyric Acid

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system , one of the most important neurotransmitters in biological brain tissue. Its function is to reduce neuronal activity and prevent neuronal overheating.

GABA binds to and activates anti-anxiety brain receptors, then works synergistically with other substances to prevent anxiety-related information from reaching the brain's control center. Therefore, GABA can fundamentally calm the nerves, thus achieving an anti-anxiety effect.

The content of GABA in plant tissues is extremely low, usually between 0.3 and 32.5 μmol/g. Existing literature reports that GABA enrichment in plants is related to stress responses experienced by the plant. Under stress such as hypoxia, heat shock, cold shock, mechanical damage, and salt stress, GABA accumulates rapidly.

Treating plant-based food raw materials with a certain stress method or increasing GABA content through microbial fermentation has become a research hotspot for processing these raw materials into GABA-rich functional products.

As a novel functional factor, GABA has been widely used in the food industry.

1. GABA can improve sleep

Because γ-aminobutyric acid inhibits the central nervous system, it has a hypnotic and sedative effect. It is also a neurotransmitter without drug dependence or side effects.

2. GABA can lower blood pressure

It can lower blood pressure by regulating the central nervous system.

3. GABA can relieve anxiety

γ-Aminobutyric acid is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Its function is to reduce neuronal activity and prevent neuronal overheating. γ-Aminobutyric acid binds to and activates anti-anxiety brain receptors, then works synergistically with other substances to prevent anxiety-related information from reaching the brain's control center.

4. GABA can lower blood ammonia

Clinical studies show that γ-aminobutyric acid can inhibit the decarboxylation reaction of glutamic acid, thus lowering blood ammonia.

5. GABA can enhance brain activity

γ-Aminobutyric acid can enter the brain's tricarboxylic acid cycle, promoting brain cell metabolism. It can also increase the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase during glucose metabolism, increase acetylcholine production, dilate blood vessels to increase blood flow, lower blood ammonia, promote brain metabolism, and restore brain cell function.

6. GABA can promote ethanol metabolism

After taking γ-aminobutyric acid and then drinking alcohol, acetaldehyde concentration tests show faster metabolism compared to those who did not take γ-aminobutyric acid.

7. GABA also has a cosmetic effect

Recent research indicates that γ-aminobutyric acid also has effects such as preventing skin aging, improving lipid metabolism, and preventing arterial aging.

Market Development Trends of γ-Aminobutyric Acid

Many GABA-containing foods are known in domestic and international markets. As a functional food for brain health and blood pressure reduction, it is most common in Japan. Currently, in the Japanese market, GABA is used to produce functional foods such as blood pressure-lowering cakes, biscuits, seasonings, and tea.

Recently, several companies have launched a new health product, GABA-containing chocolate, claiming that consuming this chocolate has a relaxing effect on the mind, attracting attention from European buyers.

In 2009, the Ministry of Health of China approved γ-aminobutyric acid as a novel food resource. The announcement stipulates that only γ-aminobutyric acid produced by fermentation can be used in food.

In addition to being used as a pharmaceutical raw material, γ-aminobutyric acid can also be used as an auxiliary functional ingredient for brain health and blood pressure reduction in various functional foods, with broad development prospects.

As an active factor, GABA has physiological activities such as lowering blood pressure, anti-depression, enhancing brain function and long-term memory, diuresis, liver protection, and kidney strengthening, Its application in functional foods will be very promising.