GABA: The Brake Pedal in a World That Only Speeds Up

The chemistry of calm, and why your nervous system is more tired than you think.

Some chemicals get the spotlight. Dopamine, with its spark. Serotonin, with its steadiness.

But GABA?

GABA is the quiet one. The one that doesn't hype you up or cheer you on. It simply helps you stop.

Stop spinning. Stop clenching. Stop rehearsing that conversation in your head. Stop listening for danger when there isn’t any.

It’s the pause you didn’t know you needed. The silence after the static. The feeling that your body finally got the message: It’s okay to settle now.

What is GABA, Really?

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is your brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter. Which is a fancy way of saying, it’s what slows things down.

It quiets the electrical activity in your brain. Keeps your reactions from spilling over. Buffers the overstimulation of modern life.

When GABA is working well, your thoughts still come, but they don’t crash into each other. You can respond without overreacting. You can focus without fraying. You can rest, and actually feel rested.

It’s not sedation. It’s regulation. And it’s deeply needed.

When GABA is Low, You Don’t Feel Calm—You Feel Frayed

It’s not always panic. Sometimes it’s just the absence of peace.

You’re tired, but your brain won’t let go of the day. You finally sit down, and your chest stays tight. You get through everything, but never really land.

The smallest thing—an email, a comment, a sound, feels like more than you can hold. You catch yourself reacting quickly. Or bracing. Or needing space from everyone.

You’re easily startled. But also slow to recover. You lie in bed, exhausted, but alert. Your thoughts run even when your body can’t keep up.

And maybe you’ve been told you’re sensitive. Or anxious. Or just "need to manage your stress better".

But this isn’t just a personality trait. It’s chemistry.

It’s your brain waiting for a signal that hasn’t come: It’s safe now. You can stop.

That’s what GABA is. It’s the chemical that lets your system exhale. Not because everything is perfect, but because your brain finally believes it doesn’t have to be on guard.

GABA Receptors and Why Some Things Feel Like Calm (Even When They’re Not)

Here’s something not often talked about in nutrition: the same GABA-A receptors your body uses to find calm are the ones targeted by alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Alcohol enhances GABA’s activity, briefly. It increases inhibition, which can feel like relief, especially in a nervous system that hasn’t felt safe in a while. But it’s not the same as restoring calm. It’s a chemical override.

Benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax bind to those same receptors, artificially amplifying the GABA response. Over time, this can lead to receptor downregulation, where the system becomes less responsive on its own and more reliant on external inputs to achieve the same effect.

GABA isn’t about numbing out. It’s about tuning in, without becoming overwhelmed.

GABA and the Gut: An Indirect Conversation

Unlike serotonin, which is mostly produced in the gut lining, GABA is primarily made in the brain—through the conversion of glutamate via the enzyme GAD (glutamate decarboxylase).

But that doesn’t mean the gut isn’t part of the conversation.

Certain strains of gut bacteria, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, can produce GABA locally. While this GABA doesn’t cross the blood–brain barrier, these microbes can influence how the nervous system responds through the gut–brain axis, particularly via the vagus nerve.

In other words: The gut isn’t a factory for brain GABA. But it does help set the tone.

When the microbiome is diverse, the gut lining is intact, and inflammation is low, your body’s GABA signalling tends to feel steadier, more responsive. Not because more is being made—but because the system feels safer to listen.

You Actually Make GABA From Glutamate

Glutamate and GABA are two sides of the same conversation.

Glutamate says go. It’s the neurotransmitter that helps you think, move, react, focus. It’s what wakes your brain up in the morning and keeps it active throughout the day.

But too much glutamate, and not enough GABA to balance it, creates static. It’s like your brain is stuck in a group chat that won’t stop pinging. Every thought feels louder. Every task feels urgent. Every sound, every decision, every small thing starts to demand your energy.

You were never meant to stay in that state.

Because in a healthy nervous system, glutamate gets converted into GABA. Effort becomes ease. Input becomes integration. You get to slow down, without falling apart.

That conversion happens in real time. But it relies on something most of us are running low on:

• Magnesium, to calm and stabilise

• Vitamin B6, to act as the co-pilot

• Zinc, to modulate the process

• And a gut and liver that aren’t overwhelmed, inflamed, or under-resourced

How to Support GABA: Through Food, Rhythm & Nervous System Care

This isn’t a list of superfoods. It’s a language. One your body already understands.

Support Type	What to Do	Why It Matters
Food
Magnesium-rich foods	Leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate (cacao)	Magnesium is essential for calming neurotransmitter activity + GABA receptor support
B6 sources	Chickpeas, salmon, turkey, sunflower seeds	Vitamin B6 is a key cofactor in converting glutamate into GABA
Taurine & glycine	Collagen, slow-cooked broths, organ meats	These amino acids support GABA receptors + nervous system tone
Complex carbs (esp. PM)	Sweet potato, oats, quinoa, root veg, buckwheat	Carbohydrates help GABA cross into the brain and encourage calm after dark
Fermented foods	Sauerkraut, kimchi, yoghurt, kefir, miso	Gut-produced GABA plays a role in nervous system signalling
L-theanine	Green tea	Enhances GABA activity + promotes calm without sedation
	Chamomile + passionflower	Bind to GABA receptors, increase receptor sensitivity
	Lion’s mane mushroom	Supports BDNF and neural repair
RHYTHM
Eat enough (esp. dinner)	Avoid under-eating or long fasts, especially in the evening	GABA needs nutrients and stable blood sugar to be produced effectively
Sleep with consistency	Prioritise winding down, darkness, and regular hours	Sleep restores brain chemistry and balances the nervous system
Movement that soothes	Walking, stretching, swimming, restorative practices	Gentle movement calms excess glutamate and supports vagal tone
Breathe intentionally	Exhale longer than you inhale	Activates parasympathetic nervous system + supports GABA activity
Nervous System Care
Limit blue light at night	Dim screens + lights after sunset	Supports melatonin rhythm and lets GABA take the lead
Focus > multitasking	One thing at a time	Reduces neural overstimulation and preserves energy
Choose restoration	Nature, stillness, unstructured time	GABA is supported by safety and stillness—not constant output
Ask what you need	Instead of pushing through, pause + check in	GABA can't be produced in survival mode. It needs signals of safety.

The Bottom Line

GABA doesn’t make you productive. It makes you possible.

It’s the exhale after holding your breath all day. The stillness that lets your brain stop preparing for the worst. The space between thoughts where you feel like yourself again.

You don’t need to be calmer. You need to feel safe enough to calm down.

And that starts with listening to what your system’s been saying—not just coping with it.

Want to see where the science comes from? For the extra curious, the references are here.