Summary: The leaky blood brain barrier test is when an individual consumes the supplement GABA on an empty stomach and symptoms of sedation, relaxing, drowsy, sleep etc occur or the potential of a paradoxical effect of anxiety and hyperactivity may occur.*
*Please note there are many considerations to take in and please read the complete blog before any undertaking.
Firstly when undertaking any nutritional protocol please have guidance from a health professional with experience in this area. This is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure anything, it is for educational purposes only. If you have any medical conditions, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor or other health professional before carrying out any protocol. Do NOT do this if your health professional advises against it.
To get started on this topic we just need to get some background knowledge.
What is the blood brain barrier?
What is GABA and why use it for this test?
What causes a leaky blood brain barrier?
What are the consequences of a leaky blood brain barrier?
Why use GABA for this test?
The GABA test
Who should not take the test?
Neurodegeneration
What Is the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)?
The BBB is a protective barrier that separates the bloodstream from the brain and spinal cord. It consists of specialized endothelial cells, tight junctions, and other components that tightly regulate the passage of molecules from the bloodstream into the brain tissue. Its primary function is to safeguard the brain from harmful substances while allowing essential nutrients and neurotransmitters to pass through. When it is compromised and increases its permeability (becoming "leaky") and problems can occur.
What is GABA & why use it for this test
Gamma-aminobutyric acid, commonly known as GABA, is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) of mammals, including humans. It plays a fundamental role in regulating brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting neural signals. GABA is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter because it has a calming and relaxing effect on the nervous system. GABA helps with inhibition of neuronal activity, it helps with anxiety and stress reduction, sleep regulation, mood stabilisation, GABA has been known to help with seizure control through its inhibitory effects .
GABA can be used in this test on the premise that the blood brain barrier is meant to stop gaba from passing through and reaching the brain. If GABA is taken and is able to pass through the blood brain barrier and into the brain then an individual could feel changes to their mood, emotion and energy levels. Phenibut is nootropic drug/supplement that can pass through the blood brain barrier and is known and developed for its anti-anxiety purpose. Therefore if an individual takes GABA and has a leaky blood brain barrier we should see similiar effects that Phenibut demonstrates.
What causes a leaky blood brain barrier?
Inflammation: Inflammatory processes in the body can weaken the BBB, allowing immune cells and cytokines to infiltrate the brain.
Infection: Certain infections, like meningitis, can compromise the integrity of the BBB.
Trauma: Head injuries and concussions can lead to temporary BBB dysfunction.
Chronic Conditions: Conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's disease can result in a leaky BBB.
What are the consequences of a leaky blood brain barrier?
A compromised BBB can have serious consequences, such as:
Neuroinflammation: The infiltration of immune cells and cytokines can trigger inflammation in the brain, contributing to neurological disorders.
Cognitive Impairment: A leaky BBB may lead to cognitive decline and memory problems.
Neurological Disorders: Conditions like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease have been associated with BBB dysfunction.
The Gaba test
*Please ensure that you have nothing planned for the next two hours as it can cause sedation or anxiety effects.
Please ensure that you do not have anything to eat for about 3 hours before or 3 hours after the test and this test is to be completed on an empty stomach.
Consume 1000mg of GABA and then observe how you feel over the next 2-3 hours.
Other factors that may effect your results.
Blood sugar dysregulation. If you cannot regulate your blood sugar and require to eat food every couple of hours, this test will not work as you will not be sure if any changes in how you feel are from the supplement or the blood sugar dysregulation.
The same goes for individuals with gastritis & acid reflux.
Who should not take the test?
Individuals who take any medication should speak to their health practitioner as it may have interactions with the medications. Medications such as picrotoxin, bicuculiline, cage convulsants, pentylenetetrazol, benzodiazepines as well as depressants like benzodiazepines (used for anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative-hypnotic, or muscle relaxant activity, barbiturates (used today as anticonvulsants and general anesthetics, and formerly as sedative-hypnotics), other general anesthetics, including ethanol and the list goes on. SO PLEASE speak to your doctor before doing thinking about doing it.
Neurodegeneration
Neurodegeneration is the breaking down of the nervous system, especially of the neurons in the brain. I have another blog "Recognizing the Warning Signs: Is Your Brain Function Deteriorating?" to which you can read more about it.
In summary of the blog, symptoms of neurodegeneration include; headaches, fatigue, dizziness/balance issues, concentration and memory issues, irritability and mood swings, sensitivity to light and noise, sleep disturbances, visual disturbances, nausea/vomiting, emotional and behavioural changes.
When it comes to neurodegeneration there are 7 main ways it occurs
Immune inflammation
Insulin resistance
Hormonal
Toxic- most common
Vascular
Physical trauma- TBI
Emotional trauma- PTSD
To wrap it up, as I don't want this post to be too long, I hope you learnt about the blood brain barrier and that when it gets damaged, problems can occur. I also hope you got some insights into what you can look into next if you are on your journey to health optimization and longevity. If you want to have a chat, I offer free 15 min consultations, just email me chris@christhecoach.com
Cheers
Chris
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