Phenibut and GABA may sound like obscure ingredients, but rest assured these two supplements may be the answer to your everyday stress and anxiety. So, what exactly is a phenibut and what’s so great about this GABA stuff? Let’s find out.
GABA
Very similar to an amino acid, GABA is the chief inhibitory transmitter in humans and plays a role in a number of things ranging from anxiety levels to muscle tone regulation. Phenibut is a derivative of the naturally occurring inhibitory transmitter GABA that crosses the blood-brain barrier and may have better results than GABA alone. Both are very similar in the benefits they provide, but different in their composition. Phenibut is the more expensive option and has consistently performed better than GABA in most research, but there is one downfall to the derivative; users build a high tolerance quickly.
While GABA may not produce as strong as an effect it has been shown to perform consistently with the same dosage over a long period of time. In contrast phenibut research tends to lean towards the notion that a tolerance can be built rather quickly towards the supplement. Additionally, increasing your phenibut dosage too rapidly to seek the results you were experiencing before can lead to health risks as well as developing an extremely high and unnatural tolerance.
Generally GABA supplements have been shown to be the safer and more consistent supplement in recent years, although the derivative phenibut has consistently outperformed its counterpart in most clinical studies. While this may lead some to jump on the phenibut train regardless of the high risk of building a strong tolerance others will choose the “slow and steady” route with GABA alone. Ultimately the choice is up to the individual and should be made with careful consideration for both the beneficial and adverse effects involved.
Phenibut’s High Bioavilibility
Unlike GABA, phenibut has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier which may be the factor that separates the two supplements in effectiveness. Because GABA is synthesized in the brain and doesn’t cross this blood-brain barrier the power of its effectiveness as an oral supplement may be limited.
Simply put, phenibut is the more effective option for relaxation when it comes to the two supplements but it does have its drawbacks. With a high risk of developing a strong tolerance it is strongly recommended that users cycle phenibut. Some even go so far as to cycle off phenibut with GABA so as to extend the calm and relaxing demeanor that can come from these two supplements.
Phenibut vs GABA
In the end the choice is yours but if I had to determine a verdict in regards to which is better for relaxation I would say start with GABA and move on to phenibut as you progress. As always pay attention to your supplements packaging for dosing information and pay attention to your bodies individual response.
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