# Lucid Dreaming > Attaining Lucidity > Lucid Aids >  >  Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (gaba)

## transtate

i can get lucid by takin 5grams of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),
i use it for weight training, and started taking it at bedtime with no lucid effect,
but one night i forgot to take it and awoke at 5am, i was thirsty so i went to get a drink,remembered id forgot to take my gabba, and so took my 5grams with my water, went back to bed and as soon as i drifted off about 20mins later i was lucid...first i was seeing strange visions and brilliant lights ,shapes and colours twisting.flashing before me then i entered the dream, walking through a summer garden,then strangely through doors that only led to a bare room with another door, i didnt want to wake and was tryin to control it but then i got the visions again before wakin up, ive tried it a few times at 5am since with success,but i only get lucid if i lay on my back,

----------


## SKA

> i can get lucid by takin 5grams of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),
> i use it for weight training, and started taking it at bedtime with no lucid effect,
> but one night i forgot to take it and awoke at 5am, i was thirsty so i went to get a drink,remembered id forgot to take my gabba, and so took my 5grams with my water, went back to bed and as soon as i drifted off about 20mins later i was lucid...first i was seeing strange visions and brilliant lights ,shapes and colours twisting.flashing before me then i entered the dream, walking through a summer garden,then strangely through doors that only led to a bare room with another door, i didnt want to wake and was tryin to control it but then i got the visions again before wakin up, ive tried it a few times at 5am since with success,but i only get lucid if i lay on my back,
> [/b]



Alright. I&#39;ve head of GABA before. If you say you&#39;ve tried it serveral times with success.
How many times have you done it? And what about not being able to get lucid unless lying on your back? I&#39;ve heard this before too. Did you take GABA, fell asleep in a different position than on your back and had no lucid?

----------


## Moonbeam

I don&#39;t think it crosses blood-brain barrier.  May be placebo effect.

----------


## BillyBob

Well I was just about to make a topic on this but nevermind  :tongue2: 

Last night I took about a 1000 Mg of GABA just before going to bed.
Later in the night (about 6-9 hrs later) I got up and WILDed

It was incredible, one of the easiest WILDs I&#39;ve done in a long time (the dream was extremely stable from the start and I had no trouble whatsoever staying conscious throughout the WILD)


Note: I wasn&#39;t taking this for anything to do with dreaming, the concept never even crossed my mind until after I WILDed

I&#39;m gonna try it again tonight to see if it was just a coincidence though  ::roll::

----------


## yoast

Well, was it just a coincidence? Or is this the next galantamine? 

When i searched GABA i found a few threads claiming good results, but only very short threads, with one person who tried it.

----------


## hercules71185

here is a post I just made because I didn't know it was already a forum on it. 5 grams isn't really enough tho. Everyone is different on how much affects them. You know you are at the right amount when you get tingly. If your neck, and feet feel like they are tingling you know you are at the amount you need. Yes it creates some crazy dreams. It does this because of how HARD it makes you sleep. 


You can get it at any nutrition store. Like vitamin shoppe, vitamin world, and GNC.
There are different versions pill and powder. Keep in mind you need to take 7 -14 grams. If you choose pill like some people think they want to do. And the pills are .5grams each. You have to take 14! Its easier to throw it in a grape juice, apple juice or orange juice and not really taste it much. 

The reason I found out about gaba. Is because in bodybuilding we find ways to manipulate our bodies to become better without using steroids.. well some of us. Some just use the steroids. But, natural people do it because its GOOD for you. Things to make your body more and more efficient in the long run. GABA is like the hidden secret that has been out for years. Any weight loss pill, or any muscle gaining pill is behind this in ratings. Because what gaba does. It relaxes  your body. And causes you to get really really really deep sleep. Well, most people don't know the importance of sleep. This is when you release growth hormone. Serotonin is what produces growth hormone. The deeper you sleep the more you release. But, for some reason this deep sleep induces some CRAZY dreams. So real its incredible. For us lucid dreamers this is what we want. Its the easiest way to tell we are dreaming. And your control is a lot higher over the dream. You don't tend to fade out as fast.

----------


## hercules71185

to anyone who thinks its placebo. Take the amount I told you 7-14 grams one time. Then tell me its placebo lol. It is crazy. I used to wake up before the gym and be like WTF was that? Last night I took some and had a dream that I was with the president who was a horse. I guess I was some kind of body guard and people were after killing him. I then realized I was dreaming. So I because to have fun by getting a sniper rifle and going after all of them from roof top to roof top.

----------


## O'nus

> to anyone who thinks its placebo. Take the amount I told you 7-14 grams one time. Then tell me its placebo lol. It is crazy. I used to wake up before the gym and be like WTF was that? Last night I took some and had a dream that I was with the president who was a horse. I guess I was some kind of body guard and people were after killing him. I then realized I was dreaming. So I because to have fun by getting a sniper rifle and going after all of them from roof top to roof top.







> _Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)_: GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid, discovered in 1950, is the most important and widespread inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Excitation in the brain must be balanced with inhibition. Too much excitation can lead to restlessness, irritability, insomnia, and even seizures. GABA is able to induce relaxation, analgesia, and sleep. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are known to stimulate GABA receptors, and hence induce relaxation. Several neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, and Parkinsons disease are affected by this neurotransmitter.
> *
> GABA is made in the brain from the amino acid glutamate with the aid of vitamin B6. GABA is available as a supplement in vitamin stores, but taking it in pill form is not always an effective way to raise brain levels of this neurotransmitter because GABA cannot easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Companies are searching for ways to place GABA in an oil base in order to ease its entry across this barrier
> *
> GABA can be purchased throughout North America in bottles typically holding 250mg/60 capsules for usually less than $15. It is recommended to only take one 4mg pill of GABA daily.



~

----------


## hercules71185

right, it doesn't cross the brain barrier its not ADDING to your brains. But, proof also shows the higher levels of growth hormone because of the pill or powder. AND proof shows that your recovery is stronger. It is currently under studies at some universities to release it as a new supplement. Kinda like D ribose. It increases your strength 10&#37; instantly but, only for a short time. Or nitrogen oxide. Its how viagra was invented. But, its good for your blood flow. These things were known as stuff that was useless. And now are breaking grounds for the most useful supplements out.

----------


## O'nus

> right, it doesn't cross the brain barrier its not ADDING to your brains. But, proof also shows the higher levels of growth hormone because of the pill or powder. AND proof shows that your recovery is stronger.



Just how can it increase hormone production if it cannot influence the central nervous system?  Which growth hormone?  Thyroid?  Could you perhaps elaborate or give these proofs you speak of?  I am curious to read them.  





> It is currently under studies at some universities to release it as a new supplement. Kinda like D ribose. It increases your strength 10&#37; instantly but, only for a short time. Or nitrogen oxide. Its how viagra was invented. But, its good for your blood flow. These things were known as stuff that was useless. And now are breaking grounds for the most useful supplements out.



Right.. the samething was said about arginine and then what happened is guys took too much and became impotent.  Please pardon me for doubting the likeliness of success in these studies, but I am more than willing to accept them once they have been thoroughly peer reviewed (and when others try them out first and potentially sue them for the adverse effects caused as a direct consequence of releasing the drug before proper testing).

I hate pharmaceuticals...

Edit: I forgot to add that arginine also had no conclusive evidence to do anything besides marginally strengthen muscle fibers - and I really emphasize *marginally* there.

~

----------


## yoast

Quote
Just how can it increase hormone production if it cannot influence the central nervous system? Which growth hormone? Thyroid? Could you perhaps elaborate or give these proofs you speak of? I am curious to read them.

After doing some googling i found a lot of sites making a reference to a study on GABA by First Medical Clinic at                the University of Milan.

Apparently it increases HGH (human growth hormone, produced in the pitiruary gland), so not thyroid hormone. And there already are a lot of study's about increased HGH.

Always good to be sceptical, else you waste a lot of time, but this seems to be real.

----------


## hercules71185

ok, simple. Does it make you sleep deeper? Its proven right? Yes. SO. Altho it does not directly enhance or increase your brain's gaba levels. That is not the objective here. Its to SLEEP deeper. By sleeping deeper your body has more of a chance to produce more of its OWN levels of hormones. SO you are right. It doesn't directly affect your hormone levels. But, it DOES affect your body's ABILITY to produce them. 

About always good to be sceptical. I agree haha. I wouldn't be who I am if I wasn't. I respect anyone who questions anything. I don't get pissed off. I learn from everyone and being sceptical of everything is good because if you are like me. You learn more about how things are than people who just accept everything anyone says.

----------


## Stupified

I had success last night with GABA. I had lucid dreams as a kid and I have been trying to get that ability back. 

I bought GABA at The Vitamin Shoppe. I didn't realize I got 750mg tablets until I got home. I crushed 10 of them and washed them down with water. I did experience some tingling.

Long story - short, I had a lucid dream but lost it because I got excited.

Tonight, I try Galantamine/Choline again. It's been four nights since my last attempt and I think I have a better understanding of how to go about it.

I'm glad I get to try GABA on nights I'm not using G/C. Hopefully one won't interferre with the other.

----------


## hercules71185

I thought people would like it. Galantamine I've heard worked too but, never tried it to vouch. But, I do not know if this is placebo for people. ZMA is another health type thing. And combined with GABA people have reported on some forums that they stopped taking it due to nightmares. Well I don't know about you all. But, I look forward to them because it's the easiest way to catch yourself in a dream

----------


## yoast

I tried the 5 grams of gaba last night, i did sleep good, had some nice dreams, but no lucids. I didn't have the tingling feeling or anything, so maybe i should try a little more next time.

What's ZMA? Something for me to google i guess.

----------


## Stupified

Did you sleep for 4 to 5 hours and then take the GABA?

----------


## iadr

Sounds like a great supplement, very safe with few side effects from what I've read.

I'm going to give it a try, as I need something to use on the nights I don't take galantamine.

Does anyone know if this can be taken every night without losing its effectivness?

----------


## OrionStyles

Hmm, one of the weight training suppliments I used before had GABA in it, and I found it was easier to LD when I was on it.

I assumed the easier and more frequent lucids were being caused by the exercise, and not the pill.

I will pick up some GABA and try it as well. It's pretty cheap next to buying "dream" pills and the effects seem beneficial regardless if I LD more often or not.

I keep track of my dreams and lucids, so, if over the course of a month there are more enteries to make, it might be worth it for others to try as well.

Active skepticisim mode activated to keep it real.  :wink2:

----------


## Wattage

I just purchased some GABA, and received it in the mail. I'm going to test this out over the next week to month. I'll post the results soon. I know it does promote deep sleep. I think this will be the key to getting me to WILD. Good luck everyone!

----------


## Astrius

As I was researching GABA, I came across a product called Sleep Cycle. Has anyone heard of it or had any experience with it? As well as GABA itself, it also contains some interesting ingredients that I'm sure most of us are familiar with, including Mucuna Pruriens, L-Dopa, Alpha-GPC and L-Glutamine. And best of all, it's a mouth spray (so no messing around with pills and water in the middle of the night).

----------


## Zimmerman

> As I was researching GABA, I came across a product called Sleep Cycle. Has anyone heard of it or had any experience with it? As well as GABA itself, it also contains some interesting ingredients that I'm sure most of us are familiar with, including Mucuna Pruriens, L-Dopa, Alpha-GPC and L-Glutamine. And best of all, it's a mouth spray (so no messing around with pills and water in the middle of the night).



wow, that's quite a crazy mix there!  it's almost like they've been reading the forums here  :tongue2: .  seems like that could be well used with galantamine...  and it's not expensive at all.  might have to order some and give it a try.

----------


## Astrius

There's actually a product called GABA CALM, which includes _N-acetyl L-tyrosine_, a precursor of norepinephrine. 

Norepinephrine is something we want to increase for lucid dreaming purposes, so this particular product may yield even better results than pure GABA.

According to Thomas Yuschak...





> Through personal experience I have found the profound effects norepinephrine can have on dreaming. Supplements that boost norepinephrine (in the brain) can produce similar results as acetylcholine boosting supplements. The dream experiences tend to be long and extremely vivid... Taken in the right dose, it can act as a lucid dream trigger... Norepinephrine does more than just trigger lucid dreams however; it helps you stay extremely lucid for very long periods of time. In addition, it keeps you focused and alert while in the dream and greatly enhances the ability to recall details and memories from your waking life while within the dream.



Whether or not N-acetyl L-tyrosine can effectively boost norepinephrine in the brain, I have no idea. But if you're going to use GABA anyway, having this precursor in it surely can't hurt.

----------


## iadr

> But if you're going to use GABA anyway, having this precursor in it surely can't hurt.



The biggest problem I can see with this product Astrius is the small amount of GABA it contains, as it only has 100mg of GABA in it.

Meaning that if a person wanted to get the 8 grams needed to get lucid from the GABA they would need to take 80 pills, or more than half of the bottle.

Not very economical to say the least, although the other ingredients may be good.

Sort of looks like another get rich scheme at the expense of the lucid dreaming community.

They should really change the name of the pill to something else since it contains so little GABA.

----------


## Astrius

> The biggest problem I can see with this product Astrius is the small amount of GABA it contains, as it only has 100mg of GABA in it.



That's true, I didn't notice that. So I suppose if one were going to experiment with N-acetyl L-tyrosine, it would be better to buy it separately and just take it with the standard GABA powder. The addition of this precursor may also mean that a lot less GABA is required.

----------


## iadr

> What's ZMA? Something for me to google i guess.



Check out some of the customer reviews on ZMA at BulkNutrition.com

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=1041

These are reviews from body builders I think who are not necessarily into lucid dreaming, but from what I've read of their reviews, it is definitely something I am going to try.

----------


## Astrius

OK, so I tried GABA last night (5g after a few hours of sleep). It didn't lead to a lucid dream, but it definitely should have done. WOW! It was an incredible experience...

In the dream that followed I'm standing in a car park (at night) talking to a friend (who's sitting in a car). As I glance upward, I notice a number of shooting stars. "Wow, look at this," I say, and begin counting them, "one, two, three, four.... oh my god, there's dozens of them." Then swirly things like galaxies start moving across the sky and I immediately begin to suspect that I'm dreaming. I perform a RC (of pulling my finger), but it doesn't stretch. In fact, my hands feel perfectly solid, as does everything else. My friend and I start debating whether we're dreaming or not (and conclude that we're not). I think there was some degree of wishful thinking going on here. A kind of "wow, this is _actually_ happening." Suddenly a spotlight illuminates the building in front of us and something beastly starts ascending it. "Look, it's King Kong," I exclaim.

When I awoke, I wasn't really annoyed to have missed a lucid experience (as I normally am after coming so close), because the dream was unlike anything I've ever experienced before. My immediate waking thoughts were: "THAT was a dream?????? Holy S***!"

So in conclusion... I'm very impressed with GABA and plan on combining it next time, perhaps with DMAE or N-acetyl L-tyrosine.

----------


## OrionStyles

OK, after 2 months of GABA 5000-7500mg per night. I didn't notice any noticable difference in the number of lucid dreams I had, still sitting around 6/month. 

What I did notice is that my dreams (even non-lucid) were washed out and not as vivid, which really sucks.

However, WILDs are much easier to do, as long as I take 7500mg and then straight to bed and try to wild. I'm not a big fan of WILDs (I have to be in a certain mood for it to work),  so I guess it is something that when I tried to WILD when in the right mood I always succceeded using GABA. Where without gaba is normally a 1 in 3 (estimate) chance of remaining lucid.

Waking and then taking GABA near the end of the sleep cycle killed my dreams for the night. I would sleep, and it would be as if I fell asleep 5 minutes before I awoke, but several hours had passed.

I won't be using this any more, loss of dream vividness is too much of a negative side effect and I'm not into WILDs.

Anyone else use GABA and notice that their dreams were less vivid?

----------


## MindVoyager

Last night I took the following cocktail before bed:

GABA 4G
ZINC 50mg
MAGNESIUM 500mg
VITAMIN B6 100mg

This led to the craziest vivid dream roller coaster that I have been on in a long time.  One *terrifying nightmare* thrown in there too for good measure.  The dreams were so long and so vivid that I feel that words cannot accurately convey the intensity of the experience.  I wonder if I can get any other oneironauts play with this mix to see what they come up with.  This was actually my 2nd attempt with the cocktail, and the resulting dreams were more intense the 2nd time around.  I am not sure what the difference was.  Reverse tolerance?  

Don't know yet...but I am pretty excited about the results from last night.

Also, I experienced the following effects in the morning hours: Headache.  Indigestion.  I should also note that after taking 4g of GABA I get sweaty and feel some light pins and needles on my face.

Cheers.
MV

----------


## iadr

> Last night I took the following cocktail before bed:
> 
> GABA 4G
> ZINC 50mg
> MAGNESIUM 500mg
> VITAMIN B6 100mg
> 
> This led to the craziest vivid dream roller coaster that I have been on in a long time. One *terrifying nightmare* thrown in there too for good measure. The dreams were so long and so vivid that I feel that words cannot accurately convey the intensity of the experience. 
> 
> Also, I experienced the following effects in the morning hours: Headache. Indigestion. MV



I've had some of my most incredible lucids after taken GABA with ZMA (a zinc/magnesium capsule) a couple of hours after having taken galantamine, lucids lasting 2 hours long.

Only problem was that I felt really nauseated the rest of the day. So although this combination can be quite effective, it can leave one feeling a bit sick.

----------


## Lyikos

I'm willing to try this. Anyone know of any adverse effects or toxicity that it can lead to?

----------

