INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Glad you had the biopsy so quickly Tang. Hoping the best for you. Stephanie

cammi - sassy kicked my a** and reminded me to come back. She was right. You are too funny!

wren and spookie, thanks for rememberlating me.

Jazzy, that was too cute.

My son and I went out to dinner tonight. That was fun!

MammaRay, this time around I'm getting 35 hits to my sternum. 10 down, 25 to go. So far so good!

Patty,

http://www.gammaaminobutyricacid.org/gaba-clinical-trials/ - full article, clinical trials

Sleep Enhancement

GABA may be able to aid with sleep due to its effects on relaxation. In the thalamus (the part of the brain involved with sleep processes), GABAA receptors are highly active. GABA-agonist drugs like temazepam (Restoril) or zolpidem (Ambien) are used in insomnia treatment as sedatives. Gabapentin, the synthetic GABA-like drug that can increase GABA levels in one’s brain, was discovered to have improved sleep disturbances linked with the consumption of alcohol.

In an unpublished, small study, 100 mg of a natural source GABA lowered sleep latency by 20 percent, while raising the time spent in deep sleep by 20 percent.

Stress/Anxiety

Since an insufficient amount of GABA brain activity or reduced levels of GABA have been linked with anxiety, many anti-anxiety drugs (some of which has been in use for close to half a century), target the GABA receptor. A small early study of six subjects found the analog drug gabapentin to be effective for panic disorder. Natural relaxation therapies also help, at least in part, by enhancing one’s GABA levels. A controlled study found that GABA levels in the brain were highly increased after a 60-minute session of yoga compared to a hour long reading session. Another study found an active component of valerian, valerenic acid, regulates GABA receptors.

In a double blind, unpublished comparison study (so as to prevent experimenter bias and placebo effects) a natural source of GABA (PharmaGABA) was found to produce relaxation as indicated by changes in brain wave patterns, heart rate, and the diameter of the pupil, in addition to reduction of the stress markers salivary cortisol and chromogranin A (adrenal stress marker).

To measure brain wave activity, an electroencephalogram (EEG) is used. Alpha waves are generated while in a relaxed state, unlike beta waves which are found in stressful situations that make it difficult to focus on mental concentration. As a result, the ratio between alpha-to-beta waves is used as a measure of relaxation and increased concentration. For the most part, the bigger the discrepancy between the alpha-to-beta ratio, the more relaxed and aware the person is.

A pilot experiment carried on at the University of Shizuoka in Japan involved 13 healthy volunteers: six females and seven males roughly between the ages of 21-35. A couple of hours before the study began, the subjects were instructed not to eat, drink, or use any form of tobacco. EEG readings were recorded prior and after each of the three consumptions of 200 mL distilled water: (1) only distilled water; (2) distilled water mixed with 100 mg of natural GABA (PharmaGABA, in this case); (3) distlled water mixed with 200mg L-theanine (an amino acid extracted from green tea that can cause an increase in alpha-brain waves).

The administration of the tests were separated by seven day intervals. EEG recordings were acquired while the subject was quietly resting with eyes closed, and were done before administration, then starting from 0, 30, and 60 minutes after each administration for a period of five-minutes. The subject’s alpha and beta waves were determined as a percentage and pre and post-administration values were examined. The ratio between alpha-to-beta were determined as a ratio between alpha and beta percentages. The inclusion of GABA produced enormous increases on two factors: increasing alpha waves, and decreasing beta waves, causing a large increase in the alpha-beta wave ratio.

A different study brought forth more evidence that natural GABAs can help reduce stress. While blindfolded, eight subjects (between 25-30) with acrophobia (the fear of heights) were administered either 200 mg of a natural GABA (PharmaGABA) or a placebo pill prior to crossing a long walking suspension bridge that extended over a 150-foot canyon. Salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was determined from samples taken prior to crossing, halfway across, and once they were off the bridge.

Secretory IgA is a necessary antibody in saliva that assists in fighting off infections. Being relaxed will cause a large increase (P<0.001) in sIgA levels, while conversely, being under stress will cause a decrease in sIgA. In this experiment, sIgA was lowered by approximately 35 percent in subjects that were part of the control group. In the GABA group, however, sIgA levels maintained salivary levels at the halfway point and showed an increased level upon finishing the walk. To offset any potential discrepancies caused by the effect of saliva quantity (as a dry mouth can be caused by stress), the final concentrations of sIgA were determined in mcg/mL.

Utilizing the same suspension bridge but different subjects (n=13), a second study was conducted which yielded results in favor of GABAs ability to decrease markers of stress. The subjects took 200 mg of natural source GABA and had a 20 percent drop in salivary levels of chromogranin A (an adrenal stress marker) at the mid-way point of the bridge relative to the starting values; the control group saw a 20 percent boost in chronogranin A.

Thanks Beaches.... We had a friend who lived in NC.... and she used to save "beach glass".... Is it also called "sea glass?" She sent me a few beautiful pieces, and I used it into a "shell-hanging"... along with the shells me and my Daughter's have been collecting from Orlando...

Have you ever used "Shoo-Goo"... from Walmart? It's usually in the shoe department... A tube, for maybe $4 something, and it holds EVERYthing!

I thread a pretty bead through fishing line, and then glue the bead on a shell or "sea-glass" and make any kind of hanging...

I used it yesterday to put that little lamp-shade together...

OMD IT'S PHYLLIDINKARINK! WTH???????? They let you OUT? To roam freely amongst us? Who would have thought? I've been missing you missy!

You get a Cowboy? And he has his own rope? So needless to ask if you saw 50 shades? You were probably the inspiration for that book AND movie!

Been sittin' on your front porch with the paint-ball gun lately? And shooting all the poor neighborhood children who are merely walking past your house?

How is big Alice... or was it Bertha? Big something-or-other? So glad you sneaked in on us!

Yes Beaches.... What is that? Ride a Cowboy, Save a horse? That is our Phylliopian.... she's such a tramp.

AND RIGHT AFTER HER IS CAMMI????????? Today is our lucky day! All the tramps in one place! You LIVED with a MAN? Damn girl... That figures. Didn't you worry about your reputation? Or had that gone by the way-side years before?

Did you gals hear THAT? See? You thought I was the ONLY one who had questionable morals.... there are a whole SLUG of them on here!

And who said what about Duck tape? I love Duck tape.... for everything! It is our best friend.... Ranks right up there with "Shoo-goo!"

I hate to move on, because I'm afraid I will lose Phyliwithacowboy, and Camwholiveswithguys...... for no apparent reason.

Morning Susan! Glad you are doing better! And so happy your Husband is doing okay with his back surgery! I had mine about 25 years ago.... and it is great!

OH NO I CAN'T STAND IT! Cammers posted twice within what? An hour? She is sick.... I just know it!

Yes Cam.... she must be a spy... that's what landed her in the big house before.... you know? Man, your post just cracked me up! She laid UNDER a cowboy? Yeah, like you know nothing about that..... We are secretly jealous....

And WHAT? You said a big word.... and spelled it right? Necrophilia.... wait................ I have to look that up.............. oh wait............. a pole just went by.............

You guys, something happened.... all of a sudden this whole site got so TINY, I can hardly read it! I'll be back....

Car is going to get looked at tommorrow. It better get done the right way. Even hubby says there is too much technology in the cars today.

Yes Beaches! I LOVE Shoo-goo! Cammi probably thinks it is some sort of fly repellent....

It's funny that I can log into Chrome, and go to BC.ORG, and nothing is wrong, but AOL is REALLY having problems with their browsers.... It ain't ME.... honest.... Ha!

I just cut up and froze 8 grapefruit.... and all I did was put the containers outdoors on this little table, and they will freeze their butts off! It is snowing, and of course freezing, so it will be any minute here that Spookie will log on, and post her balmy weather.... her thermometer.......

Wait! She drives "cross-country" that Phylli does? Alone? Can't be.... WE know what she is up to..... probably driving around picking up MEN.... in her '51 Buick automatic with the automatic windows even.

Yep Phylo did that!!!!!! Me in pink, Sas in blue, Phylo in yellow at Sas's house, by her pool, last year

Ya'all know chevy has a DD in Orlando she could come visit?????? She wouldn't have to stay in frozen land, she could pick her own grapefruit!!!!

Uh, I'm wearing shorts. My bil in Cinti says they are expecting 9 inches

Spookie is such a brat! SHORTS? And it's 78 degrees out...... OUTSIDE????

Beaches, you are right! Snowing here.... and too damn cold for people. I've been re-arranging stuff.... drawers and things.... My neighbor called and wanted me to watch little Ellie, while she ran to do an errand, but then she called back, and her friend was coming over.... Now I'm sad because I don't get to see little Ellie.... It's just such a pain to walk over there on this ice and snow.... Even WITH my Croc-chains!

Guess that's it.... Oh wait...! I just printed off that picture of US three, to put in my little book, and I saw that ONE that you just posted of you with Sass and that other Tramplet!

I just love talking to you gals....

what did she just say?