Can You Take Gaba & 5-htp?

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, and 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, are dietary supplements that have the potential to boost your mood, reduce stress and have a positive effect on your sleep. The former is a neurotransmitter that relaxes the firing of your nervous system and the latter is a chemical that your body converts into the mood-regulating chemical serotonin. Though there has been little research into the effect of taking these supplements together, it may be safe to use them in recommended doses.

Known Interactions

As of publication, no known supplements interact negatively with GABA. Though no active contraindication is known between the supplements, the New York University Langone Medical Center advises that sufficient safety studies have not been carried out on GABA and the maximum safe doses for young children, pregnant or nursing women and people with kidney or liver diseases are not known. As a supplement, 5-HTP has undergone more safety studies and is known to have contraindications with antidepressants, carbidopa, tramadol and some migraine medication, but there is no research regarding interaction with GABA supplements.

Found in Food

Both GABA and 5-HTP are in foods and you have likely eaten them together, suggesting that they are safe to consume simultaneously in small doses. According to research into the safety of GABA submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008, it occurs commonly in low levels in foods like tomatoes, potatoes, melons and fermented foods. Though 5-HTP does not occur directly in food, the amino acid trypotphan does. Your body converts tryptophan into 5-HTP in your body, and tryptophan is in foods like turkey, chicken, milk, potatoes and pumpkin.

Expert Insight

Supplement author and medical doctor Ray Sahelian states that GABA and 5-HTP taken in "low amounts" are unlikely to cause any negative reaction. However, he adds that it is impossible to predict any single person's reaction to using these supplements in combination. Always speak to a physician before taking any single or combination of dietary supplements.

Dosage Recommendations

Always follow your doctor's recommendations for dosage when using either GABA or 5-HTP. The Langone Medical Center notes that in the best study of GABA for blood pressure reduction, only a dose of 10 mg was needed to show results. A dose of up to 1,000 mg daily may still be safe to consume. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that some health professionals will recommend up to 150 mg of 5-HTP per day, but also warns that high doses of the supplement are dangerously toxic on their own.