Every so often, I just happen upon something that really makes me sit up. This is one such. (Probably says more about how little I know than anything.)
Although very interesting, I'd be very wary of going out and buying foods that are purportedly high in GABA. Aside from anything else, they are expensive!
Pharm Biol. 2019; 57(1): 29–37.
Published online 2019 Jan 24. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2018.1563621
PMCID: PMC6346718
PMID: 30676163
Analysis of the protective effects of γ-aminobutyric acid during fluoride-induced hypothyroidism in male Kunming mice
Haoyue Yang,a,b,c Ronge Xing,a,b,c Song Liu,a,b,c Huahua Yu,a,b,c and Pengcheng Lia,b,c
aKey Laborotory Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China;
bLaboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China;
cCenter for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
CONTACT Ronge Xing nc.ca.oidq@egnorgnix; Pengcheng Li nc.ca.oidq@ilcp, No.7, Nanhai Road, Shinan District, Qingdao City, Shandong province, China.
Abstract
Context: Compounds to treat hypothyroidism in the absence of cardiac side effects are urgently required. In this regard, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has gained interest due to its anti-anxiolytic, antihypertensive and antioxidant properties, and reported benefits to the thyroid system.
Objective: We investigated the ability of GABA to ameliorate fluoride-induced thyroid injury in mice, and investigated the mechanism(s) associated with GABA-induced protection.
Materials and methods: Adult male Kumning mice (N = 90) were exposed to NaF (50 mg/kg) for 30 days as a model of hypothyroidism. To evaluate the effects of GABA administration, fluoride-exposed mice received either thyroid tablets, or low (25 mg/kg), medium (50 mg/kg) or high (75 mg/kg) concentrations of pure GABA orally for 14 days groups (N = 10 each). The effects of low (50 mg/kg); medium (75 mg/kg) and high (100 mg/kg) concentrations of laboratory-separated GABA were assessed for comparison. Effects on thyroid hormone production, oxidative stress, thyroid function-associated genes, and side-effects during therapy were measured.
Results: GABA supplementation in fluoride-exposed mice significantly increased the expression of thyroid TG, TPO, and NIS (P < 0.05), significantly improved the thyroid redox state (P < 0.05), modulated the expression of thyroid function-associated genes, conferred liver metabolic protection, and prevented changes to myocardial morphology, thus reducing side effects. Both pure and laboratory-separated GABA displayed comparative protective effects.
Discussion and conclusion: Our findings support the assertion that GABA exerts therapeutic potential in hypothyroidism. The design and use of human GABA trials to improve therapeutic outcomes in hypothyroidism are now warranted.
Keywords: GABA, thyroid hormone synthesis, myocardial preservation, anti-hypothyroidism
Full paper freely available here:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
A couple of links about GABA
