GABA is very interesting, it is a transmitter substance in the CNS, and some drugs work through interfering with the GABA-ergic receptors. Two main groups - one is benzodiazepines (Valium, ROhypnol ...), the other two drugs used in various circumstances, but to a large degree in modulating pain - pregabalin and gabapentin. The first is now recognised as being potentially dependency forming.
As for diabetes type 2, the problem is not primarily a lack of insulin - in fact, many diabetes type 2 have large concnetrations of insulin - but the primary problem is a resistance in the insulin receptors. Or, this may in fact be a reaction to a large insulin concentration (sort of a vicious circle).
I´d wait for confirmatory reports.

Whenever I read about new research or treatments involving Type 1 (my father and my youngest son are both Type 1), my next port of call is almost always the Diabetes UK website.

I searched for any mention of GABA, and it only came up with two results, both biogs of Patrik Rorsman, Principal Investigator at the Diabetes Research Laboratories, University of Oxford.

Interesting to see this in the biog

The latter studies have revealed the pitfalls of extrapolating rodent data to the situation in man.

Paul wrote:Whenever I read about new research or treatments involving Type 1 (my father and my youngest son are both Type 1), my next port of call is almost always the Diabetes UK website.

I searched for any mention of GABA, and it only came up with two results, both biogs of Patrik Rorsman, Principal Investigator at the Diabetes Research Laboratories, University of Oxford.

Interesting to see this in the biog

The latter studies have revealed the pitfalls of extrapolating rodent data to the situation in man.

Reminiscent of a Swedish 1960s humorous radio show, "News from the Monarchy of Mosebacke"

Mosebacke radio wrote:Studies on mice have shown that men like sex - and cheese.

.

as an 11 year type 1 diabetic this excites me, as ive never seen anything quite so cut-and-dry. Ive heard, and researched gaba many times and plan to actually try it. Im not expecting it to cure me, but im interested to see what happens. Chances are these mice were given mega injection doses of gaba not attainable safely by oral dose, and one does not want to go over the recommended dose of gaba as it is a psychoactive amino acid, wouldn't want to end up in the loonie bin.

it's interesting to read the article and to do the research on GABA. It honestly does make sense. GABA is responsible for control of the CNS and allowing it to work. It is produced directly by the Beta cells in the Pancreas which are also the cells that produce insulin. It sounds to me like it would create a vicious cycle. GABA allows the body to fight off autoimmune disorders but type 1 is an attack on your beta cells. Body kills Beta cells, Insulin and GABA go down. Take extra GABA and then it permits more beta cell regen, more beta regen = more insulin and so forth.

I personally am going to be doing my own lab test by eating a constant, controlled carb intake diet and then taking my regular doses of insulin (yes I am a type 1 for about 10-11 years now). And then I'll start taking an increasing dose of GABA and then recording the effects on my sugar and off sets to my insulin doses if need be. Once I'm done i'll post the chart for people to see. Should be interesting.

If I could because i'm about an hour from Toronto, i'd volunteer to be a test subject. I hate this disease and the faster it is cured, the better.

Hi Tom,

I've been a type 1 diabetic (LADA) since 20 years. I've been thinking for some time that diabetes is the price we must pay for the autoimmune system. I'd be very careful when there's a possibility to disturb the autoimmune system. Consequences of autoimmune failures may be lethal, while diabetes is not.

You have to remember though Rilx that Type 1 Diabetes would have been fatal for all of us had insulin not been discovered at the turn of the century and even now there are studies that show that insulin is not the be all end all of Glucose control in the blood stream. I went for years as undiagnosed when I was a child and was living with an hbA1C of well over 14-15% for at least 5 years, My family physician was only ordering a fasting glucose test and my fasting numbers would still be around 6 when I was younger and my pancreas wasn't dead yet. How I'm not dead already from DKA is a mystery to myself and to my doctors who are just glad I think that I am alive, yet I know now that I and all other type 1s I know are living on borrowed time while making pharma companies tons of money.

The biggest concern I have with something that seems some simple and cheap ( compaired to insulin treatment) is that this study will just disappear under the weight of corporate burocracy. Every Autoimmune disorder save Type 1 and Multiple Sclerosis have a cure because they are 100% deadly, there is no "lets just keep them alive on meds" solution. Type 1s and MS patients inflate the health care system with products, care and research. All of these things mean big money for the companies that back them. It'd be a shame that a cure or atleast a better way of treating our disease is to eat more Germinated Rice Extracts... That would mean poor farmers in Asia would get our money and not huge Pharma companies that are bleeding dying people dry on a daily basis. Diabetes and other diseases like it mean one thing for corporations, profits. Pharma companies are not out there to save lives, they are out there for nice big quarterly statements. Our bodies are designed to work perfectly if we feed it perfectly. I guarantee that it's when you add all the crap into our food and bodies that our body says "nope" and stops working correctly. At the end of the day Greed will always trump all other factors. It's not like we've ever had a good person just give us the vaccine for a deadly disease for free now is it? Oh wait....

Alan B wrote:

Rilx wrote:Consequences of autoimmune failures may be lethal, while diabetes is not.

That depends how one measures 'time to die'. Diabetics, both type 1 & 2, do tend to die earlier and some with complications that one would not have with a 'natural' death...

True, and I should have talked of type 1 diabetes only. I see lifestyle a big problem, especially because most of us can't choose our lifestyle. There are those who can, though:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-cel ... betes.html

Here's a little hope to all of us:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11179/1156637-114-0.stm

"It now demonstrates the dramatic improvements in mortality, and life expectancy is close to that of the general population," Dr. Orchard said. "We are hoping we can totally eliminate excess mortality. The vast majority of people with type 1 diabetes can look forward to a normal life expectancy. That's the big news here."

Tom, I understand how you feel. I'm sure every diabetic has felt hopeless, anguished and desperate.

tom224617 wrote:Our bodies are designed to work perfectly if we feed it perfectly.

I don't agree. There's no perfect food, neither for us nor any animal. Neither there are perfect environments. Our life is continuous adaptation and struggle to survive in stuations we've been thrown. Some succeed better, some worse. The autoimmune system is one of our strongest means to struggle against future threats of which our body knows nothing today. If it fails, next flu may kill us.

So, be careful out there.

well, i'm back. I did in fact experiment with gaba and still am. No, i am not cured but i'm almost certain my BG #'s were more predictable (and lower). Gaba has this odd side effect of making you feel like you cant breathe (seriously)..it makes you hyperventilate and makes a strange tingly feeling through your body. Short lived, passes in about a minute but be prepared.


This study wasnt nearly detailed enough, as we do not know how much gaba was administered, and how (my guess is direct injection to the pancreas) How much should we take orally? I could shovel in some gaba powder, AFAIK it is without serious side effect in the studies that have been done. 1 dose is 500mg, i take 2-3 doses a day.

i agree...in the past 10 years there have been so many 'studies' from every different approach that seem 'promising' , but the all disappear. in 2006 another toronto study linked hot pepper compound to curing diabetes, linking type 1 to the nervous system. that study, like all of them, has been swept away and will likely never hear about it again. The only mainstream research right now that looks very promising is LCT on new zealand with there encapsulated pig cell technology. (diabecell) VERY promising human trials under-way (one man has had functioning cells since 1996)

This is such a great development to share "This study wasnt nearly detailed enough, as we do not know how much gaba was administered, and how (my guess is direct injection to the pancreas) How much should we take orally? I could shovel in some gaba powder, AFAIK it is without serious side effect in the studies that have been done. 1 dose is 500mg, i take 2-3 doses a day. " and I know more will be coming.

Hi,
My sister has type 1 diabetes, I have schizophrenia. Most antipsychotic medications are GABA, and dopamine inhibitors. I have found over the years that many unmedicated people with sz also have hypoglycemia. I found this study about the mice while Iwas researching a link between opiods(dopamine enhancers), Benzodiazapines (GABA enhancers) and diabetes. My sister noticed that her A1C's which are usually in the 8-9 area decreased to 6.2 when she was taking the pain medicine vicodin, which is a dopamine enhancer. Interesting to say the least, but I think these researchers are onto something...