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GABA 500 mg

Swanson
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(4848 ratings)
GABA 500 mg
Product Image
Score83
The clearly disclosed 500 mg serving is focused and practical, though ordinary oral GABA has inconsistent real-world effects.
How scoring works
Quantity:100 Capsule(s) • (100 servings)
Goals:
Stress Relief
Sleep Support
Mood Support

Score 83

The clearly disclosed 500 mg serving is focused and practical, though ordinary oral GABA has inconsistent real-world effects.
How scoring works
$9.99($0.09 per serving)
iHerb
$ 11.09
iHerb
$ 10.49
Amazon
$ 0.00
iHerb
$ 9.99
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Analysis

500 mg sits within a practical standalone range for a product aimed at relaxation, stress, or sleep support. Oral GABA targets an inhibitory pathway, but its ability to reach the brain reliably remains uncertain.

Capsule delivery is simple and provides a fixed serving. The single-active design is easy to assess and avoids unrelated ingredients.

Very low serving cost and a generous supply support economical regular use. The formula is better suited to situational calming than to broad mood support or circadian sleep timing.

Who is it for
  • Adults seeking a simple calming supplement
  • Users who prefer capsule delivery
Best for
  • Situational relaxation support
  • A focused single-pathway formula

Pros

  • Clearly disclosed 500 mg amount
  • Focused active-ingredient list
  • One-hundred-serving supply

Cons

  • Ordinary oral GABA has uncertain brain delivery
  • No branded fermented source
  • Does not address circadian timing

Warnings

  • GABA may cause drowsiness; do not drive or operate machinery until its effects are known.
  • Alcohol, sleep medicines, sedating antihistamines, and other sedatives may intensify impaired alertness.
  • GABA may lower blood pressure in some users; monitor for dizziness when using blood-pressure medicine.

Nutrient quality

81 Highest impact

Conventional oral delivery does not overcome the main uncertainty about how much ordinary GABA reaches the brain. well-centered falls within a practical standalone range.

Ingredient transparency

81 Highest impact

The GABA amount is clearly disclosed. Excipients and daily directions are absent from the supplied data, which leaves some label details uncertain.

Customer satisfaction

71 High impact

The aggregate satisfaction average is strong, though no detailed feedback is supplied. The large volume provides a stable aggregate satisfaction signal.

Value for money

98 Highest impact

A clear, practical amount supports good formula value despite generic sourcing. The serving cost is very low for a practical amount.

Report analysis

Goals

Stress Relief
Stress Relief
Impact
High effect
B- Goal FitA- Strength of SupportC+ CoverageA Formula Quality
GABA · 500 mg

The clearly stated GABA amount provides a focused option for acute calming and physical relaxation. Its usefulness is tempered by uncertainty about how effectively ordinary oral GABA reaches the brain.

The serving is well dosed and the capsule keeps the formula simple. No fermented branded form or other quality distinction is identified, and the product addresses only one inhibitory pathway.

Study evidence
GABA Supportive 6 studies
Sleep Support
Sleep Support
Impact
High effect
C+ Goal FitA- Strength of SupportC CoverageA+ Formula Quality

The clearly disclosed GABA amount targets nervous-system relaxation and fits a practical standalone range. Oral GABA may help some users settle before bed, but human sleep evidence and brain availability remain less certain than for melatonin.

The single-ingredient formula provides strong dose depth without hidden blends or redundant calming herbs. Narrow pathway coverage means it does not directly support circadian timing or mineral-related relaxation.

Study evidence
GABA Supportive 4 studies
Mood Support
Mood Support
Impact
Moderate effect
D- Goal FitA Strength of SupportF CoverageA- Formula Quality

The clearly disclosed GABA amount fits the preferred standalone range and the formula is easy to assess. Mood relevance remains limited because oral GABA crosses the blood-brain barrier poorly and human evidence for direct central effects is uncertain.

The product may offer situational calming support through peripheral or gut-related pathways, but it does not provide broad mood coverage. Its clean single-active design is coherent, though the generic source and standard capsule do not address the main bioavailability limitation.

Study evidence
GABA Supportive 12 studies

Ingredients

IngredientAmount per serving
GABA
500 mg
Adults 18–50
Report overview
GABA · 500 mg OverallScore90
B- Active Ingredient Quality & BioavailabilityA+ Dose, Safety & Label TransparencyA+ Value

The clearly disclosed 500 mg GABA dose fits the preferred range for standalone use. A standard capsule offers practical delivery, although the GABA source is not identified as a premium fermented form. The low cost per effective serving makes it economical for regular use.

View ingredientView products
Loading alternative details
85 Performance

Pharma GABA 250 mg

Natural Factors Stress-Relax
<p>A meaningful amount of fermented branded GABA provides well-defined, focused relaxation support. Compared with the original, the fermented branded source provides clearer source definition; the defined source improves quality confidence, although individual response to oral GABA may still vary.</p>
79 Performance

PharmaGABA Chewables

Designs for Health
<p>Branded fermented GABA and a well-targeted amount provide focused relaxation support. Compared with the original, the fermented branded source provides clearer source definition; the defined source improves quality confidence, although individual response to oral GABA may still vary.</p>
77 Performance

Liposomal GABA

Quicksilver Scientific
<p>Liposomal delivery plus L-theanine creates a technically strong and coherent calming formula. Compared with the original, liposomal delivery and L-theanine provide a broader calming design; the supplied feedback and high serving cost still weaken value confidence.</p>
86 Budget

GABA

NOW
<p>A substantial GABA amount in flexible liquid form provides highly economical relaxation support. The lower serving cost improves value compared with the original; its comparable disclosed amount preserves the same basic intensity, while ordinary oral GABA still has uncertain brain availability.</p>
81 Budget

GABA 750 mg

Source Naturals Serene Science
<p>A clearly disclosed upper-range GABA amount provides focused calming support in a simple formula, but ordinary oral GABA has uncertain access to the brain and human effects vary. The lower serving cost improves value compared with the original; its higher amount may increase drowsiness, while ordinary oral GABA still has uncertain brain availability.</p>
83 Budget

GABA 500 mg

Nutricost
<p>A clearly disclosed well-centered GABA amount provides focused calming support in a simple formula, but ordinary oral GABA has uncertain access to the brain and human effects vary. The lower serving cost improves value compared with the original; its comparable disclosed amount preserves the same basic intensity, while ordinary oral GABA still has uncertain brain availability.</p>
89 Value

GABA Powder

Source Naturals Serene Science
<p>The combination of a flexible 750 mg GABA serving and an economical serving creates better practical value than the original. The larger amount may cause drowsiness, especially alongside alcohol or other sedating products.</p>
87 Value

GABA 750 mg

NOW
<p>The combination of clearly disclosed 750 mg GABA and an economical serving creates better practical value than the original. The larger amount may cause drowsiness, especially alongside alcohol or other sedating products.</p>
86 Value

GABA 750 mg

AN Amazing Nutrition Amazing Formulas
<p>The combination of clearly disclosed 750 mg GABA and an economical serving creates better practical value than the original. The larger amount may cause drowsiness, especially alongside alcohol or other sedating products.</p>
Report alternatives

Sources

Published studies used for the product analysis and the top-ranked studies for each ingredient and goal.

  1. Safety and Efficacy of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid from Fermented Rice Germ in Patients with Insomnia Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial.
    Byun JI; Shin YY; Chung SE; Shin WC · Journal of clinical neurology (Seoul, Korea) · 2020
    Randomized trial40 participantsSleep Support forGABA
  2. Reduced γ-aminobutyric acid in occipital and anterior cingulate cortices in primary insomnia: a link to major depressive disorder?
    Plante DT; Jensen JE; Schoerning L; Winkelman JW · Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2012
    Case-control study40 participantsSleep Support forGABA
  3. Oral intake of γ-aminobutyric acid affects mood and activities of central nervous system during stressed condition induced by mental tasks.
    Yoto A; Murao S; Motoki M; Yokoyama Y; Horie N; Takeshima K; Masuda K; Kim M; Yokogoshi H · Amino acids · 2012
    Randomized trial63 participantsStress Relief Mood Support forGABA
  4. Peripartum neuroactive steroid and γ-aminobutyric acid profiles in women at-risk for postpartum depression.
    Deligiannidis KM; Kroll-Desrosiers AR; Mo S; Nguyen HP; Svenson A; Jaitly N; Hall JE; Barton BA; Rothschild AJ; Shaffer SA · Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2017
    Cohort study56 participantsMood Support forGABA
  5. The role of neurotransmitters in mediating the relationship between brain alterations and depressive symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
    Wang J; Liu G; Xu K; Ai K; Huang W; Zhang J · Human brain mapping · 2023
    Case-control study69 participantsMood Support forGABA
  6. Occipital gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate-glutamine alterations in major depressive disorder: An mrs study and meta-analysis.
    Truong V; Cheng PZ; Lee HC; Lane TJ; Hsu TY; Duncan NW · Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging · 2021
    Observational studyMood Support forGABA
  7. Systematic review of gamma-aminobutyric-acid inhibitory deficits across the reproductive life cycle.
    Vigod SN; Strasburg K; Daskalakis ZJ; Blumberger DM · Archives of women's mental health · 2014
    Systematic review11 studies pooledMood Support forGABA
  8. Analysis of the Effects of Known Sleep-Support Supplements in Relation to Life Habits, Sleep Conditions, and Sleep Problems.
    Imafuku F; Yamamoto K; Tanaka E; Aoki R; Nishino S · Nutrients · 2023
    Randomized trial160 participantsSleep Support forGABA
  9. GABA Supplementation, Increased Heart-Rate Variability, Emotional Response, Sleep Efficiency and Reduced Depression in Sedentary Overweight Women Undergoing Physical Exercise: Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial.
    Guimarães AP; Seidel H; Pires LVM; Trindade CO; Baleeiro RDS; Souza PM; Silva FGDE; Coelho DB; Becker LK; Oliveira EC · Journal of dietary supplements · 2024
    Randomized trial30 participantsSleep Support Stress Relief forGABA
  10. Relieving occupational fatigue by consumption of a beverage containing γ-amino butyric acid.
    Kanehira T; Nakamura Y; Nakamura K; Horie K; Horie N; Furugori K; Sauchi Y; Yokogoshi H · Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology · 2011
    Clinical trial30 participantsStress Relief forGABA
  11. Cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in posttraumatic stress disorder and their relationships to self-reported sleep quality.
    Meyerhoff DJ; Mon A; Metzler T; Neylan TC · Sleep · 2014
    Case-control study45 participantsStress Relief forGABA
  12. Comparison of the effects of two amino acids, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and L-theanine, on sedation, anxiety, and cognition in preoperative surgical patients - A randomized controlled study.
    Deshpande SS; Kurdi M; Baiju A; Athira AS; Sarasamma AG; Gangadharan AK · Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology · 2025
    Randomized trial168 participantsStress Relief forGABA