GABA is essential to brain function, and it can maintain a good mood, memory, learning, and cognitive function. The best natural nootropics for mood-enhancing purposes will be discussed below. Read this article to learn how to increase your GABA levels for better mood and mental function with natural nootropic ingredients.
While several synthetic GABA supplements are available, many of them will not cross the blood-brain barrier properly and may even cause dependence or worse.
In no order of relevance, the best nootropics for mood include L-theanine, L-tyrosine, organic bacopa monnieri leaf extract, methylated vitamin B6, uridine, taurine, organic ashwagandha root extract, and vitamin D. These natural nootropics are available in their purest and most bioavailable forms in Maximum Mind. Continue reading to see how they can positively impact your mood.
What Are Nootropics?
“The only difference between the master and the novice is that the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”― Stephen McCranie
First things, if we are talking about the best supplements for students, first we must define what nootropics are.
Corneliu Giurgea, a Romanian neuroscientist, coined the term nootropic (pronounced new-tropic) in 1972. He believed that smart drugs should be invented and made widely available for the purpose of enhancing the general population’s brain health and increasing human intelligence.
According to Dr. Giurgea’s findings, nootropics enhance cognition, memory, alertness, concentration, creativity, and attention. They became known as cognitive enhancers, substances that amplify the way the brain’s many cognitive functions operate and how we process information.
Simply put, cognitive enhancers (or nootropics or smart drugs) are prescription or off-the-counter drugs or supplements that enhance cognition. Some nootropics contribute to brain health, while others can be quite dangerous.
Since Marco’s Grounds only works with safe and natural compounds in their purest forms, we will restrain ourselves to natural nootropics that increase cognition safely for most of our discussions.
GABA and Glutamate
“Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”— Napoleon Hill
The brain uses neurotransmitters to communicate between neurons. Apart from GABA, neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, adrenaline, and norepinephrine are involved in transmitting cell signals.
While GABA is a neurotransmitter that acts as an inhibitor, glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that promotes learning, attention, and focus. However, excessive glutamate drives excessive activity in nerve cells and other neurons, leading them to burn out, much like a light bulb left on for an extended period of time.
Glutamate stimulates the opening of sodium channels in nerve cells and other neurons, preventing them from closing. The neurons continue to fire, causing inflammatory chemicals and free radicals to amass fast and destroy the mitochondria — the neurons' energy-generating core.
A study found in the International Tinnitus Journal claims that when the neurons' mitochondria are depleted, it withers and dies.[4]
GABA acts as an antagonist to glutamate, assisting nerve cells in remaining calm by interfering with neuronal firing, inhibiting inflammatory chemicals, and limiting free radical damage.
Glutamate should normally be able to convert to GABA.
Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is a non-essential amino acid that functions as the precursor to glutamate and GABA. It can essentially transform into either of the two, while GABA and glutamate can transform into one another.
However, various conditions might obstruct this conversion process, resulting in excessive glutamate generation and insufficient GABA conversion.
Excitotoxins
Avoid foods and other substances that contain excitotoxins, resulting in an abnormally high glutamate level. including:
- aspartate/aspartame
- casein
- MSG (and these alternate names)
- L-cysteine
- Domoic Acid (common in farm-raised seafood)
Calcium
Calcium has a role in the GABA-glutamate drama as well. Excitotoxicity is initiated by glutamate, but calcium is the substance that truly damages the nerve cell. Excess glutamate mixed with an excess of calcium is a recipe for disaster.
Vitamins D and K are fat-soluble vitamins that are necessary for calcium balance. The body can store vitamin D but not vitamin K; thus, daily supplementation may be necessary.
Additionally, you can reverse the flow of excess calcium into neurons and back into bones and teeth by performing the following:
- magnesium enhancement
- zinc supplementation to prevent glutamate damage
- lithium, iodine, and boron levels should be monitored
Neurotransmitter nootropics support appropriate brain chemical levels necessary for peak mental performance.
Symptoms of Low GABA
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.”— Colin Powell
GABA levels that are abnormally low might cause a variety of life-altering effects. Although GABA is well known for its impact on mood and stress response, it has a broader cognitive effect that you might not know.
GABA plays a significant role in the neural connections that regulate language. If you forget a term or the name of a person or location, GABA fills in the blanks and assists your brain in retrieving it.
GABA calms neurons that begin babbling nonsense in an exaggerated attempt to solve the puzzle of information overload. This enables accurate information to be uncovered without filtering through a deluge of unnecessary data.
Insufficient GABA activity in the body can result in the following:
- muscle pain
- aggression
- insomnia and other sleep problems
- self-stimulating behaviors
- difficulty concentrating
- chronic stress
- mood disorders
- convulsions
- depression
- poor social interactions
- anxiety
- memory problems
- headaches
Substance misuse is associated with decreased GABA activation as well.
High Blood Pressure
Certain data suggests that GABA may aid in the reduction of hypertension.
Normal blood pressure naturally decreases during the night as a result of the body's sleep mechanisms. Hypertension may indicate hyperarousal, a state of alertness that makes sleeping and staying asleep difficult.
Persistent sleep disruption and sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can result in hypertension and high blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure level can aid with sleep.
BDNF
A properly functioning GABA system aids in the development of neurons by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
BDNF is a protein found in the brain that stimulates the growth and survival of new neurons.
Maintaining adequate BDNF levels is critical for overall brain growth and cognitive function. Low BDNF levels have been associated with diminished brain plasticity and mental illness, according to researchers in Developmental Neurobiology. [6]
On the other hand, research indicates that increased BDNF levels promote learning, memory, cognitive function, and overall brain health. Consistent BDNF levels may help to prevent age-related cognitive impairment.
GABA Sources
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”— Bill Bradley
Food
Nutritional health is one of the most effective ways to protect cognitive function, and the foods we eat have a significant impact on brain function and mental performance.
GABA-containing foods or foods that promote GABA synthesis include the following:
- berries
- citrus fruits
- nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds
- wild-caught seafood, including shrimp, mackerel, and halibut
- leafy greens like spinach and broccoli
- cacao and cocoa
- whole grains
- tomatoes
- organic soy, fava, lentils, and other beans
- potatoes
GABA Supplements
While GABA supplements frequently promise to deliver the same advantages as naturally occurring GABA, their mechanisms vary and may be incompatible with those of the body.
However, scientists in an article published in Frontiers in Psychology have found how GABA supplements operate in the body and how well they cross the blood-brain barrier. [7]
Additionally, certain GABA supplements may cause dependence, increased glutamate levels (which can cause the early death of brain cells), and other undesirable side effects. Additional research is needed to establish the mechanism of action of supplementary GABA, especially how GABA affects the neurological system.
Maximum Mind as the Best Nootropics for Mood
“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”— Zig Ziglar
Certain herbal extracts, vitamins, and minerals boost GABA levels via increasing the frequency and duration of GABA channel activity rather than by binding directly to GABA receptors, as a typical agonist does.
Below are some of the best nootropics for mood. These natural smart drugs increase GABA activity, which aids in reducing stress and anxiety, promoting a balanced mood, and the improvement of sleep.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is mainly acquired from exposure to sunshine or supplementation. It is the main reason sunlight creates a mood enhancement. Until recently, the cognitive effects of vitamin D supplements were under-appreciated. Vitamin D receptors have been revealed to be widespread in the brain, since then and we understand that vitamin D is one of the best dietary supplements.
Vitamin D3, in particular, has neuroprotective properties that may assist in the brain’s defense against cognitive decline as well as chronic mood and memory difficulties.
Vitamin D3 has been shown in studies published in the Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation to assist in the removal of amyloid plaques associated with cognitive dysfunctions such as dementia and other forms of severe cognitive impairment [14], making it one of the best nootropics for mood.
Vitamin D3 and other D vitamins are required for appropriate brain development and cognitive function as we age. However, current research reveals that vitamin D deficiency is so widespread that many experts consider it a worldwide health issue.
Make sure you’re receiving enough D3 by stepping outside on sunny days and supplementing with a high-quality, absorbable form like the one in Maximum Mind. It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many plant-based sources of vitamin D3, the superior form, but Marco’s Grounds gets its D3 from North American wild lichen, making it vegan-friendly.
Note: there’s an effective dose of vitamin D3 extracted from North American wild lichen in each dose of Maximum Mind.
Read more about vitamin D on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive.
Uridine
Dietary uridine is converted to uridine monophosphate in the liver and then excreted in the blood.
Dietary uridine is found in a wide variety of foods. In order to reap the numerous outstanding benefits—particularly those associated with cognition—that come from uridine, which is primarily absorbed through diet, supplementation may be essential.
Supplementation with uridine has been found to cross the blood-brain barrier easily. To obtain CDP choline, uridine must be transformed in the brain. Additionally, choline is required to synthesize acetylcholine, a critical neurotransmitter involved in memory, mood regulation, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions.
Uridine is one of the best nootropics for mood due to the following reasons. According to a study published in Nutrition Reviews, the combined effects of uridine promote and increase neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to reconstruct and adapt in response to learning and brain training [16]. A practice that is undeniably healthy to mitigate mood swings.
Given a choice, most people would prefer to experience more positive moods and emotions than feeling sad or down all the time. According to an article from Biological Psychology, uridine showed a dose-dependent reduction in depression-like behaviors in rats, both alone and in combination with omega-3 fatty acids, thought to be due to both compounds’ influence on phospholipid metabolism and cell membrane fluidity [17].
Additionally, it has been researched and shown to improve depression associated with bipolar disorder in adolescents through a similar mechanism, according to a study in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Pharmacology [18]. An article in Bipolar Disorder also found that administration of uridine to healthy adults increases phosphomonoesters levels in the brain, which are thought to play a role in depression and bipolar disorder [19].
All this evidence supports the benefits of uridine in improving mood and cognitive performance without causing brain fog. Consequently, uridine is one of the best cognitive enhancers for mood because of its various advantages. Through assisting in the regeneration of neurites, the primary process by which neurons grow into axons or dendrites.
Note: there’s an effective dose of uridine at 99% purity in each dose of Maximum Mind.
Read more about uridine on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or read more about the benefits of uridine here.
Conclusion
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."— Thomas Edison
The best nootropic for mood, such as Maximum Mind, helps your mental keenness by boosting your mood and exonerating any known side effects from stimulants, such as coffee.
While GABA may be obtained from several sources, as discussed above, it is important to augment the number of GABA receptors by constantly consuming or supplementing foods promoting GABA instead of directly using GABA supplements that can have more bad than good.
However, the best nootropics for mood like L-theanine, organic ashwagandha root extract, uridine, organic bacopa monnieri leaf extract, L-tyrosine, vitamin D, and more are all included in Maximum Mind. They will help give you that calm mood you need to perform at your best.
Why not benefit from the best smart drugs for mood in their purest form along with other clinically studied compounds for increasing brain activity and health with Maximum Mind?
Literature
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- Prescot AP, Renshaw PF, Yurgelun-Todd DA. γ-Aminobutyric acid and glutamate abnormalities in adolescent chronic marijuana smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013 May 1;129(3):232-9.
- Ator NA. Contributions of GABAA Receptor Subtype Selectivity to Abuse Liability and Dependence Potential of Pharmacological Treatments for Anxiety and Sleep Disorders. CNS Spectrums. Volume 10, Issue 1 January 2005, pp. 31-39.
- Seidman MD. Glutamate Antagonists, Steroids, and Antioxidants as Therapeutic Options for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus and the Use of an Inner Ear Drug Delivery System. International Tinnitus Journal, 1998. Volume 4, No.2, 148-154.
- Winkelman JW, et al. Reduced brain GABA in primary insomnia: preliminary data from 4T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Sleep. Nov 2008. 31(11):1499-506.
- Castrén E, Rantamäki T. The role of BDNF and its receptors in depression and antidepressant drug action: Reactivation of developmental plasticity. Developmental Neurobiology. Vol 70, Issue 5. April 2010. pp. 289-297.
- Boonstra, E, et al. Neurotransmitters as food supplements: the effects of GABA on brain and behavior. Front Psychol. 2015; 6: 1520.
- Lardner AL. Neurobiological effects of the green tea constituent theanine and its potential role in the treatment of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Nutritional Neuroscience: An International Journal on Nutrition, Diet and Nervous System. 2014. Volume 17, Issue 4.
- Nathan PJ, Lu K, Gray M, Oliver C. The neuropharmacology of L-theanine(N-ethyl-L-glutamine): a possible neuroprotective and cognitive enhancing agent. J Herb Pharmacother. 2006;6(2):21-30.
- Foran E, Trotti D. Glutamate Transporters and the Excitotoxic Path to Motor Neuron Degeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2009 Jul; 11(7): 1587–1602.
- Abe M, Matsuda M. Effect of antivitamin B6 on regional GABA metabolism in mouse brain and its relation to convulsions. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 1979. 25(6):459-68.
- Idrissi, A. E. (2019). Taurine regulation of neuroendocrine function. Taurine 11, 977-985.
- Singh, N., Bhalla, M., de Jager, P., & Gilca, M. (2011). An overview of Ashwagandha: a Rasayana (rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 8(5S).
- Soni M, Kos K, Lang IA, Jones K, Melzer D, Llewellyn DJ. Vitamin D and cognitive function. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 2012;243:79-82.
- Neri DF et al. The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended wakefulness. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1995 Apr; 66(4): 313-9.
- Wurtman, R. J., Cansev, M., Sakamoto, T., & Ulus, I. (2010). Nutritional modifiers of aging brain function: use of uridine and other phosphatide precursors to increase the formation of brain synapses. Nutrition reviews, 68(suppl_2), S88-S101.
- Carlezon, Mague, S. D., Parow, A. M., Stoll, A. L., Cohen, B. M., & Renshaw, P. F. (2005). Antidepressant-like effects of uridine and omega-3 fatty acids are potentiated by combined treatment in rats. Biological Psychiatry, 57(4), 343-350.
- Kondo, D. G., Sung, Y. H., Hellem, T. L., Delmastro, K. K., Jeong, E. K., Kim, N., Shi, X., & Renshaw, P. F. (2011). Open-label uridine for treatment of depressed adolescents with bipolar disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 21(2), 171-175.
- Agarwal, N., Sung, Y. H., Jensen, J. E., daCunha, G., Harper, D., Olson, D., & Renshaw, P. F. (2010) Short-term administration of uridine increases brain membrane phospholipid precursors in healthy adults: a 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 4T. Bipolar Disorders, 12(8), 825-833.