New study on GABA + L-theanine in sleep gummies - legit or big supplement shill?
Yo fam, just came across this study (PMID: 34567890) looking at a combo of GABA and L-theanine in a gummy for sleep quality. They claim significant improvement in sleep latency and subjective sleep quality vs placebo. But I'm side-eyeing the funding source - looks like it was partially funded by a supplement company. Anyone here good at reading these? Is this legit or just another marketing puff piece? I've been using a similar gummy and feel like it helps, but could be placebo. Thoughts?
Oh great, another 'miracle' gummy study funded by the people selling it. I swear, half these studies are just ads. I prefer good old valerian root tea or just turning off my screens. But I'll admit, I'm curious if anyone has tried these gummies and actually felt a difference. My daughter swears by them, but she's also 22 and doesn't know what real insomnia is yet. Anyway, I'd take it with a grain of salt. Literally, a grain of salt in warm water sometimes helps me relax.
Med student here. I skimmed the abstract. The methodology is okay-ish, but the sample size is small (n=50) and they used subjective measures mostly. The GABA dose is also pretty low compared to what's shown to cross the BBB. L-theanine has some evidence, but it's mild. And yeah, industry funding is a red flag, but not automatically disqualifying. Check for conflicts of interest in the full text. Also, gummies often have inconsistent dosing. If you want to try it, go ahead, but don't expect a knockout. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard. But I get it, sometimes you just want a gummy.
Thanks Dan, that's helpful. I didn't realize the BBB issue with GABA. I'll look for the full text. Ellen, I get your skepticism, but I think some of these newer formulations might have merit. I've tried valerian and it made me groggy. The gummies I use have 100mg GABA and 200mg L-theanine, plus some chamomile. Works okay for me, but I also do a wind-down routine. Maybe it's the routine? Anyway, appreciate the input!