Does kava bind to GABA

This indicates kava behaves not like a benzo, but enhances the binding of our bodies natural chemicals which might give us the similar psychoactive.Upregulating gaba means there is more gaba and gaba receptors for kava to play with.Like all neurotransmitters, gaba and glutamate play a vital role in regulating the autonomic nervous system (stress response system), maintaining the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.In one study, 61 subjects took either 200mg of kava extract or a placebo each day for 4 weeks.Only weak activity was observed on gabaa binding sites in washed synaptosomal membranes prepared from rat brain.Unlike benzodiazepines, kavalactones do not bind directly to gaba, and appear to activate gabaergic effects via modulation of the gaba channels, and increased binding to, and of number of, gaba binding sites. this is gaba upregulation.

We know that kava interacts with gaba & so does lyrica/gabapentin (which we are both on).According to the results, the kava takers had significantly better sleep than the placebo takers.Like gaba, kava is widely used to help improve sleep.