Benzos Downregulation of GABA questions

[maul91]

So I've done some research about benzo tolerance and withdrawals and it's the downregulation of GABA-receptors that cause tolerance and withdrawal, it requires more of the drug to achieve the same effects because of this. I am 2 months benzo free and Im actually not feeling any withdrawal effects anymore only nightmares but I think that is because im also doing NoFap(I fapped to much Before to porn and that is not good for dopamine). I have some questions

1) Can you, or someone else like a doctor, measure your own GABA-levels?
2) Is there anyway to increase it?(except time of course)
3) Im having one year break from all drugs, if I TRY like 7,5mg Ambien or 1mg Xanax after that and it doesnt work, does that reverse Everything or can I try like once a month? My hopes are of course that my tolerance has lowered by then.
4) Does dopamin interact with GABA someway?
5) Ive read that benzo is stored in FAT, and loosing weight etc will get rid of it. I dont know if this is a myth, but im overweight and loosings right now.

 

[HeadHigh]

1) I do not think this is possible at all
2) You can use basic supplements such as magnesium to help restore GABA levels, but it only works to a small extent
3) If youre taking a year off of drugs, stick to it. It wont completely fuck up your tolerance, but it definitely wont help.
4) Not exactly. Dopaminergic pathway is separate from the GABAergic
5) Benzos, such as alprazolam, are quite soluble in fat, and do linger in the body for quite some time, therefore losing weight will help in many ways

 

[maul91]

1) I do not think this is possible at all
2) You can use basic supplements such as magnesium to help restore GABA levels, but it only works to a small extent
3) If youre taking a year off of drugs, stick to it. It wont completely fuck up your tolerance, but it definitely wont help.
4) Not exactly. Dopaminergic pathway is separate from the GABAergic
5) Benzos, such as alprazolam, are quite soluble in fat, and do linger in the body for quite some time, therefore losing weight will help in many ways

3(

3) Yeah but sometime you need to try a pill to know where you're at right? A year should be long enough to atleast evaluate the situation. If it doesnt work I ll continue etc.

Thanks for your asnwers

 

[sekio]

Someone could measure your GABA levels but what would that actually do for you? It would give you a number and numbers are just that. So focus on making yourself feel better. Try taking up a hobby or starting a project to keep you occupied. You'll find things that make you feel good.

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Yes GABA A receptors are very involved with dopamine, primarily the receptors with alpha 1 and alpha 3 receptors. The hypnotic z drugs and temazepam are all selective for the alpha 1-- coincidentally temazepam is the most preferred benzo by most people if you search around and zolpidem (ambien) is highly addicting. The GABA A receptors increase dopamine release in the mesolimbic reward pathway, the ventral tegmental area, and the nucleus accumens. Dopaminergic neurons in certain areas of the brain (such as the striatum) also release GABA alongside dopamine and vice versa--the GABAergic neurons co-release GABA and dopamine together. Buying L-glutamine, which is a precursor to GABA will increase your GABA levels. I take it and it does work. 1000mg tid. And B6 100mg bid but the active coenzyme for pyridoxal phosphate. I wouldn't bother with the synthetic kind. B6 helps in the synthesis of norepinephrine, histamine, serotonin, dopamine, and GABA and it will help convert the glutamine. And I can personally vouch for the pyridoxal phosphate. I didn't have anything to sleep one night so I ended up taking about 400mg and I got itchy (from increased histamine) warm and started having the most vivid and blizzard hypnogia, sleep paralysis and weird hallucinations (sleep related) but anyway. They will work. L theanine goes well with it too but it's expensive. I can't afford it but when I could I was taking 200mg four times a day.

 

[Cotcha Yankinov]

3) There is thought to be some degree of permanent changes concerning the benzodiazepine binding site on the GABA receptor with drugs that bind to the benzo site (ambien included), so there's a possibility that all the abstinence in the world will not change benzo tolerance, but thankfully you will still be sensitive to your natural GABA.

4. Yes, the prevailing mechanism of how opioids work to cause euphoria is that there are opoid receptors on GABA neurons in the pleasure centers of the brain, when opoids bind there they cause the GABA to stop inhibiting downstream dopamine and thus the euphoria arises.