GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) has a lot of potential for improving the health of pets because it is naturally occurring and is one of the few amino acids that do not fall into the protein category as most amino acids do. GABA can be found in high amounts in mulberry leaf extracts. The amino acid is known to provide pets with multiple ways to support their neurology, improve immunity and increase metabolism via the various bioactivities of GABA.
GABA is considered to be an inhibitory neurotransmitter in mammals' central nervous systems (CNS) and is present in the most concentrated amounts of any other plant from which we can obtain natural GABA. By binding to the GABA receptor sites in the pet's CNS, it suppresses or inhibits the unsuitable neurological excitation or firing of one or more of the nerves, allowing for calming, tranquillizing and anxiety relieving effects.
Today, many animals are subjected to different forms of environmental stressors that cause behavioural changes, such as not wanting to eat when they are relocated or placed into boarding facilities, hiding or trembling during thunderstorms, or experiencing social issues while being housed together with multiple other pets. The ability of GABA to suppress the activities of the noradrenergic neurons located in the locus coeruleus, and block the conduction of stress responses at the source, is a main mechanism by which GABA produces its calming effects. Additionally, GABA increases the duration of slow-wave sleep by enhancing the chloride influx mediated by the GABAA receptors and also increases deep slow-wave sleep or deep sleep, which is essential for maintaining emotional stability and the cognitive health of pets.
