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SMART SLEEPER NUTRIENTS GABA AND THE BENEVOLENT BS
GABA it provides the brain with a ready-made chemical that can activate benzodiazepine sleep receptors and gently induce sleep. As a brain neurotransmitter (manufactured in the body from the amino acid glutamate, vitamin B6, and vitamin C), it helps put the brakes on an overactive mind.
GABA is an amino acid supplement that is currently sold in health food stores and pharmacies. (Note: since the FDA may attempt to remove GABA from the market and reclassify it as a drug, it's a good idea to know which smart nutrients, just mentioned, you need to take to stimulate GABA synthesis.) GABA seems to work well in concert with vitamin B3 (niacinamide) because this vitamin attaches to the same type of benzodiazepine receptor in the brain as it does. By taking GABA with niacinamide (and vitamin B6, which assists in the synthesis and transport of GABA), you can apparently amplify the sleep-inducing effects of GABA. Food sources that are rich in niacinamide include beef liver, brewer's yeast, chicken, halibut, peanuts, pork, salmon, sunflower seeds, tuna, and turkey.
Inositol, often considered part of the  complex of vitamins (although it is not a vitamin), is a sugar found in muscles and cell membranes. It acts as a cell-membrane stabilizer (by neutralizing free radicals) and seems to facilitate the sleep-enhancing effects of GABA and niacinamide; some studies indicate that it can also perform as a mild antianxiety agent. Inositol can be purchased as a nutritional supplement and is found in the following foods: beans, calf's liver, cantaloupe, chick peas, lentils, nuts, oatmeal, pork, brown rice, wheat germ, and most whole grains.
Other members of the B-complex family that promote a good night's sleep include vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), and B5 (pantothenic acid), all available as supplements. Thiamin is vital to proper brain and nerve metabolism and can be found in beef liver, brewer's yeast, whole wheat flour, chick-peas, kidney and navy beans, pork, brown rice (bran portion), salmon, dried sunflower seeds, and wheat germ. Riboflavin helps preserve the integrity of the nervous system and aids in the release of energy from food. Good food sources include almonds, brewer's yeast, chicken, beef kidney, and wheat germ.
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