{
  "dataset": "gaba-cost-by-brand",
  "title": "GABA Supplements Compared — PharmaGABA vs. synthetic, cost per mg",
  "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/gaba/best-overall/",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), GABA Cost Comparison",
  "dateModified": "2026-07-19",
  "methodology": "costPerMg = price / (servings x GABA mg per serving). \"formTier\": pharmagaba (branded, fermented/natural-source GABA — the material behind most of the positive trials) vs synthetic (chemically-synthesized GABA, same molecule, NOT the trial material) vs combo (GABA bundled with other actives — excluded from the ranked comparison). \"doseTier\": trial-matched (~100 mg, the dose behind most of the positive stress/sleep signal) vs high-dose-synthetic (500-750 mg retail capsules, 5x-7.5x the trial-relevant dose, with no trial evidence that the higher dose produces a bigger effect for relaxation/sleep). MECHANISM CAVEAT (the headline fact of this category, not a footnote): whether oral GABA meaningfully crosses the blood-brain barrier is genuinely disputed (Boonstra 2015, PMID 26500584 — \"long thought\" not to cross well, and the assessing studies are \"often contradictory\"). EVIDENCE CONTEXT: the human trial base for stress/relaxation (Abdou 2006 PMID 16971751, Yoto 2012 PMID 22203366) and sleep (Yamatsu 2015 PMID 26052150, Yamatsu 2016 PMID 30263304) is small, short (single-dose to ~4 weeks), and mostly authored by researchers employed by Pharma Foods International, the PharmaGABA maker — disclosed as a conflict of interest on every trial where it applies. Byun 2018 (PMID 29856155, n=40, polysomnography, no disclosed COI) is the cleanest independent sleep RCT. Hepsomali 2020 (PMID 33041752), the PRISMA systematic review of 14 trials, concludes \"limited evidence for stress and very limited evidence for sleep.\" The USP safety review (Oketch-Rabah 2021, PMID 34444905) is the non-industry safety anchor: no serious adverse events at studied doses, a theoretical interaction risk with anti-hypertensive medications and sedatives, and no pregnancy/lactation safety data. GABA is NOT a proven treatment for diagnosed anxiety or insomnia. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA; these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.",
  "headline": {
    "productsCompared": 6,
    "pureProductsCompared": 5,
    "synthetic": 4,
    "trialMatchedDoseMg": 100,
    "insomniaTrialDoseMg": 300,
    "trialMatchedPickBrand": "Thorne",
    "trialMatchedPickCostPerMg": 0.0057,
    "cheapestOverallBrand": "Nutricost",
    "cheapestOverallCostPerMg": 0.0001,
    "comboExcludedBrand": "Jarrow Formulas",
    "note": "The cheapest cost-per-mg product is a 750 mg synthetic capsule, 7.5x the ~100 mg dose most positive trials tested — a bigger bottle, not stronger evidence. The only branded PharmaGABA pick (Thorne PharmaGABA-100) is the trial-matched form but the most expensive per mg."
  },
  "columns": [
    "brand",
    "product",
    "slug",
    "form",
    "mgPerServing",
    "servings",
    "price",
    "costPerServing",
    "costPerMg",
    "formTier",
    "doseTier",
    "pureComparison",
    "thirdParty"
  ],
  "units": {
    "mgPerServing": "mg GABA",
    "price": "USD",
    "costPerServing": "USD/day",
    "costPerMg": "USD per mg of GABA"
  },
  "citations": [
    {
      "claim": "GABA has \"long been thought\" unable to cross the blood-brain barrier well, and the studies assessing this are \"often contradictory.\"",
      "source": "Boonstra E, et al. 2015, Frontiers in Psychology",
      "pmid": "26500584"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Systematic review of 14 placebo-controlled trials: \"limited evidence for stress and very limited evidence for sleep benefits of oral GABA intake.\"",
      "source": "Hepsomali P, et al. 2020, Frontiers in Neuroscience",
      "pmid": "33041752"
    },
    {
      "claim": "300mg/day fermented-rice-germ GABA for 4 weeks reduced sleep latency 13.4 to 5.7 min by polysomnography (n=40, no disclosed COI).",
      "source": "Byun JI, et al. 2018, J Clin Neurol",
      "pmid": "29856155"
    },
    {
      "claim": "100mg GABA shortened EEG-measured sleep latency by 5.3 minutes (Pharma Foods International-employed authors).",
      "source": "Yamatsu A, et al. 2015, J Nutr Sci Vitaminol",
      "pmid": "26052150"
    },
    {
      "claim": "USP safety review: no serious adverse events at studied doses; theoretical interaction risk with anti-hypertensive medications; no pregnancy/lactation safety data.",
      "source": "Oketch-Rabah HA, et al. 2021, Nutrients",
      "pmid": "34444905"
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "brand": "Nutricost",
      "product": "GABA 750 mg",
      "slug": "nutricost-gaba-750mg",
      "form": "Synthetic",
      "mgPerServing": 750,
      "servings": 240,
      "price": 19.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.08,
      "costPerMg": 0.0001,
      "formTier": "synthetic",
      "doseTier": "high-dose-synthetic",
      "pureComparison": true,
      "thirdParty": "Third-party tested (brand claim)"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "NOW GABA 500 mg",
      "slug": "now-gaba-500mg",
      "form": "Synthetic",
      "mgPerServing": 500,
      "servings": 100,
      "price": 9.17,
      "costPerServing": 0.09,
      "costPerMg": 0.0002,
      "formTier": "synthetic",
      "doseTier": "high-dose-synthetic",
      "pureComparison": true,
      "thirdParty": "cGMP"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "GABA 750 mg",
      "slug": "now-gaba-750mg",
      "form": "Synthetic",
      "mgPerServing": 750,
      "servings": 200,
      "price": 18.95,
      "costPerServing": 0.09,
      "costPerMg": 0.0001,
      "formTier": "synthetic",
      "doseTier": "high-dose-synthetic",
      "pureComparison": true,
      "thirdParty": "cGMP"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Source Naturals",
      "product": "Serene Science GABA 750 mg",
      "slug": "source-naturals-gaba-750mg",
      "form": "Synthetic",
      "mgPerServing": 750,
      "servings": 180,
      "price": 22.05,
      "costPerServing": 0.12,
      "costPerMg": 0.0002,
      "formTier": "synthetic",
      "doseTier": "high-dose-synthetic",
      "pureComparison": true,
      "thirdParty": "cGMP"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Thorne",
      "product": "PharmaGABA-100",
      "slug": "thorne-pharmagaba-100mg",
      "form": "PharmaGABA (fermented/natural-source)",
      "mgPerServing": 100,
      "servings": 60,
      "price": 34,
      "costPerServing": 0.57,
      "costPerMg": 0.0057,
      "formTier": "pharmagaba",
      "doseTier": "trial-matched",
      "pureComparison": true,
      "thirdParty": "NSF Certified for Sport"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Jarrow Formulas",
      "product": "GABA Soothe",
      "slug": "jarrow-gaba-soothe-100mg",
      "form": "Fermented GABA + L-theanine + ashwagandha (multi-ingredient)",
      "mgPerServing": 100,
      "servings": 30,
      "price": 16.99,
      "costPerServing": 0.57,
      "costPerMg": 0.0057,
      "formTier": "combo",
      "doseTier": "trial-matched",
      "pureComparison": false,
      "thirdParty": "cGMP"
    }
  ]
}