Professor Nutt is Chief Scientific Officer for GABA Labs, and will discuss new botanical developments and GABA’s crucial role in human sociability. So to raise that money and develop the concept, we started looking for botanical ingredients that would work in a similar way to GABA. We identified four plants that in combination, and with uptake enhancers, produced this effect.

Announcements and News – GABALabs Announcements and News – GABALabs

The main calming transmitter in your brain is called GABA [gamma-Aminobutyric acid]. Alcohol enhances GABA, which is why it relaxes you and makes you more convivial. I’m not one of those people who is happy with just a soda or fruit juice; one or two are okay, but after a while, the sweetness is just too much. Fizzy water now and then is also acceptable, but after a while becomes pretty boring. Professor Dave Nutt’s interview with Channel 4’s “ Food Unwrapped ” show was aired at 8pm on 11th January 2021. Food Unwrapped is Channel 4’s flagship consumer show focusing on food and health and has been running since 2012. On the plus side, Sentia’s been found to improve sleep in some people and you don’t get the munchies – which means no more 3am kebabs.

A GABA Drink with no GABA

The flavour is fruity, but there’s a bitterness that lasts once the initial flavour has dissipated – it’s sort of like grapefruit, but nicer. The colour is rich and deep, and even when diluted with tonic it has a pleasing, deep-red hue. Sentia is also designed to replicate the sweet spot you get after your first couple of alcoholic drinks, that relaxed and de-stressed feeling that washes over you after your first glass of wine. It does this by stimulating GABA activity in the brain. Does SENTIA work?

GABA Spirits – Sentia Spirits

Let’s face it, the drinks industry has known for hundreds of years that alcohol is not very good for your body,’ says Nutt. GABA Labs was originally formed in May 2016, with a mission to develop new compounds that are designed to mimic the pleasurable effects of alcohol on the GABA* system, without the use of alcohol. But Sentia doesn’t “contain” GABA in that sense, because getting GABA down your throat, on to your intestinal tract and then into your bloodstream isn’t going to get it into your brain—that’s not how this works. Sentia is not the only product of its kind on the market. Kin Euphorics, Ghia and Psychedelic Water are three of several startups selling alcohol-free beverages that use plant compounds to create a slightly buzzy, relaxing sensation. All three have trendy bragging rights: supermodel Bella Hadid is a partner in Kin Euphorics, Ghia was founded by an ex-Glossier executive and Psychedelic Water went viral on TikTok this year. All told, non-alcoholic spirit sales in the U.S. grew by almost 300% from 2016 to 2020, according to beverage-industry research firm IWSR. In the USA, Ghia, which was founded by an ex-Glossier executive, Melanie Masarin, launched in June 2020 with the aim of changing how people think about drinking and socialising. “While Ghia isn’t meant to give you a buzz, each serving does contain a functional dose of lemon balm. The plant is native to the Mediterranean and works as a natural mood-enhancer to help alleviate temporary stress. It helps you stay calm and connected while enjoying a moment to unwind,” says a spokesperson for the brand. ‘I’ll admit I was sceptical’

Crossip Rich Berry

Alcohol in system: Regular alcohol drinkers may have a high tolerance to GABA release, which will moderate the Sentia experience. Studies suggest that you can reset your tolerance to GABA release by refraining from drinking for 2 to 3 weeks.

SENTIA BLACK – Sentia Spirits SENTIA BLACK – Sentia Spirits

There may be unintended consequences to consider, too. What happens if someone combines fake alcohol with real alcohol or prescription drugs? (Orren says they haven’t specifically studied that possibility when it comes to Sentia, but concedes that “there’s a risk of everything.”) Using significant quantities of real, high quality, organic ingredients, it is the world’s first alcohol-alternative to be classified a ‘food supplement’.

THE BUZZ WITHOUT THE BOOZE

None of the ingredients in Sentia has been shown to be addictive. With alcohol-free drinks in general, there is the slight possibility of a triggering effect in some susceptible people. There’s a new category of alcohol-free drinks emerging; functional spirits that aim to capture the essence of the alcohol high, but without the bad stuff. Sentia Red is one of those, and I couldn’t wait to try it. SSRI’s: (Selective Serotonin Inhibitors) anti-psychotics, tranquillisers and some epileptic medications may inhibit the effects of SENTIA.