Skip to content

Gamma butyrolactone

Gammabutyrolactone (GBL for short) is a chemical. One should not confuse gamma butyrolactone (GBL) with gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Despite serious safety concerns and illegality, gamma butyrolactone is used to improve athletic performance, sleep and sexual performance, as well as to enhance sexual pleasure. It is also used to relieve depression and stress, prolong life, promote clear thinking, promote relaxation and stimulate the release of growth hormone. In addition, gamma butyrolactone is used to reduce body fat and as a muscle-building agent. Some people also use GBL as a recreational drug.

How does gamma butyrolactone work?

Gammabutyrolactone is converted in the body into gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), which affects several neural pathways in the brain.

How effective is gamma butyrolactone?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective gamma butyrolactone is at promoting relaxation, improving mental clarity, relieving depression and stress, prolonging life, improving sexual performance and pleasure, reducing body fat, stimulating the release of growth hormone, improving athletic performance, improving sleep, and when used as a muscle builder or recreational drug. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of gamma butyrolactone in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) is not safe or harmless. It is illegal to manufacture or sell gamma butyrolactone in the United States and many other countries. The use of gamma butyrolactone or the closely related drugs gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and butanediol (BD) has been linked to deaths and cases of serious side effects. These serious side effects include inability to control bowel movements, vomiting, mental changes, drowsiness, agitation, argumentativeness, memory loss, serious breathing and heart problems, fainting, seizures, coma and death. These side effects can be exacerbated by alcohol and narcotics such as morphine, heroin and others. Long-term use of gamma butyrolactone can lead to withdrawal symptoms including insomnia, tremors and anxiety.

Precautions and warnings

Gamma Butyrolactone is not safe and should not be used by anyone. However, some groups of people are at an even higher risk of side effects:

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: gamma butyrolactone is not safe or safe to use. Taking it during pregnancy or breastfeeding can endanger both mother and child.

Irregular heartbeat: Gamma Butyrolactone may aggravate an irregular heartbeat.

Epilepsy: Gamma Butyrolactone may cause epileptic seizures.

High blood pressure: Gamma Butyrolactone may aggravate high blood pressure.

Surgeries: Gamma Butyrolactone may affect the central nervous system. There are concerns that combining gamma butyrolactone with anesthetics and other medications used during surgery may suppress central nervous system function too much. For this reason, GBL should not be used during the last two weeks before planned surgery.

Interactions

Gamma Butyrolactone should not be taken in conjunction with the following drugs and substances:

Alcohol

Alcohol can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Taking gamma butyrolactone in combination with alcohol could significantly increase the drowsiness and dizziness caused by alcohol and lead to serious side effects. For this reason, GBL should not be used if you have been drinking alcohol.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are active substances that can accelerate the functioning of the nervous system. GBL is converted into GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) in the body. GHB can slow down the function of the nervous system. Taking GBL in combination with amphetamines can lead to serious side effects.

Medication for mental disorders (antipsychotic agents)

GBL can affect the brain. Certain medications for mental disorders can also affect the brain. Taking GBL in conjunction with these medications could increase the effects and side effects of GBL. For this reason, GBL should not be used if you are taking medication for mental disorders.

Medications for pain (narcotics)

Some pain medications can cause drowsiness and dizziness. GBL may also cause drowsiness and dizziness. Taking GBL in combination with some pain medications can lead to serious side effects. For this reason, GBL should not be used if you are taking medication for pain.

Anticonvulsant medications

Anticonvulsant medications affect chemicals in the brain. GBL is converted in the body into one of these brain chemicals called GABA. Taking GBL with anticonvulsant medications could reduce the effects of GBL.

Muscle relaxants

Muscle relaxants can cause drowsiness. GBL can also cause drowsiness. Taking GBL in combination with muscle relaxants can cause excessive drowsiness and serious side effects. For this reason, GBL should not be used when taking muscle relaxants.

Naloxone

GBL is converted in the body into another chemical called GHB. GHB can affect the brain. Taking naxolone in combination with GBL could reduce the effects of GBL on the brain.

Sedatives (benzodiazepines and CNS suppressants)

GBL can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking GBL in conjunction with sedatives can cause serious side effects, so GBL should not be used if you are taking sedatives.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of gamma butyrolactone depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for gamma butyrolactone. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Anon. Adverse events associated with ingestion of gamma-butyrolactone--Minnesota, New Mexico, and Texas, 1998-1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1999;48:137-40.
  2. Anon. FDA alert on misuse of consumer products containing GHB, GBL and BD. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD. June 15, 1999. available at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/graphics/ghb.gif
  3. Anon. Important message for health professionals: Report serious adverse events associated with dietary supplements containing GBL, GHB or BD. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD. August 25, 1999. available at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/mwgblghb.html
  4. Anon. Multistate outbreak of poisonings associated with illicit use of gamma hydroxy butyrate. JAMA 1991;265:447-8.
  5. Cash CD. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate: an overview of the pros and cons for it being a neurotransmitter and/or a useful therapeutic agent (abstract). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 1994;18:291-304.
  6. Dougherty GG, Ellinwood EH Jr. Influence of gamma-butyrolactone on behavior due to dopaminergic drugs (abstract). Physiol Behav 1983;30:607-12.
  7. Ellinwood EH Jr, Gonzalez AE, Dougherty GG Jr. Gamma-butyrolactone effects on behavior induced by dopamine agonists (abstract). Biol Psychiatry 1983;18:1023-32.
  8. FDA Talk Paper. FDA Warns About GBL-Related Products. 1999. available at: vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpgbl2.html
  9. FDA. FDA warns about products containing gamma butyrolactone or GBL and asks companies to issue a recall. Talk Paper, January 21, 1999.
  10. Feigenbaum JJ, Howard SG. Gamma hydroxybutyrate is not a GABA agonist (abstract). Prog Neurobiol 1996;50:1-7.
  11. Harrington RD, Woodward JA, Hooton TM, et al. Life-threatening interactions between HIV-1 protease inhibitors and the illicit drugs MDMA and gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Arch Intern Med 1999;159:2221-4.
  12. Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid date-rape drug prohibition act of 2000. 106th Congress of the United States of America. HR 2130.
  13. Kohrs FP, Porter WH, et al. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate intoxication and overdose. [Letter and responses]. Ann Emerg Med 1999;33:475-6.
  14. LoVecchio F, Curry SC, Bagnasco T. Butyrolactone-induced central nervous system depression after ingestion of RenewTrient, a dietary supplement. N Engl J Med 1998;339:847-8.
  15. Maitre M. The gamma-hydroxybutyrate signaling system in brain: organization and functional implications (abstract). Prog Neurobiol 1997;51:337-61.
  16. Mamelak M. Gammahydroxybutyrate: an endogenous regulator of energy metabolism (abstract). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 1989;13:187-98.
  17. Mason P, Kerns II W. Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) Intoxication. Acad Emerg Med 2002;9:730-39.
  18. Schneir AB, Ly BT, Clark RF. A case of withdrawal from the GHB precursors gamma-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol. J Emerg Med 2001;21:31-3.
  19. Sivilotti ML, Burns MJ, Aaron CK, Greenberg MJ. Pentobarbital for severe gamma-butyrolactone withdrawal. Ann Emerg Med 2001;38:660-5.
  20. Snead OC III, Bearden LJ. Naloxone overcomes the dopaminergic, EEG, and behavioral effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (abstract). Neurol 1980;30:832-8.
  21. Tunnicliff G. Significance of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in the brain. Gen Pharmacol 1992;23:1027-34.
  22. Tunnicliff, G. Sites of action of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)-a neuroactive drug with abuse potential. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1997;35:581-90.
  23. Van Cauter E, Plat L, Scharf MB, et al. Simultaneous stimulation of slow-wave sleep and growth hormone secretion by gamma-hydroxybutyrate in normal young Men (abstract). J Clin Invest 1997;100:745-53.