1,2-Butanolide, 2,3-dihydro furanone, 2(3H)-Furanone Dihydro, 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid Lactone, 4-Butanolide, 4-Butyrolactone, 4-Hydroxybutanoic Acid Lactone, Acide 4-Hydroxybutanoïque Lactone, Butyrolactone, Butyrolactone Gamma, Dihydro-2(3H)-Furanone, Gamma Butirolactona, Gamma Butyrolactone, Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid Lactone, Tetrahydro-2-Furanone.
Gamma butyrolactone is a chemical. People use it as medicine. Be careful not to confuse gamma butyrolactone (GBL) with gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
Despite serious safety concerns and illegality, people take gamma butyrolactone for improving athletic performance, sleep, and sexual performance and pleasure. They also take it for relieving depression and stress, prolonging life, promoting clear thinking, causing relaxation, and releasing growth hormone. GBL is also used to trim fat and as a body- or muscle-builder. Some people take it as a recreational drug.
How does it work?
Gamma butyrolactone is converted in the body to gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) which affects several nerve pathways in the brain.
QUESTION
Next to red peppers, you can get the most vitamin C from ________________. See AnswerInsufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...
- Causing relaxation.
- Increasing mental clarity.
- Relieving depression and stress.
- Prolonging life.
- Improving sexual performance and pleasure.
- Reducing fat.
- Releasing growth hormone.
- Improving athletic performance.
- Improving sleep.
- As a body-builder or muscle-builder.
- As a recreational drug.
- Other conditions.
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).
Gamma butyrolactone (GBL) is UNSAFE. In the US, it is illegal to manufacture or sell GBL or the related products GHB and butanediol (BD).
Use of GBL, or the closely related gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and butanediol (BD), has been linked to deaths and cases of serious side effects. These serious side effects include the inability to control the bowels, vomiting, mental changes, sedation, agitation, combativeness, memory loss, serious breathing and heart problems, fainting, seizures, coma, and death. The effects can be made worse by alcohol or narcotics such as morphine, heroin, and others. Long-term use may lead to withdrawal symptoms including insomnia, tremor, and anxiety.
SLIDESHOW
Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? See SlideshowPregnancy and breast-feeding: GBL is UNSAFE. If you take it while pregnant or breast-feeding, you will endanger yourself as well as your baby.
Irregular heartbeat: GBL can make this condition worse.
Epilepsy: GBL might cause seizures.
High blood pressure: GBL might make this condition worse.
Surgery: GBL can affect the central nervous system (CNS). There is concern that combining GBL with anesthesia and other medications used during and after surgery might slow down the CNS too much. GBL should not be used in the two weeks before a scheduled surgery.
AlcoholInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Alcohol can cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Taking GBL along with alcohol might greatly increase sleepiness and drowsiness caused by alcohol. Taking GBL along with alcohol can lead to serious side effects. Do not take GBL if you have been drinking.
AmphetaminesInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Amphetamines are drugs that can speed up your nervous system. GBL is changed in the body to GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate). GHB can slow down your nervous system. Taking GBL along with amphetamines can lead to serious side effects.
Haloperidol (Haldol)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
GBL can affect the brain. Haloperidol (Haldol) can also affect the brain. Taking haloperidol (Haldol) along with GBL might cause serious side effects.
Medications for mental conditions (Antipsychotic drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
GBL can affect the brain. Medications for mental conditions also affect the brain. Taking GBL along with medications for mental conditions might increase the effects and serious side effects of GBL. Do not take GBL if you are taking medications for a mental condition.
Some of these medications include fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), haloperidol (Haldol), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), prochlorperazine (Compazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), and others.
Medications for pain (Narcotic drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Some medications for pain can cause sleepiness and drowsiness. GBL might also cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Taking GBL along with some medications for pain might cause severe side effects. Do not take GBL if you are taking medications for pain.
Some medications for pain include meperidine (Demerol), hydrocodone, morphine, OxyContin, and many others.
Medications used to prevent seizures (Anticonvulsants)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Medications used to prevent seizures affect chemicals in the brain. GBL is changed in the body to one of these brain chemicals called GABA. Taking GBL along with medications used to prevent seizures might decrease the effects of GBL.
Some medications used to prevent seizures include phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline), valproic acid (Depakene), gabapentin (Neurontin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), and others.
Muscle relaxantsInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Muscle relaxants can cause drowsiness. GBL can also cause drowsiness. Taking GBL along with muscle relaxants might cause too much drowsiness and serious side effects. Do not take GBL if you are taking muscle relaxants.
Some of these muscle relaxants include carisoprodol (Soma), pipecuronium (Arduan), orphenadrine (Banflex, Disipal), cyclobenzaprine, gallamine (Flaxedil), atracurium (Tracrium), pancuronium (Pavulon), succinylcholine (Anectine), and others.
Naloxone (Narcan)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
GBL is changed by the body to another chemical. This chemical is called GHB. GHB can affect the brain. Taking naloxone (Narcan) along with GBL might decrease the effects of GBL on the brain.
Ritonavir (Norvir)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Ritonavir (Norvir) and saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase) are commonly used together for HIV/AIDS. Taking both of these medications plus GBL might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of GBL. This could cause serious side effects.
Saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase) and ritonavir (Norvir) are commonly used together for HIV/AIDS. Taking both these medications plus GBL might decrease how fast the body gets rid of GBL. This could cause serious side effects.
Sedative medications (Benzodiazepines)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
GBL might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness and drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking GBL along with sedative medications might cause serious side effects. Do not take GBL if you are taking sedative medications.
Some of these sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and others.
Sedative medications (CNS depressants)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
GBL might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking GBL along with sedative medications might cause serious side effects. Do not take GBL if you are taking sedative medications.
Some sedative medications include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.
The appropriate dose of gamma butyrolactone (GBL) depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for gamma butyrolactone (GBL). Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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