A Non-Alcoholic Drink Can Help You Relax, Socialize and May Even Relieve Pain

By Madora Pennington

I am going for a month without drinking, not because I have a problem with alcohol or because alcohol is interfering with my life. I don't and it isn't.

I just got back from a long vacation, which included an 8-day all-inclusive cruise. We wanted to get our money’s worth. After weeks of drinking every day, it seemed only sensible to take a full break from alcohol. No one would argue that so much drinking is healthy.

I am not alone. You may have heard about the “sober curious” — those who abstain to see what socializing, stress, and life itself is like without alcohol. Young adults, overall, are drinking less alcohol. These trends are fueling the demand for non-alcoholic, yet interesting drinks that seem sophisticated or reminiscent of a cocktail.

But is there a non-alcoholic drink that also helps you relax and socialize? I found a company, Sentia Spirits, that makes beverages that enhance your body’s production of GABA

Don’t confuse GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) with the nerve pain medication gabapentin (Neurontin). GABA is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that sends signals in the brain and spinal cord, while gabapentin is a synthetic variation of GABA. The medication acts similarly as GABA, but tends to cause many unwanted side effects. Benzodiazepines, SSRI antidepressants, muscle relaxers, and other drugs also affect GABA in the body.

Sentia’s beverages contain herbs and botanicals that improve mood, focus, calmness, and energy. Their concoctions taste more like bitters than a mocktail, but certainly provide an interesting experience for the palate.

I found them to be subtly relaxing, without the impairment of an alcohol-induced buzz.

GABA itself is also available in supplements that people take to relax and improve sleep. It may also help relieve pain. When GABA binds to pain receptors, it reduces the transmission of pain signals, potentially providing relief from various types of physical discomfort.

SENTIA SPIRITS

Research has found that low levels of GABA make it harder to keep negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and depression in check, and may also worsen chronic pain. As PNN has reported, Dr. Forest Tennant recommends GABA supplements for patients with intractable pain "to force damaged nerve tissue to correctly function and relieve pain.”  

As far as reasons for abstaining, alcohol worsens depression. And people with alcohol use disorder often have chronic pain, which means they could be self-medicating.

Using supplemental GABA or medications that promote it could be a useful strategy in managing the spiral of chronic pain on the body and brain. Many sources suggest taking GABA on an empty stomach to give it a better chance of reaching the brain.

Limiting alcohol intake might also be a wise choice for anyone. Certainly, finding ways to diminish stress and improve sleep should be part of pain management.

Sentia costs about $40 for a 500ml bottle, which is enough for 20 shot-sized servings. If you don't want it straight or want to make it look like a cocktail, you can mix it with tonic water.

Talk to your healthcare provider about your pain control regimen and how to improve it before taking GABA or any supplement.

I enjoyed my time of sobriety very much. I thought I would miss drinking, but did not. The sleepiness and haziness from a glass of wine is stronger than I realized, and it doesn’t make socializing more fun for me. I ended my sober curious time with a resolve to drink less overall.