However, converting GBL into GHB is redundant because the body will rapidly metabolize the GBL into GHB after ingestion. Once that happens, the risks and effects of GBL are identical to GHB. However, the onset of action of GBL is faster, the duration of action longer, its potency much greater, and, GBL may have a greater potential for misuse than GHB. Because of its memory-inhibiting qualities, the danger of losing track of how much someone has taken (especially since it is often combined with alcohol) is much greater, leading to a more significant chance of accidental GBL drug overdose. One sip too many can often mean the difference between unconsciousness and euphoria.
Conversely, the term chemsex is more common in Europe.10 In certain Southeast Asian countries, it is commonly known as “chem fun” (CF or Cf). Even at lower doses, GHB, GBL and 1,4-BD are drugs that can affect your day-to-day activities. The effects usually last up to 4 hours, after which you may start to experience a comedown period. The effects may last for a much longer period if you use GHB or GBL regularly, mix it with other drugs or take very large doses.
Butane-1,4-diol seems to have two types of pharmacological actions. However, potentiation of ethanol’s effects may simply be caused by competition for the alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes with co-administered 1,4-butanediol. The shared metabolic rate-limiting steps thus leads to slowed metabolism and clearance for both compounds including ethanol’s known toxic metabolite acetaldehyde. The synthesis of GBL is an essential process in manufacturing pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, and other products. GBL is also used as a solvent in many industrial processes and as a reagent in organic synthesis. As such, it is essential to understand the chemistry behind the synthesis of GBL to ensure that it is produced safely and efficiently.
How Does GHB/GBL/1,4-BD Make You Feel?
A wide variety of options are available to help the person stop using drugs or alcohol and avoid serious side effects from substance abuse. GBL is a liquid compound that serves as an intermediate when making pyrrolidones, industrial chemicals that are in wide use. GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) is a ‘pro-drug’ of GHB, which means that it converts to GHB within the body. GBL occurs naturally in certain food products, is found in small quantities in the human body and is available commercially as an industrial solvent and as an ingredient in cleaners, paint removers and engine degreasers 1 .
GHB can be manufactured with little knowledge of chemistry by mixing another drug, GBL, with an alkali hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide, to form the GHB salt. Due to the ease of manufacture and the availability of its precursors, it is not usually produced in illicit laboratories like other synthetic drugs, but in private homes by low-level producers38 or GBL is simply consumed directly. GBL (Gamma butyrolactone) and 1,4-BD (1,4-butanediol) are chemicals that are closely related to GHB.
What Happens If You Have Too Much GHB/GBL/1,4-BD?
To check the type of plastic used on a bottle, one can look at the bottom for a number in the triangle-shaped recycling label. Another study found no effect following intracerebroventricular injection of butane-1,4-diol in rats.21 This contradicts the hypothesis of butane-1,4-diol having inherent alcohol-like pharmacological effects. Keeping the lid tightly sealed is also essential to ensure the GBL doesn’t evaporate.
How Long Does GHB Last?
See the ‘Making changes’ page for more information on how to Manage withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. You might feel confused, have memory problems, have jitters or feel anxious, feel nauseous or dizzy, feel disinhibited or make risky decisions, feel anxious or paranoid, feel unable to stay awake, stumble or fall over or experience unwanted sexual arousal. The effects of GHB, GBL and 1,4-BD are relatively short-lived compared with other drugs.
Auditory Effects
GHB is produced in the body in very small amounts, and blood levels may climb after death to levels in the range of 30–50 mg/L.62 Levels higher than this are found in GHB deaths. Levels lower than this may be due to GHB or to postmortem endogenous elevations. Nausea and vomiting, seizures, convulsions, disorientation and stiffening of muscles may occur, and coma and respiratory collapse may follow. In some cases, GBL addiction can be treated with an outpatient program, although some people may require inpatient care.
Terminology
If you’re caught driving under the influence, you may receive a heavy fine, driving ban, or prison sentence. How long the effects last and the drug stays in your system depends on how much you’ve taken, your size and what other drugs you may have also taken. Strong growth in the number of people getting their drugs checked is reassuring against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile drug supply and a surge in consumption. Both GHB and GBL are active in very small amounts and are easy to overdose on if they are not measured out carefully. DrugWise Daily (AKA DS Daily) is a free drug and alcohol news service delivering the news, reports and blog posts into your inbox. Anecdotal evidence suggests that use of the drugs is fairly widespread on the UK club scene, particularly in gay clubs, but have yet to become significant players among the general drug-taking population (1).
Chemical Structure
GBL can be easily synthesized into GHB simply by changing the pH level by adding an alkali such as sodium hydroxide. Recipes for this process are widely available on the Internet, and some sites will not only identify the materials needed but sell them, too. GBL currently represents a growing public health issue since the substance is relatively cheaper and easier to obtain than GHB. Studies on rodents have shown that GBL has low acute toxicity and only central nervous system depression has been highlighted.
GHB, or gamma-Hydroxybutanoic acid, is a carboxylic acid substituted with an additional hydroxy group. GHB contains a four carbon chain with a terminal carbon bonded to a hydroxy group (OH-) and double bonded to an oxygen group to form a carboxyl unit; this is butanoic acid. At the other end of the four carbon change at Rγ, GHB is substituted with a hydroxy group.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that it is an offence to administer a substance, like GHB and GBL, to a person with intent to overpower that person to enable sexual activity with them. Mixing drugs is always risky but some mixtures are more dangerous than others. GHB and GBL can reduce people’s inhibitions, and some people take the drugs to have more intense sex. Drinking GHB or GBL on its own would lead to chemical burns in your mouth and throat. Because of this, people take GHB and GBL orally by using a pipette, syringe or pre-measured vial to measure the dose and then mix it into a soft drink.
- It is also recommended to store your GBL in a container that no one would drink out of.
- Avoid mixing GHB, GBL or 1,4-BD with other depressant drugs, like alcohol.
- Studies on rodents have shown that GBL has low acute toxicity and only central nervous system depression has been highlighted.
- Finding reliable suppliers can be difficult, but there are a variety of ways to locate suppliers.
- Be careful not to confuse GBL with gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) or butanediol 1.
- As with any drug, it is important to be aware of GBL’s potential risks and use it responsibly.
Amphetamines Interacts With GAMMA BUTYROLACTONE (GBL)
Small amounts of the substance can be found in some beers and wines. If the police catch people supplying illegal drugs in a home, club, bar or hostel, they can potentially prosecute the landlord, club owner or any other person concerned in the management of the premises. That is to say that, over time, the concentration of GHB in the system decreases below the threshold for significant GABAB receptor activation and activates predominantly the GHB receptor, leading to wakefulness. Evidence is emerging that shows it is possible to become physically dependent on GHB and GBL/1,4-BD. While this does seem to be quite rare, when someone develops a dependency it can be severe, with a rapid onset of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms which may include delirium, psychosis, tremor, insomnia and severe anxiety.
The We Level Up Treatment Center Network delivers recovery programs that vary by each treatment facility. For this reason, it is recommended to only transport and store the drug using a glass container, standard gelatin capsules (not vegetarian), or high-density polyethylene plastic (also known as #2 recyclable plastic). GBL is not active in its own right; its mechanism of action stems from its identity as a prodrug of GHB. GBL and 1,4-BD are turned into GHB in your body after you take them. All three have different dosages – and just a millilitre can be the difference between overdosing or not. Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.
