Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Times Science Editor, Tom Whipple, sits down with Professor Dave Nutt and David Orren to discuss (and experience) GABA Labs’ functional zero-alc drinks. Sentia Red, which hit bars two years ago, is intended to mimic the effect of alcohol by stimulating the neurotransmitter in the brain that calms it down. This is known as the GABA (short for gamma-aminobutyric acid) system, which is the same one Valium targets.
Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks 2023 | The Sun UK | The Sun 39 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks 2023 | The Sun UK | The Sun
After one glass, I feel just like I would after a gin and tonic (my usual go-to). My cheeks are slightly flushed and I’m definitely more relaxed. After a second, I’m a bit giggly and chatty. How far can I take this, I wonder? I drink a third, then a fourth, but the sensation doesn’t progress much further. Unlike with alcohol, you can’t get beyond that initial tipsy feeling. 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.Spotty research, questionable marketing tactics and minimal safeguards against underage use ultimately tainted whatever promise was associated with e-cigarettes, and their rise and fall portends a fate that could befall synthetic alcohol companies if they aren’t careful. But Orren believes the world is ready for a product like his. All the ingredients are either foods or food additives, so they’re covered by safety standards already.’
Fake Alcohol Could Make Drinking Safer. But Experts Are Wary
It was developed by Professor David Nutt at GABA Labs after 40 years of scientific research and five years of product development. To me, the bottle resembles a potion bottle of the kind you’d perhaps see on the shelves at Hogwarts. I don’t know if that’s deliberate or if it’s just in my head, but the bottle fits with the idea of a ‘magical’ new kind of drink. This is especially so if you buy the 20cl version. The GABA Labs scientific team includes experienced senior scientists with wide-ranging disciplines, and is supported by a Scientific Advisory Board drawn from industry and scientific research. The business side is led by Managing Director David Orren, who brings 30 years’ experience launching disruptive innovation into international markets.
MEDIA REVIEWS
But my professor said, what’s the point of that? Isn’t the alcohol still going to be killing your liver? And won’t people just drink more?
Great Deal 
New Comment