Effects:
It is converted by the body into serotonin after it has been converted from the amino acid
tryptophan. It induces calmness and reduces insomnia, and has shown some promise as an appetite suppressant and in treating mild depression. It has also shown promise in treating anxiety, obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, fibromyalgia, PMS, and migraine headaches. Unlike serotonin, it can cross the blood/ brain barrier.
It works synergistically with melatonin.
Precautions:
It should not be taken by anyone with ulcers or other gastrointestinal diseases, Crohn's
disease, scleroderma, excess prolactin secretion, or carcinoid syndrome. Those over 60 may need smaller doses.
Nausea and fatigue occur initially, but may eventually disappear. Daytime drowsiness, nightmares, loss of appetite, diarrhea, cramps, upset stomach, gas, vomiting, sweating, and lowered sex drive may also result, generally from higher doses. Rare side effects include long-term fatigue, stuffy or runny nose, and headaches. Daily use can lead to increased tolerance, with the result that higher doses are needed to achieve the same effects, and it can sometimes be hard to determine if 5-HTP will make you alert or drowsy (dosage, time of meals, time of day, supplements or medications, age, and hormonal levels all play a part). Long-term effects are not known.
Overdose symptoms include the serotonin syndrome, where serotonin levels are too high, and Which is characterized by restlessness, confusion, sweating, diarrhea, excessive salivation, high blood pressure, increased body temperature, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, and — in rare cases — death. Recovery is complete if dosage is stopped.
Some 5-HTP supplements contain vitamin B-6 (pyroxidal phosphate), which helps to convert
tryptophan to melatonin. However, there is concern that the vitamin may convert 5-HTP to serotonin in the blood or tissues, which could cause adverse reactions or increase the manufacture of norepinephrine and dopamine, counteracting any sedative effects of 5-HTP. More ominously, while the brain creates 5-HTP and immediately destroys it, the pill distributes it, through the bloodstream, all over the body; the consequences of this are as yet unknown.
It should not be combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other
antidepressants, or the diet drug dexfenfluramine (Redux). It should only be combined with MAO inhibitors under the guidance of a physician; combining 200 mg of 5-HTP with MAO inhibitors can result in high blood pressure and emotional instability. When combined with St. John's Wort, both should be taken in smaller doses to prevent the serotonin syndrome.
Dosage:
It is about ten times more potent than tryptophan. Ray Sahelian recommends 10 to 50 mg
one-half to one hour before sleep. Side effects generally occur in doses above 100 mg. It should be taken no more than once or twice a week. Taking it with 25 to 50 mg of vitamin B-6 may increase the amount converted to serotonin in the brain, and eating it with carbohydrates may help improve the rate at which it enters the brain.
It is converted by the body into serotonin after it has been converted from the amino acid
tryptophan. It induces calmness and reduces insomnia, and has shown some promise as an appetite suppressant and in treating mild depression. It has also shown promise in treating anxiety, obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, fibromyalgia, PMS, and migraine headaches. Unlike serotonin, it can cross the blood/ brain barrier.
It works synergistically with melatonin.
Precautions:
It should not be taken by anyone with ulcers or other gastrointestinal diseases, Crohn's
disease, scleroderma, excess prolactin secretion, or carcinoid syndrome. Those over 60 may need smaller doses.
Nausea and fatigue occur initially, but may eventually disappear. Daytime drowsiness, nightmares, loss of appetite, diarrhea, cramps, upset stomach, gas, vomiting, sweating, and lowered sex drive may also result, generally from higher doses. Rare side effects include long-term fatigue, stuffy or runny nose, and headaches. Daily use can lead to increased tolerance, with the result that higher doses are needed to achieve the same effects, and it can sometimes be hard to determine if 5-HTP will make you alert or drowsy (dosage, time of meals, time of day, supplements or medications, age, and hormonal levels all play a part). Long-term effects are not known.
Overdose symptoms include the serotonin syndrome, where serotonin levels are too high, and Which is characterized by restlessness, confusion, sweating, diarrhea, excessive salivation, high blood pressure, increased body temperature, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, and — in rare cases — death. Recovery is complete if dosage is stopped.
Some 5-HTP supplements contain vitamin B-6 (pyroxidal phosphate), which helps to convert
tryptophan to melatonin. However, there is concern that the vitamin may convert 5-HTP to serotonin in the blood or tissues, which could cause adverse reactions or increase the manufacture of norepinephrine and dopamine, counteracting any sedative effects of 5-HTP. More ominously, while the brain creates 5-HTP and immediately destroys it, the pill distributes it, through the bloodstream, all over the body; the consequences of this are as yet unknown.
It should not be combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other
antidepressants, or the diet drug dexfenfluramine (Redux). It should only be combined with MAO inhibitors under the guidance of a physician; combining 200 mg of 5-HTP with MAO inhibitors can result in high blood pressure and emotional instability. When combined with St. John's Wort, both should be taken in smaller doses to prevent the serotonin syndrome.
Dosage:
It is about ten times more potent than tryptophan. Ray Sahelian recommends 10 to 50 mg
one-half to one hour before sleep. Side effects generally occur in doses above 100 mg. It should be taken no more than once or twice a week. Taking it with 25 to 50 mg of vitamin B-6 may increase the amount converted to serotonin in the brain, and eating it with carbohydrates may help improve the rate at which it enters the brain.
