Amino Acid 5 Htp Information

About Amino Acid 5 Htp

About Amino Acid 5 Htp in Q&A

If 5-HTP is an amino acid produced by the human body from the essential amino acid L-tryptophan...? then why is not advised that nursing mothers take it?

lisa_luvs_u replied: "In animal studies, high doses of tryptophan are believed to have caused birth defects. Additionally, high levels of tryptophan may cause developing babies to have serious breathing problems before they are born. Therefore, pregnant women should never take supplemental tryptophan. Tryptophan is known to pass into the breast milk of new mothers, but its possible effects in infants are not known. Therefore, tryptophan should also be avoided during breast-feeding."

Has anyone had luck with taking amino acid supplements (like 5-HTP, L-Tyrosine...)? Someone gave me advice to take these in addition to a diet with higher protein. I didn't expect them to work, but I feel less depressed and am able to concentrate more. It just seems weird how doctors don't recommend them and conventional medicine here doesn't talk about them... I was wondering if anyone else has tried them with any luck?

replied: ""

Questions about 5-HTP and treatment-resistant depression and anxiety...? Why do you think psychiatrists refrain from using amino acids such as 5-HTP in their practice? Which do you think would be a better choice for the brain (weighing in effectiveness, side effects, and long-term use): Tricyclic Antidepressants (SSRIs do not work for me) or a more natural approach with 5-HTP?

Vernazza replied: "Try the 5HTP first. Also Omega Fish Oil capsules, St. Johns Wort, And always get a good B complex in you-twice a day. Folic acid and also a very good multi vitamin... I use One a Day, Maximum. It's great."

piji_caj replied: "I think psychiatrists refrain from using amino acids and such because they tend to not work as well as pharmaceuticals. Or sometimes not work at all. I've even had an ND tell me that natural remedies are not as potent as pharmaceuticals, and that you're better off using a pharmaceutical for a nasty episode than using something natural. They're also not as tightly regulated in the U.S. as pharmaceuticals, so you don't always know what you're going to get. What type of depression do you have? If you have atypical depression, I'd be looking at MAOI's over tricyclic antidepressants. If you don't have atypical depression, tricyclic antidepressants would be a logical next step. You also have the option of taking Lamictal, which seems to help depression (usually used for Bipolar Depression and mood stabilization, but can be used for "unipolar" depression). There is also lithium (hey, that's natural!), but the side effects are a little nasty. You said SSRI's don't work. Have you tried something that affects norepinephrine, like Effexor, Cymbalta, or Remeron?"

Ahorn replied: "Vitamins, amino acids, minerals etc. cannot be patented and you cannot make so much money on them. And do you want to hear the answer from psychiatrists who summoned the courage to tell the truth? Here it is A must see new document - story told by psychiatrists, psychologists and other professionals - it CAN save your life"

Why is it that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and its effects have not been extensively researched? To be honest, I have not gone over the few studies that have been conducted, although I want to say the reason is lack of funding for a simple amino acid which could not make any individual company profitable like a drug company profits from their own special creation. Or could it be that the lack of consistent/positive results from existing research discourages researchers. To be honest, I have not gone over the few studies that have been conducted, although I want to say the reason is lack of funding for a simple amino acid which could not make any individual company profitable like a drug company profits from their own special creation. Or could it be that the lack of consistent/positive results from existing research discourages researchers. [edit after first two answers] Lynett simply copy-pasted from a site I had already been to. Oldtimekid2, thanks for the info. My question now is, WHY does the FDA not approve supplements like these?

oldtimekid2 replied: "You are exactly right that because it's not a patented, a single company couldn't get all of the profit if a major multi-million dollar study was made. Because of that, supplement companies can't afford to use the big advertising or political influence that the drug companies have... but that doesn't mean they are just as good of quality (or better). The studies that have been done on 5-HTP and many other supplements generally point out that they are not only effective, but safe (within restrictions that should be listed on the bottles) That being said, I'm not sure who told you this, but I wouldn't say it's just "a few studies". has a searchable database and they came up with 5076 medical documents (studies and whatnot) that included 5-HTP. True, there aren't many that are really pointed out by the media, but they don't tend to cover much of anything about supplements unless they find a cure for a major disease (that's repeatable consistently) or if it's a negative attack on supplements. I know that's going to be too much research (and time) to look into all 5000+ of those studies and documents, but it has been thoroughly researched. If you have a specific question about it (safety, effectiveness, or whatever), feel free to E-mail me. Good luck and I hope I helped! [edit]: I'm sorry Lynette has had a negative experience with some low quality supplement company, but that makes a very good point about why you should make sure that you get a product from a good quality company. Technically, the FDA doesn't approve or deny any supplements aside from general vitamins and minerals (those that have an RDA), so they aren't "approved". But if it was "FDA denied" (eg. contaminated product, bottles not containing the right product, etc), it's removed from the market and/or the company making it gets shuts down. It's already happened a number of times. With all that being said, there actually are watchgroups and organizations that do regulate supplements and regularly report to the FDA for any major adverse reactions (and the supplement companies that sell them are supposed to report these as well). The GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and USP (U.S. Pharmacopoeia) are the main quality assurance organizations (USP is for the U.S., GMP is for the U.S. and worldwide). The best thing you can do when buying a supplement from a company is to call the company and ask them to prove their quality. No, not just ask if they have good quality, but ask them to prove it. Their products should be tested/reviewed by independent 3nd party companies to verify their quality and they should be able to prove it rather easily. If they can't prove it, I wouldn't use their products."

Lynette I replied: "5-hydroxytryptophan has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All risks and/or advantages of 5-hydroxytryptophan may not be known. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination."

Is it safe to combine these supplements? I have extremely bad social anxiety and mild depression. I've tried many medications over the past few years and have had little to no results. Talk therapy and exercise definately help but in addition, I'm looking into herbal or natural supplements. I take a regular multi-vitamin and was wondering if anyone might know if supplements can be taken with a daily vitamin? I want to try animo acids (total amino solutions), L-theanine, Rhodiola rosea and 5-htp supplements together.

green chik replied: "The multivitamin should not be a problem with those supplements. I do suggest starting one thing at a time and taking it for a good 2 weeks before adding anything else so you know which one is benefiting you the most (or if you have an effect you don't like, you know which thing is responsible). The l-theanine seems to be fairly safe (an amino acid from black tea), but does not have a lot of studies behind it, just a handful of very promising ones. Rhodiola rosea is probably the safest of the three. The 5 HTP is the least safe of them all. Some people have a digestive disturbance reaction to it, and so enteric-coated pills are the way to go, in smaller doses like 50 mg per day. I like Nature's Way brand because it is well-tested and sourced (5-HTP is a supplement that is processed in a way that makes it more likely to be contaminated than many other vitamins so don't mess around!). 5HTP can be very effective, but do not quit it overnight (unless you have to), taper down to every other day for a few days before stopping so your body can readjust and won't mess you up. Be careful! Good luck :)"

zero_one_gundam replied: "any amino acids you ingest will be broken down just like any other food you swallow. so your getting ripped off from that end. the only reason why you should be taking a supplement or vitamin is if your diet does not provide what you are supplementing, in this day and age that's fairly rare with all the goodies they put in bread and what not(possible rip off). plus don't fall into the trap of thinking that just because some chemical is responsible for the functioning of a specific part of your body(memory for example) that you can double dose on that chemical and be better for it(there are side effects in everything, including herbs and vitamins)(that's a major rip off the supplements industry is supporting). in summation, if you've been to a doctor and had tests done odds are that its not some chemical deficiency, that would have been spotted sooner. note: I'm using the word chemical in the scientific sense, not the wives tale (bad, toxic chemicals) sense"

laura replied: "My dr told me to take an extra vitamin B to help me with my anxiety. Most multi-vitamins dont have enough B and instead of 100%, we need more like 5,000%. Nature made Balanced B-100 is the one I take with my multi-vitamin. Other herbs to look into are Valerian, Chamomile, Passion Flower, Avena Sativa, Kava Kava and St. John's Wort. I use all of these to help supplement the other meds my dr gives me. If U do decide to use herbs, be sure to check with your dr and make sure they are compatible."

What causes tryptophan deficiency? So I've been battling minor non pain causing migraines (the kind that make you nauseous, see stars, and feel light headed), insomnia, and mild depression for a long time. Probably for the past 10-12 years of my life. I went to many doctors and tried many medicines but nothing worked. So I finally did my own research (often find doctors aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer). They never ran a test for tryptophan levels in the blood, or even a B12 test. So I decided to try various amino acids such as tyrosine and tryptophan, 5-HTP, melatonin over the course of a few years. I eventually concluded I have a tryptophan deficiency. My question is why can I eat foods that contain tryptophan but get little benefit as oppose to taking pure tryptophan. My conclusion is that either: A) there is a missing enzyme in my genetics that prevents or limits my body's ability of breaking down some types of protein and harvesting the tryptophan amino acid. Turkey seems to work great for this for people, but chicken doesn't do it as well? Maybe certain proteins are easier for your body to obtain the tryptophan from? Why doesn't soy or milk work as well, but the tryptophan suppliment and turkey works. B) Other amino acids are competing for the same enzymes, so the amino acid tryptophan which is typically the limiting amino acid in most proteins is mal-absorbed. c) I had thought maybe an enzyme that converts tryptophan and tyrosine into their amines was lacking, and causing ADD, but the tyrosine has almost no effect while the tryptophan works just as well as 5-HTP. d) my pineal glan is over active making too much melatonin, which makes more melatonin and uses up too much seratonin in the process. This over activity would be caused by an abundance of darkness or over sleeping. This is likely to be a partial cause as in winter the problems were far worse. e) there is an intestinal issue, or gut flora issue involved with the absorption of tryptophan containing proteins and their break down. f) a liver problem which causes the body not to produce certain enzymes or poorly process tryptophan containing proteins. Anyone know of the specific proteins that contain significant amounts of tryptophan, and the specific enzymes and genes that control their break down?

future fate replied: "Sounds like you could write a book about the topic. But I don't think there is any blood test for tryptofan. And you can't have a deficiency of it - it's substance in turkey that makes you tired, and can help with sleep."

sandy c replied: "Here ya go!"

minx replied: "i pick (e) ............ perhaps you are also dealing with unaddressed food intolerances ....... for example, if you are lactose intolerant and it remains unaddressed then your whole system is compromised ........ and continuing to eat foods to which you are intolerant will definitely frizzle your brain ........ i know that one from hard experience. all protein rich foods are rich in Tryptophan as you know ...... thing is, if you are lactose intolerant or soy intolerant ....... as i am .......... then there's not much use eating or drinking anything containing either ingredient ....... which basically wrecks eating out of a packet.... take note of how you feel after eating and try to eliminate any foods that aggravate your system. try getting your protein from lean organic meats and fishes and organic nuts and seeds such as almonds, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and see if that makes a difference....... there is of course also the issue that you may be deficient in anyone of the B complex of vitamins ....... B6 (pyridoxine) and B3 (niacin) work in conjunction with tryptophan....... along with the essential fatty acids. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that's used by the brain - along with B6, B3, and magesium (known as the antistress mineral) - to produce serotonin (the natural feel good drug), a neurotransmitter that carries messages between the brain and one of the body's biochemical mechanisms of sleep. The EFA's in foods rich in omega 3's such as cold water fishes like tuna, salmon, sardines and whiting are also essential in this process to nourish the neurons that are receiving the messages from the neurotransmitters. Cold water fishes such as salmon are particularly rich in the EFA's and will do a brilliant job of levelling out your stress and depression levels and smoothing any mood swings ....... i've found fish particularly beneficial for mood swings and stress & depression as they are also rich in Tryptophan. I would suggest that you take a B complex to ensure you are getting adequate B vitamins .......... don't take any of the B's individually but rather as a whole group as they work best synergistically ..... all supplements are not the same though ....... please consult the instore naturopath at your local health food store as to which would be the easiest for your body to assimilate ........ no point buying something that is indigestible and therefore useless.......... the best quality supplement you can buy are pharmaceutical grade. Vitamin B3 (niacin), part of the B complex of vitamins has been shown to help prevent and alleviate the severity of severe headaches and migraines ............ however, a person whose body is deficient in B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B6 (pyridoxine) wil not be able to produce niacin from tryptophan ...... so take a complex that contains the whole B complex ie ~ B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid etc....;0) oh, eat more leafy and green vegies as well like broccolli, kale, chard, buk choy, celery ....... all rich in calcium and magnesium. i really do hope that this helps a little. peace baby ♥"

My anxiety has been getting bad lately? I have generalized anxiety disorder and its been bothering me more than normal as of late. I'm currently not on any medication (except 5-HTP which is just an amino acid). I hung out at my friends lake house and we went on his boat with some other friends and I started to have a little anxiety attack. I felt confined, trapped on the boat with no where to go. I also really like a girl who went with us and she was off making out with another guy and I was really mad. Anyways, should I start taking medication?...I just don't want it to affect my thinking negatively and stuff. Should I go see my doctor or a psychiatrist? And sometimes I feel like I have to cry randomly, but then I just hold it back and feel mentally shaken. Is this just the anxiety? Thanks guys. Nice insight to my problem. And to Juanita S: It's somewhat situational, happening more often in situations like the boat and others where I'm out of control and stuff. But really, its with me all the time. I can never relax, I'm always tense, I feel like crying...even now as we speak.

Killabitch F replied: "yes anxiety left untreated can make you worse go see a doctor anxiety sucks"

danas8up replied: "Go to a doctor"

mdquince1 replied: "TRY ABILIFY AND THE CRYING RANDOMLY MY MEAN YOU HAVE MAJOR DEPRESSION AS WELL. BUT OF COURSE GO SEE A psychiatric"

Twistwarp replied: "See a doctor and start a journal. And make sure you write down everything, and I mean everything, that you feel in this journal, as if you knew it would never be read. That's what I do every time I feel really anxious or stressed out, and its worked out pretty well for me. Either way, though, definitely see a doctor. You could even talk with him about your concerns with taking medication and see if there are alternatives to that."

Juanita S replied: "Does your anxiety seem to be situational, like does it usually happen when you are on a boat or in a confined space, or can it happen during any random time? If it's situational, than no, I don't think you need to be on medication. You just need to get over your fear of confined spaces or whatever it is. If it seems to happen for no reason, than I firmly believe there is a physical cause- that it's not just a mental disorder- and I would recommend going to a holistic chiropractor or other natural type doctor or just your regular doctor and have a physical. Be careful with mentioning anxiety to MDs, they will just give you a prescription for prozac and be done with you. You need to get to the cause. All chiropractors have more training in diagnosis than MDs. MDs train more in medicine. So, in general a chiropractor will have a better insight into the human body than an MD. But I'd go to one with kinesiology, nutritional or other training as well or even an acupuncturist. Anxiety can be caused by an unbalanced diet, hormonal imbalance, undiagnosed allergies, systemic candida, parasites, metal toxicity, or even an inner ear disorder. Email me for more."

rpalp replied: "Well you getting mad about what happened on the boat is perfectly normal. I would be pissed too. But I'd take medication if I were you. It's perfectly normal and will make you happy. It's definatly normal: "Approximately 6.8 million American adults experience GAD""

DaysofSweetLight replied: "I'm with you buddy and know that a lot of people understand. First I have to ask ethically if you are thinking of hurting yourself. No disrespect meant, plenty of people suffer as you (and me) without ever a thought of self hurt but if you are it's not shameful, go straight to the doctor. Now with that said. It sounds to me like you might be someone who is not really into meds like my girlfriend so here are few ideas to help you and they do work, I add them on top of my meds. #1) YOGA, may sound silly but a few sessions and you will fall in love with it and find an amazing relief of anxiety/depression. #2) Meditate - It's not hard and you don't have to grow a beard like a guru. There are lots of books on how but this is what I was taught and it's easy. Set a time every day to sit even for 15 minutes. Get in a dark a room as possible. Light a candle and put it a few feet in front of you. Focus on the flame. It will be hard to clear your mind when your learning but every time you do just go back to a calm place, concentrate on it. After a while you can find that place easily and stay there. Good breathing while doing so, in through the nose out through the mouth. Diet is so, so important. I am a big guy and had a diet soda addiction. I read some studies and the chemical in there phenylleniline or something like that, sorry about the spelling. Anyways it has serious anxiety/depression issues and has lead to suicide as well. Caffiene is hell on you to. So lots of water if you drink soda, just level it out. Tofu and soy milk have calming attributes. Last stuff here I promise. At the health food store get this stuff, it's very inexpensive. Calms Forte - for anxiety and sleep aid Melatonin to help you sleep Calcium (just like the supplement) is also a sedative for sleep. I hope this helps buddy, just take it a breath at a time, it WILL get better. Chris"

confused replied: "I don't know too much about GAD. But if you know when the attack is going to take place, like you know you are going to have an attack while on a boat or if you know you are going to walk through the woods and meet up with a bear and you hate mama bears because they hate you because they are trying to protect their cubs. And meanwhile you are just walking through the woods trying to find the porridge that is the right temperature. So, if you know when these general situations may occur, you could try taking Valerian or Kava tea. FYI, Kava on a regular basis is known to cause liver damage. But it works well in a pinch. In some cases where I was confronted by bears on my search for the perfect softness of a bed, and was surprised by the Bear, and had no time to prepare for it....I noticed there was a pot of boiling water on the stove and added 6 tea bags of Kava. I stopped shaking. And I was still coherent enough to think on my feet. And about my feet. And how they needed to start running. But it did stop the shaking."

sa3461 replied: "It sounds like you might have some sort of depression. But I do recommend you see a psychiatrist. He will probably prescribe both medicine and psychotherapy. I have panic attacks too and am taking meds for them and I do feel better. Clonazepam was prescribed and for the time being Im doing ok but I've realized that its all up to me. I make an effort to stay away from stressful situations. I have epilepsy and that also affects my stress so I am scared of either getting a seizure or a panic attack and because of that I plan ahead for things that may be stressful, sleep the hours I should, and just relax. Seriously, try to take it easy. Im sure your situation in life differs from mine but all in all relaxing, thinking about yourselves well being and being positive when in a difficult situation will surely have an impact on your panic disorder."

Aimee replied: "Hey you answered my question and I know how you feel totally. Its nice to know im not the only one and its not easy i know. Is it certain people that are getting you down or is it when you are with anyone? You could try medication its really up to you. If its going to work then thats definately worth it. I refused to see my doctor about it because i was annoyed but seems like lots of people have anxiety these days. Hope things will get better for you :) good luck & god bless. x"

? replied: "I have an anxiety disorder and get panic attacks. it got to the point where i had to see a doctor. im now on Xanax and i must tell you it works very well. i feel normal now. it doesn't eliminate panic attacks but it makes you feel like youre in control and can calm yourself down easier."

Devi replied: "Try "The Art of Living" course. The sudarshan kriya, which is a powerful breathing-based technique, will greatly reduce your anxiety. U can feel the difference in a weeks time. Please try it. I found it really helpful and hope u'll as well. I know how dificult it is to live with this constant demon of anxiety. I bet u won't need any medication. Hope it helps!"

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