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5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and its affect on health and wellness
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5-Hydroxytrypthophan, (5-HTP), amino acid, Trypthophan, nueurotransmitter, serotonin, 5-HT, anxiety, depression, insomnia, panic disorders, aggression, obsessive compulsive disorders, appetite, appetite reduction, Down's syndrome, epilepsy, Prozac, blood brain barrier, brain neurotransmitters, vitamin B3 pyrrolase, enzyme dynurenine metabolites, cortisol, mood regulation, anti-anxiety, antidepressent, impulse control, pain control, sleep, pineal gland, melatonin, brain serotonin, gastrointenstinal upsset, hypomania, euphoria, MAO inhibitor drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin inhibitor drugs, SSRI drugs, Paxil, Zoloft, serotonin balance, L-Tryptophan, fibromyalgia, binge eating, chronic headaches, insomnia, L-tyrosine, weight loss, headache, headaches, migraine, tension headaches, juvenile headaches
5-Hydroxytrypthophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid which is formed from the amino acid Tryptophan. It is manufactured as a supplement as a means of bypassing the first step in the production of the neurotransmitter "Serotonin". 5-HTP is said to: alleviate anxiety, various forms of depression, insomnia, panic disorders; inhibits aggression as well as obsessive-compulsive disorders; reduce appetite (take 300 mg of 5-HTP, 30 minutes prior to eating to reduce appetite and cause you to feel "full" earlier in the meal); Read a study be a valuable adjuvant therapy for "Down's Syndrome" and "Epilepsy" Pharmwest Literature. pharwest.com. "5-Hydroxy Tryptophan Rivals Prescription Drugs" 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) 5-HTP - Prozac's true alternative by James South MA 5-HTP passes through the blood brain barrier into the brain far more easily than tryptophan, and getting tryptophan through the blood brain barrier is the main bottleneck, which in many people leads to inadequate brain serotonin levels. 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the less well known cousin of serotonin (5-HT), one of the most important brain neurotransmitters. Tryptophan is first converted to 5-HTP in nerve cells by a vitamin B3 dependant enzyme, and then 5-HTP is converted to 5-HT by a vitamin B6 dependant enzyme. Yet thanks to modern science, we can now take preformed 5-HTP, with many consequent advantages. Also, 5-HTP is not used to make proteins in the body, while tryptophan is, so there isn't competition by cells outside the brain for 5-HTP, as there is for the body's scare tryptophan supplies. The body often uses tryptophan to make vitamin B3, at a very high cost of 60mg tryptophan to make just 1mg B3! 5-HTP is not wasted to make vitamin B3. Tryptophan can be broken down in the liver by pyrrolase, an enzyme that converts tryptophan to kynurenine and its metabolites, which can be mildly liver toxic at high levels. 5-HTP is not metabolized through this pathway. Because of this, tryptophan supplementation especially in chronically stressed people should be kept to 1 gram (1000mg) per day or less, because the stress hormone- cortisol activates pyrrolase. The work of HM van Praag, SN Young and others over the last 20 years, shows that serotonin is a key brain neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation (anti-anxiety and antidepressant), impulse control (inhibits aggression and obsessive compulsive disorders [OCD], pain control, and sleep). Serotonin is also the precursor for our pineal gland's production of melatonin. Human clinical studies show that 5-HTP is a far more efficient increaser of brain serotonin than tryptophan. Further, when 5-HTP has been compared to tryptophan in human studies, 5-HTP has been a far more successful antidepressant, even when the tryptophan dosage used is 10 to 15 times higher than the 5-HTP dosage. Also, relapses back into depression are more common with tryptophan than with 5-HTP. Unlike tryptophan, 5-HTP has been shown to increase brain dopamine and noradrenaline activity. These are two key mood and alertness regulating neurotransmitters, and when tyrosine, the amino-acid precursor for brain dopamine /noradrenaline is given along with 5-HTP, the effect is even more powerful. Van Praag's and Young's work suggests that 5-HTP is more likely to be effective for those suffering an anxious, agitated, aggressive, irritable depression and is rarely effective for those suffering from a severe, vegetative, total "blahs" type depression. 5-HTP may also be helpful in some cases of compulsive carbohydrate overeating, alcohol addiction, and compulsive gambling (specific forms of OCD), as well as for insomnia. Side effects of 5-HTP are occasional gastrointestinal upset, hypomania and euphoria. Even though 5-HTP is a natural substance normally made by the brain, without medical supervision prudence suggests limiting daily dosage to 100mg to 200mg, a dose shown to be effective in human clinical studies. Research also shows that both tryptophan, and even more so 5-HTP, increase the activity of MAO inhibitor drugs, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin inhibitor (SSRI -- serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drugs, such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. Therefore tryptophan and especially 5-HTP, should only be used by anyone taking any of these drugs ONLY with their prescribing physician's consent and supervision.
5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-tryptophan) The Natural Antidepressant Now there is a safe and natural alternative to drugs like Prozac®. These drugs work by increasing the serotonin level in the brain. A natural method for producing this same result was sought and found in 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan), an excellent alternative to the now restricted L-Tryptophan. 5-HTP, the immediate precursor to serotonin, is effectively absorbed into the bloodstream and readily passes the blood-brain barrier, to promote optimal serotonin balance in the brain.* 5-HTP was found to be superior to L-Tryptophan in this respect due to its being a step closer chemically to serotonin. In recent clinical studies, therapeutic administration of 5-HTP was confirmed effective in treating depression, fibromyalgia, binge eating, chronic headaches, and insomnia. Depression: A breakthrough in the treatment of depression came with the development of the SSRI (serotonin reuptake inhibitor) such as Prozac®. These effective antidepressants work by increasing the serotonin level in the brain, which is many times found to be low in those with depression. There is, however, a natural alternative to SSRIs that may also increase the brain's serotonin level: 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan). 5HTP readily passes into the brain where it is converted into serotonin. Since the early 1970s, at least 15 studies involving 511 subjects have evaluated the clinical effects of 5-HTP on depression. The overall results of these studies showed a significant improvement in 56% of the subjects. One such study that examined the effectiveness of 5-HTP as an antidepressant involved 59 depressed patients who where given 150-300 mg of 5-HTP daily. The result was astounding. 40 of the patients (68%) showed a favorable response, most within one week. As a side note, some researchers have found the effectiveness of 5-HTP as an antidepressant to be increased when combined with L-tyrosine, which is also available from MedQuest Pharmacy by clicking here. Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is characterized by general aching, fatigue, morning stiffness, and sleep disturbances. It appears that low serotonin and tryptophan levels may be a contributing factor to fibromyalgia, indicating that 5-HTP may be useful in treating this debilitating malady. Studies have shown this to be the case. One 90-day study involved 50 patients suffering from fibromyalgia. A full 50% of the patients showed significant improvement. Weight Loss: It has been found that the craving for carbohydrates and the resulting binge eating may be associated with low serotonin levels that accompany dieting. Increasing the level of serotonin in the brain may therefore contribute to the success of a weight loss program. And, here too, studies have supported this conclusion. One study on the effectiveness of 5-HTP in weight loss involved 20 overweight people. A reduction in carbohydrate intake, as well as significant weight loss, was observed in those that took the 5-HTP. Headaches: Chronic headaches, especially migraines, are thought to be the result of low serotonin levels. 5-HTP has been used successfully in the prevention of chronic headaches of various types, including migraine, tension headaches, and juvenile headaches. A study on the effectiveness of 5-HTP in treating headaches involving 124 people that suffer from migraines resulted in a full 71% of those that were given 5HTP reported a significant improvement. 5-HTP tended to reduce the intensity and duration of the attacks. If you suffer from depression, fibromyalgia, chronic headaches or need to lose some weight, consider improving your serotonin levels with 5-HTP. Consult additional links as found on this site at: Links to Research ; Return to Top ;