5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid, which has to be obtained through food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is then converted into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation.
5-HTP is not present in the foods we eat, although tryptophan is. (Eating foods with tryptophan does not increase 5-HTP levels very much, however.) As a supplement, 5-HTP is obtained from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia.
Adult
Health care professionals generally recommend 50 mg of 5-HTP taken 1 - 3 times per day. Some studies have used higher doses, but because 5-HTP can be toxic at high doses, you should talk to your doctor before increasing the amount you take. Your doctor can help determine the right dose for you.
Obesity
A few small studies have examined whether 5-HTP can help people lose weight, with encouraging results. In one study, those who took 5-HTP ate fewer calories, although they were not trying to diet, compared to those who took placebo. Researchers believe 5-HTP led people to feel more full (satiety) after eating, so they ate less. A follow-up study, which compared 5-HTP to placebo during a diet and non-diet, found that those who took 5-HTP lost about 2% of body weight during the non-diet period and another 3% when they dieted. Those taking placebo did not lose any weight.
Depression
Some small studies indicate that 5-HTP may be as effective as certain antidepressant drugs in treating individuals with mild-to-moderate depression. Like the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which includes fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), 5-HTP increases the levels of serotonin in the brain. One study compared the effects of 5-HTP to fluvoxamine (Luvox) in 63 people and found that those who were given 5-HTP did just as well as those who received the SSRI. In addition, those who took 5-HTP had fewer side effects than those who took
Luvox.
*because lowering carbohydrates is critical to getting blood sugar under control and losing weight, this may be a needed supplement. Many patients are feeding their serotonin needs through excessive carbohydrates, therefore, when they cut back they will feel crummy because they no longer make enough on their own, it is like the negative feedback with hormones.
