5-HTP Introduction

    5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan (a hydroxyl group added to the 5-position). In the body, tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, which then can be converted into serotonin (a potent neurotransmitter in the brain). Although 5-HTP is not found at any significant level in a normal diet, tryptophan is found in a wide variety of protein foods. The 5-HTP used in dietary supplements is derived from the seeds of and African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia).

1.Suppressing Appetite 
2.Enhancing Sleep 
3.Relieving Anxiety 
4.Relieving symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder 
5.Cognitive Enhancement 
6.Relief From and Prevention of Migraine Headaches 
7.Reduction of the rate of Heart Disease as a result of Lowering Anxiety and Depression.

    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.

    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. 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.

    5-HTP is typically used to treat mild depression based on the theory that as a precursor to serotonin, supplements of 5-HTP can increase serotonin levels and influence mood, sleep patterns and pain control. The amino acid, tryptophan, can also be broken down in the body to yield ribose and/or NAD - both of which have been associated with increased energy levels. While these are certainly logical theories, the scientific evidence supporting them remains moderate at best

    5-htp is available both by prescription from a compounding pharmacy and over the counter in many drug stores in the US, and on the Web. I've even seen it in Wal-Mart. The most economical places to buy it that I know of are Vitaglo (www.vitaglo.com) and Vitamin Planet (www.vitamin-planet.com). I don't make any money if you buy from them (or anyone else), and I can't vouch for their product or service, but I've been buying from both companies for quite a while have had no trouble of any kind.

    The result may be an overdose of serotonin; the effects are not pleasant. I know of one person who experienced severe nausea on taking her first 100mg dose. This does not happen to everyone, and I have not heard of it happening to people on Prozac, but it might, and you should weigh the risk of an episode of severe nausea against the benefit of obtaining restful sleep in making your decison. I have heard of some people experiencing nausea when they begin taking 5-htp, but have no personal knowledge of any other adverse effects, although the papers abstracted below mention that some exist. 

5-htp Scientific Support

    As indicated above, the overall scientific evidence for the effectiveness of 5-HTP is not very strong. In a few small studies, however, 5-HTP has been shown to be as effective as prescription antidepressant medications - and with fewer side effects - but there are just as many controlled clinical trials which have shown no effect of 5-HTP in alleviating mood disturbances. In other studies, doses of 5-HTP in the range of 300-900mg/day have resulted in benefits in reducing pain (migraines and fibromyalgia), reducing appetite and promoting sleep (possibly by increasing blood levels of melatonin).

    Several studies have investigated 5-HTP supplementation in conjunction with SSRI medications (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fenfluramine and fluoxetine - Prozac). In this combination, 5-HTP could be expected to help increase serotonin synthesis, while the SSRIs would keep those levels elevated - but this hypothesis has not been shown to be particularly effective. In at least one study, 5-HTP actually appeared to cause an increase in depressive symptoms in healthy subjects - exactly the opposite effect that users of the supplement are looking for.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.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 (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) activity. These are two key mood and alertness regulating neurotransmitters, and when tyrosine, the amino-acid precursor for brain DA/NA is given along with 5-HTP, the effect is even more powerful.