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I'm wondering if anyone has taken it before? I asked elsewhere, with no reply, I'm hoping someone has heard of it, or taken it before! It's supposed to help with Anxiety and Weight loss, as well as curbing sugar cravings. It does all of the above, I was taking it for 2 weeks and was noticing a nice weight loss, probably due to my lack of cravings for sugar, pasta or bread. Anyways, I started to notice that I was bruising easy (I currently have 6 bruises, one from someone poking me pretty lightly!). Anything you might have heard would help!
Here's what Berkeley Wellness, University of CA, says:
Quote:
5-HTP and Tryptophan
Claims, Benefits: Treats or prevents insomnia, depression, and other problems; modifies mood.
Bottom Line: In 1989, thousands of people taking tryptophan developed a rare and incurable blood disease, leading the FDA to ban all sales of the pills. 5-HTP, a close relative of tryptophan, is being taken as a substitute for it. Its potential dangers outweigh any possible benefits.
Full Article, Wellness Letter, July 1999:
Do-it-yourself brain foods (and supplements)
You may not know much about brain chemistry, but you've probably heard of serotonin, a once-obscure neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that has been much in the news in recent years. Depression, obesity, pain, aggression, insomnia, irritability, addictions, PMS, food cravings, panic disorder, and headaches are some of the problems now linked—with varying degrees of scientific certainty—to abnormalities in serotonin or other chemicals in the brain. Research into this vast subject has yielded drugs such as antidepressants (notably Prozac) and diet drugs (such as Redux, now banned because it caused heart damage).
At the same time, there's a growing array of do-it-yourself attempts to enhance brain chemicals, dubbed nutritional neuroscience. This includes a variety of dietary strategies, along with several supplements (such as tryptophan, also banned, and its new replacement, 5-HTP). How much can you safely and reliably manipulate your brain chemicals without drugs?
Dietary supplements: from tryptophan . . .
Neurotransmitters play a complex role in the brain and nervous system. Why not simply take neurotransmitters in pill form? Because they wouldn't get through the blood-brain barrier, which selectively lets into the brain—and keeps out—substances in the blood. But the brain makes its supplies of neurotransmitters mostly from amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and these do enter the brain from the bloodstream. The proteins in foods we eat are broken down into amino acids in the digestive tract; most of these are used elsewhere in the body, but some enter the brain. For example, the amino acid tryptophan is converted into that important neurotransmitter serotonin.
Thus, for years people took tryptophan pills to treat insomnia and as a mood modifier, with some success. Then in 1989 an outbreak of a rare and incurable blood disease among thousands of people taking tryptophan led the FDA to ban all sales of the pills. At least 38 people died, and most of the other victims have remained crippled with painful nerve damage, severe joint pain, and scarring of internal organs. The epidemic was traced to a bad batch of tryptophan from one Japanese maker, which apparently introduced an impurity when it altered its manufacturing process.
Just because tryptophan is a constituent of the proteins in our food, that doesn't mean it's safe in isolation and in large doses. Tryptophan pills may pose health risks, besides the risk of contamination, even in its pure form. For instance, a large intake of any single amino acid may create an imbalance and interfere with the absorption or utilization of other amino acids.
. . . to 5-HTP
Now 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) supplements are very popular in health-food stores. As the name suggests, this is a close relative of tryptophan. The body makes 5-HTP from tryptophan; and like tryptophan, 5-HTP is converted to serotonin in the brain. The supplement is derived from the seeds of an African tree. For decades European doctors have been prescribing it to treat depression and insomnia (it is also being used for a wide variety of other ailments). Some small studies suggest that 5-HTP may be as effective as standard antidepressants, without the side effects, but most of these studies were not well designed. It is also being marketed for weight loss.
There is still the worry of contamination with 5-HTP, even though its manufacture is very different from that of tryptophan. There have been a few reports, still unconfirmed, of symptoms similar to those caused by the contaminated tryptophan. And indeed researchers have identified one contaminant in 5-HTP.
In addition, 5-HTP should not be combined with other antidepressants, whether prescription or "herbal" (such as St. John's wort).
What about food?
Some researchers believe that a good way to improve serotonin levels—and thus promote relaxation and sleepiness, as well as control food cravings, PMS, and other serotonin-associated problems—is to eat high-carbohydrate foods. This may seem odd, since tryptophan (the serotonin-producing amino acid) is found in protein-rich foods, not in carbohydrate-rich foods. But high-protein foods won't boost serotonin, since these foods are also rich in other amino acids, which compete with tryptophan to get into the brain. (Imagine tryptophan waiting in line with the other amino acids to cross a bridge into the brain.) But a high-carbohydrate meal causes insulin to be released, which lowers blood levels of all amino acids except tryptophan. Thus the carbohydrates increase tryptophan's chances of getting into the brain, where it can boost serotonin production.
There are several problems with this food-as-medicine approach. There's no solid research showing that a high-carbo meal will affect brain function, at least not significantly in healthy people with normal diets. And even proponents of the carbohydrate theory say that to get a substantial effect on serotonin, you have to eat a meal that's nearly 100% carbohydrates on an empty stomach (no food for several hours before). And not any high-carbohydrate foods will do: starchy ones like a plain baked potato or pasta (with no butter or other fat or protein) do work, but fruit doesn't, because its fructose causes insulin to be released too slowly to boost the amount of tryptophan getting into the brain.
Final words: Nutritional neuroscience is only in its infancy. Thus far things remain murky, and there are few, if any, practical applications. Neurotransmitters are affected by many factors besides what foods we eat and what pills we take. Certain nutrients in foods may indeed affect mood, but the results are unpredictable and undoubtedly small. Certain supplements, such as 5-HTP, do seem to influence brain chemicals. But remember, even though they may be "natural" (which is debatable), they can also have serious adverse effects—just like traditional antidepressants, as well as tryptophan or Redux. As for 5-HTP, the potential dangers outweigh any possible benefits.
Oh wow, thats really friggin' scary! I like how at the end it says "the potential dangers outweigh any possible benefits", I'd love to say "how true!" but I can't. Living with depression, panic attacks, being overweight, dealing with being overly aggressive, and getting *insane* PMS (we are talking extreme moods for 2.5 weeks, thats a long time to cry/want to kill everyone), it's hard. Most doctors try and treat them seperately, so I have antidepressants, pills for panic attacks, some appetite suppressant stuff, I'm on the pill, and they want me to take some kinda thing to reduce my PMS. How many pills do they want me taking? Anyways, I'm disappointed to say the least, hopefully there is *something* out there for me! Thank you SO much for all this info, I passed it along to my brother to give to his girlfriend, who is the one who gave me the pills in the first place.
I tried 5HTP a couple of years ago, but after two days it made me feel very weird, so I stopped taking it immediately.
You are taking other medications, and it's never a good idea to throw in a supplement when taking other meds without checking first with your doctor or other health care professional. (Sometimes that's true even of vitamins.) If you are taking anything like Prozac or mood-stabilizing meds, 5HTP could throw everything off. I'm glad you're not going to do it.
I can't take anti depressants, they actually made me almost, depressed? Thats the only word I can think of to describe how I was feeling, I've tried maybe 4-5 different ones, and they all make me REALLY tired. To the point where I had to sleep 12-16 hours a day, and the hours I was awake I couldn't function. I also hate pills, so I take the birth control pill, but only because it takes my period down from 7 days to 2. I do have a cupboard full of different prescriptions, I should open a pharmacy, anyone need anything? lol
Hi Swimgirl,
Well, I've taken 5HTP and it was the best thing that I could possibly find I'm an insomniac and suffer from moderate depression too but within a week of taking 5HTP my mood was better and I was sleeping better too. I don't take this supplement regularly by that I mean that when a bottle is finished I will take a break from it until symptoms reappear. I've tried them all St Johns Wort, Valerian, whatever and this one worked for me as someone pointed out don't mix your meds without consulting your doctor and in finding something that works for you
I have been taking 5HTP for about 6 mos now. I have found that 50mg a day with my regular suppliments is fine for me. I have severe insonmia, craving, mood swings and depression without it. I can tell even after 24 hrs if i miss a pill. I have recommended it to others and it's helped them. Good Luck!
I am going to try 5-HPT. Been reading about it and this might be something for me, despite the reported risk. You must keep in mind that the big drug companies do not want people taking something like this- so they will pay for studies to find lots of problems with it. 5-HTP from that I have read can work as well as many of the big name meds for a fraction of the cost. Worth a try I think. I thank you all who gave your experiences with 5-HTP.
Oh wow, thats really friggin' scary! I like how at the end it says "the potential dangers outweigh any possible benefits", I'd love to say "how true!" but I can't. Living with depression, panic attacks, being overweight, dealing with being overly aggressive, and getting *insane* PMS (we are talking extreme moods for 2.5 weeks, thats a long time to cry/want to kill everyone), it's hard. Most doctors try and treat them seperately, so I have antidepressants, pills for panic attacks, some appetite suppressant stuff, I'm on the pill, and they want me to take some kinda thing to reduce my PMS. How many pills do they want me taking? Anyways, I'm disappointed to say the least, hopefully there is *something* out there for me! Thank you SO much for all this info, I passed it along to my brother to give to his girlfriend, who is the one who gave me the pills in the first place.
Oh no!!! Do NOT take 5-HTP and antidepressants at the same time. You can cause Seratonin syndrome, where your brain has too much seratonin in it, and it can actually be fatal. Never ever take 5-HTP at the same time as you take an AD. <Well, let's rephrase. SSRI type AD. Wellbutrin or Strattera wouldn't cause the same issues.>
5htp
I'm an insomniac and suffer from moderate depression too but within a week of taking 5HTP my mood was better and I was sleeping better too. I don't take this supplement regularly by that I mean that when a bottle is finished I will take a break from it until symptoms reappear. I've tried them all 
St Johns Wort, Valerian, whatever and this one worked for me 
as someone pointed out don't mix your meds without consulting your doctor and 
in finding something that works for you 
