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.
Suzanne 3FC , 08-21-2004 11:59 PM
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 
.
