Everything you need to know about 5-HTP - a dietary supplement to restore serotonin levels

• March 28, 2019
• Other drugs
• Olga Yamzakova

Among representatives of modern humanity, it is quite easy to find those who have any problems with sleep.

Some people cannot fall asleep for hours, while others wake up several times a night. Some people have nightmares, others cannot remember their dreams, but feel tired the next morning. In simple words, the problem is quite common and can be explained by the following factors:

1. Frequent stressful situations.
2. Intense rhythm of life.
3. Finding yourself in front of a flickering screen on a TV, computer, or phone monitor in the evening.
4. Unbalanced diet.
5. Lack of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

For example, a common cause of sleep disorders is a lack of the amino acid 5-HTP. Next, we’ll talk in detail about what kind of compound this is and how to make up for its deficiency. The main characteristics specified in the instructions for 5-NTR will also be considered.

The concept of amino acid

5-HTP or hydroxytryptophan by its nature is an active metabolite of the essential amino acid tryptophan. It is called irreplaceable because the human body cannot synthesize it itself, but is forced to obtain it from food.

Once ingested, tryptophan is metabolized to 5-hydroxytryptophan. It is this compound that already has a direct beneficial effect on the immune, nervous and other systems of the body.

However, often when a number of factors or even one of them occurs, the process of conversion of tryptophan is disrupted and 5-HTP is produced in insufficient quantities. This happens due to the following reasons:

• strong physical activity;
• prolonged emotional stress;
• diseases of the liver and digestive organs.

All this negatively affects metabolic processes, as a result of which the conversion of tryptophan occurs slowly and is not efficient enough. This is why consuming the ready-made 5-HTP metabolite is most beneficial for the body.

Useful properties of 5-HTP

The instructions for use of the drug state that tryptophan and its active metabolite are responsible for certain processes. These include:

1. Healthy functioning of the nervous system. A person who receives a sufficient amount of tryptophan is calm, stress-resistant, falls asleep easily and quickly, and also sleeps without waking up all night.
2. Normalization of the hormonal system. Women have a regular cycle, mild manifestations of premenstrual syndrome. They are less prone to early development of menopause and osteoporosis. Men have a healthy sex drive and potency.
3. A sufficient amount of tryptophan also has a beneficial effect on the immune system. A person gets sick less often, is resistant to various infections and feels reliably protected during an epidemic of colds and flu.

This is the main, but far from complete, range of healing properties of tryptophan and its metabolite - 5-HTP. The instructions for use describe each of them in detail.

Having studied the beneficial functions, anyone will involuntarily wonder how to compensate for the deficiency of this amino acid. The ways to solve the problem are:

1. By eating certain foods.
2. Taking dietary supplements high in 5-HTP.

Best 5-HTP Supplements

Choosing a high-quality dietary supplement from a reliable manufacturer may not be as easy as it seems at first glance. If you have little experience in using dietary supplements, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with a small TOP of reliable companies producing hydroxytryptophan:

Natrol

Natrol is an American manufacturer of vitamins and other dietary supplements, popular for its line of products with biotin, melatonin and omega-3. Natrol's health-focused products are considered some of the best.

This company produces 5-HTP in the following packages:

• 30 capsules of 50 mg (cost - 770 rubles);
• 45 capsules of 50 mg (cost: 870 rubles);
• 30 capsules with an increased dosage of 100 mg (cost - 1160 rubles).

But the most effective dietary supplement is Natrol Mood Positive, each tablet of which contains 50 mg of 5-HTP and L-theanine, as well as 10 mg of vitamin B6, 200 mcg of folic acid and 50 mcg of vitamin B12. All of these substances play an important role in the production of serotonin, and their combined use creates a synergistic effect that allows you to maximize the benefits of the dietary supplement.

Now Foods

Now Foods has gained immense popularity thanks to its high-quality and effective dietary supplements sold at an affordable price. There are slightly more variations in the volumes of packages with 5-HTP from Now:

• 90 capsules of 50 mg (cost - 1100 rubles);
• 180 capsules of 50 mg (cost - 1990 rubles);
• 60 capsules of 100 mg (cost - 1050 rubles);
• 120 capsules of 100 mg (cost - 1880 rubles);
• 60 capsules of 200 mg (cost - 1890 rubles);
• 120 capsules of 200 mg (cost - 3300 rubles).

The most popular are packages of 180 capsules of 50 mg and 60 capsules of 200 mg.

Doctor's Best

Doctor's Best is also an American supplement and sports nutrition company. At the same time, she is engaged not only in production, but also in scientific research, studying dietary supplements and their effect on the human body. This allows the company to create more effective comprehensive supplements, such as 5-HTP Enhanced with Vitamins B6 & C, a complex containing hydroxytryptophan, ascorbic acid and vitamin B6.

But Doctor's Best also produces basic 5-HTP supplements in packages of 60 and 180 capsules of 100 milligrams.

Important! When purchasing dietary supplements, you need to pay attention not only to their manufacturer, but also to the place of purchase. It is best to purchase dietary supplements in specialized stores - this way there is the lowest chance of purchasing a counterfeit product.

What foods contain amino acids?

The list of products with the named substance is as follows:

• Red and black caviar are richest in healing compounds.
• Other leaders in content are nuts: peanuts, cedar, cashews, almonds. This also includes sunflower seeds.
• In third place are soybeans, cereals, and beans.
• Cereals such as buckwheat, oatmeal, barley and pearl barley can be an excellent source of tryptophan.
• Seafood. For example, squid, lobster, oysters. The richest fish in tryptophan are cod, mackerel, salmon, pike perch and others.

• Another representative of tryptophan-containing foods are products of animal origin. Milk and cheese, chicken eggs, rabbit meat, veal, beef, pork, turkey and chicken.

However, despite the correct diet and the inclusion of the above foods, the body still needs 5-HTP. And then dietary supplements come to the rescue.

Benefits of 5-HTP

Hydroxytryptophan, oxytriptan, 5-HTP are the names of the same amino acid, which is an intermediate link between L-tryptophan and serotonin - the so-called happiness hormone.

Once in the body, 5-HTP begins to be absorbed through the oral cavity, and absorption is completed in the upper intestines. Next, hydroxytryptophan enters the liver and nerve tissues, where, with the participation of vitamin B6, it begins to be converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin.

A lack of oxytriptan leads to a decrease in serotonin levels, and, consequently, to the following symptoms:

• prolonged apathy and loss of strength;
• loss of interest in favorite activities;
• craving for alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
• increased sensitivity to pain;
• problems with concentration, distracted attention;
• insomnia.

Serotonin deficiency can then lead to not only psychological but also physical ailments such as migraines, muscle pain, cramps, digestive disorders and so on.

But unfortunately, it is quite difficult to make up for the lack of 5-HTP. In the human body, it is produced only from L-tryptophan, and is practically not found in conventional food products. You can get additional doses of hydroxytryptophan only from dietary supplements, which are made from the only product rich in oxytriptan - the seeds of the African bush Griffonia Simplicifolia.

An alternative option to increase 5-HTP levels in the body is to consume foods with L-tryptophan (fish, meat, nuts, legumes and dairy products). However, this method has a disadvantage: when L-tryptophan enters the body, it is converted not only into 5-HTP and serotonin, but also into many other elements, for example, kynurenine, an intermediate link in the chain of transformations of L-tryptophan into niacin.

Release form and indications for use

On the pharmaceutical market, 5-hydroxytryptophan can be presented in the form of:

• capsules;
• tablets.

Indications for use:

1. The main purpose of the supplement is to combat depressive disorders and eliminate insomnia.
2. Another application is weight control. The fact is that the compound has a beneficial effect on metabolism, speeding it up. Therefore, incoming fats and carbohydrates are consumed quickly and efficiently, without adding extra pounds.
3. Quite often, doctors prescribe the supplement in addition to the main medications for the treatment of migraines and relief of muscle pain.

How does 5-HTP work and what is it for?

Oxytriptan is an intermediate between tryptophan and serotonin. In the liver and nervous tissue 5-HTP

under the influence of decarboxylase and vitamin B6, it is converted into serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and hormone, and during metabolism it can turn into another hormone - the circadian rhythm regulator melatonin. In fact, the benefit of 5-HTP is that it normalizes the levels of serotonin and melatonin, and they, in turn, have an effect on the entire body. Why does the body need 5-HTP?

1. 5-HTP for athletes is used as an amino acid that has a positive effect on the central and peripheral nervous systems. Unlike other amino acids, 5-HTP is rarely used for protein synthesis. For example, the same tryptophan taken as a dietary supplement will bring less effect to athletes, since it will be spent on “building” muscles, even when the problem of serotonin deficiency is more acute and interferes with the development of muscle tissue.
2. Many people use 5-HTP for weight loss; this effect is also achieved by stabilizing serotonin levels. Taking hydroxytryptophan makes it psychologically easier to stick to diets, and satiation comes faster. This way you can maintain a calorie deficit even without intense training.
3. Another reason to take 5-HTP is for sleep. Serotonin and the melatonin formed from it have a beneficial effect on circadian rhythms: a person gets enough sleep faster and wakes up alert, without feeling drowsy or lack of sleep.

Additional effects of hydroxytryptophan: acts as an antidepressant (due to increasing the level of the “happy hormone”), antioxidant (due to increasing melatonin levels), increases the pain threshold (therefore, reduces muscle pain and allows you to train more intensely).

Side effects

Like any other pharmaceutical product, the amino acid 5-HTP has a number of unwanted side reactions. Most often they are either weakly expressed or absent altogether. However, it is worth knowing about them:

1. Among the most common symptoms are dyspeptic disorders. The patient may complain of nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Especially often, such reactions occur during the first days of taking the supplement and gradually disappear.
2. Another side effect is drowsiness, inhibition of reactions, decreased libido. If these types of side effects occur, you should reduce the dosage of the drug after consulting your doctor.

Directions for use and dosage regimen

How to take 5-HTP? The instructions indicate the following information:

• A capsule containing 100 mg of the compound should be taken orally, after which it should be washed down with a sufficient amount of clean drinking water. It should not be replaced with tea, coffee or dairy products. All this can lead to a decrease in the therapeutic effect of the supplement.
• The product should be taken on an empty stomach, at least half an hour before meals.
• The standard regimen for using the supplement for preventive purposes is one capsule per day. According to the instructions for 5-HTP - 50 mg in the morning or evening - is also an acceptable regimen for using the drug.
• To treat depression, take 2-3 capsules per day.
• When eliminating insomnia, the supplement should be taken 1-2 capsules half an hour before bedtime.
• If 5-HTP is used for the purpose of appetite control and weight loss, the dosage can reach up to 900 mg (9 capsules) per day.

The maximum duration of the course is three months and can be increased only by the doctor’s decision.

Contraindications for use

Despite its relative safety, the supplement has a number of contraindications, which include:

1. Age up to 18 years. For young people, the use of tryptophan metabolite is permissible only when prescribed by the treating pediatrician.
2. Pregnancy. At the moment, there are no research results that could reliably confirm the safety of the supplement for the unborn child and the mother’s body.
3. Concomitant use with antidepressants and the presence of mental disorders. Otherwise, unforeseen consequences may occur for the patient’s nervous system.

According to the instructions for use of 5-HTP, women who are breastfeeding should use the supplement with caution. Officially, the supplement is allowed for this category of people, but subject to agreement on the dosage with a specialist.

Also, special vigilance when using the drug should be observed by persons who are forced to spend time behind the wheel or whose activities require a high concentration of attention. For such people, it is better to start taking the supplement with 50 mg, gradually increasing the dose and carefully monitoring your response.

Depression: what is it?

We often misinterpret this concept. Very often people confuse the usual blues and lack of mood with depression.

Depression is a human mental disorder, the main symptoms of which are a complete lack of ability to enjoy life and depression of mental activity.

Main symptoms of depression:

• Intense feelings of devastation, sadness and indifference.
• Anger and irritability.
• Sleep disturbance - a person can sleep too little or, conversely, sleep too much.
• Loss of interest in ordinary things that used to bring joy.
• Loss of appetite - either excessive overeating or a complete lack of it.
• Constant feeling of anxiety.
• Deterioration of memory and concentration.
• Unexplained physical pain.

Depression can develop, among other things, due to a lack of serotonin in the body, the hormone of happiness. Therefore, it is so important to maintain its level within normal limits.

Modern medicine offers a lot of pharmaceutical drugs with sedative, hypnotic and antidepressant properties. However, it is necessary to understand that chemotherapy drugs are often designed to produce a quick effect, which can lead to a violation of the dynamic balance of the body.

In order not to upset the balance and not harm your body, it is recommended to use products of plant origin that will not entail negative consequences.

Reviews

The instructions on how to take 5-NTR do not contain data on the results of using the drug. But if you study patient reviews in detail, you will notice that the vast majority of them are positive. People note an improvement in their emotional well-being within the first week of using the amino acid.

Patients become more stress-resistant, calm, fall asleep easily and quickly, and have uninterrupted, sound sleep throughout the night.

Those who decide to use the supplement to prevent amino acid deficiency note the ease of use (one capsule per day).

Parents whose children have been prescribed the supplement by a neurologist or pediatrician note that their child has become more balanced, calm, and assiduous during the day, and sleeps more soundly at night.

Despite the reviews, no one has canceled the instructions for using 5-NTR. The information contained therein must be given priority. And when deciding whether to take a supplement, this is what you should consider.

Reviews from doctors (the instructions for 5-NTR say the same thing) say that the drug rarely causes any side effects. Therefore, doctors like to prescribe this dietary supplement to patients who suffer from insomnia or mild depression. At the same time, they may not worry about the risks of developing any adverse consequences, as is the case when prescribing more serious drugs to patients.