Re: 5HTP & L-Tryptophan

[Guest guest]

Griselda,

You raise some interesting points in you post regarding 5HTP (5- hydroxy

tryptophan. I have been able to read some preliminary chapters about it by

a physician who is an expert writer on and researcher of nutritionals, and

more specifically, amino acids. I will post the citation & web location to

the list in the next day or to because I am pretty tied up right now.

First, you are quite right about St 's wart (hypercin) which can cause

medical problems in combination with other medications, most particularly

tranquilizers. It has more cautions than Prozac, which, although related,

is compatible with other classes of tranquilizers. (I don't like to do a

medical review, but the subjects affect, or will affect many of us). My

doctor simply won't prescribe any other tranquilizers for someone taking St

's Wort, while he can if it were prozac.

But about the 5HTP, it is *not* common tryptophan & behaves differently.

5HTP is now thought to be the closest natural precursor to human Seratonin

available, and thus possibly more biologically available. It also appears

to be a very harmless substance. I do not believe that it can cause an

excess of Seratonin, because it may not be converted to Seratonin if no

more is needed. A limitation is that it is quite expensive. While it can be

synthesized, the bulk of it is made from griffonia plant, where it

naturally occurs. Perhaps if demand increases, it will be more economical

to prepare it in the lab. One of the values of 5HTP is supposed to be the

body's ability to use it as needed. Although it is close, it is still not

Seratonin. And larger doses of 5HTP seem only to cause drowsiness for a

short time.

L-Tryptophan however, is chemically related to 5HTP but does not act in

the same way. I have had health product professionals get confused about

this too. The problem relating to the FDA taking L-tryptophan off the

market was not connected to its potential ill effects (but it does have

some). In the unique wisdom of the FDA, L-tryptophan was removed from the

market due to a chemically contaminated batch made by an irresponsible

manufacturer that resulted in 3 cases of illness due to the chemical

contamination, not the tryptophan! The FDA probably should have required a

warning on tryptophan due to, I believe, potential liver problems with

excessive dosages. When available, it was suggested for use in unusually

large doses. Most people in the nutritional manufacturing industry who know

the facts about the FDA's action see it as another example of bureaucratic

stupidity. The manufacturer of the product contaminated with near-toxic

foreign substance went unpunished.

Ken

At 12:11 PM 6/17/98 -0500, you wrote:

>

>

>At 05:15 PM 6/16/98 , you wrote:

>> I also take some melatonin & feel that it helps. Am also taking 5HTP (5

>>hydroxy Tryptophan), which is a natural chemical that is a closer precursor

>>to Seratonin than St. 's Wort, and it has a sedating effect. It is

>>evidently harmless and *can* lead to higher level of Seratonin (one of the

>>body's own antidepressants) My doc thinks St.J. W. can be harmful combined

>>with other meds .

>

>I am not a medical professional, but I take a lot of meds, and have to

>spend a lot of time reading up on potential interaction problems. However,

>you may want to check out the info below with your pharmacist.

>

>The danger comes from having too high of serotonin levels in the brain. It

>can cause serotonin syndrome, which can be quite serious. I know that

>taking amitriptyline (elavil) along with one of the SSRIs (prozac, paxil,

>zoloft, etc.) can be dangerous and can cause a fatal reaction (my doctor

>tried to prescribe elavil for me along with paxil, fortunately my

>pharmacist knew enough to not mix them -- he called my doctor and explained

>the interaction problem and my doctor quickly decided not to combine them.)

> One thing to remember is that doctors don't always know or understand all

>of the potential drug interactions, pharmacists tend to be much more

>familiar with them.

>

>Since the SSRIs and St s Wort both work by preventing the brain from

>absorbing serotonin, and since it is the resulting increase in serotonin

>levels that can cause the serotonin syndrome, I'd also suspect that 5-HRT

>can cause the same problem as well, since it can increase the amount of

>serotonin available to the brain. I know 5-HRT hasn't been studied a whole

>lot, but its another form of L-tryptophan, which is the amino acid that was

>linked to several deaths a few years back and had to be withdrawn from the

>supplement market.

>

>The other concern I have (and this is just my speculation here) is that the

>problem that arose with phen/fen and merida (the diet drugs that were

>pulled from the market) was that they increased the amount of serotonin by

>stimulating the brain to make more (as opposed to SSRIs which increase

>serotonin availability by preventing the brain from absorbing as much), and

>somehow (though no one seems to know how) it created a waxy buildup on

>heart valves that damaged them to the point that many people need surgery

>to correct it. Now, 5-HRT also creates more serotonin in the brain, not by

>preventing absorption, but I don't know that it stimulates production.

>However, if it DOES stimulate production of serotonin, it is possible

>(thought I don't know how probable) that it, too, could cause heart valve

>problems.

>

>All in all, I'd suggest caution in mixing either St. 's wort or 5-HRT

>with elavil or SSRIs. The main reason 5-HRT is currently considered

> " harmless " is that it hasn't been tested very much, nor has it been on the

>market long enough for there to be much in the way of anecdotal incidents....

>

>Griselda

> " Ignorance and Prejudice and Fear go hand in hand " -Rush

>mailto:jarnsaxa@... ICQ: 12131941

>

>

>

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