5-HTP

[Guest guest]

My son and I have been taking 5-HTP since last summer and it helps with

mood, sleep and gradual weight loss. We both take 100 mg at bedtime. We have

taken Nature's Way, which is enteric coated and very easy for a child to

swallow.

We are currently taking Carlson Healthy Mood 5-HTP Elite, which has a

natural raspberry flavor and can be chewed or allowed to dissolve. Both brands

have

vitamin B-6 to support the conversion of 5-hydroxytryptophan to serotonin a

major neural transmitter. My son's neurotherapist knows he's taking it and

she's fine with it.

I went to the Vitamin Shoppe's website and copied the info below:

5-HTP is used by the human body to make serotonin, an important substance

for normal nerve and brain function. Serotonin appears to play significant

roles in sleep, emotional moods, pain control, inflammation, intestinal

peristalsis, and other body functions. 5-HTP is not present in significant

amounts in a

typical diet. The human body manufactures 5-HTP from L-tryptophan, a natural

amino acid found in most dietary proteins. However, eating food that

contains L-tryptophan does not significantly increase 5-HTP levels.

Supplemental

5-HTP is naturally derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a West

African medicinal plant. Disruptions in emotional well-being, including

depression and anxiety, have been linked to serotonin imbalances in the brain.

People with fibromyalgia often have low serotonin levels in their blood.

Supplements of 5-HTP may increase serotonin synthesis in these cases. The cause

of

migraine headaches is related to abnormal serotonin function in blood vessels,

and 5-HTP may help correct this abnormality. Insomnia has been associated

with tryptophan deficiency in the tissues of the brain; therefore, 5-HTP may

provide a remedy for this condition. In a controlled trial, 5-HTP (300 mg per

day) was shown to be effective in reducing many symptoms of fibromyalgia,

including pain, morning stiffness, sleep disturbances, and anxiety. For

depression,

300 mg per day is often effective, though much of the research used 5-HTP in

combination with drugs or was uncontrolled. For insomnia, a single 100-mg

nighttime dose of 5-HTP was sufficient to improve the duration and depth of

sleep in one placebo-controlled trial. For migraine headaches, amounts ranging

from 400–600 mg per day have been shown to be effective at reducing the

frequency and severity of attacks in most clinical trials. Appetite reduction

and

weight loss (averaging 11 pounds in 12 weeks) has occurred with amounts of 600

–900 mg daily. In another clinical trial, 750 mg per day has been shown to

be effective at decreasing carbohydrate and fat intake, and promoting weight

loss.

CReece

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[Guest guest]

Does anybody know how much 5-HTP I should take to attempt to calm my panic

attacks? I have tried 200mg time release capsules from GNC, taking up to 400mg

a day and i'm noticing a slight improvement. I've tried for about 60 days now.

Is there an amount that you can take where it is hard on your liver or can you

overdose on it?