5 htp and sleep

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Griffonia simplicifoliaBandeiraeaknown in Ghana as Kagya5-HTP is extracted from Griffonia Simplicifolia. Griffonia Simplicifolia is found in the savannah grasslands and coastal plains and as a climber in secondary forests of West Africa. In Africa, the leaves are fed to sheep and goats to stimulate reproduction. In the past, the leaves are used to aid in the healing of wounds, and the decoction of the stems and leaves is used to stop vomiting. Now, the plant extract is used for the treatment of depression. HealthLand is the sole 5-HTP manufacturer & supplier in China. HealthLand collects from Africa and manufactures 5-HTP in line with GMPs.Please store it below -4°cThe Connection between Mood and FoodBy Dr. Schechter, N.D.Out of Africa comes a small bean, Griffonia simplicifolia. Smaller than a coffee bean yet big in potential results, Griffonia has attracted serious attention from researchers interested in its effect on a vitally important nerve transmitter: serotonin. Serotonin is the key to numerous brain functions. A decreased level of this neurotransmitter can cause depression, insomnia, obsessive/compulsive disorders as well as eating disorders leading to obesity, or the reverse: anorexia/bulemia. Researchers have observed a link between eating behavior and mood with neurotransmitters in the brain. Wurtman et al observed obese people eating high carbohydrates foods to make themselves feel better. They traced a route from carbohydrates (starches) convert to sugar and stimulate the pancreas to release insulin. This raises brain levels of 5-HTP converting it to serotonin, making you feel happy. But this is a high-calorie way of getting your serotonin. Many dieters are now trying the drug fenþuramine combined with an amphet amine, phentermine in Fen/Phen. The action of fenþuramine is to increase levels of serotonin. Redux (dexfenþuramine), another popular weight-loss drug, also acts by increasing serotonin levels in the central nervous system thereby suppressing cravings and encouraging weight-loss. However, the way the drugs increase serotonin levels is different from griffonia. Fen/Phen and Redux are amphetamines and the way they increase serotonin levels in the brain isn’t fully understood. Their side effects, however, are serious to fatal. With their addictive potential, they should be used only in cases of extreme obesity and certainly under a doctor’s supervision. Anti-depressants such as Prozac also appear to lower appetite by blocking the þow of serotonin so it accumulates at the neuroreceptor sites. For people deÞcient in serotonin, this improves the body’s use of available serotonin. As this is done by chemical intervention, however; it is important to consider the side effects, metabolism, and your body’s tolerance. Griffonia acts by providing your body with 5-HTP (l-5-hydroxytryptophan), an amino acid that easily crosses your blood-brain barrier and is converted into serotonin (l-5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) in a natural process. 5-HTP is one step from the amino acid l-tryptophan, used until a few years ago as an inducer and regulator of certain stages of sleep, and other symptoms such as jet lag and panic attacks. Unlike the drugs listed above, serotonin from Griffonia is not chemically held at receptor sites where it can accumulate and cause side effects. The excess is broken down and eliminated. 5-HTP from Griffonia could be a positive tool for people who struggle with weight and depression due to low levels of serotonin, and for the casual dieters who have to shed a few pounds without having to resort to drugs and their side effects. According to the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, a third of all women and a quarter of men try to lose weight at any given time, and with good reason . Being overweight is not only an impediment to good health, but right or wrong, it is a stigma in a society that reveres thinness and it certainly contributes to an overweight person’s feeling of depression. Thirty percent of Americans carry 20% more weight than they should. The manufacturers of Fen/Phen and Redux claim their drugs are intended for those who carry more than 30% of their ideal weight, believing the dangers of obesity outweigh the dangerous side-effects of their drugs. These drugs should be used in conjunction with strict programs of diet and exercise and they are not recommended for long term use. Unfortunately, in this nation of desperate dieters, Fen/Phen and Redux are also used by casual dieters who are not medically at risk and who just want to lose a few pounds. Griffonia’s gentler approach is more suited to that dieter and it can be used safely over a longer term. Griffonia can help curb hunger, particularly for carbohydrates. It is free from serious side effects and has no reported to xicity or contraindications other than not using it with prescription MAO inhibitors. Perhaps additional serotonin could control appetite and lift mood to get the dieter to the next step — exercise that would help the body lose those extra pounds. Griffonia is certainly worth trying. It is important to keep dieting in perspective. No product, be it a drug or herb, will keep the weight off if it is not used in conjunction with exercise and a desire to alter how you eat and what you eat. 5-HTP from Griffonia is the only pathway to increasing your body’s natural production of serotonin. Recommended dosage: a 200mg tablet once a day is sufÞcient for the average individual with no more than two a day depending on the body’s needs.5-HTP does not require a prescription, it can be bought in health food stores, and I think you will have much better results using it rather than SJW or Kava Kava. To give you more information on it, 5-htp (5-hydroxy tryptophan) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and serotonin.It makes serotonin (5 hydroxy tryptamine) in the brain. The SSRI's (prozac, paxil, etc) inhibit reuptake of serotonin, which allows it to 'hang around' longer in the synapses, and helps a person who has low serotonin levels (which can cause anxiety, depression, etc). But if they don't have enough serotonin tobegin with, which is often the case with people who've had protracted stress and trauma, they don't have much to work with, even if more of it is utilized. It also is non-addictive as I mentioned, and has very few side effects. Some of the serotonin it makes is converted to melatonin, so 5-HTP is also usefulin promoting sleep. It's better than tryptophan which was pulled from the market in an attempt to more easily sell the upcoming prozac (ignore that statement,it's my political pet peeve because tryptophan is one step removed from the serotonin. So you can take less of it and get more benefit. I really suggest you take 5h and then you can switch later to SJW or Kava. 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a natural compound produced by the bodyfrom tryptophan, an amino acid found in many foods. It is the immediateprecursor of serotonin -- a neurotransmitter that carries vital signalsbetween certain brain cells. Poor diet, lack of exercise, use of harmfulsubstances such as caffeine or alcohol, and ongoing physical andemotional stress can depress the levels of serotonin your body makes,resulting in a range of serious problems: depression, obesity, insomnia,migraine headaches, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, or what iscollectively known as serotonin deficiency syndrome. The idea is you cancorrect these maladies by talking supplemental 5-HTP and raise serotoninto preferable levels. In Europe, 5-HTP has been used for decades as an approved treatment fordepression, sleep problems and other medical complaints. It is just nowstarting to sweep America. There is substantial scientific evidence tosupport the contention that 5-HTP is a safe, natural way to boost brainserotonin levels. Detailed clinical trials have shown 5-HTP to produceresults equal to or better than standard synthetic drugs used in thetreatment of problems arising from serotonin deficiency syndrome,including depression. If you want to give 5-HTP a try, naturopath T. Murray, author of"5-Htp: The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, & Insomnia"(Bantam, 1998), recommends that you begin by taking 50 mg of 5-HTP about20 minutes before meals for two weeks and then doubling dosage ifnecessary. While higher dosages of 5-HTP (e.g., 300 mg) are associatedwith nausea, these lower dosages seem to be just as effective withoutthe nuisance of mild nausea during the first few weeks of use. Be sureto use products that are "enteric coated" so that they do not dissolvein the stomach. This will also help prevent nausea. Also, if you aretaking any of the newer antidepressant drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft orPaxil, be sure to notify your doctor before taking 5-HTP. 5-HTP is also helpful for fibro. The dosage most used is 200 mgs. There was a recent study done that compared 5-htp to prozac and they used 200 mgs ( in 3 divided doses). It showed greater efficacy, quicker action and fewer side effects Than prozac. The best part is, it reduces your cravings for carbs so you tend to lose weight on it. It's not expensive, I think a bottle is around $15 and that's for about a month. It's extracted from the African plant Griffonia,

Hugs To You,Theresa In Florida"Lord help me Not to Grumble and Complain"

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