5 HTP

[Guest guest]

9-19-2000, Peggy wrote:

> In regards to the discussion on 5 HTP, I find that if I take

> in the morning before breakfast, it helps me sleep that night.

> But, if I take it close to bedtime, it actually keeps me awake

> all night.

> Also, do you find that it raises your blood pressure some?

See: Warning About 5-Hydroxy-tryptophan :

http://www.lef.org/magazine/hotlines3.html

WARNING: Taking supplemental vitamin B6 while taking 5-HTP

(or a high daily dose of vitamin B6) can prevent the 5-HTP

from reaching the brain, by converting it to *serotonin in

the blood*. By elevating blood serotonin, this " could cause

coronary artery spasm an/or abnormal platelet aggregation,

which are risk factors for sudden death heart attack. "

It is probably not a good idea to stop taking vitamin B-6,

so that you can safely take 5-HTP. Many people require

supplemental vitamin B-6 to become, or remain healthy.

A far better idea, in my opinion, is to use L-tryptophan,

which is avaiable, to the public. See :

http://www.biochemicals.com

or

http://www.Nubrain-store.com

See further information below.

Bill

--- Re: Serotonin.

<snip>

" Unlike L-tryptophan, 5-HTP has been shown to increase brain

dopamine and noradrenaline activity. [However,] 5-HTP is

more likely to be effective for those suffering an anxious,

agitated, aggressive, irritable depression and is rarely

effective for those suffering from a severe, vegetative,

total " blahs " type depression. " (3)

People with " apathetic inhibited " depression may benefit from

taking both L-tyrosine during the day (500 mg with meals),

plus L-tryptophan before bedtime (typically 1500 mg). (4)

A typical protocol for the L-tryptophan to work optimally

includes: niacinamide (100 mg twice daily with meals);

vitamin B6 (100 mg twice daily with meals); folic acid

(2000 mg twice daily); not eating any protein within 3-4

hours of bedtime; and eating a small amount of carbohydrate

food when taking the L-tryptophan at bedtime. (Doses quoted

above are not a prescription, rather they are averages from

the references listed below.)

For certain people, supplementation of L-tyrosine together with

vitamin B6 can PREVENT therapeutic effect. The standard claim:

" You must take vitamins B6 to facilitate conversion of tyrosine

to norepinephrine, " has been disproven in at least one French

study -- in 2 out of the 8 patients, as published in The Lancet

(1988; 2[8626-7]: 1458-9). (5)

Note: Elevated cortisol can prevent L-tryptophan from being

delivered to the brain, due to cortisol's activation of the

liver enzyme tryptophan pyrrolase (TP).

" Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is known to inhibit liver TP; it

is also the vitamin that activates the enzyme that converts

tryptophan to 5-HTP. .... Cortisol is known to be frequently

elevated in the very conditions, such as depression, insomnia

and obesity for which tryptophan/ serotonin might be helpful.

..... Melatonin actually promotes increased brain serotonin

through its ability to reduce cortisol levels, and reduced

cortisol levels will lessen the activity of liver pyrrolase,

the enzyme that degrades tryptophan. GH3/ KH3 [procaine],

Dilantin (phenytoin) and magnesium may also lower cortisol

activity. " (4)

References:

1) Warning About 5-Hydroxytryptophan.

http://www.lef.org/magazine/hotlines3.html

2) Organic Compounds in Urine.

http://www.metametrix.com/articles/artcl_uoa.htm

3) 5-HTP, Prozac's true alternative.

http://www.smart-drugs.com/article-South-5HTP.htm

4) L-Tryptophan, nature's answer to Prozac. (in PDF file)

IAS Anti-Aging Bulletin, Vol. 3 Issue 3, November 1997

http://www.antiaging-systems.com/bulletins.htm

5) L-Tyrosine and Narcolepsy.

http://www.narcolepsy.com/path2pub/pdfarticles/ltyros.pdf

6) Biochemical reasons for depression.

http://www.healthrecovery.com/biochemical_depression.html

7) L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan and 5-HTP supplements:

http://www.jomarlabs.com

http://www.biochemicals.com

http://www.Nubrain-store.com

8) Organic Acid test panel:

http://www.metametrix.com

Bill Kingsbury

kingsbry@...

8-26-2000

[Guest guest]

Bill,

I followed a thread last year on the 5-HTP scare. The thread I was

following was the doctor who raised the idea in the first place. At the

time he admitted it was pure conjecture, but suspicious. Over 9 months

more and more information showed up that indicated that the fibrous

heart valve condition he feared might be caused by free serotonin in the

blood had some other trigger, as there are a couple of populations that

have high blood serotonin but no fibroid heart valve tissue. In the end,

the same doctor admitted there was virtually no risk to 5-HTP and B-6.

But, you're right that tryptophan is a better choice, because it is a

precursor to other good chemicals that don't follow the path 5-HTP is

on. Most sources of tryptophan sell at about the same price. Just

remember, it's for your dog! ;-)

http://store./iherb/tryp.html 50 grams $40

http://store./iherb/tryptophan1.html 180 500mg caps $70

http://www.biochemicals.com/price_sheet.htm $350 kilo & smaller sizes,

both powdered & caps

SEEDS OF TRYPTOFANTASY: Nibble on a homemade mix of seeds of evening

primrose, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower,

all good sources of dietary tryptophan.

jim

Bill Kingsbury wrote:

> See: Warning About 5-Hydroxy-tryptophan :

>

> http://www.lef.org/magazine/hotlines3.html

>

> WARNING: Taking supplemental vitamin B6 while taking 5-HTP

> (or a high daily dose of vitamin B6) can prevent the 5-HTP

> from reaching the brain, by converting it to *serotonin in

> the blood*. By elevating blood serotonin, this " could cause

> coronary artery spasm an/or abnormal platelet aggregation,

> which are risk factors for sudden death heart attack. "

>

> It is probably not a good idea to stop taking vitamin B-6,

> so that you can safely take 5-HTP. Many people require

> supplemental vitamin B-6 to become, or remain healthy.

>

> A far better idea, in my opinion, is to use L-tryptophan,

> which is avaiable, to the public. See :

-----

For every human problem, there is a neat, simple solution; and it is

always wrong -- H.L. Mencken

jlambert@... http://www.entrance.to/madscience

http://www.entrance.to/poetry

[Guest guest]

Jim wrote:

> Bill,

> I followed a thread last year on the 5-HTP scare. The thread

> I was following was the doctor who raised the idea in the first

> place. At the time he admitted it was pure conjecture, but

> suspicious. Over 9 months more and more information showed up

> that indicated that the fibrous heart valve condition he feared

> might be caused by free serotonin in the blood had some other

> trigger, as there are a couple of populations that have high

> blood serotonin but no fibroid heart valve tissue. In the end,

> the same doctor admitted there was virtually no risk to 5-HTP

> and B-6.

Jim,

I don't know what thread you're referring to, but the rather

serious warning from lef.org deals with far more than fibroid

heart-valve disease -- namely, " coronary artery spasm and/or

abnormal platelet aggregation. "

Specifically: " Anyone suffering from heart disease should avoid

5-HT because the elevation in blood serotonin could cause coronary

artery spasm and/or abnormal platelet aggregation, which are risk

factors for sudden death heart attack. "

With the subsequent qualification: " The effects of 5-HT by itself

elevating blood serotonin are extremely individualistic. Some

people may not experience any blood serotonin increase, while

others could suffer from lethal serotonin peripheral overload. "

I'll include the article below, so we're on the same page.

And I'll write lef.org, to ask for the update they promised...

Bill

http://www.lef.org/magazine/hotlines3.html

WARNING About 5-hydroxytryptophan

Many members of Life Extension Foundation have called us to ask

that we offer 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT). 5-HT is approved as

drug in Europe for the treatment of depression and it would be

logical to assume that Americans should also be able to benefit

from this amino acid analog.

In reviewing the published literature, however, we've found

some potentially serious adverse side effects that Americans

might encounter when using 5-HT. Interestingly, most Europeans

would be far less likely to encounter these side effects.

The reasons for the potential risks of 5-HT, were brought to

our attention by B. , M.D. Dr. explained

that: 5-hydroxytryptophan 5-HT is one step closer to serotonin

than tryptophan. The sequence is as follows:

Tryptophan > 5-hydroxytryptophan > Serotonin

Based on the above metabolic sequence, it would appear

desirable to use 5-HT instead of tryptophan since 5-HT more

readily, converts to serotonin.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is often deficient in the

brains of depressed people. Boosting serotonin can alleviate

depression in some people and reduce carbohydrate cravings in

others, thus including weight loss.

Here's why 5-HT will not work for most Americans and could be

lethal to some people: The blood-brain barrier does not allow

significant absorption of serotonin from the blood. The brain

does have a large neutral amino acid pump that freely allows

tryptophan and 5-HT into the brain for conversion into

serotonin

The process by which 5-HT is converted into serotonin is called

decarboxylation. If decarboxylation occurs before 5-HT absorbed

by the brain, then blood levels of serotonin will elevate

significantly, but very little serotonin will enter the brain.

When Europeans take 5-HT, they are often prescribed the dopa

decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa that prevents 5-HT from being

converted into serotonin until it reaches the brain. Americans

do not take carbidopa with 5-HT and the result is possible

serotonin overload in the blood, with virtually no serotonin

reaching the brain. We will describe later the dangers of

overloading the blood with serotonin.

Americans taking 5-HT are more vulnerable to blood serotonin

overload because, unlike most Europeans are who are vitamin

deficient, Americans who use 5-HT usually take large doses of

vitamin B6 as well. Vitamin B6 rapidly converts 5-HT into

serotonin before it reaches the brain. Even when combined with

carbidopa, high levels of vitamin B6 will break through the

carbidopa barrier and insure that 5-HT converts into serotonin

in the blood before the it can reach the brain.

The multiple health benefits of vitamin B6 are too important,

we believe, to recommend that people avoid taking vitamin B6

just to enable them to try using 5-HT to boost brain serotonin

levels. This may be difficult anyway without also taking

carbidopa, which is only available in the U.S. as a

prescription drug.

At the very best, those who take vitamin B6 with 5-HT are

probably wasting their money. Unfortunately, high serotonin in

the blood is not benign. Anyone suffering from heart disease

should avoid 5-HT because the elevation in blood serotonin

could cause coronary artery spasm and/or abnormal platelet

aggregation, which are risk factors for sudden death heart

attack.

Here is the real frightening aspect of serotonin overload, as

described by Dr. : " Serotonin causes not only harmless

flushing and diarrhea, but people with serotonin secreting

tumors (hindgut carcinoids) also have problems with fibrosis of

the endocardium and valves of their right hearts, which can

cause heart failure. The effect can also be seen with dietary

intake of only modest amounts of serotonin, and there has

actually been described in the medical literature, a tribe of

South Sea islanders with right heart fibrosis as a result of

eating green banana mush, which poisons them with its serotonin

content. "

Dr. goes on to state that people who ingest several

hundred milligrams a day of 5-HT with B6 and without a

decarboxylase inhibitor would expect to see urinary excretion

of a serotonin metabolite in the same range as a person with a

serotonin secreting tumor.

Based upon Dr. ' report, the Foundation had its analysts

conduct an extensive review of the medical literature and have

come to the following preliminary conclusions :

1. For 5-HT to boost serotonin levels in the brain it is

necessary to:

a) Take 50 mg of carbidopa before each 5-HT dose.

Carbidopa is a prescription drug.

Limit vitamin B6 supplementation to a small dose taken at

least [how long?] before or after 5-HT/carbidopa dosing.

c) Have a urinary test to metabolite of serotonin called

5-hydroxy indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) regular basis. As

long as 5-HIAA levels are normal, than 5-HT intake would

be safe.

2. Those with existing cardiovascular disease, including

arterial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, congestive

heart failure, cardiomyopathy, valvular disease or

pulmonary hypertension want to avoid 5-HT completely. One

Foundation analyst felt that 81 mg of aspirin and 500 mg a

day of magnesium would reduce the risk of 5-HT inducing a

heart attack.

3. The effects of 5-HT by itself elevating blood serotonin

are extremely individualistic. Some people may not

experience any blood serotonin increase, while others

could suffer from lethal serotonin peripheral overload.

4. Despite the potential dangers of 5-HT, most FDA-approved

drugs to treat depression and obesity appear to be more

toxic.

5. At the time of this printing, we have not been able to

verify whether 5-HT serotonin overload would cause

fibrosis of the aortic valve and destruction of the heart

muscle.

Based on the potential health risks of ingesting 5-HT, the

Foundation has decided not to offer it to members at this time.

We encourage anyone seeking to use 5-HT to follow strictly the

above protocol for safe 5-HT supplementation. We'll be

reporting further evidence regarding 5-HTP as soon as it

becomes available.

This warning applies only to 5-hydroxy tryptophan (5-HT), not

tryptophan itself. Published studies show that tryptophan does

not readily convert into serotonin blood, but that 5-HT does,

since 5-HT convert directly into serotonin tryptophan has to go

through one additional metabolic step which protects against

serotonin overload.

All Contents Copyright © 1995-2000

By The Life Extension Foundation

¡

[Guest guest]

Bill,

I have several problems with the article you quote, partly that I doubt

either the competence of the person who wrote it, or the degree to which

they studied the research they are quoting. In the first place,

throughout the article the author keeps referring to 5-HTP

(5-hydroxytryptophan, the chemical they are discussing) as 5-HT (5-HT is

serotonin, AKA 5-hydroxytryptamine, not 5-hydroxytryptophan. Here's a

URL that shows the steps from tryptophan to serotonin & their names:

http://www.cc.emory.edu/CHEMISTRY/justice/chem190j/5ht.htm ) They also

say that 5-HTP + B-6 converts to serotonin in the blood. It does so in

the liver, where the serotonin can also be quickly converted to 5-HIAA,

or even melatonin.

A little picky, maybe, but I expect someone writing a supposedly

well-informed article for the LEF to be more than just a writer without

a grasp for the subject about which they are writing. For one thing, it

points directly to the credibility of their article, which, I believe,

is particularly important in a subject that is admittedly based on

inconclusive data and supposition. IMO, this LEF article is a piece of

shoddy workmanship, and I have to add extra doubt to their suppositions.

Dr. HArris also discussed persons taking several hundred milligrams of

5-HTP, which is an inordinately high dose. 50 mg is more likely. So, I

also wonder if that is the dose upon which he was basing all of his

assumptions?

Further, the Dr. they keep quoting in the LEF article is the

doctor I was referring to. I just couldn't remember his name off the top

of my head. But, after reading the article, I see they either are

leaving out Dr. 's final comments about his concern, made many

months later, or haven't even read them! In point #5 of their conclusion

they say:

> 5. At the time of this printing, we have not been able to

> verify whether 5-HT serotonin overload would cause

> fibrosis of the aortic valve and destruction of the heart

> muscle.

I followed the original exchange of ideas between Dr. HArris and someone

else for the good part of a year, and that was over a year ago. About

nine months after Dr. HArris initially raised the idea of the possible

rise in blood serotonin due to oral intake of B-6 with 5-HTP, creating a

risk of heart-valve fibroids -- and that was the only lethal risk

discussed by Dr. at that time, which is the same information upon

which the LEF article is based -- he recanted his initial concern

because, in newer research, he found populations with a high blood

serotonin level existed and they did not have a problem with fibroids.

Dr. ' eventual conclusion was that there was some other, unknown,

trigger for the coronary fibrosis. The other danger issues raised in the

LEF article are also conjecture, as was the entire concern over oral

5-HTP + B-6 in the first place!

Here's another good point made by someone who disagreed with at

the time( Syd Baumel sgb@... ):

" > But what is basing his argument on? Peripheral decarboxylaton

stats

> for L-dopa users, and the effects on the heart of carcinoid tumors.

That's

> pretty shaky to me. "

" Have you done a deja.com search to read his whole argument (including

my own attempts to find holes in it)? It's a bit too heady for me to

try and recall and detail here, but it contains more than a few smoking

guns that have yet to be absolutely refuted by any of the critics I've

read (the Ward Deans et al.). "

" Speaking of those holes, I believe one was the idea that maybe, unlike

with serotonin manufactured and secreted -- endocrine-style -- by

carcinoid tumours or pre-formed serotonin ingested from green bananas,

serotonin manufactured in the body from a high exogenous intake of 5-HTP

may simply not be secreted into the bloodstream to any significant

degree -- or get far enough to do any damage. We already know that a

great deal of it never even gets into the circulation; instead it's

taken up by specialized nerve cells in the GI tract lining which

normally contain more 5-HT than any other organ/tissue of the body.

(This is why the major side effect of 5-HTP is GI irritation.)

Perhaps, as you've now suggested, most of the 5-HTP that makes it to

the liver is quickly converted from serotonin to 5-HIAA, or maybe to

melatonin -- or maybe it's very quickly sucked up by platelets before it

gets to the heart. I'm pretty sure these were arguments I made that

never responded to. "

So, what I said is still what I am saying: We should be cautious when we

take some new supplement and valid concerns are raised. We should also

guard against frivolous concerns, legitimate ones based on little actual

fact, and most especially against old concerns that have already been

found empty, but, due to the unique qualities of human nature & the

internet, keep on resurfacing as gossip from supposedly informed

sources, even though they are old news. I have the utmost respect for

Dr. Dean as well as thaler, Fowlkes, et al at LEF. But, in the end

it is a commercial web site, no less subject to mistakes by staffers

than any other.

I stopped taking 5-HTP regularly when all this came up, and once I found

my dog wouldn't rat me out to the FEDs when I took his tryptophan, if

forgot the whole issue. I prefer tryptophan to 5-HTP for an even more

significant issue that the possible safety edge it has over 5-HTP -- Dr.

Batmanghelidj explains how tryptophan, among many other things, directly

regulates salt reserves in the body, and thus plays a critical role in

cellular hydration. Cellular dehydration is, IMO, almost as significant

a player in human disease as hypoxia!

namaste,

jim

Bill Kingsbury wrote:

>

> Jim wrote:

> > Bill,

> > I followed a thread last year on the 5-HTP scare. The thread

> > I was following was the doctor who raised the idea in the first

> > place. At the time he admitted it was pure conjecture, but

> > suspicious. Over 9 months more and more information showed up

> > that indicated that the fibrous heart valve condition he feared

> > might be caused by free serotonin in the blood had some other

> > trigger, as there are a couple of populations that have high

> > blood serotonin but no fibroid heart valve tissue. In the end,

> > the same doctor admitted there was virtually no risk to 5-HTP

> > and B-6.

>

> Jim,

>

> I don't know what thread you're referring to, but the rather

> serious warning from lef.org deals with far more than fibroid

> heart-valve disease -- namely, " coronary artery spasm and/or

> abnormal platelet aggregation. "

>

> Specifically: " Anyone suffering from heart disease should avoid

> 5-HT because the elevation in blood serotonin could cause coronary

> artery spasm and/or abnormal platelet aggregation, which are risk

> factors for sudden death heart attack. "

>

> With the subsequent qualification: " The effects of 5-HT by itself

> elevating blood serotonin are extremely individualistic. Some

> people may not experience any blood serotonin increase, while

> others could suffer from lethal serotonin peripheral overload. "

>

> I'll include the article below, so we're on the same page.

>

> And I'll write lef.org, to ask for the update they promised...

>

> Bill

>

> http://www.lef.org/magazine/hotlines3.html

>

> WARNING About 5-hydroxytryptophan

>

> Many members of Life Extension Foundation have called us to ask

> that we offer 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT). 5-HT is approved as

> drug in Europe for the treatment of depression and it would be

> logical to assume that Americans should also be able to benefit

> from this amino acid analog.

>

> In reviewing the published literature, however, we've found

> some potentially serious adverse side effects that Americans

> might encounter when using 5-HT. Interestingly, most Europeans

> would be far less likely to encounter these side effects.

>

> The reasons for the potential risks of 5-HT, were brought to

> our attention by B. , M.D. Dr. explained

> that: 5-hydroxytryptophan 5-HT is one step closer to serotonin

> than tryptophan. The sequence is as follows:

>

> Tryptophan > 5-hydroxytryptophan > Serotonin

>

> Based on the above metabolic sequence, it would appear

> desirable to use 5-HT instead of tryptophan since 5-HT more

> readily, converts to serotonin.

>

> Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is often deficient in the

> brains of depressed people. Boosting serotonin can alleviate

> depression in some people and reduce carbohydrate cravings in

> others, thus including weight loss.

>

> Here's why 5-HT will not work for most Americans and could be

> lethal to some people: The blood-brain barrier does not allow

> significant absorption of serotonin from the blood. The brain

> does have a large neutral amino acid pump that freely allows

> tryptophan and 5-HT into the brain for conversion into

> serotonin

>

> The process by which 5-HT is converted into serotonin is called

> decarboxylation. If decarboxylation occurs before 5-HT absorbed

> by the brain, then blood levels of serotonin will elevate

> significantly, but very little serotonin will enter the brain.

>

> When Europeans take 5-HT, they are often prescribed the dopa

> decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa that prevents 5-HT from being

> converted into serotonin until it reaches the brain. Americans

> do not take carbidopa with 5-HT and the result is possible

> serotonin overload in the blood, with virtually no serotonin

> reaching the brain. We will describe later the dangers of

> overloading the blood with serotonin.

>

> Americans taking 5-HT are more vulnerable to blood serotonin

> overload because, unlike most Europeans are who are vitamin

> deficient, Americans who use 5-HT usually take large doses of

> vitamin B6 as well. Vitamin B6 rapidly converts 5-HT into

> serotonin before it reaches the brain. Even when combined with

> carbidopa, high levels of vitamin B6 will break through the

> carbidopa barrier and insure that 5-HT converts into serotonin

> in the blood before the it can reach the brain.

>

> The multiple health benefits of vitamin B6 are too important,

> we believe, to recommend that people avoid taking vitamin B6

> just to enable them to try using 5-HT to boost brain serotonin

> levels. This may be difficult anyway without also taking

> carbidopa, which is only available in the U.S. as a

> prescription drug.

>

> At the very best, those who take vitamin B6 with 5-HT are

> probably wasting their money. Unfortunately, high serotonin in

> the blood is not benign. Anyone suffering from heart disease

> should avoid 5-HT because the elevation in blood serotonin

> could cause coronary artery spasm and/or abnormal platelet

> aggregation, which are risk factors for sudden death heart

> attack.

>

> Here is the real frightening aspect of serotonin overload, as

> described by Dr. : " Serotonin causes not only harmless

> flushing and diarrhea, but people with serotonin secreting

> tumors (hindgut carcinoids) also have problems with fibrosis of

> the endocardium and valves of their right hearts, which can

> cause heart failure. The effect can also be seen with dietary

> intake of only modest amounts of serotonin, and there has

> actually been described in the medical literature, a tribe of

> South Sea islanders with right heart fibrosis as a result of

> eating green banana mush, which poisons them with its serotonin

> content. "

>

> Dr. goes on to state that people who ingest several

> hundred milligrams a day of 5-HT with B6 and without a

> decarboxylase inhibitor would expect to see urinary excretion

> of a serotonin metabolite in the same range as a person with a

> serotonin secreting tumor.

>

> Based upon Dr. ' report, the Foundation had its analysts

> conduct an extensive review of the medical literature and have

> come to the following preliminary conclusions :

>

> 1. For 5-HT to boost serotonin levels in the brain it is

> necessary to:

>

> a) Take 50 mg of carbidopa before each 5-HT dose.

> Carbidopa is a prescription drug.

>

> Limit vitamin B6 supplementation to a small dose taken at

> least [how long?] before or after 5-HT/carbidopa dosing.

>

> c) Have a urinary test to metabolite of serotonin called

> 5-hydroxy indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) regular basis. As

> long as 5-HIAA levels are normal, than 5-HT intake would

> be safe.

>

> 2. Those with existing cardiovascular disease, including

> arterial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, congestive

> heart failure, cardiomyopathy, valvular disease or

> pulmonary hypertension want to avoid 5-HT completely. One

> Foundation analyst felt that 81 mg of aspirin and 500 mg a

> day of magnesium would reduce the risk of 5-HT inducing a

> heart attack.

>

> 3. The effects of 5-HT by itself elevating blood serotonin

> are extremely individualistic. Some people may not

> experience any blood serotonin increase, while others

> could suffer from lethal serotonin peripheral overload.

>

> 4. Despite the potential dangers of 5-HT, most FDA-approved

> drugs to treat depression and obesity appear to be more

> toxic.

>

> 5. At the time of this printing, we have not been able to

> verify whether 5-HT serotonin overload would cause

> fibrosis of the aortic valve and destruction of the heart

> muscle.

>

> Based on the potential health risks of ingesting 5-HT, the

> Foundation has decided not to offer it to members at this time.

> We encourage anyone seeking to use 5-HT to follow strictly the

> above protocol for safe 5-HT supplementation. We'll be

> reporting further evidence regarding 5-HTP as soon as it

> becomes available.

>

> This warning applies only to 5-hydroxy tryptophan (5-HT), not

> tryptophan itself. Published studies show that tryptophan does

> not readily convert into serotonin blood, but that 5-HT does,

> since 5-HT convert directly into serotonin tryptophan has to go

> through one additional metabolic step which protects against

> serotonin overload.

>

> All Contents Copyright © 1995-2000

>

> By The Life Extension Foundation

-----

For every human problem, there is a neat, simple solution; and it is

always wrong -- H.L. Mencken

jlambert@... http://www.entrance.to/madscience

http://www.entrance.to/poetry

[Guest guest]

Hi Emma

I used it for over 6 months, not for weight loss, but for pain. I took

up to 300mg of it, without any side effects whatsoever.

I found SJW works better for pain. I couldn't comment on weight loss

with either, since i've not lost any at all.

Do NOT mix it with any prescription antidepressants or triptans

(migraine drugs), ever.

Jen

> I was wondering is anyone on Armour has tried 5 HTP or knows of any

> contra-indications, I have some and have read great things re

> assistance with weight loss. I am trying to get my Armour right but

> may try this as well when I feel my Armour is correct...

>

> Any thoughts

>

> love

>

> Emma

>

[Guest guest]

I think the main use of 5HTP is as an anti-depressant. It's a precursor

to serotonin and so works similarly to (only some say better than) SSRI

anti-depressants.

I've used it for a couple of years with very good results. There are no

side effects when correctly used and it's pretty much stopped the

depression bouts I used to have.

One word of warning though. Some people (especially those with

endocrine problems and with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) seem not to

tolerate as high doses as otherwise healthy people. In particular,

sudden changes of dose can cause nasty side effects including a

transient period of suicidal depression (been there, made that

mistake). I wouldn't recommend starting on a dose like 200mg just in

case. Rather I'd start with 50mg and work up over a month or two to see

what dose you tolerate. I'd also make sure you're not on your own the

first day or two after any change of dose.

As for using it for dieting, personally I'd be very wary of using such

a powerful drug for dieting unless your weight problem is caused by

depression in the first place.

[Guest guest]

Has anyone used this for hyperactivity?

If so does it help your child?

Thanks for any comments on this.

Joyce

[Guest guest]

Made my child nuts. Lithium oratate helped and so did magnesium oratate.

On Jul 7, 2009, at 6:16 PM, stemcellsugars3 wrote:

>

>

>

> Has anyone used this for hyperactivity?

> If so does it help your child?

> Thanks for any comments on this.

> Joyce

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> it's good to know that 5htp only works on serotonin not both melatonin and

serotonin like l-tryptophan.

This is not correct. THey both work the same for both.

Andy

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/index.html " >Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and

Treatment</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/hairtestbook.html " >Hair Test Interpretation:

Finding Hidden Toxicities</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/nourishinghope.html " >Nourishing Hope for

Autism: Nutrition Intervention for Healing Our Children</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/biologicaltreatments.html " >Biological

Treatments for Autism and PDD</a >

[Guest guest]

>

>

> Has anyone used this for hyperactivity?

> If so does it help your child?

> Thanks for any comments on this.

> Joyce

>

5 HTP isn't useful for hyperactivity.

Andy

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/index.html " >Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis and

Treatment</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/hairtestbook.html " >Hair Test Interpretation:

Finding Hidden Toxicities</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/nourishinghope.html " >Nourishing Hope for

Autism: Nutrition Intervention for Healing Our Children</a >

<a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/biologicaltreatments.html " >Biological

Treatments for Autism and PDD</a >

[Guest guest]

It has helped my son's anxiety somewhat, but he iis still pretty

hyper.............

On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 4:44 AM, andrewhallcutler <AndyCutler@...> wrote:

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > Has anyone used this for hyperactivity?

> > If so does it help your child?

> > Thanks for any comments on this.

> > Joyce

> >

> 5 HTP isn't useful for hyperactivity.

>

> Andy

>

> <a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/index.html " >Amalgam Illness: Diagnosis

> and Treatment</a >

>

> <a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/hairtestbook.html " >Hair Test

> Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities</a >

>

> <a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/nourishinghope.html " >Nourishing Hope for

> Autism: Nutrition Intervention for Healing Our Children</a >

>

> <a href= " http://www.noamalgam.com/biologicaltreatments.html " >Biological

> Treatments for Autism and PDD</a >

>

>

>