Although naturally found in the foods we eat and in various plant species such as the West African shrub griffonia simplicifolia’s seeds, 5-HTP in supplement form is becoming increasingly popular, mainly because of the belief that as a pill, it will boost the body’s levels of serotonin.
5-HTP is considered as dietary supplement and widely available in Canada, United States and the United Kingdom.
In its supplemental form, 5-HTP for depression is also used as a sleep aid and appetite suppressant and may be purchased over the counter as gelatinor vegetarian capsules. Early in 2014, 5-HTP became available as a transdermal patch. 5-HTP is produced by the body from tryptophan after which it gets converted into serotonin, the neurotransmitter hormone that helps improve moods and suppresses hunger pangs.
To have access to the brain, compounds, chemicals, and other substances would have to travel from your bloodstream to your brain to get to the “BBB” or “blood-brain barrier.” Doctors recommend taking 5-HTP rather than serotonin as a supplement because it is capable of crossing the BBB, unlike serotonin.
How 5-HTP Works as an Anti-Depressant
Many anti-depressants halt enzyme production which breaks down serotonin by artificial means. 5-HTP for anxiety on the other hand, supplies the body with the necessary raw materials in order to produce more serotonin. This fact is significant since 5-HTP acts as the precursor to the “happiness” neurotransmitter that is serotonin as well as melatonin, the hormone which regulates the body’s cycle of sleep and wakefulness.
Serotonin deficiency can result in bouts of depression and anxiety attacks as well as development of eating disorders like bulimia. Various studies have indicated that 5-HTP was effective in alleviating anxiety and depression with relatively fewer side effects than pharmacological medication.
At Holland’s Maastricht University, for instance, a study revealed the ability of 5-HTP in regulating serotonin levels to reduce panic in patients with panic disorders.
How 5-HTP Works to Treat Insomnia
As a treatment for insomnia, 5-HTP as sleep aid has been proven successful. Reestablishment of regular sleep patterns in individuals who experience sleep disturbances chronically can be done through increasing serotonin levels by taking supplemental 5-HTP.
Because one of serotonin’s several pathways directly heads towards melatonin, which is responsible for the body’s sleep-wake cycle (medically known as the Circadian rhythm) increasing serotonin levels with 5-HTP also raises melatonin levels. Additionally, melatonin helps improve the body’s immune system to combat a stress-induced condition known as immuno-depression.
Sleep deprivation causes insomniacs to have stress, anxiety, and depression as well as experience a dysfunctional immune system, severe mood swings, and impaired memory or recall. If you are suffering from chronic insomnia, 5-HTP supplements could be helpful in providing you quality night sleep.
Here is a video by Dr Sam Robbins about the effectiveness of 5-HTP:
How 5-HTP Suppresses the Appetite
Hunger diminishes with an increase in serotonin levels, making you feel satiated more quickly without restricting your food intake. Serotonin deficiency induced genetically is a strong suspect in cases of obesity.
5-HTP is a proven satiating agent that is converted easily into serotonin and causes the satiety hormone known as cholecystokinin to be released; thus, the need for a 5-HTP for weight loss supplement to increase the brain’s serotonin levels.
Other 5-HTP Benefits
There are other benefits you can get from 5-HTP other than those mentioned above. Although far from conclusive and requiring further medical research, Fibromyalgia, for instance, has been proven as a beneficiary of 5-HTP’s curative properties. Fibromyalgia is a medical condition characterized primarily by the widespread pain felt in the musculoskeletal system.
This pain is accompanied by mood wings, memory gaps, and fatigue, has been proven to respond positively to 5-HTP as a treatment. Sensations of pain are amplified by the presence of fibromyalgia because of the way this medical condition affects the brain’s processing of pain signals.
There are several more benefits of 5-HTP:
- Enhances moods.
- Counteracts the decline of dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA after age 30; lowered levels of DHEA – the hormone produced by the brain and adrenal gland which helps create male and female sex hormones — may lead to Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, hormonal disorders, AIDS, osteoporosis, inflammation, and heart disease.
- Averts various seizure disorders.
- Alleviates tension headaches.
- Pre-menstrual syndrome or PMS.
- Thwarts binge eating.
- Downgrades the symptoms of mania.
- Reduces the incidence frequency of restless leg syndrome.
- Prevents tendencies for aggression.
- Assuages attention deficient disorders.
- Lessens experienced symptoms during withdrawal from alcohol.
Although 5-HTP supplements function similarly to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs, weaning yourself off of them will not result in withdrawal symptoms which is typically common when you stop taking anti-depressants.
Because 5-HTP increases serotonin levels in the brain, other depression medications which are taken during the period that 5-HTP is also being used could increase serotonin levels too much and trigger side effects like shivering and heart problems. Some of these depression medications include tranylcypromine, fluoxetine, clomipramine, paroxetine, amitriotyline, phenelzine, and sertraline.
Should You Take 5-HTP?
The better question is “does 5 htp work?” Yes, it has been proven to work in treating depression, anxiety, stress, appetite suppression, insomnia, and fibromyalgia. Unless you have existing gastrointestinal conditions, 5-HTP would be safe for you to use for any of the mentioned conditions that you may be suffering from. But take note that there have been reported side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Consult your doctor before taking 5-HTP supplements or any other supplements for that matter. If your doctor gives you the green light, read the label of the supplement before buying to ensure that you are getting pure 5-HTP or griffonia simplicifolia seed extract and not something with binders, fillers or additives. You can see a copy of the label in websites selling these products.
Be cautious of contaminants and impurities in 5-HTP supplement. Again, it’s important to choose a product that gives you pure 5-HTP. Take small doses (50 milligrams thrice a day) half an hour before meals or as prescribed by your doctor.
On a final note, while your doctor may recommend an increase in dosage for you, 5-HTP should not be taken for more than 12 weeks straight.
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