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. Read more >>
The medicinal use of St Johns wort for depression treatment dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks. In Germany today, St Johns wort is a front line treatment for depression, sleep, and anxiety disorders. St Johns wort was also found to be effective in improving the moods of people diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a depression variant that afflicts individuals during winter due to the insufficiency of sunlight. It continues to be studied extensively by the German government’s scientific advisory panel as an alternative to prescribed antidepressants. Two compounds – hypericin and hyperforin – found in St Johns wort are said to be responsible for decreasing the effects of mild to moderate cases of depression.