L Tryptophan - effect, experience, side effects, application, 5HTP

L Tryptophan - effect, experience, side effects, application, 5HTP

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and the least abundant amino acid in foods. It is used by the brain to produce serotonin; It is a natural relaxant, helps relieve insomnia, reduces anxiety and depression, and helps treat migraine headaches.

Since this topic is very complex, we will summarize our report in 3 articles, of which this is the first and contains the most basic information and warnings, as well as the most suitable areas of application.

The richest food sources are fish, meat, dairy, eggs, nuts and wheat germ, but tryptophan tends to stick in most proteins. High corn diets have been linked to complete deficiency symptoms. The RDA for tryptophan is 0.2g per day, while the average daily intake is 1-1.5g per day. The therapeutic range is up to 4g per day and medical supervision of treatment may be helpful.

Tryptophan is often given along with a small amount of carbohydrates with vitamin B6 and magnesium to facilitate absorption by the brain. To support sleep, a majority of the dose is given before bedtime. If more of a daytime action is sought, the majority can be given in the morning. Tryptophan is converted into niacin, melatonin and serotonin and has a relaxing and calming effect.

5HTP (5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan) is considered by many to be more effective than tryptophan for depression. L-Tryptophan (the desired form) is converted to 5HTP before becoming serotonin; Taking 5HTP bypasses this first step of the process. The effectiveness of 5HTP can be increased with Gingko Biloba, St. John's Wort, B-complex vitamins with magnesium, tyrosine, flaxseed oil and ginger.

Vitamin B6 and folic acid can support the conversion into serotonin. An equivalent dose of 5-HTP (compared to 1g of tryptophan) is about 100mg. Doses of 100 mg 3 times daily have been used, but it may be best to start with a lower dose and increase slowly as the side effect of nausea may occur with higher doses. A lower dose reduces the likelihood of nausea, which usually disappears in less than 2 weeks.

Chromium Picolinate helps promote the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin. This is achieved by facilitating the absorption into muscle tissue of the amino acids that compete with tryptophan for access to the brain.

For depression, a dose of 1000-1500mg increases serotonin levels, but may take 2 weeks to produce results. If a patient has insomnia and depression, tryptophan appears to be even more effective, possibly because both conditions result from this deficiency. Caution is advised when using more than one antidepressant at the same time. If you are considering changing or combining depression medications, you should consult a doctor.

Tryptophan & 5HTP experiences & treatments

Tryptophan in autoimmune diseases

Tryptophan effect in lupus (not recommended)

❌ Some doctors warn against using tryptophan in patients with SLE (systemic lupus erythromatosis). Due to abnormal tryptophan metabolism and the potential to promote autoantibody production, SLE patients should avoid tryptophan or 5HTP supplementation unless requested by a patient.

Tryptophan in Environment & Toxicity

Tryptophan effect on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (very likely to help)

✅✅Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Research has shown that tryptophan is as effective as light therapy in treating SAD (Lam et al. 1997). Clinical use of L-tryptophan has also been specifically shown to improve response to light therapy (Ghadirian et al. 1998). In clinical studies, SAD patients who were deprived of tryptophan were susceptible to a relapse of SAD even in the summer months (Neumeister 1997, 1998; Kasper 1998).

A study that attempted to separate the effectiveness of light therapy versus tryptophan found that light therapy alone did not provide relief without sufficient levels of tryptophan in the system.

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Tryptophan & hormones

Tryptophan effect when serotonin levels are low (highly recommended)

✅✅✅Tryptophan is the amino acid precursor for the production of serotonin in the body. First it is converted into 5HTP and then into serotonin. Both supplements are available, but tryptophan may require a doctor's prescription. It is recommended to take these under medical supervision.

Tryptophan effect on night eating syndrome (very likely helps)

✅✅Oral intake of tryptophan or 5-HTP leads to an increase in serotonin in the brain. It's been proven that more than 70% of nighttime eating involves carbohydrates - foods that are thought to increase the amount of tryptophan available for conversion into serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter in the brain.

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Tryptophan for mental problems

Tryptophan effect in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (very likely to help)

✅✅ OCD may be related to a central disorder of serotonin metabolism, a hypothesis that appears to explain the effectiveness of serotonin reuptake blocking agents. L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP are serotonin precursors.

Side effects primarily included drowsiness and headaches in patients whose daily L-tryptophan doses exceeded 6,000 mg. [ Clinical Psychiatry News, September 1981] Supplementation may be contraindicated in OCD patients with a history of aggressive behavior as it may increase

Tryptophan effect for anxiety (very likely helps)

✅✅Tryptophan (or 5-HTP), the precursor to the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin, also has a relaxing and calming effect. Serotonin levels are often low in people with anxiety disorders. A recent study found that 44% of alcoholics suffer from anxiety. You can be pretty sure you're low on tryptophan if you've ever blacked out from drinking. Low tryptophan stores have been found to trigger blackouts.

A combination product called Amoryn contains St. John's wort, 5HTP, and small amounts of B6, B12, and folic acid. This product can help with anxiety.

Tryptophan effect on depression (very likely helps)

✅✅ Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that often becomes unbalanced in depression. Conventional antidepressants increase neurotransmitter levels by blocking their breakdown. Depression related to menstrual cycles and postpartum depression sometimes respond very well to tryptophan supplementation. Postpartum women typically have high estrogen levels and high estrogen levels have been found to increase the conversion of tryptophan to niacin. Progesterone and hydrocortisone reduce conversion. Women taking birth control pills generally tend to metabolize tryptophan more normally when receiving vitamin B6 and tryptophan.

The therapeutic efficacy of tryptophan and tyrosine in the treatment of depression has been inconsistent. According to this review article, studies have shown that two subgroups of depressed patients can be distinguished. The first subgroup (Group A) has low urinary levels of the norepinephrine metabolite MHPG (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethylene glycol). This group does not respond to amitriptyline but shows a favorable response to desipramine or imipramine (which increase norepinephrine levels rather than serotonin levels). They also show an increase in mood after receiving dextroamphetamine.

The second group (Group B) has normal or high levels of MHPG in urine, responds not to imipramine, but to amitriptyline (which increases serotonin levels in the brain rather than dopamine or norepinephrine). These patients do not experience an increase in mood after dextroamphetamine. Group A is expected to respond to L-tyrosine (a norepinephrine precursor) and group B should respond to L-tryptophan (a serotonin precursor). Biochemical separation of these subgroups may increase the therapeutic predictability of both L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine.

Comment: In my experience, L-tryptophan is more effective against depression than L-tyrosine. However, a careful history can help identify those cases in which L-tyrosine would be the appropriate amino acid to prescribe. I usually ask depressed patients what medications they have received and which ones have been helpful. I also ask if they have taken amphetamines and how they reacted to them. As Buist suggested, the information gained from these questions can help predict who will respond to which amino acid. Source:Bust RA. The therapeutic predictability of tryptophan and tyrosine in the treatment of depression. Int Clin Nutr Rev. 1983; 3(2): 1-3.

Tryptophan effect if there is a tendency to postpartum depression (can be somewhat helpful)

✅ Tryptophan in an amount of 1 to 3g per day can be used to treat a variety of depression syndromes. It is particularly effective in treating depression that is accompanied by insomnia. Depression related to menstrual cycles and postpartum depression sometimes respond very well to tryptophan supplementation. Postpartum women typically have high estrogen levels and high estrogen has been found to increase the conversion of tryptophan to niacin. Progesterone and hydrocortisone reduce conversion. Women taking birth control pills generally tend to metabolize tryptophan more normally when receiving vitamin B6 and tryptophan.

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Tryptophan for metabolic problems

Tryptophan effect for insomnia (highly recommended)

✅✅✅ Due to the fact that the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin in the brain depends on the availability of the amino acid tryptophan, supplementing the diet with tryptophan before bed can give good results in relieving insomnia. Tryptophan works better for acute insomnia (insomnia) than for chronic sleep disorders because it most significantly reduces the time it takes to fall asleep after going to bed.

About 1000 to 2000 mg of L-tryptophan is needed to increase blood levels enough to induce sleep. However, the lowest dose (often just 500 mg) that works as a sleep aid should be maintained to continue the benefits. The dose can be repeated if you wake up at night. Doctors often recommend starting with 1g of L-tryptophan 30-45 minutes before bed, which will shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. If 1000 mg is not enough, the dose can be increased by 500 mg each night until either the desired effects are achieved or a total of 3000 mg is reached.

Results from treating insomnia with tryptophan are mixed. A 1986 study suggested that L-tryptophan is an effective hypnotic agent only for people with a sleep problem characterized by 3-6 discrete awakenings during the night. [ Sleep 1983; 6: pp. 247-256 ]

SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 28, 2014 -- A morning and evening ritual of tart cherry juice may help you sleep better at night, suggests a new study presented today at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting. Researchers at Louisiana State University found that drinking Montmorency cherry juice twice daily for two weeks helped increase sleep time by 84 minutes in older adults with insomnia. [April 28, 2014 in the section “Bioactive Dietary Components: Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Bioactive Dietary Components” at the American Society of Nutrition Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the 2014 Experimental Biology Meeting in San Diego. The results have been submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.]]

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Tryptophan effect on anorexia and hunger tendencies (very likely to help)

✅✅Plasma post-meal amino acids in 13 female patients with anorexia nervosa (mean age 24 years), representing 72% of ideal body weight, were compared with those of healthy controls. The data suggest that tyrosine availability in the brain was likely improved after the meal, while tryptophan was reduced in the brain after the meal, particularly after a high-protein diet.

This could explain the low serotonin metabolism found in anorexic patients. Since serotonin is involved in appetite control and macronutrient selection, this may be a self-perpetuating mechanism. [Metabolism 35 (10): pp. 938-43, 1986]

Tryptophan levels in the brain may be reduced in patients who are significantly underweight, which normalizes after weight gain. [Biol Psychiatry 23: pp. 102-5, 1988]

Assessment of serotonin and tryptophan metabolism suggests that biological differences may contribute to the higher prevalence of eating disorders in women. [Psychol Med 17 (4): pp. 839-42, 1987]

Tryptophan effect if you are overweight (can be somewhat helpful)

✅Although primarily used as an antidepressant, preliminary evidence from three small double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials suggests that 5-HTP may also help with weight loss. It is thought to work by increasing serotonin levels, which in turn can influence eating behavior. A typical therapeutic dosage of 5-HTP is 100 to 300 mg three times daily.

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Tryptophan in the nervous system

Tryptophan effect in Tourett syndrome (can be somewhat helpful)

✅ The low blood levels of serotonin and tryptophan seen in Tourette syndrome (TS) are consistent with the broad spectrum of behavioral disorders expected in such cases [Am J Med Genet, August 1990; 36 (4): pp. 418-30]. As far as we know, tryptophan therapy has not been studied for Tourette syndrome. However, TS is in many ways quite similar to obsessive/compulsive disorder, which responds to tryptophan supplementation. This observation offers a glimmer of hope for individuals trying to cope with the symptoms of TS.

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Tryptophan effect for nutrient problems (highly recommended)

✅✅✅ We will be dedicating a separate article to this topic in the coming days. Feel free to join our Facebook group or (link removed) to stay up to date. We do not yet offer a newsletter. We don't like spam either =)

Tryptophan for respiratory problems

Tryptophan effect in asthma (not recommended)

❌ Foods high in tryptophan and additional tryptophan should be eliminated from the diet, as some children with asthma have a defect in tryptophan metabolism and reduced platelet transport of serotonin - a known broncho-restrictive agent in asthmatics. Alternatively, vitamin B6 could be used as a dietary supplement as this supports the metabolism of tryptophan.