Alright, I admit it. I’m very fascinated in serotonin and dopamine increasing herbs, supplements, and foods. I’m mostly fascinated because I now realize that three years ago I was quite deppressed. My depression wasn’t that bad but it was definetly not a peachy keen experience either. I realized that my depression was caused by a VERY bad diet and not enough exercise. After I started juicing frutis/vegetables and taking certain serotonin increasing supplements my whole life pretty much changed. I came across 5-HTP while I was in my favorite local herbal store and became fascinated. I had read a little bit about it and I decided to give it a try.

5-HTP is a chemical compound that is naturally produced in your body as it makes serotonin, an important hormone for regulating your mood. Some doctors consider 5-HTP to be the best natural appetite suppressant. 5-HTP is also naturally produced in various plants, including the seeds of griffonia simplicifolia, a West African shrub (doctoroz).

The body makes 5-HTP naturally from tryptophan and, then, converts it into serotonin. This neurotransmitter has many powerful effects on the brain. Not only does it improve mood, it also suppresses hunger and helps to curb weight gain.

Physicians suggest taking a 5-HTP supplement instead of a serotonin supplement because 5-HTP can access the brain from the bloodstream, while serotonin cannot. In order to access the brain, chemicals and compounds will have to access the blood brain barrier, which grants access to the brain. Therefore, you would need to take a supplement that can cross that barrier, like 5-HTP, in order to increase serotonin levels in the brain.

How long should I take it? Is it Safe?

Because it’s a naturally occurring compound in the body, 5-HTP is mostly safe for short-term use (up to 12 weeks). However, those with existing gastrointestinal problems should be cautious and speak to a physician, as there are reports of gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Also, avoid taking this supplement if you’re already taking antidepressants (such as an SSRI or MAOI) or are seeing a mental health specialist for severe depression or bipolar disorder. 5-HTP has been known to increase suicidal ideation.

If you are pregnant of breastfeeding, you should not use 5-HTP.

My Experience

I have only taken the supplement for a day now so my results arn’t very accurate since I have only been taking it for one day but this is what I have to say. I’m taking the 5-HTP supplement from the brand NOW and on the back of the bottle it said to take it at night before you go to bed. I should have listened… I took the supplement during the day before I ate…which I shouldn’t have donw in the first place…I know bad rose…but I was just so excited to see the results Anyways, the supplement ended up making me feel extremely tired ALL day! Although, I did feel pretty good I obviously didn’t want to feel tired all day. This is what I suggest…alwasy do what the directions say for you to do on the bottle. Do I recommend it? Not sure…I will update you nuggets later when it’s been a longer time of me taking it. I definetly think it’s good for anyone suffering from insomnia though.

Are SAMe and 5-HTP safe and effective treatments for depression?

A 58-year-old man’s condition was stable on a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) after 3 major depressive episodes in the previous 10 years. He disliked the idea of taking a drug for a long time and at one point took himself off the SSRI and started taking St. John’s wort. However, the reappearance of symptoms of depression soon persuaded him to go back on the SSRI. During a trip to the United States, he discussed his situation with a number of people in stores selling health foods and vitamins. He concluded that the best natural alternatives to the SSRI were SAMe and 5-HTP, which were available over the counter in the United States and via the Internet in Canada. Should he try either of them instead of the SSRI and, if so, which?

SAMe is an abbreviation for S-adenosylmethionine, the major methyl donor in mammalian metabolism. A recent report from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concluded that, based on the evidence currently available, “SAMe is likely more effective than placebo for the relief of symptoms of depression.” Side effects were few in the published studies, but all the studies were short term. There is no systematic evidence about long-term side effects or toxicity. The oral doses used in published studies are most often in the range of 400–1600 mg per day, but there is no evidence about the best dose. SAMe is usually sold over the counter in tablets with a stated SAMe content of 200 mg or 400 mg. A major problem is that SAMe is very unstable at room temperature when exposed to air. It is not possible to know how much SAMe might remain in tablets bought over the counter.

5-HTP is an abbreviation for 5-hydroxytryptophan, the immediate precursor of serotonin. Fewer placebo-controlled studies have been reported for 5-HTP than for SAMe, but there is some evidence from small studies that it is better than placebo. It is considered a natural treatment, not only because it is present in the body, but also because it is extracted from an African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia). It is usually sold either as a crude extract of the plant or in pills with a stated content of 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg. 5-HTP, like dopa, is decarboxylated in the periphery. In studies where 5-HTP was found to be better than placebo, it was given at doses of 200 mg per day or more with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor. The dose needed to have an antidepressant effect when given without a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor, as in preparations sold over the counter, is not known. However, it would probably be very expensive (because a higher dose would be required) and would cause serious gastrointestinal side effects, as a result of the serotonin formed by the action of decarboxylase in the gastrointestinal tract. As with SAMe, side effects of 5-HTP in short-term use are few, but there is no evidence on long-term side effects or toxicity.

Although SAMe and 5-HTP may have antidepressant effects when given in an appropriate way, there is no evidence that either compound would be effective or safe in the long term using the preparations sold over the counter in the United States and via the Internet. Neither can be recommended  — J Psychiatry Neurosci. Nov 2003; 28(6): 471.

Here is a short video describing more about 5-HTP:

Stay groovy!

Sincerely,

Radical Rose

http://radicalrose.wordpress.com

Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC257800/