5-HTP (compound 5-hydroxytryptophan) is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan. A mood-enhancing chemical, it has gained a great deal of respect lately because of its ability to decrease depression.  Unlike other supplements and prescribed drugs that have molecules too large to pass from the bloodstream into the brain, molecules of 5-HTP are small enough to do so. Once in the brain, they're converted into an important nervous system chemical, or  neurotransmitter, called serotonin.5-HTP is the intermediate metabolite of the essential amino acid L-tryptophan which was taken off the market in 1989 because 27 people died from it (over 250,000 people die each year from prescribed pharmaceuticals). Unlike tryptophan, 5-HTP cannot be converted to kynurenine; so it can easily cross the blood brain barrier. While only three percent of an oral dose of tryptophan is converted to serotonin, over seventy percent of an oral dose of 5- HTP is converted to serotonin.

Today, 5-hydroxytrptophan is considered a safer and more effective treatment for these conditions. In addition it is much cheaper than L-tryptophan.5-HTP causes an increase in levels of endorphin and other neurotransmitters that are often decreased in cases of depression. 5-HTP also increases serotonin levels. Thus, it is much more effective for depression. In fact, numerous studies have shown that 5- HTP has equal effectiveness compared to drugs like Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressant drugs like imipramine and desipramine in terms of effectiveness, therefore tryptophan and especially 5-HTP, should not be used by anyone taking any of these drugs or not to be used with Saint John’s Wort. 5-HTP may also be helpful in some cases of compulsive carbohydrate overeating, alcohol addiction and compulsive gambling (specific forms of OCD), as well as for insomnia. Reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. High doses of 5-HTP can cause agitation, fast heart rate, a boost in blood pressure.

For depression, weight loss, headaches, and fibromyalgia the dosage should be begin at 50 mg three times per day. If the response is inadequate after two weeks, increase the dosage to 100 mg three times per day. This recommendation will greatly reduce the mild symptoms of nausea often experienced during the first few weeks of using 5-HTP.

© Tyler Woods Ph.D 2005 Mindhance Wellness