5HTP Supplement for appetite control and use as diet pill - dosage 50 mg 100 mg and 300 mg serotonin enhancement naturally, use for anxiety and tension relief

5HTP is a natural supplement that converts in the brain into serotonin. Serotonin is an important brain chemical involved in mood, behavior, appetite, and sleep. 5HTP supplement is from Griffonia simplicifolia seed. Griffonia simplicifolia is an African plant which is extracted to produce 5-HTP, the intermediary metabolite between the amino acid L- tryptophan and serotonin. The most common supplement dosages are 50 mg and 100 mg. We suggest you keep your dosage to 50 mg or maximum 100 mg even though studies have used amounts as high as 300 mg.
   A combination of hoodia, ginger, cinnamon, green tea extract, spirulina, acetylcarnitine, choline, guggul, 5htp, and several other herbs and nutrients, as found in Diet Rx, a very effective herbal diet pill for weight loss. Users of Diet Rx have lost several pounds within a week or two.

5HTP supplement 50 mg
Formulated by a medical doctor

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5HTP Dosage, how much is the right amount?
The dosage of 5HTP supplement varies among different people. Some individuals may do fine with taking a portion of a 50 mg 5HTP supplement capsule at about a quarter or a third or half a capsule. Other people may need a higher 5HTP dosage such as 50 to 200 mg a day.

5HTP supplement by Physician Formulas
Suggested Use:  As a dietary supplement, take one 5HTP supplement daily, preferably a few hours before bedtime.

5HTP supplement and Serotonin
When you take a 5HTP supplement capsule, it is absorbed into the blood stream from the intestinal tract and converted into serotonin. 5HTP is able to cross the blood brain barrier and convert into serotonin in the brain thus directly influencing brain cells. The absorption and conversion of 5htp to serotonin occurs quite rapidly, often within minutes. If you ingest a 5HTP capsule, the conversion to serotonin must occur quickly since many people notice yawning (if the 5HTP is taken at night) within 10 to 20 minutes after ingestion.

5HTP and anxiety treatment
Q. Do you think 5HTP will help with anxiety. I take Paxil but don’t want to take a prescription medication.
   A. 5HTP has helped many people with anxiety but it is difficult to predict in any one individual whether 5HTP would be effective or not for the treatment of anxiety. There is no blood test or other test that can be done to predict which supplement, combination of supplements, or combination of supplements and medications will help. For more 5-HTP information and the latest clinical trials.

Effect as antioxidant
Effects of Tryptophan and 5-Hydroxytryptophan on the Hepatic Cell Membrane Rigidity Due to Oxidative Stress.
J Membr Biol. 2009 Oct 22. Reyes-Gonzales MC, Fuentes-Broto L, Martínez-Ballarín E, Miana-Mena FJ, Berzosa C, García-Gil FA, Aranda M, García JJ. Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, c/Domingo Miral s/n, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain.
The ability of several indoleamines to scavenge free radicals is well documented. Our aim was to evaluate the ability of 0.01-3 mM: tryptophan (Trp) and 0.1-5 mM: 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-OH-Trp) to protect hepatic cell membranes against FeCl(3) plus ascorbic acid-induced lipid peroxidation and increases in membrane rigidity. Membrane fluidity was evaluated using fluorescence spectroscopy. Lipid and protein oxidation were estimated by quantifying malondialdehyde (MDA) plus 4-hydroxyalkenals (4-HDA) concentrations and carbonyl group content, respectively. Exposure to FeCl(3) plus ascorbic acid increased hepatic cell membrane rigidity, MDA + 4-HDA and carbonyl content. The presence of 5htp, but not Trp, attenuated these changes. In the absence of oxidative stress, neither indoleamine modified fluidity, MDA + 4-HDA or carbonylation. These results suggest that C5 hydroxylation determines the ability of Trp to preserve membrane fluidity in the presence of oxidative stress.

5HTP Serotonin increase emails
Q. What is the ideal 5htp supplement dosage to convert to serotonin?
   A. Since each person has a unique requirement, it's impossible to say what the ideal 5HTP dosage would be. The 5htp dosage could range from 20 mg for one person to 50 mg three times a day for another, while someone else may temporarily benefit from even higher 5HTP dosage.

Q. I have been on the SSRI bandwagon for about 4 years, first with Paxil and then with Prozac for generalized anxiety disorder. At present, I am taking 150 mg Wellbutrin and 50 mg of Prozac daily. I have met with my doctor and discussed the fact that it doesn't seem like the Prozac is working like it used to, so we decided to wean me completely off of the Prozac and continue with the Wellbutrin. I read about a 5HTP product. I am very interested in the 5HTP product; however I don't know how long I need to have been off Prozac completely before trying it. Also, is it advisable to take it with Wellbutrin? Also, I am interested in the healthy way of providing my needs with the right foods that help with serotonin production. Do you have reading materials so I can rid my life totally of prescription drugs?
   A. We suggest you read more about depression and anxiety natural treatment. 5HTP is one possibility, but there are many factors that influence mood and anxiety and it is best to have a comprehensive approach.

Q. After reading a 5HTP book called Nature's Serotonin Solution, and now taking a 5HTP dosage of 50 mg product in capsule form for years, 5HTP supplement has truly helped give me a fresh positive outlook on my life. Will this nutrient do the same for my cats? With the introduction to a new cat, my two felines just don't seem to be very positive towards each other. And now my older cat no longer is as friendly and affectionate towards me. Since most vets probably don't know what 5htp is or how it works, (tho, they DO know how effective Prozac is on pets!) my simple question: Could 5HTP supplement be properly given to my cats with potential beneficial effects, and more importantly, would 5HTP item do harm? What is the right 5HTP dosage for a cat?
   A. We have no idea if a 5HTP supplement will provide the same benefit to a cat as it did to you, but it is worth trying, at first at a quarter of the 5HTP dosage used in adults. Keep us updated.

Q. I am currently in India to get away from the London's rat race that was getting me down so much, for which i did use 5HTP on a regular basis. I have had a couple of instances where i felt this could be of help with certain days and since recently i have run out of what i had carried with me. I enquired the other day in a chemist for 5HTP, and said it was a natural product. The closest the chemist could come was a product called 5HT, is this the same? (i was unsure) and he told me it was 'chemical'? If this is not the right/same replacement for 5HTP would you possibly know what i may be able to obtain as equivalent?
   A. 5HT is serotonin while 5-HTP is the precursor to it which easily crosses into the brain whereas 5HT does not cross easily.

Q. I'm desperately trying to get off of trazodone.. I've taken it for sleep for many years.. I'm on an extremely low dose 12mg. and the doctor said I could just stop it at 25mg..but he was wrong.. The first symptom I get when I try to cut it down just a tiny bit is insomnia.. then that will linger the entire 2 months.. so there really is no getting off this stuff without insomnia, then the panic attack symptoms. I only took this stuff for broken sleep. I have no other issues.. Will 5Htp supplement help me with smoothly transitioning from withdrawal..? What would the 5htp dosage be? I understand 5htp converts into serotonin.
   A. Each person is different in how they respond to natural supplements. We suggest you review the information on sleep and discuss with your doctor the best options. We can't predict which option will work best for you.

Q. Hi, I'm just writing to let you guys know that I've taken on an empty stomach over a gram of 5-HTP (at least 1.4 grams) over the course of 4 hours. I noticed a more sensitive tactile response (a bit like MDMA) and my thoughts have been more serious and easily guided. Just thought I'd let you know. I am a 19-year old male and I weigh 160 lbs.

Q. For over a year I was taking 100mg of 5hpt supplement each night to help with chronic poor sleep and menstrual migraine. I was also taking less than a milligram of melatonin, 250 mg of niacin, and chelated calcium and magnesium with the 5htp.
Before that I had been on 1mg of Ativan for almost a year when I decided to quit that. The withdrawal from Ativan was horrendous even with "proper" titrating, but I got through it. I was not taking 5htp or any of the other nutritional supplements I mentioned during the time I was on the Ativan, but they seemed to help me get through the Ativan withdrawal. Anyway, the 5htp and the other remedies together seemed to be the answer to my sleep problems. My migraine was still an issue, though. I decided to review what I had already read on your site about 5htp and realized that I should probably take a break from using it for awhile. I cut back to 50mg for a few weeks, and then stopped it completely. The quality of my sleep immediately deteriorated and I had very severe brain fog most of the next day each day. I also noticed a sudden dramatic increase in the flipflop symptom I've had from mitral valve prolapse for years. I used to just notice the symptom a few times a month, but all of a sudden it was every hour or so all day long. And, the scalp twitching and spasming I usually experience prior to a migraine began affecting me night and day, although the headache would only manifest during hormonal fluctuations. It has been two weeks now and I have not gone back to taking the 5htp because I want to see if these new symptoms will fade, which will be an indication to me of 5htp withdrawal. I am curious if you have received any other emails mentioning problems when ceasing a 5htp routine.
I would not be at all surprised if my symptoms are merely coincidental with the 5htp cessation and are more likely caused by new more severe hormonal fluctuations as I make my way through perimenopause. But perhaps it is the combination of the two.
   A. Unpredictable effects can happen when 5htp is used for prolonged periods and then stopped. We have had one or two people with similar symptoms after stopping 5htp. Please keep us updated.

Q. Please advise me regarding taking 5HTP during pregnancy. My daughter was taking Zoloft for 6 years. She has recently found out that she is pregnant and not wishing to harm the baby, has decided to go off Zoloft completely. She is really suffering and I need to find something natural to help her.
   A. We can only suggest she and her doctor read the page on depression and decide what options are best.

Q. Does 5htp cause Impotence?
   A. Yes, it is possible that regular use of 5HTP in high doses could cause impotence in some men. Erections are often returned to normal after a week or two of stopping the 5HTP.

Q. My weight was 290 lbs, and I am diabetic. But starting with GI-Diet and Psyllium I got my weight slowly down to 275lbs. Now I am thinking to use eventually 5HTP as additional help. Do you see any danger in using 5HTP?
   A. Congratulations on the weight drop. We can't advise whether you should or should not take 5HTP, all we can do is refer you to this weight loss page that you may find helpful.

Q. I'm a doctor. Any data on 5HTP and pregnancy? I have a low serotonin patient and she's off meds because she's pregnant but could use some boosting. Someone else sent me a query on 5 HTP and liver-- I'll forward it to you. I use higher doses all the time and no liver issues. Is there date on it?
   A. As of October 2007, the role of 5htp supplements in pregnancy to our knowledge has not been studied, so we really don't know the safety of 5htp in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. We think it would be best not to use 5htp during pregnancy unless a woman's doctor approves and thinks other alternatives are not safe. We have not seen any studies on the role of 5htp and liver, and thus far, after several years on the market, we have not had any reports from any users of liver harm from the use of a 5htp supplement.

Q. I understand 5htp converts to serotonin in the gut, I have had low platelets for a couple of years apparently caused by a combo of long-term ITP and a stupid cardiologist who didn't listen when I said the Lisinopril had made my platelets drop overnight - and kept me on it for months - my platelets seem to be in the 50-90K range for the last 6 months. 100K is as good as it gets for me in the last 25 years.
   A. When 5HTP supplements are taken, there is an increase in serotonin in platelets. Drugs with the highest degree of serotonin reuptake inhibition -- fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline -- are more frequently associated with abnormal bleeding. SSRI use leads to decreased platelet aggregation and activity, and prolongation of bleeding time. Patients with a history of coagulation disorders, especially suspected or documented thrombocytopenia or platelet disorder, should be cautious in using SSRI drugs, and perhaps also 5HTP.

Q. I have been using 5HTP for over 2 years now. I was taking 150 mg. before bed but then I took a break and have started back with 50 mg before bed. 5HTP gave me my life back basically. I had post partum depression and anxiety, my baby who is now 3 has special needs and I have an extreme amount of stress. I also have very bad PMS and 5HTP is an incredible product. Paxil did not work as well for me as does 5HTP.

Q. I am the mother of a 21-year old student at a college in the Philly area who has been taking 5HTP for 3 years, having been weaned off of Paxil in high school after taking that for six months for generalized anxiety disorder. She has been managing quite well until recently and is now considering resuming medication. I read the excellent book 5HTP: Nature's Serotonin Solution. My daughter originally was treated at age 17 by a psychiatrist in our area who put her on Paxil -- the side effects led to additional drugs [trazodone] and behaviors that were worse we thought, as her parents, than her original symptoms. The Paxil made her manic, predominantly euphoric, and sleepless. Despite our concerns [we were opposed to putting her on meds but her therapist and pediatrician both concurred that she needed it], the psychiatrist treating her kept increasing the dosage, using an unrealistic criterion of feelings of good mood 24 X 7, a criterion with which we disagreed, leading to a parting of the ways. We were fortunate to find an "alternative MD" who had been treating me for a form of chronic fatigue and who agreed to take her case, easing ed her off Paxil and onto 5HTP over a period of 6 months during her senior year in high school, and as mentioned, she has been taking 5HTP with great success until recently. Her anxiety increased while abroad in London and it has not settled down. While she can continue to be treated by this MD [and will be seeing him for neurotransmitter balancing], she really needs to work with a psychiatrist who isn't "trigger happy" [pardon my expression] with traditional meds and who is open-minded about alternatives, particularly 5HTP.

Q. I am asking about 5HTP. It says pure 5HTP, but is it peak X free? I was told that it should be peak X free and that good 5HTP , when you take it , should give you a slight feeling of euphoria. I tried Natrol from a GNC store and it did not have peak X free on and I did not feel anything. I believe it did have some fillers like rice flour? I was told not all 5HTP is the same. Some have added things like valerian root and magnesium , and B-6. I had no luck with GABA. I hope they can somehow get it cross the blood barrier. I am currently taking Effexor XR, I have been on it a long time and it just is not working anymore. I have anxiety related depression and I also take tranquilizers which are not working anymore. I have had a couple of rough years. I am told that 5HTP works well in this kind of depression. Sometimes I think it's the Effexor XR that is making me more nervous. I did read everything the was on the your site regarding 5HTP. I do know that Effexor can rise the blood pressure it's classed as an SRI. I do know it's one of the hardest antidepressants to come off of and it should be done over a considerable amount of time. I understand you can break open the capsule and just try a small amt in water and I will slowly decrease the Effexor over time. I am familiar with serotonin syndrome it happened on a different antidepressant.
   A. Sometimes it may be difficult to notice the effect of 5HTP when taken the same day as Effexor and tranqulizers. The 5HTP is peak X free. There are many natural supplements that influence depression and anxiety, and you may ask your doctor to review the pages on the web site about depression and anxiety to see if there are natural supplements that may help you.

Q.  I am just wondering which is the book that talks about 5HTP. Please let me know the title and how to obtain it. I just bought 5HTP pills and have no idea on how to start taking it for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
   A. The book is called 5HTP Nature's Serotonin Solution, but it is not updated, this web page on 5HTP gives you the needed information on how to take 5HTP supplements.

Q. I have been struggling with insomnia for several months. I sleep well for several weeks then for a few weeks I have trouble staying asleep. i have been taking 50 mg of 5HTP on these occasions but would like to know if adding L theanine with the 5HTP is ok? I  don't always get results from just the 5HTP.
   A. Sometimes adding theanine to 5HTP helps, but it is not consistent. Good Night Rx provides more consistent results than other natural supplements for sleep.

Q. I have been taking 100mg 5htp at night before bed to help with depression and insomnia. That dose causes me to have inorgasmia, but does seem to help with my sleeping and mood. The 50mg 5HTP dose did not seem to help nearly as much with the sleeping and mood and did not cause inorgasmia. Are there any natural serotonin enhancers that do not cause sexual dysfunction? I’ve considered St. John’s Wort, but thought I’d email first.
   A. Serotonin is know to blunt sexuality. There are several natural supplements that help with mood that do not directly act on the serotonin system in the brain. St. John's wort, SAM-e, and others listed on the depression page are worthwhile to explore.

I've been using 5HTP for a long time now, with occasional breaks in usage to let it flush out and then start over again. I also work out fairly intensely on a regular basis (marathon runner) although I've been on a bit of hiatus this 2008 holiday season. I noticed a while ago that if I take 5HTP daily for prolonged periods, I sometimes feel a pressure in a specific area of my chest (upper left side, around my heart presumably). Usually if I give it up for a week or two, the feeling subsides and goes away. I've read that due to blood-brain barrier limitations, the serotonin produced by 5HTP sometimes doesn't all get absorbed into the brain and can accumulate around the heart. I am still able to work out either mildly or with fierce intensity with no adverse effects, be it 5k or a full Marathon, and not to any
degree impacting my strength or endurance, or any fear of heart weakness. I'm wondering if you know of anything that will help break up this accumulation, so that I am able to better regulate my usage of 5HTP, and to flush out cleanly before I cycle again. I don't want to discontinue use altogether, because I really enjoy the benefits of it.
    We have had a couple of other people report pressure in chest from the use of 5HTP supplements but it is not common. We don't know what causes this. At this time the only suggestions we have is to use the 5HTP less frequently and perhaps temporarily use a different supplement to achieve a similar purpose.

I ordered the 5HTP with ingredients vit c vit e and 5-hydroxtrytophan and I take it for depression and have been able to go off my depression pill for over a month now, although I have to take them in the morning and they will keep me up at night. They don't make me sleepy. 5HTP has helped me with depression but not with sleep. I also see you tryptophan 500 mg capsules, would that help me with sleep and I could still take one of these others, but I just dont know what one to order. I am allergic to melatonin. Any help would be appreciated.
    It is difficult to predict which supplement will help someone with sleep, it may depend on the dosage and how many hours before bed it is used, and sometimes it can work the first night but not the next.

If i take the HTP product in the morning which works for my depression can I take the Good night Sleep or Trypophan product at night? Which would be better. It looks like they are both HTP 5 and would I be taking too much then. I can't go back into that depression.
    We appreciate you asking, but this is a treatment question and we cannot give specific answers. What works for one person may not work for another and we have no idea of your overall medical condition or how you would respond to supplements. The same supplement can have different effects on different people.

I have read with much concern your products through internet. and I am glad to notice that there is a supplement of serotonin with natural products available.

My son aged 23 years is suffering from depression since 8 years and at the meantime he is taking Zyprexa tablets of 15 mg daily. There is no much of improvement except that he has become paranoid. And think that everyone is persecuting him. I would like to know if he can take 5HTP for helping him.
    We have not seen studies that have involved the combination of 5HTP and Zprexa.

I just started 5htp the other evening. I took 50mg at bedtime then 50 again in the morning. I skipped the bed time next eve /only took in the morning of the next. Im on that day now. I READ on my bottle of the Natures Bounty brand that I bought, they have Valerian root 50 mg in it and It also has vit B 6-5mg and Magnesium- 25 mg Niacin- 5mg as well. It first lists 5htp- 100 mg. My very first morning on waking after the 2 50 mg dosages the eve before and the morning one, I felt incredible. Happy, realized able to think positively/ no racing thoughts no depression like tiredness. Got up wanted to work in my home before my breakfast and had some really consistent work done/ thinking clear energized day. The evening I started i had somewhat too much coffee and also in the morning one cup after my dosage of 50. The sleep was no problem first night either. Today after the skipped eve dosage and only a dosage of 50mg in the morning i feel very tired sluggish needing sleep. Last night i skipped the eve dosage i had a panic attack becuz my leg hurt and it was not going away i beleive from my water wieght issues i sometimes have/ It would come and go the in the whole leg took some times for it to stop- like a bad headache thru it. Im prone to panic attacks and depression anziety all my life. Had
many of the antidepressants out their. Is it a better way to stay off the Natures Bounty brand or find one with no Valerian root/ and take another 5htp out there without the other herbal ingredients?
    It is very difficult to predict how any one person reacts to supplements, but, as a general rule, we prefer the use of 5HTP by itself in 50 mg dosage without other vitamins or herbs. Different people react differently. Sometimes taking less works better than a higher dosage.

Are you folks familiar with this product Amoryn. Do you think the combination of the 3 active ingredients in the amounts listed could pose a danger of serotonin syndrome? I’ve been thinking of trying it. Also wonder if given this low dose of 5-HTP, it would still be recommended to periodically go off it. Amoryn contains hyperforin, 5HTP, and rhodiola.
    We prefer not to comment on trademarked products. You may wish to read on this website regarding 5HTP, rhodiola and St. John's wort.

I'm contemplating a 5-HTP supplement but read with concern a couple articles by endocrinologist Ray Peat, who makes several serious incriminating points against 5-HTP and other substances that increase serotonin in general. One of his more alarming assertions: Serotonin excess produces a broad range of harmful effects: Cancer, inflammation, fibrosis, neurological damage, shock, bronchoconstriction, and hypertension, for example. Increased serotonin impairs learning, serotonin antagonists improve it. It seems his critiques consider 5-HTP in dosages intended to mimick the effect of SSRIs rather than the doses seen in most retail 5-HTP supplements (200mg max) suited to less severe issues, e.g. occasional insomnia. I take Ray Peat's assertions with some skepticism but I'm in no position to comment objectively. Do you think Ray Peat is being overly sensitive, that the dangers he links to 5-HTP may be associated with excessively high dosages? Can you provide some perspective?
    5-HTP has been available over the counter since the mid 1990s and no such adverse effects have yet been reported. As with many supplements used to treat a particular medical condition, it is best to use the least amount that works for the shortest period needed.

I am a Spanish woman (40 years of age) I have just started a treatment with 5-htp for mild deppresion and sleep disorders. I was told to take 50 mg three times daily but I do not know for how long should I take this for deppresion. Could you give me any guidance?
    The best advice is to take the least amount that works for the shortest period. Each person is different and it is not possible to give a specific recommendation.

5HTP does not keep working for me after several weeks of use. Many people take some days off in one week of every month, to give it a rest. I am concerned about major mood swings, having taken lots of alternatives. For the serious mood disorders, take with caution. Best part: it wears off pretty fast, and nicely.

I've taken 100 mgs daily for about a month and its now my favorite supplement, better than my beloved kava! In my personal life I've been going through a rough patch, but my mood and perspective remain extremely positive. I'm laughing and smiling constantly even when dark thoughts pop up. I'm going to bed much earlier and sleeping very well. Not much dream potentiation going on, but enough to notice some effect, particularly greater recall in the AM. I just hope these effects last in the long term.