Tryptophan dose, research benefits

Foods high in Tryptophan, dosage, 500 mg for sleep and mood

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in foods that contain protein. Tryptophan is able to convert into 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan), and then to serotonin. Serotonin is involved in mood, appetite, sleep and behavior. For an all natural appetite suppressant formulated by a medical doctor, see Diet-Rx.

Tryptophan, 500mg FTH Nutraceuticals

USP Pharmaceutical Grade Tryptophan
PURE L Tryptophan

This product as determined by a Certificate of Analysis is the highest grade available, over 99% Pure.

Tryptophan is formed by a fermentation process in a lab. FTH Tryptophan is USP pharmaceutical grade, which requires a minimum of 98.5% purity.

Click here to buy Tryptophan on sale
Vegetarian capsules, all vegan source. L-Tryptophan - 500 mg

Suggested use: Take one tryptophan capsule in the evening, preferably on an empty stomach, or as recommended by your health care provider.

Foods high in tryptophan
Some foods rich in tryptophan are turkey, milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, nuts, beans, fish, and cheese. Turkey is a food rich in tryptophan, however, in order to have a medicinal effect from the amino acid tryptophan, it needs to be ingested as a supplement by itself in at least a dosage of a few hundred milligrams.

The unfortunate history
During the 1980s, consumers were using tryptophan for sleep and as an antidepressant. Tryptophan was available without prescription until 1989 when the FDA prohibited its over-the-counter sale because a tryptophan manufacturer in Japan shipped a contaminated batch to the U.S. This caused a serious illness called eosinophilia myalgia syndrome in about 1,000 individuals. Around 1995, tryptophan gradually became available by prescription through compounding pharmacies, and then since about the year 2000 tryptophan slowly and cautiously was placed on the over the counter market through a few small vitamin companies. No large vitamin companies are selling tryptophan at this time (2004). For more research on tryptophan.

Metabolism
Tryptophan converts into 5-HTP, which then readily converts into serotonin. Once serotonin is made, the pineal gland is able to convert it at night into melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. 5-HTP is also available over the counter. This 5-HTP is extracted from griffonia seeds, which come from an African shrub-tree grown in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. There are several European pharmaceutical companies that extract 5-HTP from these seeds. For a complete discussion of the clinical uses of Hydroxy tryptophan, cautions, side effects, and how to combine it with other nutrients to improve mood, see 5-HTP. See here for additional 5-HTP information.

Migraine headache
Tryptophan depletion increases nausea, headache and photophobia in migraine sufferers.
Cephalalgia. 2006 Oct;26(10):1225-33. Drummond PD. School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Sensitivity to light was investigated 5 and 8 h after consumption of an amino acid drink which contained L-tryptophan (balanced amino acid condition: 19 controls and 22 migraine sufferers) or which produced a short-term reduction in brain serotonin synthesis by omitting L-tryptophan (tryptophan depletion condition: 16 controls and 16 migraine sufferers). Migraine sufferers reported more intense nausea, headache, glare- and light-induced pain than controls. In addition, glare- and light-induced pain were greater in the tryptophan depletion condition than in the balanced amino acid condition, in both migraine sufferers and controls. Eight hours after the amino acid drink, after participants had completed tests of pain sensitivity and motion sickness provocation, tryptophan depletion augmented headache in migraine sufferers and aggravated nausea in migraine sufferers and controls. These findings suggest that a reduction in brain synthesis of serotonin intensifies photophobia and other migrainous symptoms and thus might contribute to the pathogenesis of migraine.

Depression and mood
Some people who take tryptophan notice an improvement in mood. For more info on depression.

Sleep
This amino acid is of help in sleep induction. Theanine supplement is also suggested for relaxation and benefit for treating mild insomnia.

Tryptophan Research Update
The effect of a nutritional source of tryptophan on dieting-induced changes in brain 5-HT function.
Attenburrow MJ.
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford.
Psychol Med. 2003 Nov;33(8):1381-6.
Dieting in healthy women results in a decrease in the availability of tryptophan, the amino-acid precursor of serotonin (5-HT), for brain 5-HT synthesis. This is associated with increases in the prolactin response to 5-HT drug challenge suggesting a 'supersensitivity' of 5-HT neuroendocrine responses. The aim of the study was to assess whether increased tryptophan intake during dieting would prevent the changes in TRP availability and 5-HT neuroendocrine function. Fifty female subjects underwent a 1000 kcal daily diet for 3 weeks. In the final week of the diet subjects were randomly allocated to receive either nutritionally-sourced tryptophan (1.8 g daily) or placebo in a double-blind, parallel group, design. RESULTS: tryptophansupplementation failed to modify the dieting-induced reduction in fasting tryptophanavailability to the brain. However, in contrast to placebo-treated subjects, subjects receiving additional tryptophan did not show enhanced prolactin responses to intravenous tryptophan challenge. The decrease in tryptophan availability produced by dieting may be due to increased tryptophan metabolism rather than decreased tryptophan intake. While tryptophan treatment did not increase fasting tryptophan availability it may have modified the effect of dieting on brain 5-HT function. Further studies will be needed to see if this effect of TRP has consequences for the effectiveness of dieting as means of weight control.

Acute administration of nutritionally sourced tryptophan increases fear recognition.
Attenburrow MJ. Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Aug;169(1):104-7.
The serotonin precursor tryptophan (TRP) has been widely used as a nutritional supplement and antidepressant. Recently, however, the use of TRP has been severely restricted due to its association with the eosinophilic myalgic syndrome, an autoimmune disorder probably caused by ingestion of a contaminant produced in certain tryptophan manufacturing processes. To determine the bioavailability of a nutritional source of tryptophan obtained from milk protein and to assess whether administration of this material produced neuroendocrine and neuropsychological effects consistent with increased brain serotonin activity. We studied 24 healthy subjects who ingested approximately 1.8 g of nutritionally-sourced tryptophan or placebo in a double-blind, parallel group, design. We carried out venous sampling for amino acid and hormone estimation and performed a test of emotional processing using a facial expression recognition task. The nutritionally-sourced tryptophan caused a substantial increase in the availability of tryptophan in plasma. Relative to placebo the tryptophan material produced some evidence of an increase in plasma cortisol, and enhanced the perception of fearful and happy facial expressions. CONCLUSIONS: A nutritional source of tryptophan increased the availability of tryptophan for brain serotonin synthesis and produced endocrine and neuropsychological changes consistent with increased brain serotonin function. The effect of tryptophan on emotional processing may be relevant to its reported activity in primate studies of social behaviour.

Lowering of serotonin by rapid tryptophan depletion increases impulsiveness in normal individuals.
Walderhaug E. Ulleval University Hospital, 0407 Oslo, Norway.
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002 Dec;164(4):385-91. Epub 2002 Oct 12.
Reduced serotonergic activity has been associated with impulsive behavior; however, intervention studies have been scarce. To examine whether induced lowering of serotonin (5-HT) levels would increase behavioral measures of impulsivity. Twenty-four healthy young males ingested a mixture of the essential amino acids except for tryptophan in a balanced, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study design. The continuous-performance test-identical pairs was administered when the plasma concentration of tryptophan was expected to be at the lowest point. The plasma concentrations of 23 amino acids were measured at baseline and 5 h after the ingestion of the amino acid mixture. The intervention led to a dramatic fall in free and total plasma tryptophan, and the tryptophan/large neutral amino acids ratio. This in turn has been shown to lower the level of 5-HT in the central nervous system. The tryptophan depletion resulted in a statistically significant more impulsive- or disinhibited response style on the continuous-performance test-identical pairs when the subjects were solving verbal tasks. Depleted subjects exposed to spatial stimuli had fewer correct responses and a decreased ability to discriminate between stimuli. These results indicate that a rapid lowering of tryptophan increases impulsiveness and decreases discriminating ability in normal individuals. The effect of 5-HT depletion on discriminating ability in this study was similar to that previously reported in depressed patients.

Emails
Q. Interesting reading, your website. Tryptophan, in my humble opinion, it is a great option for insomnia (when taken with juice). Thanks for the info on your site.

Q. I have a question about this amino acid. I was going to do my science fair product on "Does turkey make you sleepy?", I was going to extract the L-Tryptophan from turkey and compare these measures to other foods or even certain insomnia drugs. I was wondering if you knew how to extract this drug from foods and if it will be possible without much technology. Thanks for your help. Write back soon if possible!
A. It takes a great deal of sophisticated technology to make tryptophan. When companies make tryptophan, they do not extract it from food but they make it through complicated lab chemical steps.

Q. I am a migraine patient for last many years. Zomitriptan 5 mg. works on my headache. I get major attacks if I eat fresh corn, corn starch, aged cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, banana, grapes, black raisins. My biggest attack was 6 weeks as I was unaware of it. I kept checking my eyes, teeth etc. I like banana milk shake so it was in my diet everyday. When I read about tryptophan, I was wondering why am I getting headaches after eating food containing tryptophan. Actually, it should increase levels of serotonin and should stop my headaches.
A. Foods have dozens and hundreds of substances in them and it would be simplistic to blame symptoms on one amino acid such as tryptophan. Plus, there is hardly any tryptophan in grapes, raisins, etc compared to the amount of tryptophan found in meats and fish.

Q. We have taken our son off of a couple of prescription drugs since we have found two supplements that help him- L-arginine and L-tryptophan. He is an adult with strong OCD and also autism and depression. We knew the tryptophan would help but were really surprised when the arginine made a huge difference!

Q. Does a tryptophan product have HTP or is it HTP free?
A. A tryptophan supplement does not contain 5HTP, but in the body tryptophan is converted into 5HTP which then converts into serotonin.

Q. I bought the Vitamin Shoppe of L-tryptophan (500mg) and took only 1/4 of one pill because I know how sensitive I am to medications. I was sooo sick with a very bad sinus headache and felt nauseated. The headache lasted a few days then finally with sinus pills went away the second day. I thought maybe even though I hardly took any at all, I should try it again with less as I did sleep well the night I took it. I took a minute amount - maybe 1/8 of a tryptophan capsule and it not only gave me a bad bad sinus headache again but I couldn't fall asleep at all because I didn't take enough for that. I thought of switching over to 5-htp and to my surprise - one of the warnings on some of the brands I found was that some people feel nauseated and a get a bad headache with congestion. I was surprised that tryptophan didn't have this warning as this is what clearly happened to me. My question is - if I try 5-htp will these symptoms go away or am I just one of these people who experience these tryptophan side effects who cannot take it? I took such a low dose of tryptophan I can't imagine taking anything less as it didn't even help me sleep it was so low. I would like to try 5-htp but only if the side effects are temporary - then I could probably deal with it.
A. Side effects from 5-htp are temporary and those who are sensitive to it could try an eight of a 50 mg capsule a few hours before bed.

Q. Could SAM-e supplement in the mornings (200mg or less) be taken with L-Tryptophan supplement in the evenings?
A. It's best to first learn how SAM-e supplement works by itself, and then learn how l tryptophan supplement works by itself before combining. Each person may have a different response so no simple answers can be given that apply to everyone.

Q. Hello, I have taken both l-tryptophan and 5-htp, and I think that l-tryptophan pills works better, but it feels like it affects my dopamine levels too, while 5-htp doesn't. How is this so if it is a precursor to serotonin. Is there any way to take it with something so that it only affects serotonin levels and not dopamine or norepinephrine as much.
A. It would help to know what you mean by l tryptophan pills effecting dopamine levels. What are the symptoms you are experiencing that would make you think they are related to dopamine as opposed to other neurotransmitters.

Q. Do you know of any problem of a person weaning from a low dose .5 mg of Klonopin while also taking L-tryptophan to help with sleep and anxiety?
A. We have not seen studies regarding the replacement of l tryptophan in those who have taken Klonopin on a regular basis. As a general rule, it is a good idea to make the replacement gradually, meaning a lower dosage of the medication is taken while a small dosage of the supplement is started and the dosage of the medication is reduced over time while that of the supplement is increased. This is a a general guideline and your doctor can supervise you regarding the details.

Please can you advise me I have suffered from depression for a number of years and when it first started I took l-tryptophan and it really helped I am taking venlafaxine and seeing a councilor but waiting for an appointment can I take l-tryptophan as well please can you respond and tell me the price I am getting desperate.
We can't give individual advice, but most people can take a tryptophan capsule in the evening if they have taken a low dosage of venlafaxine, Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, or other SSRI drugs. The price is available at the website listed above.