I Took 5-HTP For 30 Days, Here's What Happened (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to see benefits of 5-HTP? ›

In one study, people who took 5-HTP went to sleep quicker and slept more deeply than those who took a placebo. Researchers recommend 200 to 400 mg at night to stimulate serotonin, but it may take 6 to 12 weeks to be fully effective.

Large doses of 5-HTP, such as 6-10 grams daily, are possibly unsafe. These doses have been linked to severe stomach problems and muscle spasms. Some people who have taken 5-HTP have developed a serious health condition called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS).

There is not enough scientific data to provide a recommended dose of 5-HTP. However, in scientific studies, a dose of 150-800 mg daily is commonly taken for 2-6 weeks in the treatment of depression.

Research suggests that 5-HTP is not addictive. However, if you use the substance for a long time and then stop, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and poor mood. These symptoms typically fade within a week. Also, although rare, some people become psychologically dependent on 5-HTP.

How long does it take 5-HTP to start working? Because your body sees increased amounts of 5-HTP as a signal to synthesize serotonin, if you take 5-HTP for sleep 30 minutes before bed time, it should "start working" immediately.

What does 5-HTP do for your body? A reduction in anxiety symptoms is the obvious one. And, because 5-HTP is metabolised quickly by the body, you shouldn't have to wait long to notice their positive impact.

Common side effects of 5-HTP include gastrointestinal symptoms like stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Less commonly, this supplement can cause adverse effects like headache, insomnia, muscle problems, sexual difficulties, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

How Much Is Usually Taken by Dieters? Appetite reduction and weight loss (averaging 11 pounds in 12 weeks) has occurred with amounts of 600 to 900 mg daily. In another clinical trial, 750 mg per day has been shown to be effective at decreasing carbohydrate and fat intake and promoting weight loss.

The best time to take 5-HTP is before you go to bed, as part of your relaxing sleep routine. Formulated to support relaxation, taking 5-HTP before bed can help to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.

Be sure to cycle it on and off: 5-HTP is a very effective Serotonin supplement, so you need to cycle it to avoid desensitisation. Take it 3-4 days at a time and try to only use it when you feel like you need to.

Can you take 5-HTP once a day? ›

A typical dose of 5-HTP is in the range of 300-500 mg, taken either once daily or in divided doses. Lower doses may also be effective, although usually when paired with other substances.

Too much 5-HTP in your body can cause a spike in serotonin levels, resulting in side effects such as: anxiety.

When dopamine depletion is great enough, 5-HTP will no longer function. If other centrally acting monoamine-related disease processes involving catecholamines are present, administration of 5-HTP alone may deplete dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine thereby exacerbating these conditions.

Which supplements are commonly used for depression? Studies show that certain dietary supplements, including omega-3s, vitamin D, rhodiola, B12, and saffron, may be helpful for reducing depressive symptoms in some people.

There is no specific recommended daily allowance for 5-HTP. Most people will take 50–100 mg per day after starting at a lower dose of 25 mg and increasing the dose weekly. A person should read their supplement label and talk to a doctor before taking any supplement.

Instead, the researchers noted, 5-HTP should be given with dopamine or serotonin amino acid precursors in order to minimize side effects, prevent neurotransmitter depletion, and to get the most efficacy from 5-HTP.

Prolonged periods of stress can deplete serotonin levels. Our fast-paced, fast food society greatly contributes to these imbalances. Genetic factors, faulty metabolism, and digestive issues can impair the absorption and breakdown of our food which reduces our ability to build serotonin.

Anxiety, including obsessive-compulsive forms of anxiety, may indicate a person has low serotonin. Anxiety that comes on suddenly and appears unrelated to something else, such as a recent trauma or stressor, is often due to a serotonin issue. Chronic stress and anxiety may also deplete serotonin.

Most people do well with 100-150 mg daily, but the dose may safely go as high as 300 mg per day if needed. It is usually best to take it in 2 or 3 doses throughout the day, but if it is sedating it may all be taken at night.

Gut Health

The “feel good neurotransmitter,” serotonin, is mostly produced in your gut. 5HTP turns into serotonin in the gastrointestinal tract to help with motility.

Does 5-HTP deplete dopamine? ›

It has been noted that isolated supplementation of 5-HTP may deplete or reduce the bioactivity of catecholamines such as dopamine (which extends to L-Tryptophan) and that this relationship also acts in reverse, with supplemental L-Tyrosine possibly able to deplete 5-HTP and Serotonin itself, which extends to ...

Conclusion 5-HTP decreases CSD occurrence in the presence of ovarian hormones, suggesting its potential efficacy in migraine with aura prophylaxis in females. Elevated E2 levels increase CSD susceptibility, while estrogen withdrawal decreases CSD.

Studies in depression have used 5-HTP 200 to 300 mg/day given in 3 to 4 divided doses to prevent possible nausea.

Supplementing with 5-HTP may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by muscle and joint pain, as well as extreme tiredness and brain fog, also known as “fibro fog” ( 17 ). There is currently no known cause of fibromyalgia, but low serotonin levels have been associated with the condition ( 17 ).

There is no recommended daily amount to take for 5-HTP, but studies have shown amounts ranging from 50mg to 300mg a day to be effective. Try taking it 30 minutes prior to a meal.

While it doesn't work for everyone, there's evidence suggesting that 5-HTP supplements can help decrease feelings of stress, depression, anxiety symptoms and panic attacks in some people.

You should always take tryptophan or 5-HTP on an empty stomach-at least 15 minutes before or two hours after eating. For sleep disorders, try 1 gm (1,000 mg) of tryptophan or 100 mg of 5-HTP before bed.

It is suggested that the effects of tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan result from increases in serotonin levels in the thyroid gland to produce an increase in T3 with a compensatory decrease in TSH via negative feedback.

5-HTP has the potential for use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and oxidative stress. As a precursor of 5-HT, 5-HTP treatment is used to reduce depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. 5-HTP is associated with an increase in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and reduces sleep disorder.

Can you take magnesium and 5-HTP together? ›

Combining Magnesium to help relax muscles and ease nervous tension, plus 100mg of 5-HTP and Passionflower to help calm the mind and body – this formula will help you fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

5-HTP has been found to have a hypotensive effect on blood pressure. Studies on rats confirmed that it did have a blood pressure-lowering effect. More studies need to be carried out and it is not known yet whether the serotonin is a positive or negative influence on blood pressure.

Alcohol can also counteract 5-HTP. In particular, combining alcohol with 5-HTP can significantly worsen the depressive symptoms that 5-HTP is being used to treat. A person with depression who takes 5-HTP with alcohol may experience severe mood swings, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts.

Folic acid and vitamin B12 are involved in the synthesis of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been found in many patients who have depression or decreased attention, concentration, and memory.

Notably, it is normal for nontoxic increases in serotonin to cause anxiety, restlessness, and irritability for 1 to 2 weeks after starting a drug or increasing a dose.

Conclusions. 5-HTP suppresses inflammation and arthritis through decreasing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Some of the best vitamins for depression include vitamin D, iron, B9 (folate), calcium, vitamin C, and vitamins B12 and B3. Keep reading to learn more about vitamins that help with depression so you can make informed decisions about how best to treat your symptoms of depression.

What vitamin gets rid of depression? ›

Plus, a 2020 study found that increased levels of folate and vitamin B12 play a major role in the link between a healthy diet and decreased depression rates. Good sources of vitamin B9 include: spinach and other dark leafy green vegetables. liver.

Natural antidepressants include SAM-e, St. John's Wort, and omega-3 fatty acids, among others. If a person believes they are experiencing symptoms of depression, they should speak with a healthcare or mental health professional before trying any natural antidepressants.

Dosage and Preparation

There is not enough scientific data to provide a recommended dose of 5-HTP. However, in scientific studies, a dose of 150-800 mg daily is commonly taken for 2-6 weeks in the treatment of depression.

The half-life of 5-HTP is approximately four hours so steady state will be reached within one day. 5-HTP has a shorter half-life than prescription antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac^®) two to three days, sertraline (Zoloft^®) one day, paroxetine (Paxil^®) 21 hours, and amitriptyline (Elavil^®) 15 hours.

The kinetics of 5-HTP following a 20-minute linear infusion are adequately described by a biexponential function. The biological half-life of 5-HTP ranged from 2.2 to 7.4 hours, and the plasma clearance ranged from 0.10 to 0.23 1/kg/hour.

The best time to take 5-HTP is before you go to bed, as part of your relaxing sleep routine. Formulated to support relaxation, taking 5-HTP before bed can help to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.

Possible side effects of 5-HTP

According to one older review, it's recommended to start with a dose of 50 milligrams (mg) three times per day with meals. This can be increased up to 100 mg three times per day if needed ( 28 ).

When dopamine depletion is great enough, 5-HTP will no longer function. If other centrally acting monoamine-related disease processes involving catecholamines are present, administration of 5-HTP alone may deplete dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine thereby exacerbating these conditions.

This is more likely to occur when a person has taken 5-HTP supplements long-term. Some people may suggest taking 5-HTP along with a supplement that increases the amount of dopamine in the body, such as l-tyrosine or l-dopa.

Avoid using 5-hydroxytryptophan with other herbal/health supplements that can cause drowsiness. This includes California poppy, catnip, chamomile, gotu kola, Jamaican dogwood, kava, melatonin, St. John's wort, skullcap (or scullcap), valerian, yerba mansa, and others.

Can I eat after taking 5-HTP? ›

Intestinal absorption of 5-HTP does not require the presence of a transport molecule, and is not affected by the presence of other amino acids; therefore it may be taken with meals without reducing its effectiveness.

5-HTP Dosage & Use*

Most people do well with 100-150 mg daily, but the dose may safely go as high as 300 mg per day if needed. It is usually best to take it in 2 or 3 doses throughout the day, but if it is sedating it may all be taken at night.