 Uses for L-Tryptophan include alleviating depression, aiding alcohol withdrawal, assisting natural sleep and even weight loss. It is a serotonin increasing agent so avoid use with other serotonin increasing drugs.
5HTP is like L-Trptophan but is only used by the brain. It has been described as the true alternative to Prozac for its treatment of depression. It has similar uses to L-Tryptophan but is considered 10 times more potent comparing mg to mg.
Tryptophan is used within the body to produce melatonin, the sleep regulating hormone, serotonin the mood, appetite and all round feel good neurotransmitter and certain vitamins essential for regulating gastrointestinal and nerve processes. Tryptophan is well-known as an antidepressant used against moderate depression, because it increases the amount of serotonin in the blood. Tryptophan is also involved in the body’s regulation of sleep probably due to its relation to melatonin but low levels of tryptophan can lead to insomnia. As always, the body proves to be complicated because on the flip side, too much tryptophan has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. Other interesting research has shown that increased levels of tryptophan within the body, suppresses appetite in general and more importantly the craving for carbohydrates. It is widely understood that the most over-consumed food group is carbohydrates and this is because of the increased serotonin levels they produce. Once again nature has the double edge sword because although carbohydrates make you feel good, the ‘fix’ is short lived but the weight gain tends to slowly creep up on you! Let us not forget that the USA has an epidemic of obesity and diabetes which could ultimately be the cause of too many carbohydrates. Tryptophan may also have a role in helping smokers to quit because the same area within the brain is being over stimulated as with the over consumption of carbohydrates. When a person gives up smoking they often put on weight because often they have hormonal imbalances which create cravings. This in turn becomes carbohydrate cravings and therefore weight gain is the usual result. Perhaps Tryptophan is the body’s craving slayer? Whereas Tryptophan has an overall affect on the body it produces 5HTP (5-Hydroxy L-Tryptophan) for work solely within the brain. 5HTP promotes the body's healthy production of serotonin and has been called nature’s true answer to Prozac. Not only does it help maintain balanced sleep patterns and lighten moods but it also aids the inflammation response system. It is with serotonin that 5HTP is mostly associated with. Seeing as the lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin it has become one of the most popular nutritional supplements of our time. Because Tryptophan and 5HTP are so similar they are often used for the same reasons. 5HTP has gathered more popularity though because 25 years ago there was an incident when a batch of L tryptophan from Japan was contaminated. Unfortunate as this incident was, it was dealt with in the usual gung ho over dramatic way and pulled from the shelves for a couple of decades and made a prescription only medicine. 5HTP is a nutritional supplement used by many people who are overweight, suffer from carbohydrate cravings, experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have muscle aches and pains. It is felt that most of these ailments can be corrected by increasing the brain’s serotonin levels. There is also some recent evidence showing 5HTP’s positive effects with Fibromyalgia and it is being used with Alzheimer’s, autism and anxiety disorders. 5HTP has been studied since the 1970’s and no cases of toxicity have emerged despite the worldwide usage of 5HTP for last 25 years. Approved Uses © IAS Ltd. | 
