What to Know About 5-HTP Dosages, Side Effects, and Efficacy
Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. 5 htp 100
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Some research shows that using 5-HTP for depression may help improve depressive symptoms. 5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is an amino acid that our bodies produce from a dietary amino acid called l-tryptophan.
It can be converted into the mood-regulating neurotransmitter called serotonin, which can then be converted to the sleep-inducing hormone known as melatonin. 5-HTP may also be synthesized in the laboratory by extracting it from the seeds of the plant Griffonia simplicifolia.
5-HTP can be converted to serotonin, which might play a role in improving mood and behavior. That's why some proponents suggest this compound might be helpful for treating symptoms of depression.
While there is some promising research, it is important to recognize that it is preliminary. Further studies are needed to better understand how 5-HTP might help depression as well as its potential long-term effects.
Although you can buy it over-the-counter, talk to your doctor before starting on 5-HTP, especially if you're already taking other antidepressants or medications. Your doctor can ensure you're taking the right amount and are not susceptible to any potential drug interactions.
The essential amino acid l-tryptophan can be obtained by eating foods that contain it, such as red meat and turkey. However, its ability to be converted into 5-HTP—and ultimately into serotonin—is limited by an enzyme called tryptophan hydroxylase.
The amount of tryptophan hydroxylase in our bodies can be inhibited by many different factors, such as stress, insulin resistance, vitamin B6 deficiency, and magnesium deficiency.
Supplementing with 5-HTP may help overcome this by eliminating the need to convert l-tryptophan to 5-HTP, thus allowing more 5-HTP to be available for conversion to serotonin.
While increasing serotonin levels might help improve mood (and therefore relieve symptoms of depression), it is important to note that research suggests that low serotonin levels are not responsible for causing depression.
Overall, the clinical trials published to date indicate that 5-HTP may be effective in treating depression symptoms, both on its own and when used in conjunction with prescription antidepressants.
A 2017 study found that augmenting SSRI and SNRI therapy with 5-HTP may help women who did not have sufficient relief from antidepressants alone. Preliminary findings of a 2020 study found that 5-HTP effectively improved depression symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease.
However, better quality studies are needed to establish its effectiveness, especially since they have only been done in small groups.
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis found that there was currently not enough support to recommend 5-HTP as a treatment for depression. The study concluded that more placebo-controlled trials were needed to better understand 5-HTP's therapeutic potential.
One study concluded that 5-HTP shouldn't be given by itself because it's not very effective. Also, it may actually deplete neurotransmitters in your brain like dopamine and norepinephrine, which can make your depression worse.
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.
However, these supplemental amino acids need to be kept in careful balance or there's a risk of depression symptoms becoming worse due to neurotransmitter depletion.
A group of researchers who looked at the effects of 5-HTP in a slow-release form argue that this extended delivery method could make the supplement an important adjunctive (additional) therapy in people with treatment-resistant depression.
The development of slow-release versions of 5-HTP is possible. Such forms might be beneficial for people who appear to have 5-HTP deficiencies.
5-HTP deficiency may be linked to suicidal actions, severe depression, and co-occurring borderline personality disorder (BPD), all of which tend to be more resistant to SSRIs.
Additionally, the researchers believe that slow-release 5-HTP could potentially help people who have been diagnosed with mental health disorders that are only partially responsive to SSRIs like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders.
There is no specific recommended dose of 5-HTP for depression. However, it is a good idea to start with a lower dose and gradually increase it. Doses of around 200 to 300 mg per day of 5-HTP seem to be fairly well-tolerated.
The most common side effects reported with 5-HTP include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Less common side effects include a headache, insomnia, and heart palpitations. Gastrointestinal side effects appear to be dose-dependent and tend to lessen over time.
There is one very serious safety concern with 5-HTP, however. When taken in conjunction with other medications for depression that also increase serotonin, such as SSRIs or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), there is a possibility that your serotonin levels may become dangerously high. This condition, called serotonin syndrome, leads to symptoms such as:
People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention, as this condition can be fatal.
There is not currently enough data to tell whether 5-HTP is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to use. For this reason, you shouldn't take 5-HTP if you're expecting a child or nursing.
Symptoms of depression are present during the majority of the day, just about every day, for two weeks or more and may include:
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Depression, which is also referred to as clinical depression or major depressive disorder, is a mood disorder that creates feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emptiness accompanied by other physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that can last for an extended period.
It can creep into your everyday life, affecting the way you think, how you deal with stress, the way you behave, and how you feel. Your regular activities of daily life, like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, and showering may feel pointless and overwhelming. Your energy may feel sapped too, making it even easier to skip these small tasks.
The key to knowing it's time to find help is determining when your symptoms are bad enough that they're seriously impacting your life. Maybe you've stopped participating in activities you once enjoyed. Or maybe you find yourself sobbing on the bathroom floor all too often.
Perhaps you don't even recognize yourself anymore as you hazily go through the motions of just barely living.
You may have depression only once, but many people who deal with depression have multiple episodes during their lifetimes.
Keep in mind that depression isn't a personal flaw. It's a real medical condition that needs to be treated, and depending on the severity of your depression, the treatment may end up being a long-term process.
The majority of people who have dealt with depression report feeling better once they start on medication, go to psychotherapy (counseling), or do a combination of both.
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By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be.
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