Essential amino acid. Natural relaxant and sleep aid due to its precursor role in serotonin (a neurotransmitter) synthesis. Along with tyrosine, it is used in the treatment of addictions.

	5HTP Related Topic "...An intermediate metabolite between tryptophan and serotonin..." Alcohol-related Problems Relationship to Insomnia "Depletion of tryptophan as a result of heavy drinking explains why alcoholics suffer from insomnia..." Anxiety The Condition "...Treatment & Prevention Nutrients such as calcium and magnesium, B-vitamins, niacinamide, B12 injections (especially if stomach acid production is insufficient), tryptophan with inositol and chromium, valerian root, and GABA can have a calming effect..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Tryptophan (or 5-HTP), the precursor of the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin, also has relaxing and calming effects..." Asthma Relationship to Vitamin B6 Requirement "Children with asthma have been shown to have a metabolic defect in tryptophan metabolism..." Bulimic Tendency The Condition "...These include tryptophan, zinc (40% of 62 patients), vitamin B2, B3, folate, and potassium..." Carcinoid Cancer Our Question about your tryptophan levels "Blood tryptophan will be decreased below normal values in cases of carcinoid tumor or syndrome when the hormone serotonin is being produced..." Relationship to Vitamin B3 Requirement "Niacin frequently becomes deficient when these tumors are present because of its increased metabolism to form tryptophan..." Recommendation High/Increased Protein Diet "...An adequate intake of the amino acid tryptophan, along with niacin, can prevent the tendency towards pellagra, which may otherwise occur from the excessive use of tryptophan by carcinoid tumors..." Copper Related Topic "...The best studied are superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytochrome C oxidase, catalase, dopamine hydroxylase, uricase, tryptophan dioxygenase, lecithinase and other monoamine and diamine oxidases..." Depression Relationship to Vitamin B6 Requirement "B6 is a cofactor for the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and for the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is frequently imbalanced in cases of depression..." Recommendation Amino Acid Profile "...Tryptophan is the body's source material for producing the hormones serotonin and melatonin, which also influence sleep patterns and mood..." Insomnia The Condition "...Tryptophan, melatonin, 5-HTP, Valerian, and St..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Due to the fact that the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin within the brain is dependent on the availability of the amino acid tryptophan, supplementing the diet with tryptophan before going to bed may produce good results in relieving insomnia..." Low Melatonin Level The Condition "...It is manufactured from tryptophan by the pineal gland in the brain and secreted in small amounts..." Low Serotonin Level Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Tryptophan is the dietary amino acid precursor for production of serotonin in the body..." Melatonin As A Treatment "...John's Wort or tryptophan may help as well..." Night Eating Syndrome The Condition "...Another key may involve the availability of tryptophan, an important amino acid, in the body..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Taking Tryptophan or 5-HTP orally causes an increase of serotonin in the brain..." Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "...L- tryptophan and 5-HTP are serotonin precursors..." Premenstrual Syndrome PMS A (Anxiety) The Condition "...Estrogens also affect mood by competing for pyridoxal-5-phosphate binding sites, stimulating hepatic tryptophan pyrolase (shunting away from serotonin synthesis), and decreasing glucose tolerance..." Pyroluria The Condition "...If additional antianxiety support is needed, GABA, tryptophan, chromium and inositol should be considered..." Restless Leg Syndrome Relationship to Low Serotonin Level "See the treatment link between RLS and tryptophan/5HPT..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Tryptophan, a serotonin precursor, has been shown to help a small percentage of RLS sufferers..." Tendency Toward Postpartum Depression The Condition "...Tryptophan at 1-3gm per day can be used to treat a variety of depression syndromes..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "Depression associated with menstrual cycles and postpartum depression sometimes respond very well to tryptophan supplementation..." Tourette's Syndrome Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "The low blood serotonin and tryptophan levels seen in Tourette's syndrome (TS) are consistent with the wide range of behavioral disorders expected in such cases [ Am J Med Genet, Aug 1990;36(4): pp..." Tryptophan / 5HTP As A Treatment "...An essential amino acid, tryptophan is the least abundant amino acid found in foods..." Tryptophan Need The Condition "...Tryptophan is one of several essential amino acids needed in the diet; human beings cannot synthesize it from simpler metabolites..." Our Question about blacking out from alcohol "Tryptophan (or 5-HTP), the precursor of the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin, also has relaxing and calming effects..." Recommendation Chromium "Chromium picolinate helps to promote conversion of tryptophan to serotonin..." Vitamin B3 (Niacin) As A Treatment "...In an absolute sense, niacin is not a vitamin; as the body can synthesize it starting with the amino acid tryptophan..." Vitamin B3 Requirement The Condition "...Niacin can be made in the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan..." Vitamin B6 Requirement The Condition "...15-20% of women on oral contraceptives show deficient levels of pyridoxine on tryptophan load tests and many suffer deficiency symptoms..."

Last updated: Nov 14, 2009