Tryptoguard 5-HTP
The Natural Serotonin Enhancer
When 5-HTP recently became readily available to the market, leading Health Magazines quoted it as the natural alternative to Prozac and Phen-Fen. Because of its serotonin enhancing properties, it is viewed as a reasonable alternative to those and other selective serotonin inhibitors, or SSRI.
The importance of serotonin levels in the brain and its subsequent effect on mood, stress, depression, sleeping disorders, and obsessive/compulsive behavior has become increasingly evident. Serotonin is one of four major neurotransmitters that are released from each nerve cell terminal and carry a electrochemical code of information. By rechanneling or preserving the natural serotonin with SSRIs, these symptoms and behaviors can be controlled. The natural method is with 5-Hydroxy L-Tryptophan, a serotonin exhancer commonly known as 5-HTP. Rather than stretching the reduced amount of serotonin you may naturally be producing, 5-HTP helps generate additional free serotonin to be used for message transmissions at the nerve synapse.
5-HTP is the modified amino acid L-Tryptophan obtained from the Griffonia seed. It is normally synthesized in the body from amino acid L-Tryptophan and acts as an immediate precursor to serotonin after crossing the blood-brain barrier. L-Tryptophan is found in foods like turkey and is responsible for the sleepy feeling that is so common after Thanksgiving dinner. Before 1990, L-Tryptophan was available in supplement form and over 10 million regularly took this amino acid to relieve anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, and PMS. 5-HTP may be up to ten times more effective than L-Tryptophan in making additional serotonin and clinical trials show that 5-HTP can improve sleep in people described as mildly insomniac. Both 5-HTP and serotonin are precursors to another neurotransmitter, melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle and facilitates sleep.
International research has established a strong connection between serotonin levels and a variety of behavioral and physiological maladies. Since 5-HTP is a metabolic precursor to serotonin, it offers an orthomolecular approach to nutrition. This allows the individual's body to better regulate serotonin production as required bases on genetics and circumstances. Adding 5-HTP to your diet may supply the body with the natural building blocks for serotonin production without driving the metobolic pathways that use serotonin.
While 5-HTP is considered safe and effective at many times the recommended dosage levels, if you are taking antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, Prozac, and similar drugs, you should consult your physician before supplementing with 5-HTP. However, at the recommended daily dosage of 50-150 mg, there are no obvious side effects and there is evidence that the lower dose may help control eating linked to stress and mood disorders. If you are one of the millions of people who once benefited from the L-Tryptophan supplements or if you could just use a good night's sleep, 5-HTP may be for you.
