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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by disney4 on July 16, 2003, at 7:08:52
I really need 5 HTP advice. A lot of posts mention it helps with sleep, appetite and depression in a subtle way. Is it safe or is there a risk of fragile X like the l-tryptophan had years ago? What brand are people using?
Thanks, Elsie
Posted by Anton on July 16, 2003, at 8:49:05
In reply to 5HTP--PLEASE how much to take, safe, what brand??, posted by disney4 on July 16, 2003, at 7:08:52
I really like this stuff, I was taking it before anti depressents and it was working pretty good, but when on anti depressents I couldn't really feel it working anymore, because of the serotonin actions in the anti depressents, but I think it's good for when you are trying to get off any anti depressent drugs, or have relatively minor depression, it worked reallly good for me but not for anxiety...it depends on how much you take, usually between 100-300mg a day for depression...if you're on an anti depressent I doubt you'll feel it much..for brand I think the NOW brand is pretty good quality
Posted by avid abulia on July 17, 2003, at 16:28:27
In reply to Re: 5HTP--PLEASE how much to take, safe, what bran, posted by Anton on July 16, 2003, at 8:49:05
Since the tryptophan thing was kind of a fluke contamination, there would be just as much chance of eosinophilia with 5-HTP...
I personally don't trust immediate precursors for neurotransmitters, like 5-HTP and L-dopa, there have just been too many studies linking them with increased oxidative stress, and increased neurotransmitter turnover, leading to decreased turnover later down the line.
Besides, commercially available 5-HTP does not come with any carbidopa to prevent it from forming serotonin in the peripherial tissues, so there is nothing to stop the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and pro-inflammatory side effects.
~AA
Posted by Anton on July 17, 2003, at 17:27:25
In reply to Re: 5HTP--PLEASE how much to take, safe, what bran, posted by avid abulia on July 17, 2003, at 16:28:27
Yeah, you may get a bit of diarrhea on it at first few days, and may get tiredness, similar to another anti-depressents and it does take a few weeks for a good therapeutic dose to build up, but if you want to compare it's side effects to anti depressents, then it's way ahead for people with minor depression or maybe seasonal depression, it's a worthy alternative than anti depressents in this case, it also stables appetite so that you don't feel hungry all the time like on other anti depressents. It is also many times more active than tryptophan. There's been numerous studies comparing 5-htp to anti-depressents and it's said to work just as well with less side effects, so go figure. Its probably not known to be used as much because it is a natural hebal remedy that can be bought without prescription and not many anti depressent drug companies would like that I would gather. I sometimes wish I had of stayed on it, in a combo with sam-e, but I have ocd and anxiety from ocd and needed something stronger. And there is really no point in taking it while on any other serotonin drugs. Another good thing about 5-htp is when tappering of any anti depressents it works like a charm to reduce any withdrawl symptoms. Here's some articles if you want to learn more about it,
http://www.naturalinvestor.com/nfm-online/nfm_backs/Nov_00/5htp.cfm
http://www.prohealthnetwork.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/3130/T/Both/
for a very unbiased review:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/5htp_myth.htm
This is the end of the thread.
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