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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 John1022 on October 2, 2003, at 8:49:47
Accidentely made a re: post when I was trying to start another.
Is there a preferred brand of 5HTP that potentially has less toxins or is closer to pharmacutical grade then others? 5HTP has worked for me in the past, I just want to be cautious about the potential toxins that could be in some brands.
Any help is greatly appreciated to where I can find the best and most clean brand. Thanks
Posted by John1022 on October 3, 2003, at 18:59:51
In reply to Cleanest Brand of 5HTP?, posted by John1022 on October 2, 2003, at 8:49:47
Anyone know the answer? I read somewhere on the Internet that 6 brands were tested and were shown to have peak X?
One of the brands did not have any peak X? Can anyone direct me to this brand? Thank you
Posted by JLx on October 4, 2003, at 6:35:57
In reply to Re: Cleanest Brand of 5HTP?, posted by John1022 on October 3, 2003, at 18:59:51
> Anyone know the answer? I read somewhere on the Internet that 6 brands were tested and were shown to have peak X?
>
> One of the brands did not have any peak X? Can anyone direct me to this brand? Thank youIf you're referring to the Mayo Clinic "study" (done at the behest of the Dateline TV show and published as a letter to the editor of Nature magazine) then it's apparently a secret which brands they examined -- and all revealed Peak X anyway. There's a lot more to this story:
http://members.aol.com/pbchowka/dateline.html
http://www.erowid.org/smarts/tryptophan/tryptophan_info3.shtml
Imo, this is a tempest in a teapot instigated by Dateline, since there's been no follow-up warnings issued by anyone in the ensuing 5 years, nor has the FDA acted despite its public invitation to the public to report problems as noted in their news release: http://depression.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Elrd/tp5htp.html
Michael Murray, who wrote the book in 1998 that probably started all the interest, "5-Htp: The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, and Insomnia" (which I've read) says this on his website, apparently written in 1998: http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/mayo.htm
"All of the 5-HTP on the marketplace is free from peak X as outlined in current FDA methodology. It is identical in quality to what has been referred to as "uncontaminated" 5-HTP in previous studies. ...While the significance of peak X remains to be determined (it is not related to the major contaminants linked to EMS from contaminated tryptophan), my calculation is that it would require a dosage of roughly 10 times the highest dosage range that I recommend in my book (300 mg to 900 mg for weight loss) and over 20 times higher than the typical dosage range of 150 to 300 mg daily given for other conditions to equal the dosage levels of "peak X" given to the two small boys. ... There have also been no reported cases of EMS due to 5-HTP use despite its growing popularity. However, just to be on the safe side and relieve any fears, for people using higher dosages of 5-HTP (greater than 300 mg daily) for longer than 3 month periods, I would recommend getting a simple blood test to measure the level of eosinophils with every three months of use."
Murray also says in the 1999 interview linked (first) above:
"I think a lot of very good things came out of this experience. First of all, the response to the Mayo findings by the raw material suppliers and some of the distributors of 5-HTP was exemplary. The quality control process employed by all of the raw material suppliers of 5-HTP is exceptional. All of these manufacturers responded professionally and appropriately in my opinion to the Mayo findings by cooperating with the FDA in their analyses as well as by conducting their own necessary tests and analyses to ensure the safety of their product. When all is said and done the result of the Dateline piece will only be positive because it will eventually give people a sense of greater confidence in the safety and efficacy of 5-HTP."
I think he's right and don't worry about it myself.
iherb (which currently has a good price for Now brand 5-HTP) has some "Certificates of Analysis" on file, btw, though they're not too current: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/iherb/certificates.html
Posted by John1022 on October 4, 2003, at 22:01:51
In reply to Re: Cleanest Brand of 5HTP? » John1022, posted by JLx on October 4, 2003, at 6:35:57
Wow. Thank you JLx for all of that good information. At the moment, 5HTP seems to be the only anti-depressant I can take without devasting effects and it works, end of story. It has done wonders for my insomnia and makes me feel completely normal and cuts through my anxiety and depression/seretonin depletion like a wonder drug.
Why have they not done more to study this drug and make it completely safe and available by prescription again? How can all of these synthesized chemical ant-d's be released, some with incredibly bad side effects be cleared by the FDA, but not the safe processing of 5HTP which is just a naturally occuring amino acid?
I will have to weed through the information again, but it sounds like most of the 5HTP is same (especially the Kaden brand? looks like they have done plenty of studies and tests for toxins in their product)
Do you know where I can find the 5HTP products manufactured by Kaden? It sounds like they make a lot of different name brands, any idea?
Thank you very much for the reply and information, you are a big help
This is the end of the thread.
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