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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by MoBe on April 23, 2004, at 11:37:17
Sometimes I get a paradoxical reaction from taking 5 htp. Instead of making me sleepy, it makes me feel agitated. Does anyone know why this is so. In other words - what is the biochemical mechanism going on here?
Thanks.
MoBe
Posted by McPac on April 28, 2004, at 23:40:15
In reply to 5 htp, posted by MoBe on April 23, 2004, at 11:37:17
MoBe,
5htp increases dopamine and noradrenaline neuronal activation (as well as serotonin). This can cause some to feel agitated.
Posted by joebob on April 29, 2004, at 10:16:58
In reply to Re: 5 htp, posted by McPac on April 28, 2004, at 23:40:15
Posted by MoBe on April 29, 2004, at 16:02:23
In reply to what about regular tryptophan...same deal? (nm) » McPac, posted by joebob on April 29, 2004, at 10:16:58
I'm also wondering about tryptophan. Does it cause release of all 3 neurotransmitters. What I find kind of upsetting is that it seems a little unpredictable - sometimed I'm wired from taking 5 htp and sometimes I'm sedated. I can't seem to predict from one night to the next how it will effect me. Maybe if I'm already feeling a little anxious then it will add to the anxiety - but I am only guessing.
MoBe
Posted by Emme on May 4, 2004, at 11:30:50
In reply to Re: 5 htp, posted by McPac on April 28, 2004, at 23:40:15
So I may not be imagining it. A while back I had tried 5HTP and it seemed to make me sadder and pretty sluggish. So I called it quits after a week's trial.
Lately I've been feeling intense stress and in the interests of masochism, I thought I'd give it another whirl to see if I could take advantage of any sedating effects it might have to help simmer down. I was hoping the boost in serotonin might help some of the wildly anxious overly negative thoughts as Paxil did for me once. Maybe I'm thinking incorrectly about the biochem and whether 5htp could be a stand-in for an SSRI....
Anyway, it's been a litte over a week. I'm at 150 mg. Good god am I wired. I've been unsure whether it was the 5htp worsening agitation or whether it was simply being ineffective in moderating my anxiety. Hard to tell.
Two trials, potentially different results so far. Maybe 5htp is not the supplement of choice if one is somewhere in the bipolar spectrum?
I tried some GABA (Twinlab GABA Plus) to see if it would help, and 300 mg later it didn't seem to do anything, though I may try the GABA again when not taking 5htp.
If 5htp were going to have any calming effects, how long would it take to kick in? Should I increase 5htp and see if I get worse or better? Or drop it now, assuming that if it were going to do anything *useful* it would have by now at this dose?
And for GABA users, how much do you typically need and is there any reason to avoid using it regularly? I've done okay with regular benzo use and didn't know if GABA might be the same.
Thoughts and inputs welcome.
Thanks,
Emme
> MoBe,
>
> 5htp increases dopamine and noradrenaline neuronal activation (as well as serotonin). This can cause some to feel agitated.
Posted by Emme on May 4, 2004, at 13:20:09
In reply to 5 htp, posted by MoBe on April 23, 2004, at 11:37:17
Anyone find that 5htp makes them more hungry? Freezing cold? Maybe I'm just imagining it. It's so darned easy to look for medicine/supplement causes for every physical sensation one has.
Posted by LOOPS on May 5, 2004, at 12:23:10
In reply to Re: what about regular tryptophan...same deal? » joebob, posted by MoBe on April 29, 2004, at 16:02:23
> I'm also wondering about tryptophan. Does it cause release of all 3 neurotransmitters. What I find kind of upsetting is that it seems a little unpredictable - sometimed I'm wired from taking 5 htp and sometimes I'm sedated. I can't seem to predict from one night to the next how it will effect me. Maybe if I'm already feeling a little anxious then it will add to the anxiety - but I am only guessing.
> MoBeI had the same deal as you. Never could tell whether this stuff was going to send me into overdrive, or make me mellow out. Brands differ as well. One brand made me mellow, but after 2 weeks I started getting tired and crotchety. The other one just made me go crazy.
I've just started some 'ultra-pure' vet supply l-tryptophan and I tell you this stuff is MUCH better. For a start it is totally predictable as I believe you are not messing around with the BBB. You basically are feeding your body more tryptophan ON ITS OWN, your body and brain does the rest...
I feel fine - normal - ??!!! Three days ago I was a nervous hypo mess.
(Mix this with niacinamide, inositol and B6 and there you go for social anxiety also).
The stuff I got is MUCH cheaper than 5-htp.
Loops
Posted by McPac on May 7, 2004, at 1:11:16
In reply to Re: 5 htp » McPac, posted by Emme on May 4, 2004, at 11:30:50
It's so hard to tell somebody what to try because our conditions and body chemistries are so unique.
For starters right now though, if I were you I'd try some magnesium glycinate. See if that helps with your anxiety.
Posted by Emme on May 7, 2004, at 11:55:41
In reply to Emme, Re: 5 htp, posted by McPac on May 7, 2004, at 1:11:16
> For starters right now though, if I were you I'd try some magnesium glycinate. See if that helps with your anxiety.I take 400 mg Mg citrate. Is the glycinate a more absorbable form?
I've decided to give 5htp the heave ho again. Two trials with different and not particularly helpful results. I know for sure now that it's not the thing for me. I'm trying tryptophan. I have a few days' worth and I'll see what happens.
thanks,
Emme
Posted by McPac on May 8, 2004, at 1:40:44
In reply to Re: Emme, Re: 5 htp » McPac, posted by Emme on May 7, 2004, at 11:55:41
"I take 400 mg Mg citrate. Is the glycinate a more absorbable form?"
I really prefer the glycinate form for me personally.
Emme, I don't post here very often as I don't read the board too much. But if you fill me in on your condition(s), I'll try to give you some suggestions if you'd like. Take care!
This is the end of the thread.
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