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For more information on 5-HTP
(5-L-Hydroxytryptophan),
click here.
What advantages does 5-HTP have over L-tryptophan?
There are many advantages of 5-HTP over L-tryptophan. First of all,
because it is one step closer to serotonin, 5-HTP is more effective than L-tryptophan.
5-HTP is also inherently safer. Although L-tryptophan is safe if properly
prepared and free of the contaminants linked to severe allergic reaction
known as eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS), L-tryptophan is still produced
with the help of bacterial fermentation (a situation that lends itself to
contamination). In contrast, 5-HTP is isolated from a natural source - a
seed from an African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia).
Evidence that this natural source of 5-HTP
does not cause EMS is provided by researchers who have been using 5-HTP for
over 25 years. They state that "EMS has never appeared in the patients of
ours who received only uncontaminated L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxtryptophan
(5-HTP)"(1). Furthermore, researchers at the NIH studying the effects 5-HTP
for various metabolic conditions have also not observed a single case of EMS
nor has a case of elevated eosinophils been attributed to 5-HTP in these
studies.
What effect does 5-HTP have on weight
loss?
As far back as 1975, researchers demonstrated that administering
5-HTP to rats that were bred to overeat and be obese resulted in significant
reduction in food intake (6). It turns out that these rats have decreased
activity of the enzyme that converts tryptophan to 5-HTP and subsequently to
serotonin. In other words, these rats are fat as a result of a genetically
determined low level of activity of the enzyme that starts the manufacture
of serotonin from tryptophan. As a result, these rats never get the message
to stop eating until they have consumed far greater amounts of food than
normal rats.
There is much circumstantial evidence that
many humans are genetically predisposed to obesity. This predisposition may
involve the same mechanism as that observed in rats genetically predisposed
to obesity. In other words, many people may be predisposed to being
overweight because they have a decreased conversion of tryptophan to 5-HTP
and, as a result, decreased serotonin levels. By providing preformed 5-HTP,
this genetic defect is bypassed and more serotonin is manufactured. 5-HTP
literally turns off hunger (7).
The early animal studies that used 5-HTP as a
weight loss aid have been followed by a series of three human clinical
studies of overweight women, conducted at the University of Rome (8-10). The
first study showed that 5-HTP was able to reduce caloric intake and promote
weight loss despite the fact that the women made no conscious effort to lose
weight (8). The average amount of weight loss during the five-week period of
5-HTP supplementation was a little more than 3 pounds.
The second study sought to determine whether
5-HTP helped overweight individuals adhere to dietary recommendations (9).
The twelve-week study was divided into two six-week periods. For the first
six weeks, there were no dietary recommendations; for the second six weeks
the women were placed on a 1,200-calorie diet. As shown in Table 1, the
women who took the placebo lost 2.28 pounds, while the women who took the
5-HTP lost 10.34 pounds. As in the previous study, 5-HTP appeared to promote
weight loss by promoting satiety-the feeling of satisfaction-leading to
fewer calories being consumed at meals. Every woman who took the 5-HTP
reported early satiety.
In the third study involving 5-HTP, for the
first six weeks there were no dietary restrictions, and for the second six
weeks the women were placed on a 1,200-calorie-per-day diet (10). The
results from this study were even more impressive than the previous studies
for several reasons. The group that received the 5-HTP had lost an average
of 4.39 pounds at six weeks and an average of 11.63 pounds at 12 weeks. In
comparison, the placebo group had lost an average of only 0.62 pounds at six
weeks and 1.87 pounds at twelve weeks. The lack of weight loss during the
second six-week period in the placebo group obviously reflects the fact that
the women had difficulty adhering to the diet.
Early satiety was reported by 100 percent of
the subjects during the first six-week period. During the second six-week
period, even with severe caloric restriction, ninety percent of the women
taking 5-HTP reported early satiety. Many of the women who received the
5-HTP (300 mg three times per day) reported mild nausea during the first six
weeks of therapy. However, the symptom was never severe enough for any of
the women to drop out of the study. No other side effects were reported.
Wasn't the drug Redux, which raises serotonin
levels, taken off the market because it caused damage to the heart valves?
Is there a risk with 5-HTP doing the same?
In September 1997, the popular weight loss
drug Redux and its chemical cousin fenfluramine, part of the "fen-phen"
combination, were taken off the market based on a study showing that these
drugs may have caused permanent damage to heart valves in as many as
one-third of the people who took them. There is no evidence that 5-HTP
produces these effects. Unlike Redux, 5-HTP does not raise blood serotonin
levels to a significant degree nor does it block reuptake of serotonin. The
point here is that 5-HTP does not disrupt the normal process of serotonin
release, reabsorbtion, and elimination from the body. 5-HTP is not a
synthetic drug; it is an amino acid produced naturally by your body's
metabolism.
How does 5-HTP compare with
melatonin in the treatment of insomnia?
5-HTP may prove to be better than melatonin. Several clinical studies have
shown 5-HTP to produce good results in promoting and maintaining sleep in
normal subjects as well as those experiencing insomnia (11-14). One of the
key benefits with 5-HTP in the treatment of insomnia is its ability to
increase sleep quality.
Has 5-HTP been studied in the treatment
of depression?
Yes. In fact, there is excellent documentation that 5-HTP is an effective
antidepressant agent. 5-HTP often produces very good results in patients who
are unresponsive to standard antidepressant drugs. One of the more
impressive studies involved 99 patients described as suffering from "therapy
resistant" depression (3). These patients had not responded to any previous
therapy including all available antidepressant drugs as well as electro
convulsive therapy. These therapy resistant patients received 5-HTP at
dosages averaging 200 mg daily but ranging from 50 to 600 mg per day.
Complete recovery was seen in 43 of the 99 patients and significant
improvement was noted in 8 more. Such significant improvement in patients
suffering from long-standing, unresponsive depression is quite impressive
prompting the author of another study to state "5-HTP merits a place in the
front of the ranks of the antidepressants instead of being used as a last
resort. I have never in 20 years used an agent which: (1 was effective so
quickly; (2 restored the patients so completely to the persons they had been
and their partners had known; [and] (3 was so entirely without side effects"
(4).
Are there any studies where 5-HTP was
compared directly to antidepressant drugs?
Yes, there are several. 5-HTP is equal to or better than standard
antidepressant drugs and the side effects are much less severe. The study
with the most significance was one that compared to fluvoxamine, a
"selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor" like Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. In
the study, subjects received either 5-HTP (100 mg) or fluvoxamine (50 mg)
three times daily for 6 weeks (5). The percentage decrease in overall
depression scores was slightly better in the 5-HTP group (60.7% vs. 56.1%).
More patients responded to 5-HTP than fluvoxamine and 5-HTP was quicker
acting than the fluvoxamine.
The real advantage of 5-HTP in this study was the low rate of side effect.
Here is how the physicians described the differences among the two groups:
"Whereas the two treatment groups did not differ significantly in the number
of patients sustaining adverse events, the interaction between the degree of
severity and the type of medication was highly significant: fluvoxamine
predominantly produced moderate to severe, oxitriptan [5-HTP] primarily mild
forms of adverse effects."
The most common side effects with 5-HTP were nausea, heartburn, and
gastrointestinal problems (flatulence, feelings of fullness, and rumbling
sensations). These side effects were rated as being very mild to mild. In
contrast, most of the side effects experienced in the fluvoxamine group were
of moderate to severe intensity.
The above questions
provided by Michael T. Murray, N.D. Dr. Murray is widely regarded as one of
the world's leading authorities on natural medicine. He has written over 20
books including his latest book,
5-HTP: The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, and Insomnia.
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Most nutritional supplements have adjunctive,
'sister' products that work powerfully to
enhance the effect of one another. Here are
our recommendations for complementary items
to enhance the effectiveness of 5-HTP:
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Probioplex©
Intensive Care Powder
In my clinical
experience, most people
who would benefit from 5-HTP,
L-Tryptophan, and other
amino acid supplement
invariably have substantial
challenges with intestinal
microbial integrity. This is
popularly known as
leaky gut syndrome.
If you
are considering supplementing
your diet with 5-HTP, you would
be very wise to combine it with
Probioplex©
Intensive Care Powder. This
formula is full of
bioactive
immunoglobulins and prebiotic
factors that establish a sound, stable and
rich intestinal microbial
terrain within the confines of
your digestive tract.*
In simple
English, if you are going to
take 5-HTP, you need to insure
that you have an intestinal
tract that will allow full and
proper absorption and
utilization of 5-L-Hydroxytryptophan.
I've found that my
clients respond much better to
5-HTP, L-Tryptophan and other
amino acids on a
micronutritional level when they
have a sound, stable microbial
balance in place within their
intestines. I've seen Probioplex Powder
be instrumental in
helping this situation in many,
many cases.
Your Price $27.10
-
see
Full Product
Details
... you save $6.80 (20%) from
retail price of $33.90 |
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This is a
very special formulation by
Daniel Beilin, OMD.
I've used it
many times in combination with
5-HTP (and/or Probioplex Powder
and Bioplasma) with great,
positive effects in my clients.
It may well be worth a trial in
your case.
The
manufacturer's description
explains this very well -
see
Full Product Details.
Your Price $12.95
... you save $7.05 (35%) from
retail price of
$20.00
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Bioplasma works
beautifully at a fundamental
level to hold open pathways for
complete nutritional utilization
of 5-HTP and other amino acid
related constituents.
In
addition to being specifically
helpful with 5-HTP, this
homeopathic remedy supports all
aspects of your fundamental
micronutritional needs.
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