# 5-HTP



## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a precursor to serotonin and can be purchased in any health store. Since serotonin is a "feel good" neurotransmitter it can't hurt, right? I'm taking two 500 mg capsules three times a day. I do feel better on it. I don't have that "closed in" feeling in my mind so much. Has anybody tried this?

Do you think dp/dr is related to neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine?


----------



## Guest (Jan 5, 2007)

Hey flat,

Sounds promising but I think I would wait until more conclusive tests have been done.
I have known people that take it if they have been using xtc, to reduce depression.

But hey, if you are feeling better.

G.


----------



## David Kozin (Jan 11, 2005)

*Research supports that 5-HTP supplements are at least safe*, for example:



> "However, no definitive cases of toxicity have emerged despite the worldwide usage of 5-HTP for last 20 years, with the possible exception of one unresolved case of a Canadian woman. Extensive analyses of several sources of 5-HTP have shown no toxic contaminants..." (Das YT, Bagchi M,Bagchi D, Preuss HG, Safety of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan., Toxicol Lett. 2004 Apr 15;150(1):111-22.)


From what I have seen on the other message boards and personal reports, some individuals feel that it has been very helpful. This is also true for Tryptophan, which can be purchased in most countries except the United States (the politics and reasons behind this could make a book). Tryptophan is definitely a more potent relaxant.

We know that many people have not experienced positive effects from medications prescribed as antidepressants, and similarly some people have had no effect with 5-HTP, but if you feel that it gives you a positive boost and your doctor says that it won't interact with any other medications you may be taking, then I feel that research demonstrates that it is safe and even if it is a "placebo" effect -- placebo effects are real and best for you.

- David


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

I dont think you can get 5-htp without a prescription in canada. Why that is i dont know because it seem's to be safe.

As for is serotonin or dopamine have anything to do with dp/dr nobody knows. Hell were not even sure how they play a part in depression yet.

If 5-htp is working for you keep taking it. Who cares how it work's.


----------



## jeanie82 (Nov 6, 2006)

Does any one know if you can take it at the same time as being on an anti-depressant (lexapro)? Would there be any point?


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Mixing 5-htp with lexapro could be abit iffiy. Theoretically it could cause serotonin syndrome which is not good at all. You could wind up getting too much serotonin by mixing the two and that's what causes serotonin syndrome. It can be fatal and is in any case not a nice thing to have happen to you.

I would think that mixing two serotonin reuptake inhibitor's would be a much bigger risk for causing serotonin syndrome though. Although ive seen doctor's do that before. But then some doctor's will do anything.


----------



## Guest (Jan 6, 2007)

Does any one understand it's chemical formula? any chemical formula looks really interesting to me.


----------



## Guest (Jan 6, 2007)

NODID said:


> "placebo" effect -- placebo effects are real and best for you.
> 
> -	David


I couldn?t agree more, some of us may have DR/DP ?due? to a placebo effect in the first place? so fight fire with fire.


----------



## Guest (Jan 6, 2007)

Would some one please make simple sense of this please:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HTP

It says something about ?With the help of Vitamin B6? so this Vit mite help along side it (No sh*t). I wanted to make people aware of it because no one as said anything about Vit B and this 5-HTP.

Cheers.


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Emulated Puppet{eer said:


> Would some one please make simple sense of this please:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HTP
> 
> ...


 Basically vitamin b6 has a compound called pyridoxine. It is converted into it's biologically active form called pyridoxal 5-phosphate which is a cofactor for the enzyme aromatic acid decarboxylase. This enzyme is responsible for converting 5-htp into serotonin.

If you take the geek speak out of this taking vitamin b6 with 5-htp may help convert more of it into serotonin. This is what you want because serotonin is what is responsible for the anti-depressant effect's of 5-htp.


----------



## Guest (Jan 6, 2007)

comfortably numb said:


> Basically vitamin b6 has a compound called pyridoxine. It is converted into it's biologically active form called pyridoxal 5-phosphate which is a cofactor for the enzyme aromatic acid decarboxylase. This enzyme is responsible for converting 5-htp into serotonin.
> 
> If you take the geek speak out of this taking vitamin b6 with 5-htp may help convert more of it into serotonin. This is what you want because serotonin is what is responsible for the anti-depressant effect's of 5-htp.


Thanks for explaining Comfortably Numb, you're not very bright aaaaree ya?! :roll: :lol: wonder if I could ever get as clever as many people on this site after I?ve recovered?


----------



## David Kozin (Jan 11, 2005)

a decarboxylase will increase the conversion of 5-HTP to 5-HT, however this can be dangerous. Additionally, I would ask a medical doctor regarding taking 5-HTP with an SSRI (as well as St. Johns Wort). C. Numb. is veryright about Serotonin Syndrome, and to be honest I have heard that this experience is horrible..

Also, the molecule given above:

Starting with the left, you have a ring that has those dotted lines around the ring: this represents what is called resonance structure representation (showing that the electrons are shared in that ring. However, their are two nitrogens and three oxygens in the compounds. The lower structure is a 4-hydroxy-N,N-nitro-isodioxytryptamine structure (this is off my head and iis definitely off a lot, I have not taken organic chemistry in many years), but when you look at the structure the lower portion is Tryptamine. Branching off the carbon on the 5 atom ring with the nitrogen at the bottom, has a 3 carbon chain attached with an nitrogen off the 2nd carbon and two oxygens off of the last carbon. This is very interesting because of how the electrons would create such polarity because of the nitrogens and oxygens.

My guess would be that is would have psychoactive effects (the Tryptamine structure, and it's small size and polarity make it a good candidate to pass the blood-brain barrier), but I don't have all the time to research it. Best of luck!


----------



## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Hate to spoil the party, as usual, but I've taken 5-HTP for a three month stretch, and noticed no difference whatsoever. I think this is probably due to the fact that I am quite med-resistant, and after years of trying out every industrial strength benzo and SSRI, 5-HTP isn't going to touch the sides.

However, as a lot of people have said, it does seem to work as a mild-anti-depressant. And again, there doesn't seem to much harm in it.

It's available 'off the shelf' over here in the UK, but it's hideously expensive; 15 quid for 30 tablets.


----------



## Guest (Jan 9, 2007)

Thanks for also explaining David, you don't know much about it... :roll: lol

Cheers.


----------



## Guest (Jan 9, 2007)

Martinelv said:


> 15 quid for 30 tablets.












..........


----------



## Guest (Jan 9, 2007)

On a scale of 1 to 10 that was a 9 man :lol: :lol: :lol:

Actually, after another look, 10!

Classic!

G.


----------



## Guest (Jan 9, 2007)

That's what it is all about PAL! heh


----------



## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

I'm seriously missing the point here. And the will to live.

:shock:


----------



## Guest (Jan 9, 2007)

= Computer says no...


----------

