5htp?

[sadie147]

Re: 5htp?

Just an update:

Reviving this thread as I'm giving 5HTP another go due to a bit of winter blues i've been having lately. They don't recommend it for it but i figure if it boosts your mood it can't hurt, plus i already had it in the cupboard!

Last time I took it I found it made me far too tired after I had taken it for a while. As directed on the bottle, I was taking 3 per day with meals (they're 100 mgs). This time, I decided to try something different. I started with one a day at dinnertime, so if it made me tired at least it would be at bedtime! I did this for a week, without issue, then last week I started taking them once at lunch and once at dinner. So far so good! I feel better, though not sure if the fact that we've had a couple of sunny days has helped along with the 5htp..but my mood is good enough i can keep taking them.

I was having issues getting up in the morning before I started taking it (part of my depression)..now i'm fine.

One thing i did notice: I forgot to take it with dinner last night, so i ended up taking one at 11 before i went to bed, i did have a problem waking up this a.m so it does seems to make you sleep (supposed to boost melatonin as well as seratonin production).

[jimmie 48]

Re: 5htp?

sadie, i was do some reading about melatonin just 2 nights ago. i'll be the first one to say i know virtually nothing about hormones and such. my book is being helpful.
melatonin is a hormone in our brain that gets depleted as we age. one cause, as
we age, we sleep for 2 hours, then we wake up for 1/2 hour, sleep for 2 hours, up to 1 hour and so on.

maybe the actually "boost of melatonin" is what is helping you.

[sadie147]

Re: 5htp?

sadie, i was do some reading about melatonin just 2 nights ago. i'll be the first one to say i know virtually nothing about hormones and such. my book is being helpful.
melatonin is a hormone in our brain that gets depleted as we age. one cause, as
we age, we sleep for 2 hours, then we wake up for 1/2 hour, sleep for 2 hours, up to 1 hour and so on.

maybe the actually "boost of melatonin" is what is helping you.

Yes it diffinately is Jo, the problem is when i take it..if i take it too close to bedtime i can't get out of bed in the morning for anything! LOL. I find that taking melatonin suppliments do this as well if i don't take them early enough..i find i cant take them too close to bedtime or i can't wake up.

i find it interesting the 5htp boosts both seratonin and melatonin, since they are opposite hormones...like you though..i know nothing really about how either works.

[hollyanna]

Re: 5htp?

I love this supplement. It has helped me tremedously with sadness and depression. I take 300mg at bedtime. I tried it during the day, but it caused drowsiness.

[theredhead]

Re: 5htp?

That's a pretty big dose, Hollyanna. No wonder it makes you sleepy! I'm glad it's helping you, though. I can tell a huge difference when I take it, too.

[makmik]

Re: 5htp?

5HTP is the precursor for serotonin. It should give you euphoric feeling.
You will notice that it makes your dreams very vivid, colorful, and you will tend to remember them. (L-Glutamine has the same effect).

BE CAREFUL most 5HTP pills have valerian in them and that will make you sleepy and for me left me heavily drugged feeling till noon the next day. That is probably the sleepiness that some people were feeling.