I can't help but worry about the dangers of high levels of serotonin outside the brain. There is some real concern that you could cause damage to your heart valves -- make sure you do some research beforehand.
I've looked, - and I've looked again, - and I just can't find ONE study to prove that 5-HTP would be a concern, - however it should not be combined with anti-depressants which may interfere with the bodys natural regulatory pathways for the metabolism and degradation of serotonin. The "heart valve cases" as I understand it happened from taking the Redux weight loss drug and it has nothing to do with supplementing with 5-HTP alone. If anyone can show a study, please share.
Tryptophan is a safer alternative.
IMO no. I wrote in another post:
5-HTP is far superior to L-Tryptophan in raising serotonin levels, being a step closer to serotonin than L-Tryptophan is.
A much higher percentage of a given dose of 5-HTP is delivered to the bloodstream for easy access to the brain compared to a dose of L-Tryptophan. 1
Tryptophan may increase kynurenine levels when the enzyme tryptophan oxygenase acts on the tryptophan molecule (also depending on stress levels in the body) and thus less tryptophan may be available for 5-HTP->serotonin production, - 5-HTP is not used to make proteins in the body, tryptophan is, so it just makes the perfect (?) supplement for safely and effectively increasing serotonin levels. It even has antioxidant/melatonin/dopamine/norepinephrine activities, so there is not need for me to supplement with melatonin when using 5-HTP.
1. I. E. Magnussen and F. Nielsen-Kudsk, "Bioavailability and related pharmacokinetics in man of orally administered L-5-hydroxytryptophan in a steady state," Acta Pharmacologica et toxicologica 46 (1980); I Magnussen et al., "Plasma accumulation and metabolism of orally administered singledose L-5-hydroxytryptophan in man," Acta Pharmacologica et toxicologica 49 (1981); R. Brown, "Tryptophan metabolism in humans," in O. Hayaishi, Y. Ishimura and R. Kido, eds., Biochemical and Medical aspects of Tryptophan Metabolism (Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland Press, 1980)
Also, in many clinical studies tryptophan is not as effective in treating insomnia
1 with 5-HTP being far superior
2.
5-HTP will make you sleep deeper, improving the sleep quality (REM sleep and the deep sleep stages 3 and 4) more than tryptophan.
ctually I've never tried tryptophan, I was just so pleasantly surprised the first time I tried 5-HTP and loved the rejuvenating night following so I stuck with it.
1. C. L. Spinweber et al., "L-tryptophan administered to chronic sleep-onset insomniacs: late-appearing reduction of sleep latency," Psychopharmacology 90, (1986); D. Helmert-Schneider, "Interval therapy with L-tryptophan in severe chronic insomniacs: A predictive laboratory study," International pharmacopsychiatry 16 (1981); K. Demisch et al., "Treatment of severe chronic insomnia with L-tryptophan: Results of a double-blind cross-over study," Pharmacopsychiatry 20 (1987); J. G. Lindsley, E. L. Hartmann, W. Mitchell: Selectivity in response to L-tryptophan among insomniac subjects: a preliminary report," Sleep 6 (1983). 2. C. Guilleminault, H. P. Cathala, and P. Castaigne, "Effects of 5-HTP on sleep of a patient with brain stem lesion," Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology 34 (1973); A. Autret et al., "Human sleep and 5-HTP. Effects of repeated high doses and of association with benserazide," Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology 41 (1976); A. Soulairac and H. Lambinet," Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin precursor, on sleep disorders," Annales Medico-Psychologiques 1 (1977); A. Soulairac and H. Lambinet, "Clinical studies of the effect of the serotonin precursor, L-5-hydroxytryptophan, on sleep disorders," Schweizerische Rundschau für Medizin Praxis 77 (1988).