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Can You Benefit From Taking 5-HTP?

The growing awareness among medical researchers of the importance of the neurotransmitter serotonin to our mental and physical well-being has been a boon to the companies that manufacture and market SSRIs, because these drugs enhance serotonergic activity in the brain. For many people these drugs have been extremely beneficial. But like most synthetic drugs, they all have important drawbacks.

As the body of research on 5-HTP continues to accumulate, it is becoming increasingly evident that this natural amino acid and precursor to serotonin has all the clinical benefits of the SSRIs while producing far fewer adverse effects. At the present time, there is scientific evidence that 5-HTP can have therapeutic or prophylactic benefits in depression, anxiety, insomnia, migraine, fibromyalgia, and weight loss, conditions for which SSRIs are being widely prescribed today. Preliminary evidence suggests that SSRIs may also be useful for treating the discomforts of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and for reducing aggressive or violent tendencies. Although there have been no studies specifically showing that 5-HTP can be beneficial in these conditions, as well, it may only be a matter of time before such studies are done.

From all published evidence so far, 5-HTP appears to be quite safe when used according to standard dosing guidelines. However, 5-HTP does affect a major neurotransmitter system in the body. If you think you might benefit from taking it, we therefore recommended that you consult with a physician who has had experience treating patients with 5-HTP. This is especially important if you are currently taking drugs for depression, anxiety, insomnia, appetite suppression, migraine, or fibromyalgia, including the SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, St. John's wort and others. Your physician will probably want adjust the dosing of your current drug and 5-HTP.