Supplement Reviews

5-hydroxytryptophan

5-HTP is the intermediate metabolite in the serotonin pathway.  The amino acid L-tryptophan converts into 5-HTP and then 5-HTP converts directly into the important neurotransmitter serotonin.  Serotonin is a key factor in determining sleep, appetite, mood, and other body functions including pain control.  5-HTP is basically the direct pre-cursor to serotonin. Some research suggests that oral 5-HTP supplementation can also increase other neurotransmitters and brain chemicals like dopamine, melatonin, and beta-endorphin. 5-HTP is very well absorbed orally and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. According to several studies including one published in the Alternative Medicine Review in 1998, 5-HTP can effectively increase central nervous system production of serotonin. It can be taken with food without any competitive absorption problems. The 5-HTP that is found in supplements today is extracted from the seeds of the African plant, griffonia simplicifolia. 

The dosages of 5-HTP vary with the desired effect. For improving sleep quality, taking 200-300 mg before bed time may be useful.  For weight loss, the recommended dosage is 300 mg taken three times daily.  For anti-depressive effects, a good dose is 100 mg three times daily.  As you can see, 5-HTP has many benefits to exercising individuals

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