5-HTP & Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that leads to shaking and difficulty with walking, movements and coordination. The disorder results from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. No known cure is available for Parkinson's disease. Treatments can only control the symptoms. The supplement 5-HTP is an important medication used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disorder. Work closely with your doctors and therapist to develop a treatment to control your symptoms.

5-HTP

5-HTP is obtained from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifoli. It is one of the raw materials that your body needs to make a neurotransmitter called serotonin, a compound that plays a role in controlling mood, appetite and sleep cycles. 5-HTP effectively increases the synthesis of serotonin in the brain, according to 1998 study published in "Journal of Clinical Therapeutics."

Research

5-HTP can be beneficial as a supplement for Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in 1993 in "Neuroscience Letters." Researchers found that the concentration of 5-HTP is significantly decreased in people with Parkinson's disease. 5-HTP supplement works by increasing the concentration of serotonin in the brain.

Treatment

Traditional treatment for Parkinson's disease involves the use of amino acid levodopa in combination with carbidopa. Levodopa administration causes a large number of side effects in people with Parkinson's disease. NeuroResearch Clinics noted that Parkinson's disease treatment should be with properly balanced levodopa, 5-HTP, tyrosine and cysteine. Use of this combination controls the side effect of nausea associated with levodopa administration.

Risks

Taking 5-HTP with carbidopa, a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease, may cause a scleroderma-like illness, according to 1980 study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine." Scleroderma is a chronic disease in which the skin becomes hard, thick and inflamed. Always consult your doctor before taking 5-HTP supplement for Parkinson's.

References

• PubMed Health: Parkinson's disease
• "Alternative Medicine Review: A Journal of Clinical Therapeutic"; 5-Hydroxytryptophan: A Clinically-Effective Serotonin Precursor; T. Birdsall; Aug 1998.
• "Neuroscience Letters"; Concentrations of Serotonin and its Related Substances in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Parkinsonian Patients and their Relations to the Severity of Symptoms; H. Tohgi et al.; Feb 1993
• "International Journal of General Medicine"; Amino Acid Management of Parkinson's disease: A Case Study; M. Hinz et al.; Feb 2011
• "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Development of a Scleroderma-like Illness during Therapy with L-5-Hydroxytryptophan and Carbidopa; Esther M. Sternberg et al.; October 1980