5-hydroxytryptophan -- or 5-HTP for short -- is a supplement prepared from the seeds of a plant called Griffonia simplicifolia. When ingested, your body converts 5-HTP to tryptophan, which is then converted to serotonin, a brain chemical that aids in nerve signal transmission between neurons. Increasing serotonin levels may affect your appetite, mood, sleep patterns and pain sensations. Before taking 5-HTP, seek additional guidance from your medical provider to ensure you take the appropriate dosage for your medical condition.
Control Body Weight
Health professionals with the University of Michigan Health System explain that taking approximately 600 mg to 900 mg of 5-HTP daily can help certain people lose weight. Treatment with this supplement helps reduce appetite by stimulating the production of the brain chemical serotonin. The safety of using 5-HTP for weight loss has yet to be fully evaluated in humans; it should only be used to control body weight by people who are under the care of a doctor.
Support Emotional Well-being
Elevated serotonin levels are also associated with an increase in mental health and emotional well-being. For this reason, daily treatment with 5-HTP may be beneficial for people who have depression, a mental health condition characterized by loss of interest in usual activities, fatigue and feelings of guilt, sadness, worthlessness or unhappiness. More robust studies examining the effect of 5-HTP treatment on depression symptoms are needed. This supplement should not be used as a treatment for depression unless explicitly recommended by your medical provider.
Reduce Fibromyalgia and Insomnia Symptoms
Low serotonin levels are also found in people who have fibromyalgia, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. Fibromyalgia can cause symptoms of chronic body aches, fatigue, depression, numbness, irritable bowel and memory problems. Taking a daily dose of 5-HTP, which stimulates serotonin production in the brain, may help alleviate fibromyalgia symptoms. In addition, if you find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night -- a condition called insomnia -- taking 5-HTP may help you fall asleep faster and experience more restorative sleep. Despite these reported benefits, additional research is needed to support these purported effects of 5-HTP.
Diminish Migraine Headaches
The pulsating, nauseating pain associated with migraine headaches may be the result of unusual serotonin function. Taking 5-HTP may reduce the severity, duration and frequency of migraine headaches. Although more comprehensive research is needed, daily treatment with 200 mg to 600 mg of 5-HTP may help to prevent or reduce migraine symptoms in adults.
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