If you suffer from depression or anxiety, you may choose to use L-tryptophan as a treatment, an amino acid that occurs naturally in food, and as a supplement. While L-tryptophan may improve your symptoms, it has serious side effects. One such side...
The supplement 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, is an alternative treatment used for several conditions, include fibromyalgia and depression. Manufacturers obtain 5-HTP from the seeds of the Griffonia simplicifolia plant. While 5-HTP may help reduce...
Melatonin and serotonin are two naturally occurring substances found in your body. Your pineal gland produces melatonin, and your intestinal cells and brain's nervous center produces serotonin. Both melatonin and serotonin play several roles in...
Abnormally high levels of serotonin, a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter, can cause serotonin syndrome. While supplementing your serotonin levels can decrease symptoms of depression, too much can be fatal. Serotonin syndrome can develop in...
After many years of being banned in the United States, L-tryptophan is once again available over-the-counter. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is found in a number of foods, and is found in particularly high quantities in Atlantic cod,...
Serotonin syndrome is a serious, life-threatening condition. Serotonin syndrome occurs when a medication, usually taken in combination with another medication, promotes excess serotonin in the body. Risk for this syndrome occurs when you introduce...
Serotonin is an important chemical of the nervous system that helps regulate moods in humans. Many antidepressant medications work by increasing the amount of serotonin circulating in the brain. Serotonin withdrawal syndrome occurs when...
Tourette's syndrome is a condition that causes involuntary behavior movements or vocal expressions known as tics. It is related to an imbalance of the brain chemicals called serotonin and dopamine. Certain drugs may interact with these brain...
The amino acid 5-HTP is a natural precursor to serotonin, the mood-boosting chemical in your brain. When your serotonin levels are high, you'll feel calmer, happier and naturally more energetic. If your levels are low, just the opposite may...
Serotonin syndrome results from certain drugs interacting and producing an excess of serotonin. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that combining triptans, a migraine medication, with antidepressants, such as selective serotonin...
The nerve endings in the body naturally produce serotonin, a chemical that plays an important regulatory role in the brain. The level of serotonin in the body can affect many systems and bodily organs. Many drugs available on the market increase...
A mood neurotransmitter, serotonin is linked to a person's emotions and is also used by the brain to function. When there is an imbalance of serotonin in the brain, it can cause serious medical problems. If the brain has less than normal levels of...
Serotonin is a naturally occurring brain chemical that helps brain and nerve cells communicate. But when too much builds up, it can cause toxicity and even death. This usually occurs when people take two or more medications that increase the level...
While a number of effective pharmaceutical treatments for depression have been developed, many of these drugs have undesirable or even potentially fatal side effects, leading some people to consider alternatives. SAMe, prescribed for depression in...
Lysine is one of the essential amino acids. Your body cannot make lysine, so you must obtain it from food daily. Lysine is also available in supplement form. Bupropion is a prescription antidepressant. There is no indication that the two interact....
5-hydroxytryptophan, commonly known as 5-HTP, is an amino acid made by the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan. Foods such as chicken, turkey and brown rice are good sources of tryptophan. Supplements of 5-HTP come from the African plant...
5-HTP is taken for conditions ranging from depression and obesity to fibromyalgia and migraines, although the effectiveness of this supplement is still under investigation. 5-HTP, produced in the body from the amino acid tryptophan, is then...
Venlafaxine (Effexor) is a prescription antidepressant in a class of drugs called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs). Effexor is used to treat many different mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Effexor...
The neurotransmitter serotonin is one of the brain's chemical messengers. Neurons, or the brain's nerve cells, use serotonin to communicate feelings of happiness. Individuals with low serotonin levels experience depression, anxiety, and other...
Made from seed extracts of the Griffonia simplicifolia tree, 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, is commonly sold as a dietary supplement for mood regulation. While this supplement may be useful in treating depression and other disorders related to low...
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, increase the brain’s levels of the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that forms the starting point for serotonin synthesis. As too high...
Serotonin is also known by its scientific name 5-hydoxytryptamine, and is a chemical produced by the pineal gland in your brain. It is essential for the healthy functioning of your brain and nervous systems. However, certain factors can cause the...
Antidepressants make more serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine available to the brain. Mild side effects associated with antidepressants include diarrhea, dry mouth and fatigue. Antidepressants also have the potential to cause bad side effects...
Serotonin, sometimes referred to as the happiness hormone, is an important regulator of many bodily functions, including mood, gastrointestinal activity, heart rate and breathing. In depressed individuals, serotonin is typically too low,...
Effexor is a prescription medication used to treat depression and various forms of anxiety including panic attacks and social anxiety. Effexor is the brand name for the medication venlafaxine and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...
Tryptophan, also known as L-tryptophan, is an amino acid that people take in through the diet. People consume tryptophan from plant as well as animal sources. People take tryptophan supplements to treat multiple conditions including insomnia,...
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter created in the brain that impacts multiple body functions. Cardiovascular, renal, immune and gastrointestinal processes are all influenced by serotonin production. In addition, any imbalance in serotonin affects the...
Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter, a chemical required for the healthy functioning of your brain cells, nerves and gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is synthesized in the brain and regulates sleep, body...
Lexapro is a form of the generic drug citalopram, specifically the s-isomer. Citalopram is sold under the brand name Celexa. Both Celexa and Lexapro are antidepressants that work as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Because the action of...