Posted by Loops on March 14, 2008, at 8:32:18
In reply to Re: Treating anxiety with other alternatives?, posted by Newbee on March 13, 2008, at 19:56:22
no 5htp is completely different to tryptophan. Tryptophan is the amino acid that is found in food (protein) - the raw material that serotonin is made from in the brain. 5-htp is a metabolite of tryptophan that is made in the brain afterwards (I think that is right anyway - someone correct me if I am wrong). With tryptophan the brain has control over how much 5htp is made and when, where as 5htp crosses straight over the blood brain barrier and hopefully is turned into serotonin.
I didn't like 5htp it made me depressed after awhile. Tryptophan was much better. However I found eventually eating more protein and thus getting more tryptophan (in balance with the other amino acids) was preferable. It is better for using on a short time-scale for acute symptoms (for me anyway).
Some people find 5htp to be a near miracle though and stay on it. I guess that would be if your symptoms are mainly serotonin-based.
Loops
poster:Loops
thread:622022
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080110/msgs/817842.html