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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by linkadge on January 5, 2006, at 20:22:45
Taken from:
http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=41&m=17274
"The purpose of the 5-HTP is to increase the brains output of serotonin, but for some people this may occur outside the brain and cause little increase in brains serotonin. If this happens, it is a potentially negative occurence because of the potential for blood serotonin to damage heart valves. That it the reason why LEF (on the advice of Steve Harris, MD researcher) has never offered 5-HTP as a primary product."
Linkadge
Posted by Jakeman on January 5, 2006, at 21:25:15
In reply to Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by linkadge on January 5, 2006, at 20:22:45
> Taken from:
>
> http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=41&m=17274
>
> "The purpose of the 5-HTP is to increase the brains output of serotonin, but for some people this may occur outside the brain and cause little increase in brains serotonin. If this happens, it is a potentially negative occurence because of the potential for blood serotonin to damage heart valves. That it the reason why LEF (on the advice of Steve Harris, MD researcher) has never offered 5-HTP as a primary product."
>
>
> LinkadgeGood question. All I can say is that there have been numerous questions raised about the assumptions made by Harris.
~Jake
Posted by TenMan on January 5, 2006, at 23:40:10
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ? » linkadge, posted by Jakeman on January 5, 2006, at 21:25:15
This is the same reason Parkinson's patients are given a decarboxylase inhibitor while taking L-Dopa. I personally consume 5-htp 2 or 3 times a week and can discern noticeable effects on mood and anxiety shortly after. This leads me to believe that a lot of it is crossing the blood brain barrier...or maybe it doesn't take a whole lot to get an effect? I don't know but I am concerned enough about it to not take it daily without a decarboxylase inhibitor. The same problems were encountered with Phen/Fen and I'm not willing to take the risk of daily ingestion.
Posted by Declan on January 6, 2006, at 4:49:35
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by TenMan on January 5, 2006, at 23:40:10
My nutrtional doctor (who seems pretty good) said that the heart valve thing was not a problem in people taking reasonable doses of Vit C, say 2-3g/d. Dunno why.
Declan
Posted by JLx on January 12, 2006, at 11:03:47
In reply to Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by linkadge on January 5, 2006, at 20:22:45
> Taken from:
>
> http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=41&m=17274
>
> "The purpose of the 5-HTP is to increase the brains output of serotonin, but for some people this may occur outside the brain and cause little increase in brains serotonin. If this happens, it is a potentially negative occurence because of the potential for blood serotonin to damage heart valves. That it the reason why LEF (on the advice of Steve Harris, MD researcher) has never offered 5-HTP as a primary product."
>
>
> Linkadge"In September 1997, the popular weight loss drug Redux and its chemical cousin fenfluramine, part of the “fen-phen” combination, were taken off the market based on a study showing that these drugs may have caused permanent damage to heart valves in as many as one-third of the people who took them. There is no evidence that 5-HTP produces these effects. Unlike Redux, 5-HTP does not raise blood serotonin levels to a significant degree nor does it block reuptake of serotonin. The point here is that 5-HTP does not disrupt the normal process of serotonin release, reabsorbtion, and elimination from the body. 5-HTP is not a synthetic drug; it is an amino acid produced naturally by your body’s metabolism."
http://www.doctormurray.com/newsletter/3-04-2005.htm
It sounds like he's saying that even though 5-HTP taken as capsules may not have been produced by your body it is something that IS produced by our bodies so the normal homeostasis mechanisms would apply. Iow, how does 5-HTP taken by capsule differ enough from what one might naturally produce to the point that it would accumulate dangerously?
As you probably know, Dr. Michael Murray is a popular naturopath, who in this case has written a book on 5-HTP. I've not had reason to doubt him in the stuff I've read of his.
JL
Posted by linkadge on January 15, 2006, at 14:12:29
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ? » linkadge, posted by JLx on January 12, 2006, at 11:03:47
No, I know what you're saying. I just get a little ansy when theres seems to be no conscensous.
As a supplement, one is still consuming unnatural unnatural quantities of it.
Linkadge
Posted by zefdie on June 19, 2006, at 15:55:29
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by linkadge on January 15, 2006, at 14:12:29
> No, I know what you're saying. I just get a little ansy when theres seems to be no conscensous.
>
> As a supplement, one is still consuming unnatural unnatural quantities of it.
>
>
> Linkadge
I posted about this elsewhere last night but I thought this might be a more appropriate place for it.I've been looking into sublingual 5-htp to bypass the stomach and get the 5-htp into the blood and then the brain more often. I found a sublingual by Carlson's that includes coenzymated b6 as well.
I'm curious (taking the theory of 5-htp possibly causing cardiac damage seriously...I'm not very concerned about it but am considering it in this context) as to whether this form of absorbing 5-htp directly into the bloodstream might be safer...or worse.
I've read the study that found 5-htp without a decarboxylase inhibitor to be just as good as 5-htp without. I've also read a study about the enzymatic breakdown of 5-htp and l-dopa, suggesting that little gets into the brain.
But I can really, really feel the 5-htp taken sublingually. It doesn't take long to feel the effects. I've taken it by capsule before and didn't get the same effects, so I am hypothesizing that a good amount of sublingual 5-htp gets into the brain.
This doctor suggests that 50 mg daily is a high dose:
http://www.raysahelian.com/5-htp.html
I found that I had to take high doses by capsule to find any effect at all. The sublingual tabs (there are a few brands out there, the Carlson's is the only one I've found with pyridoxal-5-phosphate) are 50 mg and with some care you could probably split them in half to start.
I feel safer taking this low dose and taking it sublingually but am curious what some of you think. It works very well...I am diagnosed bipolar II and it has a great energizing effect without any SSRI-like side effects, which is why I am trying this first (along with Lamictal).
I'm also wondering if the pyridoxal-5-phosphate might be converting it into serotonin too quickly.
Slightly off topic, while perusing PubMed I came across a study that found that pyridoxal-5-phosphate (active B6) alone produces 20% extra 5-htp in the brains of rats. Maybe some people don't even need the 5-htp? Most of the brands don't even add B6 to their 5-htp anyway.
Posted by zefdie on June 19, 2006, at 16:06:43
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by zefdie on June 19, 2006, at 15:55:29
To get it into the brain more quickly. I was operating on the hypothesis that you end up with more serotonin in the periphery if you take it by stomach than if you take it under the tongue.
> I posted about this elsewhere last night but I thought this might be a more appropriate place for it.
>
> I've been looking into sublingual 5-htp to bypass the stomach and get the 5-htp into the blood and then the brain more often. I found a sublingual by Carlson's that includes coenzymated b6 as well.
>
> I'm curious (taking the theory of 5-htp possibly causing cardiac damage seriously...I'm not very concerned about it but am considering it in this context) as to whether this form of absorbing 5-htp directly into the bloodstream might be safer...or worse.
>
> I've read the study that found 5-htp without a decarboxylase inhibitor to be just as good as 5-htp without. I've also read a study about the enzymatic breakdown of 5-htp and l-dopa, suggesting that little gets into the brain.
>
> But I can really, really feel the 5-htp taken sublingually. It doesn't take long to feel the effects. I've taken it by capsule before and didn't get the same effects, so I am hypothesizing that a good amount of sublingual 5-htp gets into the brain.
>
> This doctor suggests that 50 mg daily is a high dose:
>
> http://www.raysahelian.com/5-htp.html
>
> I found that I had to take high doses by capsule to find any effect at all. The sublingual tabs (there are a few brands out there, the Carlson's is the only one I've found with pyridoxal-5-phosphate) are 50 mg and with some care you could probably split them in half to start.
>
> I feel safer taking this low dose and taking it sublingually but am curious what some of you think. It works very well...I am diagnosed bipolar II and it has a great energizing effect without any SSRI-like side effects, which is why I am trying this first (along with Lamictal).
>
> I'm also wondering if the pyridoxal-5-phosphate might be converting it into serotonin too quickly.
>
> Slightly off topic, while perusing PubMed I came across a study that found that pyridoxal-5-phosphate (active B6) alone produces 20% extra 5-htp in the brains of rats. Maybe some people don't even need the 5-htp? Most of the brands don't even add B6 to their 5-htp anyway.
Posted by Hmark on July 24, 2007, at 21:59:23
In reply to Re: Is this statement true (about 5-htp) ?, posted by zefdie on June 19, 2006, at 15:55:29
I totally agree with linkadge, one should first consult doctor or physician before taking any kind of medicine. Once the doctor or physician has prescribed any medicine only than medicine should be taken.
How does 5 htp solves your problem, information can be found at http://www.herbmark.com/5-htp.html
This is the end of the thread.
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