Hey guys, I’m sure many of you have tried this supplement, and I’ve decided to review it with a purpose. I've noticed that a few of the people on Longecity suffer from depression – whether it be clinical or an occasional deep slump. Important factors in thinking at your optimal level are being motivated and a state of well-being, so I figured it’d be well worth investigating a substance that can restore these in certain people who wish to optimize their thinking.
5-Hydroxytryptophan or 5-HTP is a direct neurotransmitter precursor to serotonin (and also melatonin) that can exert effects similar to those of SSRI antidepressants, but in a much more natural way. Instead of blocking serotonin from leaving the synapses in your brain, 5-HTP works by simply providing more “raw material” to produce more of it. In people with naturally lower levels of serotonin, this is great news, as this can help restore the brain’s chemical balance and in turn, “stabilize” oneself in terms of depression or anxiety.
I was looking around for a while for supplements that can help alleviate anxiety. I wasn’t about to go towards STRONG drugs like benzodiazepines, most of which are illegal anyways. I wanted something to help relieve me of slight social fear and general stress without relaxing me to the point of sedation. So, once I heard about 5-HTP from an Amazon review, I wanted to try it. Most stores I looked in had unreasonably high prices for it, averaging around $18 for a bottle of 30! I decided that I must get it online, preferably in a bulk powder form since I have plenty of gelatin capsules to fill up.
Once I searched online for a bit, I decided to go with Liftmode’s 20 gram bulk powder 5-HTP because they seemed to have outstanding customer service and the price was very reasonable. That same eighteen bucks that would have only got me 30 capsules could also buy you about 200+ doses with their bulk powder. After it came in the mail (with a nice little plastic container and convenient measuring scoop and COA), I tried it for a week to test its efficacy. I took it with a multivitamin as I heard that 5-HTP works better with particular B-vitamins.
I took my first dose at night, just in case it would make me sleepy (I heard that it can serve as a good sleep aid). Indeed, it does make falling asleep easier. Not that it necessarily makes me drowsy, but it puts me in a more relaxed state of mind. My thoughts are not racing as much, and I am much more inclined to just lay down and chill out. Some of the effects can carry over to the next day – I don’t feel as irritable in the morning, and I feel less rushed to get on with the day. With cognition, it helps because I’m not feeling overwhelmed by rapid thoughts which can induce anxiety. Dosage definitely matters, I usually need to take 100 milligrams to notice an effect, and I have found that I can take it twice a day (morning and night) for the best effects.
So, everyone who has the problem of a racing brain getting in the way of productivity, this might be a great addition to your stacks! Sweet calmness combined with the cognitive enhancements of true nootropics? I’m down!
