LONGECITY

I can't seem to find much information on L-tryptophan supplementation in general, especially in regards to sleep quality.

I've taken it a few nights and it greatly improved my sleep, moreso than melatonin, magnesium, ZMA, valerian, etc. It was comparible to Phenibut in terms of sleep quality improvement.

Does anyone have experience taking it in the long term, or know if causes any sort of down-regulation of seratonin receptors?

I used it for about ten straight years, 3-4 nights a week. I had a strange reaction to it , in that  I would take it , feel nothing, but then the following night I would be extremely tired and sleep well. The only thing I could come up with as to why , was that it took a day for my body to process the trypto into melatonin and it would hit the next night, but I'm just guessing.

I stopped using it because I felt it was cutting into my sex drive and slowing me down overall, possibly crowding out dopamine. But that was the only side effect. I don't think it would cause down regulation if you are using small amounts and maybe staggering your use.I've always thought it was a way better choice than using 5-HTP which always made me feel like crap.

I used it for about ten straight years, 3-4 nights a week. I had a strange reaction to it , in that  I would take it , feel nothing, but then the following night I would be extremely tired and sleep well. The only thing I could come up with as to why , was that it took a day for my body to process the trypto into melatonin and it would hit the next night, but I'm just guessing.

 

I stopped using it because I felt it was cutting into my sex drive and slowing me down overall, possibly crowding out dopamine. But that was the only side effect. I don't think it would cause down regulation if you are using small amounts and maybe staggering your use.I've always thought it was a way better choice than using 5-HTP which always made me feel like crap.

I do know that L-Tryptophan, unlike 5-HTP, can only correct a deficiency, because it is modulated by rate-limiting enzymes. 

I'm really surprised there is so much research on phenylalanine/tyrosine but almost none on l-tryptophan.