33 replies to this topic

[whitenoise]

Curious. Does anyone know any of the specifics behind the conversion reaction from 5-HTP to 5-HT? Is it possibly that some other factor (salinity, pH, inhibitors, some form of forced chemical equilibrium) that prevents excess 5-HTP from being converted into 5-HT in the peripheral system? My first hypothesis (semi-random guess) would be that 5-HT has a low equilibrium level. Even catalyzed, the concentration of 5-HT would remain reasonably constant, but if the 5-HT is taken into vesicles in the brain, the mechanical seperation would increase the rate of reaction in the brain.

[metavalent]

I'm not an expert on 5-HTP, but whenever the subject comes up I feel obliged to mention the "Dr. Harris Green Banana Award" from Usenet back in 1996.

http://yarchive.net/med/5-htp.html

[N]eurologists have experimented with giving Carbidopa to people who needed to
take 5-HTP to raise brain serotonin (this in the days before
selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants like
Prozac were available).  The problem today with 5-HTP-selling
companies bypassing doctors and going to laymen, is that a lot of
health enthusiasts with problems who are enthusiastically taking
5-HTP are NOT taking Carbidopa, but they ARE taking a lot of B6
in one form or another.  Yet without Carbidopa, more than a few
milligrams of extra B6 per day would be expected to insure that
most dietary 5-HTP gets turned into serotonin before it can get
into the brain.

Alas, one company I know packages their 5-HTP in 50 mg
capsules with 10 mg of B6.  They do this ostensibly so that 5-HTP
can be converted to serotonin in the brain.  Duh.  This insures
that any 5-HTP will get converted to serotonin in the liver
instead, and thus never make it to the brain.  Vitamin B6 is the
*LAST* thing you want in an 5-HTP product.
Steven B. Harris, M.D.

Any ideas how much would constitute "more than a few milligrams?" Today, 12 years after the inaugural Green Banana Award, large national retail brands such as NaturesBounty.com are still packaging 100mg 5-HTP with 5mg B6. Dr. Harris makes it clear that he's convinced that *any* B6 is counterproductive; however, given 12 subsequent years of market pressures and clueful consumerism from groups like this community, I wonder if this ratio would fall below the "more than a few" boundary condition, above.

A few newbie observations and questions:

* RayAndTerry.com does not appear to sell 5-HTP at all. Is lack of 5-HTP in inventory a conscious (conscientious) choice, or just a supply-side condition? Although, they do feature a Longevity MultiPack [RNT900-5-2]. Any experience with that combination?
* LEF.org does sell straight 5-HTP in 50mg and 100mg varieties, but not carbidopa. If we've known carbidopa to be essential to HTP effectiveness for so long, I wonder why is it still seemingly so absent from the mass market offerings?
* I haven't had quick success finding straight carbidopa, as yet. Any hints for reputable sources?
* It appears that identifying reliable sources of these various nutrients and blends could represent 90% of the battle in staying both safe and effective. I suspect a little more forum searching will reveal some sort of informal forum-peer-reviewed list of reputable sources.

Clearly, I have a lot more catching up to do. Thanks for all the great information in these forums.

[krillin]

* LEF.org does sell straight 5-HTP in 50mg and 100mg varieties, but not carbidopa. If we've known carbidopa to be essential to HTP effectiveness for so long, I wonder why is it still seemingly so absent from the mass market offerings?

It's a prescription drug.

[brownshirt228]

Hi all. Before L-Tryptophan’s ban, was it naturally derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia? I’m wondering if Griffonia simplicifolia is a “watered-down” version or just non-potent.

Should I look for 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan?

Thank you