Hydroxytryptophan benefit and side effects, use for mood disorders, depression, anxiety, appetite suppression, and sleep

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is found in some over-the-counter weight loss formulas. hydroxytryptophan replaced tryptophan supplements after the FDA banned sale of tryptophan in 1990. However, tryptophan became available over the counter back in the early 2000s.  5-hydroxytryptophan is a good appetite suppressant, but no long term human studies have been published as of December 2007 to determine if the appetite suppression continues over weeks or months of use.
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Diet Rx natural herbal diet product with hydroxytryptophan
All Natural Appetite Suppressant without phentermine, drugs, hormones, or stimulants.

Benefits of Diet Rx with hydroxytryptophan
Decreases appetite so you eat less
Helps you maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Helps you maintain healthy cholesterol and lipid levels
Provides a variety of antioxidant from two dozen herbs and nutrients
Provides healthy fiber
Improves energy
Balances mood
Improves mental concentration and focus
Improves will power and choice of food selection

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Hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP converts into serotonin
Hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan or 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan) is a natural supplement that converts in the brain into serotonin. Serotonin is an important brain chemical involved in mood, behavior, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin is also involved in impulse control. For instance, low serotonin levels may lead to addictive behavior such as gambling or other habits caused by weak will power. Serotonin is found in many places in the body particularly the brain, gastrointestinal system, and blood cells.
     5 Hydroxytryptophan 5HTP has been helpful for some people, but the effects are not consistent in everyone who uses it. Some people are deficient in serotonin and hence 5 Hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP may be helpful to them whereas other people may have depression, anxiety, and other symptoms that may appear to be due to serotonin deficiency, but may actually be from other causes. There's really no easy way -- for instance blood studies in a doctor's office -- to tell whether someone is deficient in serotonin, and if they are, whether 5-Hydroxytryptophan would help them.

Diet pill
Hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP may be helpful in weight loss due to appetite suppression. For an effective diet pill with Hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP, consider Diet Rx which helps you eat less.

Hydroxytryptophan metabolism
Conversion of 5-hydroxytryptophan into serotonin by tryptophan decarboxylase in plants, Escherichia coli, and yeast.
Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008 Sep; Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Agricultural Plant Stress Research Center, Biotechnology Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Japan.
The L-tryptophan decarboxylase gene of rice was heterologously expressed in various organisms. Transgenic rice overexpressing L-tryptophan decarboxylase showed accumulation of serotonin upon 5-hydroxytryptophan treatment, which was consistent with the in vitro 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase enzyme activity of purified recombinant rice L-tryptophan decarboxylase in a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent manner. Recombinant yeast harboring L-tryptophan decarboxylase produced serotonin at the expense of the endogenous 5-hydroxytryptophan levels.

5Hydroxytryptophan questions
Q. What are the side effects of L-Hydroxytryptophan? I took a 100 mg capsule of L-5-Hydroxytryptophan and got very nauseated.
   A. We generally don't recommend taking more than 50 mg of hydroxytrytophan since it causes gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea and stomach upset. Some people get diarrhea.