Table of Contents
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan or oxitriptan) is an amino acid that is naturally produced in your body. 5-HTP is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan which we get from food.
5-HTP is the immediate precursor of serotonin. And as a nootropic and dietary supplement, 5-HTP is popular with those who advocate its effectiveness in treating depression. Along with a number of other serotonin-related diseases.
But using 5-HTP for treating depression and anxiety is not supported by science. The research is contrary to how 5-HTP is viewed by many, including medical doctors.
When we dig into the research, we find that 5-HTP may be contraindicated for depression in those whom marketers advocate its use.[i]
We’re all for boosting neurotransmitter levels and optimizing cognitive performance here at Nootropics Expert®. But now and again I run into a nootropic or dietary supplement that may be popular. But also may be a particularly bad idea.
We’re going to get to the bottom of how 5-HTP works in your brain in this review. We’ll examine why it’s critical for brain health. And reasons why you may want to find another way to boost serotonin levels in your brain.
5-HTP helps:
- Anxiety & Depression. 5-HTP is synthesized into serotonin in brain cells. Elevating levels of serotonin can help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Neurotransmitters. 5-HTP is a necessary ingredient for serotonin synthesis which boosts mood and social behavior, improves memory, regulates appetite and digestion, sleep, sexual desire and function.
- Brain Optimization. A critical balance of the primary neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine are needed for the highly optimized brain. When these neurotransmitters are not in balance it affects mood, memory, cognition, decision-making, sexual desire, and a host of other critical life functions.
Overview
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan or oxitriptan) is an amino acid that’s synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan.
Tryptophan is hydroxylated by tryptophan hydroxylase to 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), then decarboxylated to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT).[ii]
Tryptophan → 5-HTP → serotonin
80-90% of your body’s serotonin is made in your intestines. But serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. So all the serotonin that your brain needs has to be made within the brain. This is where 5-HTP comes in…
5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily than tryptophan. And gets synthesized into serotonin at a faster rate than from tryptophan.[iii]
As a neurotransmitter, serotonin influences directly and indirectly, the majority of brain cells. So if you want to boost serotonin in your brain, some find that supplementing with 5-HTP is better than taking tryptophan.
Tryptophan, which your body uses to make 5-HTP, can be found in turkey, chicken, milk, potatoes, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, turnip and collard greens, and seaweed.
5-HTP as a nootropic supplement is a naturally occurring amino acid derived from seed pods of Griffonia simplicifolia, found in West and Central Africa. 5-HTP content in extracts of this plant vary from 2 – 20.83% (from seeds obtained in Ghana).[iv]
How does 5-HTP work in the Brain?
5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin. The neurotransmitter serotonin plays a role in sleep, appetite, learning & memory, mood, and sexual function.
When tryptophan’s role in converting to 5-HTP for boosting serotonin doesn’t work efficiently, the result is often depression, chronic headache and insomnia.
An open-label trial was conducted in Italy to determine the efficacy of using 5-HTP in young subjects with high levels of “romantic stress”.
Serotonin has been linked to human romantic attachment. So researchers in this study set out to determine brain levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and serotonin in relation to changes in romantic stress during the study.
15 healthy subjects (mean age 23.3 years) who had a “romantic breakup” took part in the study. Participants received 60 mg of Griffonia simplicifolia extract containing 12.8 mg 5-HTP daily for 6 weeks.
The subjects were evaluated for BDNF and serotonin levels at the beginning of the study, at 3 weeks and then again at the end of the 6-week trial.
The scientists observed significant improvements in romantic stress scores from weeks 0 through 3. So far, 5-HTP seems to be working. But no further improvement was seen from weeks 3 through 6. Even though the young people had significantly higher levels of BDNF and serotonin.[v]
More Involved in Depression and Stress than Serotonin
This “romantic breakup” study is a classic illustration of why using 5-HTP alone to treat depression and stress may not work. And if it does work, why it may not work for long.
Depression is often more than simple serotonin dysfunction. Depression can also be associated with catecholamine dysfunction, including dopamine and/or norepinephrine. Or a combination of serotonin and catecholamine dysfunction.
When you take 5-HTP alone, you are also depleting dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Synthesis of serotonin from 5-HTP, and dopamine from L-DOPA is catalyzed by the same enzyme, L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD).
Dopamine and serotonin precursor supplementation must be taken in proper balance. Because when you use only 5-HTP, it dominates dopamine at the AAAD enzyme synthesis level.
Blocking dopamine synthesis at the AAAD enzyme through competitive inhibition will lead to depletion of dopamine and the rest of the catecholamines.[vi]
Going back to our Italian study of young people dealing with “romantic stress”, the subjects stopped responding to 5-HTP in the 2nd half of the study. Likely because their catecholamines became depleted through continuous 5-HTP supplementation.
Studies have found that when dopamine is depleted enough, 5-HTP will no longer function.[vii]
Catecholamine Dysfunction Affects More Than Just Depression
When catecholamine neurotransmitter levels (dopamine and/or norepinephrine) influence depression, supplementing with 5-HTP alone is not the way to go. Because you may deplete dopamine and norepinephrine, worsening the disease and its underlying cause.
But this contraindication is not exclusive to depression. It extends to all other diseases where catecholamine dysfunction has been implicated. Including ADHD[viii], obesity, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and Parkinson’s Disease.[ix]
How things go bad
Amino acid precursors of serotonin (i.e. 5-HTP) and dopamine (i.e. L-Tyrosine) work together during synthesis, metabolism and transport to the point that they function as one system.
When serotonin and dopamine are properly balanced, functions that are regulated only by serotonin, can be regulated by manipulating dopamine levels. And functions regulated only by dopamine in this balanced state can be regulated by manipulating serotonin.[x]
When you mess with this balance and improperly supplement with serotonin or dopamine precursors, you don’t get the desired effect of using that nootropic. And you increase the possibility of side effects with too much serotonin.
If you supplement with only one precursor (i.e. 5-HTP to boost serotonin) that dominates the other system (i.e. dopamine synthesis), depletion of the dominated system will occur (i.e. depleted dopamine).
And if this effect is pronounced enough, you will not get the benefit you were aiming for when supplementing with the original precursor (i.e. 5-HTP).
A powerful example of this effect is in the management of Parkinson’s Disease where the effects of L-DOPA are no longer observed over time due to serotonin depletion.[xi]
Since serotonin and dopamine cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, the number of serotonin and dopamine molecules in the brain is a function of the amount of nutrients (amino acid precursors) that are available to be synthesized into new neurotransmitter molecules.
Optimizing brain function with minimal side effects is NOT a function of supplementing until you get sufficiently high amino acid levels. It’s a function of achieving the proper balance between serotonin and dopamine.
5-HTP benefits
5-HTP is absolutely critical for synthesis of serotonin in your brain. But supplementing with 5-HTP to boost serotonin does not work well.
Using 5-HTP to treat depression has had very little success over the last few decades of clinical trials and biohacking.
Integrating 5-HTP into your nootropic stack is much more complicated than simply adding some 5-HTP in order to boost serotonin.
5-HTP alone will not work for depression, or any other issue you’re dealing with involving the catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine) because of 5-HTP’s tendency to deplete those neurotransmitters.
5-HTP will boost serotonin in your brain.[xii] But 5-HTP must be carefully stacked with precursors for dopamine and norepinephrine or you risk making the situation worse.
You must avoid supplementing with only one of the serotonin or dopamine amino acid precursors. When amino acid precursors are not in balance, you end up with decreased effectiveness of that nootropic, increased side effects, and depletion of the non-dominant system.
How does 5-HTP feel?
Reactions to supplementing with 5-HTP vary considerably but the one consistent theme is initial feelings of well-being, better sleep, less need for sleep, improved mood, less social anxiety, lower appetite, improved tolerance for stress and improved cognitive function.
And after a couple of weeks of dosing 5-HTP – side effects begin. Serotonin overload results in dopamine and norepinephrine depletion.
Side effects include feelings of lethargy, depression, brain fog, stomach pain, and possibly a chronic tension type of headache. Worst case scenario is nausea, vomiting and even blacking out.
Neurohackers who report consistent success supplementing with 5-HTP stack it with B-Vitamins, a dopamine precursor like L-Tyrosine, and only use 5-HTP as needed.
Those who have a bad experience with 5-HTP from the start often have no idea why they’ve reacted badly. But an educated guess is their depression was catecholamine (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine)-related. And boosting serotonin made their dopamine-related issues worse. Very quickly.
One huge word of WARNING: Do NOT take 5-HTP with any antidepressant medication. You put yourself in the very real danger of Serotonin Syndrome which can ultimately kill you.
5-HTP Clinical Research
5-HTP supplements are heavily marketed as a natural remedy for depression. But the science does not support using 5-HTP for depression. We have decades of clinical trials available. And there is no evidence of the efficacy in using 5-HTP for depression.
5-HTP instead of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
The Department of Public Health at the University of Queensland Medical School in Australia did a systematic review of literature dating from 1966 – 2000 for “5-HTP” and “depression”.
The researchers found 108 clinical studies of which only 2 studies, one with serotonin (5-HT) and one with L-Tryptophan for a total of 64 patients met sufficient quality criteria to be included. These studies suggest serotonin (5-HT) and L-Tryptophan are better than placebo at alleviating depression.
But the researchers noted “the small size of the studies, and the large number of inadmissible, poorly executed studies, cast doubt on the results from potential publication bias, and suggests that they are insufficiently evaluated to assess their effectiveness.”[xiii]
5-HTP for Fibromyalgia
A double blind controlled study in Italy studied the efficacy of using 5-HTP in treating fibromyalgia symptoms.
50 patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome were selected for this study. This 1990 study did not publish the amount of 5-HTP used. But the researchers found a significant improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms with only mild and transient side effects.[xiv]
5-HTP for Treatment of Depression
Insufficient activity of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine is a central element of the model of depression most widely held by neurobiologists today.
In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, numerous studies were performed in which depressed patients were treated with the serotonin precursors L-Tryptophan and 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), and the dopamine and norepinephrine precursors Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine.
A summary published in the Alternative Medicine Revue looked at the data from all these studies. The author noted that the nature of the studies makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding the efficacy of neurotransmitter precursors for treating depression.
While there is evidence that precursor loading could work, particularly for serotonin precursor 5-HTP, more studies of suitable design and size “might lead to more conclusive results”.[xv]
Those studies have not materialized since that report was published 22 years ago.
5-HTP Recommended Dosage
Recommended dosage of 5-HTP if you’re going to try it is 50 mg 1 – 3 times per day.
Some studies have used higher doses than the recommended dose, but 5-HTP can be toxic for your central nervous system at high doses.
For anxiety or depression, 5-HTP is dosed at 150 – 300 mg per day total.
To relieve post MDMA (Ecstasy) depression, 5-HTP 100 mg on Day 3-7 after MDMA use.[xvi]
Successfully supplementing with 5-HTP requires stacking it with a dopamine precursor like L-Tyrosine or L-DOPA along with B-Vitamins (for synthesis), and one of the sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, or taurine).
And you must monitor the effects this stack is having on your body. If you start experiencing side effects of any kind, it’s a good indication that either serotonin or dopamine is out of balance.
DO NOT combine 5-HTP with any kind of antidepressant medication.
Combining SSRI’s, Tricyclics or MAOI’s with 5-HTP will cause Serotonin Syndrome. An extremely dangerous condition involving severe mental changes, hot flashes, rapidly fluctuating blood pressure and heart rate, and possibly coma leading to death.
Serotonin Syndrome can kill you. And I’m not kidding here.
5-HTP Side Effects
5-HTP supplementation can cause heartburn, heart palpitations, headache, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, sexual problems and muscle issues.
5-HTP can also cause some pretty radical mood changes including agitation, aggressiveness, anxiety, euphoria, poor decision-making, irritability, psychosis, restlessness and insomnia.
5-HTP can make the symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental disorders worse.
Serotonin Syndrome
And I can’t emphasize this enough so I’m going to repeat it here in case you missed it…
DO NOT combine 5-HTP with any kind of antidepressant medication. Or with carbidopa.
Combining SSRI’s, Tricyclics or MAOI’s with 5-HTP will cause Serotonin Syndrome. An extremely dangerous condition involving severe mental changes, hot flashes, rapidly fluctuating blood pressure and heart rate, and possibly coma.
And combining 5-HTP with carbidopa also has the potential of causing Serotonin Syndrome.
Serotonin Syndrome can kill you. And I’m not kidding here.
Type of 5-HTP to Buy
5-HTP is made from tryptophan in your body.
5-HTP as a nootropic supplement is made from extracts of the African tree Griffonia simplicifolia. 5-HTP supplements are typically in tablet or capsule form.
You’ll often find 5-HTP in many ready-made vitamin and herbal formulas.
If you are going to stack low-dose 5-HTP with L-Tyrosine I suggest: Natrol 5-HTP Fast Dissolve Tablets (Amazon). Cut the 100 mg tablet into quarters using a pill splitter and dissolve 25 mg 5-HTP under your tongue (sublingually).
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
5-HTP 50 mg up to 3-times per day
I DO NOT recommend using 5-HTP as a nootropic supplement.
Your body does synthesize 5-HTP on its own to make serotonin in your brain. And you can’t get 5-HTP from food. But you can get L-Tryptophan from food which is synthesized into 5-HTP in your body.
5-HTP may help you if you’re dealing with depression. But you must stack if with a dopamine amino acid precursor along with B-Vitamins and a sulfur-containing amino acid. See the “5-HTP Recommended Dosage” in this review above.
IF you are going to try 5-HTP, I suggest starting with a dose of more than 50 mg daily. You may want to take it in the evening because it could help sleep disorders.
Short-term dosing of 5-HTP of no more than 2 weeks seems to provide the most benefit if you’re going to benefit from this nootropic.
Or try using 5-HTP only on an “as needed” basis. For a mood boost, reduce social anxiety, and provide a short-term boost in cognition.
5-HTP supplementation on its own is NOT recommended. Nor is it recommended for long-term use.
Join The Discussion - 343 comments
Georgiana
September 12, 2022
Good afternoon. It would be very helpful if you could indicate a reliable commercial product available on the European market, combining 5-HTP with the rest of the elements indicated in your article (a dopamine precursor like L-Tyrosine or L-DOPA along with B-Vitamins (for synthesis), and one of the sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, or taurine)). Thank you in advance for your time and support.
David Tomen
September 13, 2022
Georgiana, the only European companies I’m familiar with are Mind Lab Pro and Performance Lab. And they produce the best products on the market period. But they do not produce anything containing 5-HTP. They do have a product called Performance Lab Sleep which contains L-Tryptophan which is a precursor to the synthesis of 5-HTP.
They also produce a product called PL-Immune which contains Sertria Glutathione of which cysteine is a precursor.
Georgiana
September 14, 2022
Thank you, David, for the prompt reply. If my understanding is correct (please correct me) from what I’ve read in your articles, the most helpful for mild depression (with all its associated symptoms, especially the ability to feel anything) is 5HTP/L-Tryptophan (~800 mg/day/taken in the evening) combined with L-Tyrosine (100 mg/day/during the day) + vitamins B + PL-Immune (or similar) taken during the day? thank you again for your support.
David Tomen
September 15, 2022
Georgiana, if your mild depression is due to neurotransmitter dysfunction you first need to figure out which one is causing the problem. If it is something other than serotonin 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan will not help. And if it is something other than dopamine or norepinephrine then L-Tyrosine will not help.
But if it is because of serotonin then 500 mg L-Tryptophan before bed may help. And if it’s dopamine and/or norepinephrine you ill need a minimum of 500 mg L-Tyrosine twice per day – morning and noon.
A deficiency in any of the B-Vitamins can also contribute to depression for a variety of reasons. When supplementing with the B-Vitamins it’s better to use a bioactive B-Complex than individual B-Vitamins because they work in synergy.
Finally, if inflammation is the cause then boosting your immune system to fight it should help. That’s where Glutathione comes in as well the the B-Vitamins.
Brad
November 5, 2022
how do you figure out which neurotransmitter is causing issues?
David Tomen
November 7, 2022
Brad, by testing each neurotransmitter using precursors one-at-a-time as described in this article: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-anxiety/
Christian
September 12, 2022
Hi David,
Could using an SSRI + L-Dopa potentially be more or at least equally effective in increasing and balancing serotonin & dopamine than 5-HTP/Tryptophan + Tyrosine (or other dopamine precursors)?
Also, I assume using Tryptophan depletes dopamine in a similar way to 5-HTP, correct?
David Tomen
September 13, 2022
Christian, if the dose of either Tryptophan or 5-HTP is high enough it will deplete dopamine.
But if you are using SSRIs the last thing you want to do is add Tryptophan or 5-HTP because you will end up with Serotonin Syndrome and possibly dead.
But using an SSRI is not doing to increase serotonin. They are serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The only way to increase physical levels of serotonin is with Tryptophan or 5-HTP.
Christian
September 14, 2022
Thanks for the reply. If SSRIs don’t increase serotonin, does that mean that they don’t suppress dopamine? I suppose that would make sense since it doesn’t involve synthesis. I thought I had read that anhedonia and sexual disfunction from SSRIs was caused by dopamine suppression but I could be misremembering.
David Tomen
September 15, 2022
Christian, you are correct. SSRI problems with Sexual dysfunction don’t have anything to do with dopamine. Not directly at least. Serotonin transmission is involved in ejaculation for example. And erections are dependent on a ton of pathways and receptors between your brain and your penis including epinephrine and norepinephrine receptors.
And anhedonia is treated with Ketamine which is a NMDA receptor antagonist. Which is a glutamate receptor.
Pablo Jimenez
September 7, 2022
Hello David,
I’m taking 100mg 5-HTP and 500mg of GABA daily before I go to sleep for insomnia. I’m also dealing with anxiety and depression. Is this a good combo to be taking or should I stack any other supplements with it?
Thanks for what you do! 🙂
David Tomen
September 7, 2022
Pablo, those are good doses for those two supplements. But if it’s not enough I suggest adding 400 mg magnesium, 500 mg L-Tryptophan, 200 mg Lemon Balm, and 400 mg L-Theanine before bed.
Pablo Jimenez
September 8, 2022
David, Can you recommend a product that has all those supplements in one capsule?
David Tomen
September 9, 2022
Pablo, you will get some of them in Performance Lab Sleep but not GABA or 5-HTP: https://bit.ly/35cx80b
Pablo Jimenez
September 13, 2022
David, I purchased the supplements separated before looking at your response but I will try that Performance lab supplement in the future.
I will take this stack starting tonight which is 400mg magnesium, 500 mg L-Tryptophan, 200 mg Lemon Balm, 400 mg L-Theanine, and 500mg of GABA before bed. I do not feel depressed anymore so I will stop using 5-HTP since I read that you don’t recommend using it for more that two weeks. Thanks!
Sierra
September 6, 2022
Hi David,
I have a son with ADHD, who is 10. He is currently on a very low dose of Adderal but it seems to only work sometimes and wears off too soon. His temper flairs at the drop of a hat even while on it and is incredibly moody, anxious at bedtime, not falling asleep some nights and is really negative. I am wondering about any info regarding 5-HTP and Tyrosine, Tryptophan for kids. I am currently taking Tyrosine and Tryptophan along with several others supplements to heal a myriad of things and I also have ADHD. They are helping so much. So gratefyul for my FMD, but testing and visits are so so expensive. Is there any info you could share about transitioning kids with ADHD (possibly ODD) to a supplement instead of the stimulant? Getting him tested is next but looking for anything to help in the meantime!
David Tomen
September 7, 2022
Sierra, see this section I included on kids with ADHD here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-adhd-add/#nootropics-for-kids
It would seem to me that the same supplements you use for your ADHD would work. You just may need a lower dose of each.
Dagmar
August 31, 2022
Hello ,
I am currently taking 5htp and L tyrosine and Nac, Coq 10,PQQ, Gluthanione.
I don’t know if I am taking the right ratio.
200mg 5htp
250 mg L tyrosine
B- Vitamins
PQQ (10mg )Coq-10 (100mg) with Nac (255mg)& Gluthaione (250mg )it is a combo from Solaray.
Primeroseoil 1000mg
I am feeling good with this combo. I would appreciate some feedback if I am doing the right dosage. Thanks.
It helps me with my Pmdd symptoms.
David Tomen
August 31, 2022
Dagmar, if it is working for you then you have the right dosage. But L-Tyrosine and NAC need to be used 2 or 3-times per day for full benefit.
MJ
August 28, 2022
Hi David, this is for my 18 yr old son. What do you think of this protocol – taking 100mg of 5HTP (in evenings) with a GABA supplement (also in the evening) and then SAM-E and a Mucuna supplement (by Protocol for Life Balance) + L-Tyrosine during the day. SAM-E is needed as methylation and low methionine levels were discovered via testing and 5 HTP for low serotonin levels and L-Tyrosine and Mucuna for dopamine/norepinephrine/epinephrine support). Our practitioner is recommending the below protocol for him (after testing via Rupa Laps and Doctor’s Data and OAT test) the short term use of-
-800mg SAM-E (one morning 400mg dose/one afternoon 400mg dose before 2pm) -he’s already been on 400mg dose for the past couple months
-Mucuna extract (800mg/L-dopa of 120mg) – 2x/day
-500mg L-Tyrosine – 2x/day
-L-Theanine – 2x day
-GABA (evenings)
He has mild depression and ADD/executive function symptoms (procrastination)/mild anxiety. Thank you.
David Tomen
August 31, 2022
MJ, you don’t need Mucuna Pruriens if you are using L-Tyrosine. In fact, I do not recommend it in someone only 18. L-DOPA is used to treat Parkinson’s Disease.
Yida
August 11, 2022
Hi David,
I read your L-tyrosine article. Can I use L-tyrosine to balance the side effects of 5-HTP. I only take 5-HTP(100mg) before bed and L-tyrosine(500mg) in the morning with 250mg DMAE. Is this combination ok?
Thanks
David Tomen
August 14, 2022
Yida, yes it should be OK.
Yida
August 18, 2022
Hi David,
My mother has type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. She takes Valsartan and Nifedipine for high blood pressure; and takes Dapagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride for type 2 diabetes.
She has a serious sleep problem. She tried 5-HTP and it seems to work for her. This is her routine at the moment: 5-HTP(100mg)+ Glycine( 1000mg）before bed. L-tyrosine(500mg) in the morning to balance the serotonin and DA. And Vitamin B complex.( Life Extension)
I am worried if the L-tyrosine(500mg) will increase her blood pressure. It hasn’t happened yet at the moment. I ask her to monitor it everyday….
My thought is, as She has type 2 diabetes she probably lacks serotonin in general. Maybe she can skip the L-tyrosine during the day. What do you think about this?
Thanks.
ps: I think I posted it but can not find it. Sorry if you have seen it already.
David Tomen
August 21, 2022
Vida, it’s going to take a lot more than just 500 mg L-Tyrosine to increase blood pressure.
Yida
August 23, 2022
David, I forget to mention that I had one side thyroid removed and have been taking Levothyroxine since then. I checked online it says that L-tyrosine will affect the thyroid. So I stopped L-tyrosine as well as 5-HTP this week. I use citrate magnesium and Glycine to replace 5-HTP. They worked, but not as good as 5-HTP does. But I have been takeing 5-HTP too long and I should have a break anyway.
I usually get up near noon and start to work in the afternoon. But this week I have to get up very early. It makes me feel so tired and fatigued especially now without 5-HTP‘s help. This morning I had DMAE and Rhodiola Rosea (250mg) and a cup of coffee, trying to get a bit more energy. And I had a 20 mins nap after lunch. In the afternoon, I took Acetyl-L-Carnitine, and then I start to have a headache. Strange enough, the headache gradually went away when I start to work. Does it mean I have too much ACH in my brain, with all these nootropics?
Since I had my thyroid removed, I constantly feel fatigued. And also I have ADD and anxiety. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to add Rhodiola Rosea to my routine.
Ps: I also use Schumann Resonance to help with sleep. it works but in a different way. You should try it, it is strangely effective. (no dreams)
David Tomen
August 23, 2022
Yida, thyroid hormone is made up of L-Tyrosine and iodine (T4 and T3). Some using those thyroid meds need to adjust their L-Tyrosine dosage depending on how you react to it.
5-HTP is made from serotonin. So, while magnesium and glycine may assist with sleep it is not a replacement for 5-HTP. The only thing you can replace 5-HTP with is L-Tryptophan which produces serotonin. And then goes on to make melatonin.
If you are dealing with ADHD then this is the stack you need: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-adhd-add/.
And if you are feeling chronic fatigue since you got your thyroid removed then your levothyroxine dosage is not correct. It is likely much too low for someone who only has half a thyroid.
Juan
July 15, 2022
Hello David! Would you recommend 5 htp at 200mg x 3 times per day as an appetite suppresant?
You are the best man, keep going!
David Tomen
July 17, 2022
Juan I absolutely do NOT suggest using 600 mg 5-HTP per day. Because it will eventually suppress dopamine and you will be in worse condition than when we started.
Serotonin and dopamine must be in balance. Because if they are not bad things can happen.
Juan
July 26, 2022
Thanks for the reply! Just one final question,
I was thinking in stacking 400mg of 5-htp daily (for weight loss) with 400mg of L-Tyrosine. Divided in two dosages.
What do you think?
David Tomen
July 26, 2022
Not a great idea because serotonin will likely become dominant and suppress dopamine. It may take a few weeks of using these supplements every day but even if it works at first in a few weeks you’ll find you are worse off.
Now, I’m not an expert on weight loss. But even so, I do know there are better supplements available for weight loss than messing with these neurotransmitters.