# restarting better quality tryptophan?



## mr t (Jan 28, 2010)

I have had depression and anxiety for years. I used pretty much all the prescription meds available and got good results from luvox. I hadnt felt that happy and socially confident in my whole life. But the sexual side effects were too much and I got off. I figured since luvox works by elevating serotonin levels i would try l tryptophan since it is serotonins precursor.

I took the l tryptophan for about a year and used a brand called Sources Natural. It was kind of cheap so i said what they heck ill try it. It gave me some relief but slowly the effects seemed to fade.

What im wondering is if i should retry trytophan but a higher quality brand and see what happens. I have a basket full of most of the supplements people used and havent had great results with most.

Is it worth my trouble to retry tryptophan? Is there really a difference in qualities?

Thanks


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## robertz (Feb 4, 2009)

There can be BIG differences between brands. You shoul avoid "El-Cheapo" brands because not only their products suck (are not effective) they can also have harmful impurities. 

I recommend the following brands: 

- Solgar (one of the best)
- Thorne Research (safe and well-known)
- Nutricology (same as above)
- Jarrow Formulas (some of their products are top notch)
- Bluebonnet (this one in not so well-known but it's of good quality)

I recently tried L-Tryptophan thinking it would not give me side effects as 5-HTP did, but it's almost the same. The serotonin receptors get used to high levels of serotonin. I recommend you to use these products for no more than a couple of weeks and then take a break.


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## renski (May 9, 2007)

I've been using jarrow's L-Tryptophan, can't say I have any of the side effects 5-HTP gove me. The general happiness I experienced in the first few days is gone, but it's reduced my anxiety heaps..


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## robertz (Feb 4, 2009)

renski said:


> I've been using jarrow's L-Tryptophan, can't say I have any of the side effects 5-HTP gove me. The general happiness I experienced in the first few days is gone, but it's reduced my anxiety heaps..


Supplements are very good because the body knows how to use them, and hence the are less chances of side effects than if you use drugs (legal or not). But THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM, because in the body there are many biochemical reactions and the body is always trying to regulate them, this is known as homeostasis. So you experienced happiness the first days because your serotonin receptors were not used to such an increase in tryptophan, but after some time they sensitivize and the number of receptors decrease to acomodate the new situation. The drugs don't usually let this happen and that is why the work for longer periods of time.

The conclusion is that you should always take breaks when taking supplements. This is specially important with single aminoacids.

It MIGHT also be that the increased activity of the enzyme that breaks down the monoamines (serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline et al) keeps a balanced level of serotonin, but since you are not also taking dopamine precursors (L-Tyrosine for example) more catecholamines than usual are destroyed. You may try to take catecholamine precursors (L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Mucuna Pruriens) then to see if the situation is reversed.


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## lazySOB (Jan 27, 2010)

tryptophan is tryptophan it all comes from a biotech company in China because that's where all the western supplement labels source their materials due to the low cost. 

personally i'm not a believer in serotonin precursors at all. serotonin may work temporarily over the course of 3 to 6 months and after that it is going to turn you into an apathetic fat lard. if you've used it for any length of time you've surely gained between 10 and 20 pounds. if you're unhappy that the initial burst of euphoria is gone then you should try to understand that it may not be the right solution. if you've found your personal solution then you should be making gains everyday and be happy that the psychological disturbances are not happening when you ingest the supplement.


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## robertz (Feb 4, 2009)

lazySOB said:


> tryptophan is tryptophan it all comes from a biotech company in China because that's where all the western supplement labels source their materials due to the low cost.


Almost all L-Tryptophan comes from Japan, not China. *Jarrow Formulas uses exclusively the Tryptopure brand of Tryptophan, manufactured by Ajinomoto of Japan.

I agree with you, raising serotonin for prolonged periods of time will make you feel like a zombie with no motivation for anything.

*


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## renski (May 9, 2007)

I've only been taking a small dosage for a few weeks and it's already making me lazy and disinterested in everything. It's worse when I stop taking it for 2 days, then I feel really tired aswell. But for now it's doing enough to calm me down. I've been obsessing over my heart rate/breathing for 3-4 months, and ever since I started taking L-Tryptophan my heart rate has come down quite a lot, and I'm no longer constantly thinking about it.


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## Emile (Feb 3, 2010)

I notice almost nothing from serotonin precursors, unfortunately. I get a little something from tyrosine though. Someone's comment that it "stops working" after a while is disturbing. I'm taking a fairly high dose, 2000mg 2-3 times daily, but I can surely downsize it, I just figured that as it's an amino acid found in the normal diet and synthesized into the neurotransmitters by the brain, an entirely natural process, there wouldn't really be the loss-of-effect profile most pharmaceuticals have

This is one of the only things I have found to work against my problems, and it's certain to cease working. Frack.


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## robertz (Feb 4, 2009)

Emile said:


> I notice almost nothing from serotonin precursors, unfortunately. I get a little something from tyrosine though. Someone's comment that it "stops working" after a while is disturbing. I'm taking a fairly high dose, 2000mg 2-3 times daily, but I can surely downsize it, I just figured that as it's an amino acid found in the normal diet and synthesized into the neurotransmitters by the brain, an entirely natural process, there wouldn't really be the loss-of-effect profile most pharmaceuticals have
> 
> This is one of the only things I have found to work against my problems, and it's certain to cease working. Frack.


If it stops working, you may try other precursors like L-Phenylalanine or Mucuna Pruriens.

Other supplements that are not precursors for dopamine but that also increase its synthesis are TMG and SAM-e because they are both methyl donors. TMG is very cheap, SAM-e is expensive.


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## Panic Prone (Mar 5, 2006)

Dr's best tryptophan enchanced is good. It uses tryptopure. I have been taking it for a few days a noticed a difference already. Depression has caused me to have terrible aches and pain. Within the last 2 days I have noticed a considerably less level of pain. It's almost as if my muscles are relaxing better cause they never seem to relax. They are always stiff as can be. I plan on taking this for a couple months till I see a overal lift in my depression. I'm taking 500mg 2x a day during the day. 1x in the morning and 1x in the afternoon. Not a night cause I don't want it to convert to melatonin, only serotonin.


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## deebeee (May 7, 2014)

*Zoloft and L-Tryptophan?*

I'm wondering if there is any problem taking L-Tryptophan for sleep problems while taking Zoloft for depression. I have CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue) and am suffering greatly from reverse sleep, cannot get my sleep to occur at night.

Does anyone know if it's OK to take L-Tryptophan and Zoloft?
I know that Melatonin is a no no with Zoloft.

Thanks!!


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## ChillinAtHome (Jul 16, 2014)

deebeee said:


> I'm wondering if there is any problem taking L-Tryptophan for sleep problems while taking Zoloft for depression. I have CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue) and am suffering greatly from reverse sleep, cannot get my sleep to occur at night.
> 
> Does anyone know if it's OK to take L-Tryptophan and Zoloft?
> I know that Melatonin is a no no with Zoloft.
> ...


I actually was just reading this: http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-10006312#hn-10006312-interactions

Apparently not a good idea to mix L Tryptophan with anti depressants.


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