Discussions

I read with interest, Sylvia Ubell's article in the Healthy Living section of of the Sunday edition of the Brandon Sun Community News Edition.  
 
Ubell discusses with readers the benefits of 5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan.  
The supplement source of 5-HTP is the African seed called Griffonia and is a precursor to the production of serotonin.  
5-HTP safely raises the level of serotonin which is responsible for making our mood stay balanced.  
 
The benefits, as I understand the article:  
- settles depression, frazzled nerves and balances moods.  
- helps sleep, because serotonin levels can increase melatonin levels.  
- can help with feeling down in the dumps in the winter as serotonin levels drop with less sunlight and lower levels of Vitamin D.  
- women with PMS related-hormone changes with cravings for sugar, starchy carbs and chocolate ( and crabby men too!) may find balances in their moods.  
- works great for jet lag.  
 
One side-effect of 5-HTP is some people will start remembering dreams. This is normal and desirable because of going into deeper REM sleep that gets your body more rested.  
 
 
I also found in my research on 5-HTP  
at www.5htp.com  
 
5-HTP is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain. As a result, many people are overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates, experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have vague muscle aches and pain. All of these maladies are correctable by raising brain serotonin levels. The primary therapeutic applications for 5-HTP are low serotonin states as listed in Table 1.  
 
Table 1. Conditions associated with low serotonin levels helped by 5-HTP  
 
Depression  
Obesity  
Carbohydrate craving  
Bulimia  
Insomnia  
Narcolepsy  
Sleep apnea  
Migraine headaches  
Tension headaches  
Chronic daily headaches  
Premenstrual syndrome  
Fibromyalgia