Before Antidepressants, Read This!!

“Green pharmacy” is a term that can be used when a natural dietary supplement is used to replace a pharmaceutical drug. And, one of the best examples of green pharmacy is the use of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in the treatment of depression instead of conventional antidepressant drugs. 5-HTP is formed from the amino acid tryptophan and exerts far more effective results than tryptophan in both depression and insomnia. In fact, because of feedback mechanisms, tryptophan supplementation is not very effective at all and sometimes makes matters worse. In contrast, 5-HTP has shown remarkable clinical results. Back in 1999, Michael Murray wrote a book, 5-HTP: The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, and Insomnia. And in the last 20+ years, the science on the use of 5-HTP for these conditions has only gotten stronger. 5-HTP can promote improved brain chemistry and turn things around for a person quickly until other measures like diet, attitude adjustment, and lifestyle take effect. 5-HTP is superior to tryptophan for many reasons. For example, while tryptophan competes with other amino acids for transport into the brain, 5-HTP bypasses this need and easily travels across the blood-brain-barrier to be converted to serotonin in the brain. 5-HTP is Nature’s Best Answer to Boosting Brain Serotonin Levels Raising serotonin will boost mood and when appropriate set the stage for a good night’s sleep. Daytime use of 5-HTP does not cause daytime drowsiness.

It has been known for quite some time that the gut microbiome, the collection of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, can influence mood. Since 5-HTP produces such good results in depression, researchers looked at the effects of 5-HTP on the gut microbiome in mice. What they discovered was that one of the major anti-depressant effects of 5-HTP is through restructuring the gut microbiome and improving the “microbiota-gut-brain axis.” 5-HTP also increased the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate and brain-derived chemicals associated with improved brain function and mood. These results provide even more support for the antidepressant effects of 5-HTP. The typical dosage recommendation for 5-HTP is 50 to 100 mg three times daily. Use an “enteric-coated” product or a chewable tablet to prevent stomach upset. And if you want to take advantage of 5-HTP’s appetite suppressing effect, take it 20 minutes before meals.

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