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L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that the body makes from tryptophan. It can also be extracted from seeds of the Griffonia simplicifolia plant and taken as a dietary supplement. Your body needs 5-HTP to make the hormones serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin helps regulate your mood, sleep, memory, and brain function, while melatonin is involved in the sleep-wake cycle.
5-HTP supplements are taken for benefits such as boosting mood, improving sleep, and fighting fatigue. However, most of the research on 5-HTP in humans is decades old and based on small sample sizes, so more data is necessary.
1. Mood Boost
In theory, 5-HTP can act as an antidepressant because it increases levels of serotonin in the brain. Low levels of the “feel-good hormone” serotonin may be associated with depression, though not all researchers agree on this.
Don’t throw away your prescription bottles just yet. So far, there’s only weak evidence to recommend 5-HTP for mood disorders, including a study of 25 people with Parkinson’s disease that showed that 50 milligrams (mg) a day of 5-HTP for four weeks improved symptoms of depression.
Large clinical trials are necessary to determine if 5-HTP is genuinely better than a placebo (a sugar pill that doesn’t offer any therapeutic benefits) at treating depression or other mood disorders. Practically speaking, 5-HTP has a short half-life of about two hours. This means the body breaks down half of the dose within two hours, so it may not have a sustained effect on mood.
2. Migraine Help
Migraine is a common brain condition that’s thought to be linked to low levels of serotonin.
5-HTP may help prevent migraines or chronic tension headaches. Other research suggests that 5-HTP could play a role in females who have migraines with aura. However, this is based on an animal study of female rats, so trials in humans are necessary to know for sure.
3. Reduced Fatigue
Fatigue (a prolonged state of exhaustion despite getting rest) is a symptom of many chronic conditions, including cancer, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are many causes of fatigue, one of which may be low serotonin levels.
Although 5-HTP could theoretically boost energy by increasing serotonin, there’s currently very little evidence it does.
An older study from the 1990s showed that 5-HTP reduced fatigue and other symptoms of fibromyalgia in a group of 50 females.
More recently, a clinical trial showed that 5-HTP does not significantly reduce fatigue in people with remission of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
4. Weight Management Support
Research has shown that 5-HTP can help curb appetite, decrease food intake, and cause weight loss in a few small studies of people with obesity.
A study of 48 active adults concluded that taking 5-HTP for eight weeks decreased body fat and improved body composition.
5. Improved Sleep Quality
Scientists have investigated 5-HTP as a sleep aid because it increases melatonin and serotonin, both of which are vital to the body’s ability to get needed sleep.
According to a 1970s study, 5-HTP may increase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep by up to 50% in healthy adults. More recently, a small study of 18 adults with Parkinson’s disease and sleep disorders also found that it improved REM sleep.
A small clinical trial showed that taking 5-HTP for up to eight weeks can help older adults fall asleep faster. Interestingly, after eight weeks, the benefits of 5-HTP for sleep seem to level off.
Another small study noted that among older adults, those with poor sleep patterns responded the best to 5-HTP for sleep. In this trial, 5-HTP was also found to improve bacteria in the digestive tract, which may improve sleep quality.
How Much Should I Take?
The optimal dose of 5-HTP is unclear. It hasn’t been studied well or often, and dosage ranges have varied widely. In the 1970s and 1980s, for instance, 5-HTP was studied for depression at dosages ranging from 50 mg to over 3,000 mg daily.
Recently, 5-HTP has been studied in clinical trials at the following dosages for these specific conditions:
- For depression in people with Parkinson’s disease: 50 mg daily
- To improve sleep quality: 100 mg daily
- To improve body composition: 100 mg daily
- For obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): 100 mg twice a day, in combination with the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac)
- For fatigue in people with IBD: 100 mg twice daily
If you are considering taking 5-HTP for mood support or another condition, discuss how to take it with your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or registered dietitian first.
5-HTP Safety and Side Effects
- Precautions: Don’t take 5-HTP if you’re pregnant or nursing. We don’t know enough about safety for these populations, and animal studies show they may cause harm.
- Interactions: 5-HTP interacts with other medications that raise serotonin levels, including antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and supplements like St. John’s wort. This interaction could be helpful or harmful. In one study, for instance, 5-HTP plus fluoxetine (Prozac) was more effective than fluoxetine alone for OCD. On the other hand, too much serotonin can be toxic (see below). Similarly, taking 5-HTP with melatonin supplements or other medications that increase melatonin levels may cause side effects like excess sedation.
- Side effects: 5-HTP can cause gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea and vomiting. These adverse effects are more likely with higher doses of 5-HTP. Taking too much 5-HTP may cause serotonin syndrome, which can be life-threatening. Symptoms vary but can include anxiety, confusion, sweating, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, or muscle stiffness. 5-HTP may be toxic to the brain.
- When to consult your healthcare provider: For optimal health, discuss using 5-HTP or any supplement with your healthcare provider before adding it to your medication regimen. Don’t self-treat conditions like depression. Remember that the best treatment for you may include lifestyle modifications, cognitive-behavioral therapy, medications, or a combination of these. Similarly, issues like fatigue and trouble sleeping are often symptoms of an underlying condition that your healthcare provider can help you manage.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements the way it regulates prescription medications. As a result, some supplement products may not contain the ingredients listed on the label. When choosing a supplement, look for products independently tested or certified by organizations such as NSF, U.S. Pharmacopeia(USP), or ConsumerLab.com. For personalized guidance, consult your healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
Summary
5-HTP is an amino acid that the body converts into the hormones melatonin and serotonin.
Advertised benefits of 5-HTP supplements include improved sleep, mood, and body composition. However, very little evidence supports 5-HTP for these or other uses.
Side effects of 5-HTP range from mild (stomach upset) to severe (serotonin toxicity). Discuss the use of this supplement with your healthcare provider before taking it.