The short answer: 5-HTP is a building block your body uses to make serotonin. It is sold for mood, stress and sleep, but the evidence that it helps is inconclusive. The key safety point: taken with antidepressants or certain migraine and pain medicines, 5-HTP can push serotonin to dangerous levels. Check with your doctor and pharmacist before you take it.
What 5-HTP is
5-HTP comes from tryptophan, an amino acid in food, and the body uses it to make serotonin [1]. Supplements are usually made from the seeds of an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia.
What the evidence shows
5-HTP is sold for mood, anxiety and sleep, but evidence that it works is inconclusive, and there is no clearly established dose [1]. At low doses it has been linked to few side effects [1].
The medicine warning
- 5-HTP can cause serious interactions with many medicines, especially antidepressants. Together they can raise serotonin to dangerous levels, a condition called serotonin syndrome [1].
- Some migraine and pain medicines can also interact with it [1].
- Warning signs include agitation, confusion or hallucinations, tremors or muscle spasms, heavy sweating, diarrhea, a racing heart, high blood pressure and fever [1]. Get medical help right away if you notice these.
- Poison control experts advise not taking 5-HTP until your doctor and pharmacist have checked it against everything else you take, including other supplements [1].
A note on quality
In 1989, contaminated tryptophan supplements from one manufacturer sickened more than 1,500 people in the U.S. and caused at least 30 deaths [1]. Supplements are not tested like drugs, so choose brands that use independent quality testing [1].
Who should not take it without a doctor's OK
- Anyone taking an antidepressant, or migraine or prescription pain medicine [1].
- People who are pregnant or nursing, and anyone under 18.
- Anyone with a medical condition or taking other prescription medicines.
Keep 5-HTP, like all supplements, out of reach of children. For a possible reaction or overdose, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 [1].
5-HTP
5-hydroxytryptophan from Griffonia simplicifolia seed extract, with calcium carbonate, in a gelatin capsule. Label use: two capsules once a day, 20–30 minutes before a meal. 60 capsules. Made in the USA.
See special pricing on 5-HTP →*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Special pricing: 10% off with code ONF10, applied automatically. Only Nature's Finest may earn from purchases made through this link.
Talk with your doctor first. This guide is general education, not personal medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, take prescription medicine, or have a health condition.