User Reviews for 5-htp

I recently started taking 100mg a day every morning along with Saint Johns Wort. For the last week. I have had very few mood swings. it seems the first few days i took it i seemed sore; not sure if it was from the pill or just everyday stress. Overall i'm satisfied with my mental state and actually being happy/not depressed.

I have taken 5 htp for over a year now for problems with my sleep. I pour it out of the capsule into a small amount of water into a glass & drink it at bedtime. I am sleeping much better, awake once or twice per night but am able to go right back to sleep. I seem to be dreaming much more than I have ever before. I am very happy with this product!

I read about 5-htp in 5/10 while having a fibro flare. I hurt so much all the time and was having difficulty sleeping which just made the daytime pain worse. I started 100 mg 3 x a day and within a week I was so much better. I tapered the dose down and when I am feeling pretty good I take 100mg a day, during times of extreme stress and pain I increase to 200 mg a day. I will continue on it as it has no side effects for me and sure is better that narcotic pain medicine.

I studied this because I suffer from depression (for 3 years) and two months ago started taking 100mg per day. I can not believe what a wonderful difference it has made in my life. I am very critical of taking pills to "fix things" but this one I so happy I tried. NO side effects, NO huge costs - just WONDERFUL life enhancing results! Depression is gone, my energy is up and I am sleeping better than I have in 10 years! Stock up before the medical community finds out it works and makes it a prescription drug only! Remember your illness is their profit!Read More Read Less

I discovered 5-HTP reading Julia Ross's 'The Mood Cure' which discusses the affects of amino acids and nutrition on mood disorders. Having suffered from major depression for over a year, declining my doctor's recommendation for SSRIs, I'm frankly surprised that after only 4 days I am feeling better. Have enjoyed restful sleep for the last 2 nights (first in many months) and feel generally more relaxed and at times even upbeat. I'm still depressed however am able to fulfil daily tasks & feel some satisfaction; those closest to me have noticed that I seem 'more myself'. Am curious to see what transpires in coming weeks, as apparently it takes 7-14 days for 5-HTPs full effects to be realized. Am combining with L-Glutamine. Read More Read Less

I have been struggling with migraines for 20 years. I have significantly decreased my need to take medication by 90% while taking 5 HTP 200mg time release a day (by Natrol) for the past 2 months. I am also losing weight and have less depression.

I currently take Lexapro & Neurontin for Major Depressive Disorder. I was quite depressed still, thru Oct & Nov. A health food store person recommended 5-HTP. I began taking it and my mood has increased. However, I don't know if that's from the 5-HTP or that my SAD has passed. I also just found out that Lexapro and 5-HTP taken together without monitoring by a dr., can cause Serotonin Syndrome, which can be fatal!!!

I began having issues with depression and anxiety about nine months after my father passed away. With a terminal parent, a new baby and a full time job . . . I never had an oppurtunity to deal with all the emotions and eventually, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't even know there was a problem until I had a severe panic attack and ended up in the emergency room. I was put on antidepressents (Lexapro originally and Zoloft after) both of which gave me severe panic attacks and anxiety 24 hours a day. I went from functioning to nonfunctioning almost immediately. I began not being able to sleep and having severe migraine headaches. I have begun taking 50 mg of 5-htp every other night along with a multi vitamin and fish oil daily. Of course, I have also done behavioral cognitive therapy and have seen a social worker but I have noticed an amazing difference in my depression and my anxiety has almost completely lifted. I am sleeping again. I feel like myself again only better. I am happy and I truly think it was all of these things put together but 5-htp had alot to do with it. I will say that I am 24 years old and am 5'3, 120 lbs. The first afternoon I took 100 mg and it was way too much for me. But the side effects were still not as bad as the antidepressents. I do currently still get headaches almost everyday; however, the duration and severity has improved. Hopefully at some point, these will go away too! But I'll take an aching headache over my previous symptoms anyday. Read More Read Less

My husband and I took 5-HTP to help for sleep and we both got SEVERE stomach cramps, headache, and heart racing. I am on Paxil. Use with EXTREME caution.

It makes you very happy almost slap happy the first day or two. After three or four days you fell like a normal person again. Happy when you should be, yes you still feel emotions, you get sad when appropriate but not depressed for no good reason.

This is the best supplement I have taken ever! Look, I've suffered from insomnia, depression, chronic insomnia, and panic disorder. And if I'm telling you this works, than believe me go try it. I have been on so many medications that I had terrible side effects and decided I needed a change. And boy I'm glad I did the alternative route. When you take 5 HTP, just make sure you take it with vitamin B3 (niacin) or vitamin c (ascorbic acid). It helps the absorption. Also if you increase the dosage by yourself, do it slowly. You can get nausea if you go too fast. Hope this helps if you are looking for a miracle cure.Read More Read Less

I have been taking 100mg of 5-HTP for just under a month now. I was amazed at the increased energy I had in the first week of taking it. I have been on Cymbalta for over 6 months with moderate relief. I am allergic to most pain medications (causes migraines) so I use a Lidoderm patch for relief at night. I have not needed one in over a week even with the temperature dropping to 40° my pain has been mild. I do experience some nausea, but does not last long if I eat something. My sleep has not improved, but I use Melatonin when don't have to get up the next morning.Read More Read Less

This medicine does make me sleepy so i only take 100mg about an hour before i go to bed. It has helped greatly with sleep and with my mild depression symptoms.

So far so good! I started 5 htp over a month ago at 100 mg 1st thing in the morning. It has helped lift my depression and pms symptoms. I just recently added sameE because I heard the two work well together - we'll see. Best part of 5 htp is no side effects that I can tell.

I have had a clinical depression problem for 28 years, taking Tofranil for 15 years because it was the only drug that really worked well. Because of my age and heart problems Tofranil was causing, i tried 5-HTP as an alternative. At 300 mgs daily i feel wonderful, it works better than any prescription drug i've been on. Also insomnia and over eating that was associated with my depression is gone with no side effects from taking 5-HTP. So please, if you're having depression problems give it a try. I realize not all medications or supplements work well for everyone, but it very well could give you your life back if you're depressed.Read More Read Less

I've had an extremely stressfull year and had at one point been on prescription meds for depression/anxiety/insomnia. Have been off of them for several months except for Lunesta as needed for sleep. Even with the Lunesta I was not always sleeping well. Tried melatonin with no results when I found 5HTP. It has been truly amazing. It took about a week at 50 mg taken at bedtime to kick in, but now I'm sleeping better than I have in ages. Had a tough day last week, so I took an additional 25 mg in the morning. Worked great...felt better than with prescription meds. I bought the 100 mg tablets and just cut them up as needed. Read More Read Less

I used to take Prozac and since it started working less and less I decided to start on 5-HTP. I take 100mg every morning. At first I got nauseous after eating my breakfast but that slowly went away after one week of taking it. Now I'm having these nervous ticks, like a tingling all over my body (the kind you get when you hit your funny bone, but it doesn't hurt — and it's all over). I'm not sure what that's coming from. I had a crown put in and that's when it started. It could be from the crown or the 5-HTP. I won't find out until I start experimenting (taking 50mg of 5-HTP, or taking every other day, etc.) I'd like to ask my doctor but doctors here on the East Coast don't deal with non dug medications. I asked him already about other things and I didn't get an answer. I will add another comment as I figure out what the problem is.Read More Read Less

I was depressed and had anxieties for a few years number of years. I didn't relize I was off balance because of my depression. I have been taking the 5 htp for over 4 months now and not only did my depression disappear, I lost 35lbs and my cycle is finally back on track like it used to be over 9 years ago before having my 3rd child. I never had any side effects! It has given me my life back and you can ask my kids how much more happier they are to have a happy Mom!

I am in my early 50's and have been just feeling blah, no energy, not wanting to do anything,just not happy with life. I had also been gaining weight and being very agitated with anyone especially my dear sweet husband whom I would bite his head off at any given moment. My husband wanted me to see a Dr. any Dr.! He couldn't take my mood swings any longer. More than half of the population is on some sort of prescription drug for depression and anxiety and I didn't want to be one more statistic. I did research on serotonin depletion and 5 HTP. I take 50mg at night on a empty stomach as is directed, with any new medication or supplement start with the lowest dose. Also research what are good reputable brands. What a difference it has made in my mood. I have more energy than ever from am to pm. I am happy to get out of bed in the morning, I am sleeping well, the first night I had some strange dreams but that was it. I also take 3mg of melatonin. I don't feel sad or have that blah feeling and I no longer bite my husbands head off! I feel very stable. I would rather try supplements that are more natural to my body than pharmeceuticals and this one has been a God send. Only side effect, if it is one, is that I don't feel hungry. Maybe the extra weight will finally come off.Read More Read Less