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Supposed to help with sleep disorders, fibromyalgia, weight loss, depression & anxiety. Someone told me of this all-natural supplement (Griffonia seed extract) recently (it provides a basic chemical for proteins that serotonin production uses) and I started taking it yesterday, starting with small recommend dosages for general benefits. It's reported to improve many common ailments of caregivers, so I'm realistically hopeful there are some benefits. Any improvement in my quality of sleep, my anxiety issues, would be so helpful to me.

I thought I would see if anyone on AC wanted to weigh-in with your own anecdotal experiences? Also wanted to generally put this on your radar as a supplement, if you're unaware of it, as I was until very recently.

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What does the initials in 5-HTP stand for? I do not sleep much myself and maybe I can ask my doctor about this.
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It's hydroxytryptophan... and it's usually combined with L-tryptophan because the L-tryptophan assists in breakdown/absorption or something to that effect.

Please do ask your doctor, I'd be curious about their input. I've been taking for maybe a week now. I haven't noticed anything but the people who recommended this to me gave me some powerful personal use history... as well, there are plenty of testimonials online.
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We bought and tried 5 Htp-it was supposed to help /w,aspergers. No.
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I agree, Send. It didn't help significantly, if at all.
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Getting wiser, when something is touted as a cure-all for everything, it may not fix anything.
Like, trying coconut oil, that was not too helpful either.
Fads.
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I took that for a while and it seemed to work at first but then it started to affect me negatively emotionally. I started to feel like my brain was scrambled. Sorry but thats my best way of describing it.
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eeeeeueeeeeww! Free associating here, my dad used to fry up calf brains with scrambled eggs=scrambled brains. I didn't like it. Off topic, I know.
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It can cause gastric distress.
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Send ~ probably very nutritious, though. I find if I don't know what some animal food is made of (Chorizo is a good example), then I like it just fine.

Sorry ~ I do remember that part, too, now that you mention. More than anything, it just doesn't work that well. I'd put up with gastric distress if it meant a natural alternative to anti-depressants, however, 5 htp isn't it.

My Pysch did say that I could use it for the purpose of anti-depressant -- I'd asked him about it a few months after I made this post -- so he was familiar and seemed to think it had some merit...?
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I know this question is old, but my naturopath put my on it and I ended up reeking of sulphur. (Send's scrambled egg analogy hit home, except there weren't any brains in it.) Not to mention that it did nothing for my depression. Needless to say ...
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I've been taking it this winter, well I've sort of been taking it because I often forget. It is supposed to be helpful with SAD, and although I don't have that I am definitely a person whose moods are affected by the weather and seasons. I haven't noticed any side effects - perhaps because I'm not getting a consistent dose - but I do seem to be less bitchy this winter. Of course it has been a mild winter too, so it is hard to say whether the 5-HTP should get the credit.
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