L-Tryptophan

L-tryptophan is an amino acid found in protein rich foods such as meat, fish and milk, and it is the stuff from which the brain makes serotonin. In theory, if we could simply eat more serotonin, it might help increase brain levels but serotonin can't get inside the brain from the blood. Instead, the brain makes serotonin from tryptophan once tryptophan crosses from the blood stream into the brain. It's also felt that carbohydrates help ferry tryptophan more readily into the brain.

This fact might explain why people who are depressed often crave certain foods - they are unconsciously helping their brains make more serotonin. Until the late 1980s, L-tryptophan was widely marketed especially in the United States as an over-the-counter sleep aid. In 1989, a rare but serious blood disorder began to occur in healthy people who had consumed quantities of L-tryptophan. As a result, federal authorities in the U.S. ordered the removal of all forms and dosage levels of L-tryptophan.

Eventually all cases of the blood disorder were traced back to a single L-tryptophan manufacturer who had modified the way in which the product is normally produced and purified. While L-tryptophan is still banned in the United States, it is available in a new form called 5-HTP.

As does L-tryptophan, 5-HTP cross into the brain where it is converted into serotonin. In Canada, L-tryptophan is available by prescription only. Primarily, doctors use L-tryptophan to enhance the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in the treatment of depression and certain anxiety disorders. It is also used as a natural sleep-aid in people who have difficulties with sleep. L-tryptophan is not, however, recommended for use during pregnancy.

If someone is interested in L-tryptophan, they should consult a knowledgeable practitioner about its safety and potential effectiveness for their own particular disorder.

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