I just started taking L-Tryptophan on Sunday night before bed. Monday, i woke up feeling really refreshed even though I only slept 4 hours. My face and eyes were puffy. Well, i was in the best mood all day Monday and felt euphoric on and off. Also really content, the usual work stress did not bother me. I was very friendly and talkative throughout the day, and felt confident that problems would turn out ok.

Well I took the same on Monday night, which was 3 1000 mg. capsules (1 capsule also contains 250 mg. of L-Lysine and 66 mg. of Niacin which I just noticed). I felt well-rested in the morning, but I was so irritable all day Tuesday. I had trouble concentrating too, and felt negative about everything. I had major insomnia last night. edited to add: because of this, i only took 1 last night and feel the way i did before i started taking it.

Is this a known reaction to Tryptophan? Has this supplement worked for anyone? I suppose I should search through the old threads; didn't think about that before.

[Webgoji]

L-Tryptophan is an amino acid used by your body in healing, rebuilding and building muscles. One of the side effects of ingesting active L-Tryptophan is that you get sleepy. Thus the reason everyone tends to get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner, turkey contains lots of L-Tryptophan.

But that said, it has to be active to have that affect. Activating it is done by temperature, it has to be warm. Since you're taking it in supplement form, it likely would have little affect on your mood or sleep patterns.

On the other hand, Niacin can cause the puffiness and make you feel flush. I'm guessing that the combination of the amino acids and the niacin likely caused some irritability as your energy level was up (and also the insomnia). The first reaction was probably to the energy being up as well.

[vans1974]

Supposedly, taking at least 6 grams of L-tryptophan per day could possibly decrease mood swings, but the effect would be minimal.

Originally Posted by Webgoji

L-Tryptophan is an amino acid used by your body in healing, rebuilding and building muscles. One of the side effects of ingesting active L-Tryptophan is that you get sleepy. Thus the reason everyone tends to get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner, turkey contains lots of L-Tryptophan.

But that said, it has to be active to have that affect. Activating it is done by temperature, it has to be warm. Since you're taking it in supplement form, it likely would have little affect on your mood or sleep patterns.

On the other hand, Niacin can cause the puffiness and make you feel flush. I'm guessing that the combination of the amino acids and the niacin likely caused some irritability as your energy level was up (and also the insomnia). The first reaction was probably to the energy being up as well.

Ah, the Niacin. I didn't like the puffiness but at least it didn't last long.

Do you think the L derivative accounts for temperature, or are the supplements all inactive?

How could that be if the research from multiple sources says it's effective for insomnia? This isn't the site I originally used when deciding to take it, which I cannot re-locate, but this summary is similar:

L-Tryptophan | University of Michigan Health System

Originally Posted by vans1974

Supposedly, taking at least 6 grams of L-tryptophan per day could possibly decrease mood swings, but the effect would be minimal.

And I suppose you might be too sleepy to have the mood swings in the first place.

Thanks guys. After I thought about this more, I suspect the effects on my mood were more likely to be caused by the sudden discontinuation of Zolpidem. Oops, I forgot to mention that in the first place.

[radiox]

l-tryptophan made me manic and psychotic.
I advise anyone who is taking a medication to increase their serotonin leveled to monitor their anxiety levels very carefully. If your serotonin leveled in you body build up and get too high (as mine did), it can cause anxiety, mania and even psychosis. If you are bipolar or suffer any form of anxiety. Please be very careful. For depression caused by anxiety, I like to take natural tranquilizers such as l-theanine camomile and lemon balm.

always do your research and try to take hens and supliments under the supervision of a doctor, dietitian and herbalist.

[venusss]

Does this work as sleep supplement?

I read online it's a substitute to melatonin (which is illegal where I live).

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

Does this work as sleep supplement?

I read online it's a substitute to melatonin (which is illegal where I live).

Meh, sort of. It's not the best, but when active it will make you sleepy. That's why warm milk makes you sleepy and cold milk doesn't. Warming the milk activates the L-tryptophan. Throw in a little cinnima ... cimanim ... cinnamon and nutmeg and it's off to beddy-bye.

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by skies

Ah, the Niacin. I didn't like the puffiness but at least it didn't last long.

Do you think the L derivative accounts for temperature, or are the supplements all inactive?

The L designates which stereoisomer of the molecule it is. For example, you could have D-Tryptophan (I think, I'm not so good at biochemistry). Basically, everything is the same about the different letter designations except their 3D structure. Not all supplements are inactive, most are activated actually. L-Tryptophan still works for rebuilding muscles and such even if it isn't active.

But if you want sleepies, then you want it activated.

[Altered Moment]

All stereoisomers in the human body are left handed. It is very odd but the mirror image ones are inactive in the body. Strange fact of nature. At least naturally occurring proteins are all L in biology. As far as I can remember from bio chem. I am not sure if the D's do anything.

Or I should add that not all proteins are stereo. It is the ones that are, that are optically active and rotate about a chiral center, that are all L in nature. No D's occur naturally so I don't see how a D would do anything.

[Marshellette]

Tryptophan is a natural anti-depressant that may help with sleep and may induce mania.