5HTP for depression?

Hmmm ... I've been taking 40mg Celexa for the past few months, and feel heaps better - at times. Still have down bits though, which are icky. Overall better though, to be fair to the drug.

Tonight I was at dinner with friends who are in an interesting industry. They have a huge amount of 5HPT powder (as well as a lot of other stuff like melatonin) on hand. She was suffering depression - a toxicologist friend of theirs devised her a more 'natural' cocktail of 5HPT, SJW, probiotics and other vitamins / minerals.

She never filled her Prozac prescription, and after a month, started feeling much, much, much better.

They have given me a good supply of the 5HTP, and having talks to them tonight has done me the world of good as well (I am usually pretty introverted about this and try to hide is as much as possible).

Thing is I would need to stop the Celexa, as they both stimulate serotonin.

I would love to try the way they have gone for her. I know I have their friendship and support, and I have had success with SJW in the past.

The 5HTP I have only ever taken sporadically, and this is really really high quality stuff.

Does anyone have any advice on trying it?

Thanks

5-htp did me good. In combo with a daily dose of multi-vitamin and b-complex. My naturopath had recommended 5-htp and l-tyrosine (I think). After a few weeks I felt my depression had lifted. I better get back onto it, as I need to feel better nowadays....

Thanks

What is 5HTP and SJW? I have never heard of these products.

5HPT is a precursor to serotonin.

SJW = St John's Wort

5htp and sjw didn't work for me at all mainly due i think that i suffer severe depressive bouts wish they did work as i dislike medication of any kind good luck

I have found the same in the past, but a) the quality of the 5hpt is very high (from my friends), and b) i have been given a 'formula' which is a combination of some other things to take too - which was put together by a pharmacologist / toxicologist.

I hate medication so I am going to try it.

I tried taking less Celexa ... already a disaster (1 week of 1/2 dose)

i wish i could start the 5htp before stopping all the celexa, it seems too hard right now.

You don't have to stop the Celexa first. You can begin taking 5-HTP as an augment, even at full SSRI dosing, provided that you are alert to the first signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome (which is relatively rare, even still). You can certainly ramp up this new formula as you taper off the Celexa.

Lar

While 5-HTP, in a pure form is not a risk for EMS, there are some cautions to be observed in it's use. 5-HTP should not be used if you have the following medical conditions:

Cardiovascular Diseases; Extremely Elderly Persons; those with Parkinsons; Disease, Cancer or Autoimmune Diseases; Lung Diseases; Chronic Alcoholism; Liver diseases; parasitic infection; AIDS; Anorexia Nervosa; Low protein Diets; Severe allergies; Myalgia; Peripheral Neuropathy; Rash or Flushing; Edema; Nausea; Diarrhea; Sickle cell anemia; hemophilia; Pregnancy

Do not use 5-HTP is you are currently taking any of the following medications:

Anti-depressant drugs; Monoamine oxidase inhibitors; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Tricyclic medications; Weight Loss medications; Anti-parkinson medications; Barbiturates and other tranquilizing drugs; Antihistamines and cold medications; Alcoholic beverages; Intravenous drugs; Cancer chemotherapy or antibiotic medications.

Warning:

Dosages of 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan (5-HTP) greater than 100 milligrams per day should be taken only under the guidance of a physician. 5-HTP use at doses greater than 100 mg per day should be taken with the prescription drug carbadopa to prevent excessive levels of serotonin production in the peripheral blood circulation. 5-HTP can increase the effect of tranquilizing drugs and can impair the ability to drive an automobile.

From: http://depression.about.com/cs/altmed5htp/f/5htp.htm

I've been studying the available literature on 5-HTP for many years, and I have yet to see even a single case of toxic effects arising from the use of 5-HTP, with or without a carboxylase inhibitor, or even in combination with antidepressants.

The warnings associated with herbal source meds seem to be extreme. Compare the tone of the quoted text to anything you might see written about e.g. aspirin, which kills thousands of Americans every year, by causing GI bleeds.

In fact, 5-HTP is used in many studies of antidepressant efficacy, in order to demonstrate more distinct changes in prolactin and cortisol secretion, associated with positive antidepressant response.

It didn't take me very long to find one such study, and it involved the SSRI mentioned earlier in this thread:

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006 May;31(4):473-84. Epub 2005 Dec 27.
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan augments the neuroendocrine response to a SSRI.
Lowe SL, Yeo KP, Teng L, Soon DK, Pan A, Wise SD, Peck RW.
Lilly-NUS Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, Level 6, Clinical Research Centre (MD11), National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore, Singapore 117597. lowe-stephen@lilly.com

The objective of the study was to assess l-5-hydroxytryptophan's (l-5HTP) augmentation effect on the neuroendocrine response to a SSRI (citalopram). A neuroendocrine challenge study was conducted in healthy Asian male subjects. The neuroendocrine response to oral citalopram and l-5HTP was measured primarily as the prolactin and cortisol area under the response curve (or AUC). The study comprised 2 studies: Study 1. A double blind, randomised dose ranging study was conducted with l-5HTP (50-200 mg) to explore the prolactin and/or cortisol dose response and select a dose that provided a threshold neuroendocrine response. Study 2. A randomized comparison of citalopram 20 vs 40 mg was used to assess the effect of these doses on prolactin and cortisol. Based on the results of the dose response assessments with l-5HTP and cortisol, 200 mg l-5HTP was subsequently used in Study 2 to explore the augmentation of the neuroendocrine response to 20 mg citalopram. Citalopram, but not l-5HTP, increased prolactin AUC(0-3h) while 5HTP and citalopram increased cortisol AUC(0-3h). A 200 mg dose of l-5HTP significantly augmented the prolactin and cortisol response AUC(0-3h) to 20mg oral citalopram. The results of the study suggest that an augmented neuroendocrine challenge may be a suitable marker to demonstrate increased 5-HT-mediated responses when exploring novel agents as improved SSRIs.

I appreciate that caution is required, but I reiterate that I believe that many alternative treatments have attracted safety warnings that are quite over the top, i.e. not founded in science.

Lar

You have to be careful with 5-HTP and antidepressants thats for sure. I decided to take some at night when I was taking my Efexor in the morning, if you take them too close together it can result in Serotonin Syndrome etc.

It gave me EXTREMELY vivid dreams (the nightmares were enough on Efexor but this was another world altogether) I literally felt I was in another dimension and woke up very disorientated and felt messed up.

I continued it nightly for about a week but found I felt worse, cranky, snappy, agitated and generally messed up in the head. Its probably alot safer to have it when your not on any other anti depressant.

L-Tyrosine seems to be good though, I haven't had any problems with that. I don't have it daily though so not too sure on those effects

I've tried various prescription and natural anti depressants, I tried 5HTP briefly but didn't give them much of a chance. I've decided to try again. I'd just like to say the main problems were nightmares and very weird dreams, BUT it did help me to sleep which I really need.

I'd just like to ask : do the weird dreams lessen after using for a while ?

Can one expect (as with SSRI's) for depression to be slighlty worse before improving ?

Is sex drive/libido affected ?

Is appetite increased or decreased ?

Can they be taken alongside prescription meds ? (I need to tail off my low dose a/d slowly, a tricyclic).

Hope someone can give me some advice !? Thanks ! <font color="blue"> </font>

My apologies. I posted on this and didn't see this thread.
My libido increased. My appetite increased a little, I believe.
***I hope someone comes along and answers the question about taking it with other meds. I take Suboxone, but the doctor who had me on the SamE, the 5HTP, and Suboxone, and Librium, said it was fine, I took all those and am still breathing.
A doctor puit me on 5HTP with SamE because I have bad side effects from most psychiatric medications. It helps! I am going to start up again, as I haven't been on an antidepressant since Nov. 2005, but am feeling like I need some sort of natural boost. This stuff, imo, is great. I wish I knew what brand is the best though?

Thanks for replying ! I've been taking 5HTP for a few days now, starting at a 100mg tablet, I'm now taking two a day. The brand I have are 'Healthspan Happy Days 5HTP Serotonin Tonic' (they also contain Vitamin C and some B vitamins), however I notice you are in the US, I'm in the UK.

I have noticed no particular change in appetite, my mood seems a little better, I'm still taking my prescription tablets on a lower dose. Strangely, my libido seems to have increased (I expected it to decrease). The only side effects are a gastric discomfort (constant indigestion, which could be partly down to the B vitamins) and very detailed and bizarre dreams, but not nightmares.
I certainly will continue to take them, 5HTP is not prescribed by doctors in the Uk at present. I hope you get the boost you need from a natural source such as 5HTP, I too have had some nightmare reactions to some anti-depressant medications. I seem particularly prone to the unpleasant side effects !
Good luck.

PS. If any can advise me, how long did you take 5HTP before noticing an improvement in mood ? Thanks !