Amino acids: all about 5-HTP’s

Posted September 18, 2007 at 05:00 PM by Mark Scott

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, Injuries & Rehab

One popular supplement that those who are very intensely involved in their training program sometimes take is 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-l-trpotphan).

5-HTP is an amino acid that, upon reaching the brain, converts to a chemical in the body called serotonin.  Serotonin is one of the main substances that is involved in regulation of your moods, behaviors, appetites as well as your sleep cycle.

Having a regular sleep cycle is particularly important to making progress in the gym because while sleeping your body is hard at work, repairing the muscle tissues that were damaged during the day. If this process is not complete and you go to the gym for another session, you will just further break down this already damaged tissue and if the case is severe enough, start losing muscle mass.

5-HTP has been available to the general population since 1994 and was available through pharmacies for many years before that as well. 

Because this is a relatively new supplement, all the safety issues are not entirely known with regards to long-term use.  For this reason, if you do decide to take it, it is recommended that you take the minimum dose necessary and avoid chronic use or cycle the supplement (spend some time on it and then move off for a fixed period of time before starting again). This will also help to avoid the chance that a tolerance to the substance builds up in the body and it starts to become less effective.

The research studies that have been done on 5-HTP show that those who take it notice and elevation in their moods while also experiencing a decrease in appetite levels. Obviously for anyone on a diet, both of these factors are going to be highly beneficial.  Often the most noticeable side effect of being on a diet is hunger which then leads to a bad mood, so clearing both of these problems up will make your weight loss journey that much easier.

Some individuals do react to 5-HTP however and don’t feel so well, (often report feeling ‘wired’) so it is important to start out again with the minimum dosage and carefully monitor how it affects you. If you notice any negative side effects happening, be sure to discontinue use immediately.

You should be aiming to start with 50 mg of 5-HTP taken three times per day.  If this does not lead to a positive response in your body, then you can try increasing that up to 100 mg, however this is the maximum amount you should ever use.

Research sources and for more information:[5 HTPs]; [picture]