5-HTP

What Is 5-HTP?

5-HTP is a molecule the body makes on the way from tryptophan to serotonin. It barely exists in food. The material in these capsules comes from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a climbing shrub of West African forests that stores it in unusual quantity.

How It Works in the Body

Serotonin is built in two steps. Tryptophan is first hydroxylated to 5-HTP, and that step is the slow one, held in check by the body. The second step is quick: an enzyme called aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase turns 5-HTP into serotonin wherever it finds it. Supplying the middle molecule feeds the pathway past its narrow point. Serotonin itself cannot cross from blood into brain tissue, and 5-HTP can, which is the whole reason the precursor is used.

What It Supports

• A calm, balanced mood: Supports the serotonin pathway the body uses to keep mood steady.
• Restful sleep: Supports the nightly handoff in which serotonin becomes melatonin.
• Normal appetite signaling: Serotonin is one of the signals that says a meal was enough.
• Serotonin synthesis: Contributes the exact molecule the pathway's final step works on.

Who It May Suit

People who would rather take one ingredient than a blend, and who want the precursor on its own rather than paired with vitamin B6. The capsule is plant cellulose and the only other ingredient is rice flour, so it fits vegan and vegetarian eating.

Good To Know

This is plain 5-hydroxytryptophan at 100 mg per serving, with nothing added to steer it. Talk with your healthcare provider before use, especially if you take an antidepressant, a triptan for migraine, or tramadol. All three act on the same serotonin pathway, and combining them raises the risk of serotonin syndrome.