Many equate life to riding a rollercoaster, and although it may not be as fast or contain as many loops as the Full Throttle at Six Flags, it certainly can feel like it at some points in your life, especially in today’s world. We as a society are going through a lot, with the influx of social media, we are seeing thousands of stories, both real and fake that influence the rest of our day even without us realizing it.
These things can exasperate genetic and underlying mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, etc. which would make sense as Gallup released a study that in the U.S. alone, “adults who report currently having or being treated for depression has exceeded 18% in both 2024 and 2025, up about eight percentage points since the initial measurement in 2015.”
With all this noise and seemingly never-ending spiral, we as people obviously would like to disembark from the ride for a bit and go for a leisurely stroll instead of the high intensity ups and downs.
So how do we do that?
Well one working solution that’s been criticized in the past (and in some circles, presently) has been taking a “mood-boosting” supplement or talking to your doctor about going on a SSRI. These have proven to help millions of people and are a true effective method to conditions like depression and anxiety. But what’s the difference between these two schools of thought? What can a supplement like 5-HTP do that’s the same or different from a SSRI? We’re going to take a look at 5-HTP vs. an SSRI so you can know what might work for your life a little bit better.
- 5-HTP and SSRIs: What exactly are they?
- How does 5-HTP and SSRIs work?
- 5-HTP vs. an SSRI: What is more effective?
- A 5-HTP Supplement to Consider
Dr. Emil knows that everyone’s body is different, what works for some, may not work for others. It’s all about finding the right balance for you. So keep that in mind as you read on about 5-HTP, SSRIs, and its effects on the body.
5-HTP and SSRIs: What exactly are they?
Before we get into how 5-HTP and an SSRI are alike and different, we need to open up our notebooks and prepare for a mini-science lesson so we can learn exactly what they are and how they work.
5-HTP:
5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) serves as a precursor agent to the chemical we all hear so much about: serotonin. 5-HTP is made from tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted into both serotonin and melatonin. This process happens in your brain and central nervous system.
5-hydroxytryptophan is made naturally in the body but can also be found through external sources like supplements and plants. There’s a plant called the Griffonia simplicifolia which is native to the tropical parts of West Africa and Central Africa, and its seeds are harvested for 5-HTP.
SSRI(s):
If you’ve been to a psychiatrist or have friends/family members who have depression then you might have heard the term “SSRI” before, but if this is your first time stepping into this world then let us properly acquaint you two in the most informative, but understanding way possible.
SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the most common type(s) of medication prescribed to people dealing with depression symptoms. You’ll most likely recognize the names: Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Lexapro (escitalopram) which are all SSRIs- (others included but not listed). They are considered the most “safe” antidepressants as the reported side-effects are less than other antidepressants.
SSRIs are used to treat varying types of depression, from moderate to severe, and are usually the “go-to” from doctors when first treating symptoms of depression in a patient. But depression isn’t the only thing SSRIs treat, although they are the leader in that regard, other conditions like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and more.
How does 5-HTP and SSRIs work?
Now that we know the backgrounds, we can get into how 5-HTP and SSRIs work in the body, and the basis of both of these lessons requires learning about serotonin properly.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter- (a neurotransmitter is your body's chemical messenger that carries signals from one nerve cell to the other).
Serotonin specifically regulates so much of our body and mind’s functions like our mood, behavior, digestive system, bone health, blood clotting, and sexual health. Melatonin is also converted from serotonin, and that helps regulate our circadian rhythms (the system that helps us sleep and wake up), and can potentially help with anxiety in its own right.
So as you can see serotonin is like that one popular kid in high school that actually rocks and every time we see them in the hallways we smile cause they’re just that cool.
Since we know that 5-HTP is a part of the process in making serotonin, how does SSRIs fit in? Well, going back to the actual process of how serotonin works, “after carrying a signal between brain cells, serotonin usually is taken back into those cells, a process called reuptake.” This means that your brain might not be utilizing your serotonin to its potential, but SSRIs block reuptake. By blocking this process, serotonin is more readily available to bounce around in your brain and remain active for longer periods of time. SSRIs mainly only use effective serotonin, hence the “selective” part in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which means your other neurotransmitters will continue doing what they do without any interference.
5-HTP will effectively increase the rate of how much serotonin is generated in the body, and SSRI is the mechanism used to block reuptake and allow the chemical to stick around for longer.
5-HTP vs. an SSRI: What is more effective?
When it comes down to the effectiveness of 5-HTP vs. an SSRI, it seems to be a mixed bag, but the general consensus as of right now puts SSRIs above 5-HTP supplements in terms of effectiveness regarding treatment of depression-like symptoms. Drugs.com did a report showing 5-HTP versus the SSRI Lexapro, which showed some advantages over the other.
At the moment there isn’t a whole lot of conclusive evidence on whether taking 5-HTP supplements specifically is a guaranteed effective solution to treating depression symptoms, but from what limited research is out there, there have been more than a couple studies that show "moderate improvement” in those areas. 5-HTP has been linked to helping fibromyalgia and suppressing hormones that make you feel extra-hungry even after you’ve already eaten, and acts as an appetite suppressant so those looking for weight loss solutions may find some in this.
With antidepressants such as SSRIs: “about 50 out of 100 people who took an antidepressant noticed an improvement in their symptoms within six to eight weeks.” And “at all assessments, SSRIs had the strongest overall effects on depressed mood (e.g., Cohen’s d = −0.40 at week 6) and psychic anxiety (e.g., Cohen’s d = −0.31 at week 6), which is in line with the strong direct effects identified by the network estimations.” So as you can see there is a bit more reported research done into SSRIs effectiveness versus 5-HTP when regarding depressive symptoms.
But unlike 5-HTP supplements, there are different types of SSRIs and what works for one person might not work for the other.
There is also a lot of hassle that can come with getting prescribed an SSRI, between health insurance not being a guarantee in this country and the cost of meds being too high, the potential side-effects of SSRIs like nausea, diarrhea, headaches, sweating, decreased libido, weight loss/gain, anxiety, and shakiness, and having to have your body adjust to switching between different SSRIs should your doctor’s first choice not be effective for your body, you might want to look into different alternatives like supplements to treat your depression symptoms before committing to an SSRI.
It is important for anyone who’s considering taking any kind of supplement, drug, or vitamin, not just 5-HTP and/or an SSRI, to talk to your doctor or a trusted healthcare professional. Even more so if you are already taking a medication that could directly influence said supplement or drug. By consulting a professional they can take in account current or future blood tests and give you the best advice on dosages tailored to your specific needs.
A 5-HTP Supplement to Consider
If you aren’t ready to bite the bullet on an SSRI but want to try other more natural methods of treating your depression, anxiety, sleep, etc. then we can confidently point you to one of three Dr. Emil Nutrition’s 5-HTP supplements.
200MG 5-HTP PLUS which is pictured above, has 60 capsules for a 30-day supply, (recommended to take twice daily for thirty days, or you can choose their 200MG 5-HTP PLUS - 60 Day Supply that has 120 capsules). This is paired great if you have additional serotonin synthesizers like SAMe and L Tryptophan, which will assist in the conversion between 5-HTP and serotonin, increasing the effectiveness of the 5-HTP Plus formula. This is co-factored with a high dosage of B6 that will help improve the intended results of 5-HTP.
Elite 5-HTP Plus also has 60 capsules for a 30-day supply, but this time the formula is slightly different as it combines 5HTP, Magnesium, Kava Root, and SAMe all in one supplement. Paired with Magnesium which is a mineral known for its relaxation properties, Kava Root known for its calming effects, and SAMe (S-Adenosyl Methionine) (and Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) which supports mental clarity and focus, you might just get the most bang for your buck here.
Why Us: Dr. Emil Nutrition has been featured in acclaimed news and health publications organizations like CNN, The Guardian, and Men’s Health, and has had countless testimonials backing the quality of his products. Using his both medicine and Sports + Exercise Science degrees, his knowledge has led him to create a space that makes holistic health and happiness accessible for not just select persons, but everyone. With a range of supplements covering anything from a good night's sleep, to energy and cognitive boosts, and immune support, you’ll be able to rely on his online stores and major retailers like CVS to get you what you need.
Conclusion: 5-HTP vs. an SSRI
We’ve learned a lot but let’s go through a couple quick-fire questions so you can get the recap you deserve:
Both 5-HTP and SSRIs have their advantages and disadvantages but each can potentially offer a solution to depression symptoms amongst others.
