Main image courtesy of Healthline.
Sometimes when we think we have a hold on our everyday life, difficult obstacles can easily throw us off. This can cause anxiety, depression, and maybe even insomnia to take over and cause more added stress than we need. Millions of Americans struggle with these issues every single year, but luckily there are a lot of solutions to help us treat it.
Have you considered taking supplements to help battle your depression, anxiety, or sleep disorder? There are so many supplements that are out there that are used to help many parts of your body and mind, but one of the best ones to combat many common mental health disorders is 5HTP!
There are lots of benefits of taking 5HTP supplements, but you may also be curious to know when is the right time to take it? We’ll answer all of your questions and more about 5HTP, just make sure to keep reading!
Continue reading to learn:
- What is 5HTP?
- What Are the Benefits of 5HTP?
- What Time Should You Take 5HTP Supplements?
What is 5HTP and What Can it Do for You?
5HTP is a helpful supplement, but what does it really do for your body?
Trying to tackle depression, anxiety, or even a sleep disorder can be difficult all on your own. If you’re thinking about taking medication, or even supplements to help with the symptoms of any of these disorders, try taking a popular supplement called 5HTP!
What exactly are 5HTP supplements though? 5HTP stands for 5-hydroxytryptophan, and it is considered to be a by-product of a protein called L-tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin in your brain to promote positive feelings and moods. You may already be familiar with tryptophan, as discussion around it comes up a lot around Thanksgiving time.
There is a common belief that consuming a lot of turkey (which is a good source of tryptophan) can make you drowsy. However it is a little more nuanced than that. When you consume a large meal, it triggers the production of insulin, which clears your bloodstream of all amino acids except tryptophan. But there is no real correlation between tryptophan making you drowsy--large meals in general (especially those with lots of carbs) can make you feel sleepy anway. So don’t think that by taking 5HTP you’ll feel drowsy, in fact it may be just the opposite!
Ever thought about where L-tryptophan comes from? Well, it comes from an African plant known as Griffonia simplicifolia. These seeds are used in 5HTP supplements to be able to work in your brain and central nervous system to improve and ease your anxiety, depression, and even help you sleep better at night.
Since 5HTP increases the production of serotonin, after taking it you may feel more uplifted and in a better mood, with the energy you need to enjoy your day. Serotonin is a key hormone that your body needs to be able to maintain and stabilize your mood, happiness, and how you feel about yourself. When you don’t feel like yourself, you may notice that it increases low feelings, anxiety, and could even trigger depressive symptoms. More of this hormone can help you to feel your best, sleep better at night, help maintain your appetite, and aid with digestion.
5HTP can surely help you to battle your anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, which all stem from a lack of serotonin in your body. A lack of serotonin can prohibit you from truly being yourself, and taking a supplement such as 5HTP can help improve your mood, lessen the symptoms of your depression, anxiety, or sleep disorder to help you get through the day.
Adding a 5HTP supplement is very easy to do, but you can also include foods in your diet that have a good amount of 5HTP naturally. Foods you should try to include in order to boost 5HTP consumption:
- Milk
- Turkey and chicken
- Oats
- Canned tuna
- Fruits such as bananas, apples, and prunes
What Are the Benefits of 5HTP?
See how this supplement can change your life for the better with these benefits!
There are lots of benefits for someone taking 5HTP supplements, so we think you should try them out yourself! Whether you’d like a mood booster, or are looking for more restful sleep, 5HTP could be just the supplement you’re looking for. Image courtesy of Inc. Magazine.
Are you interested in improving your health with a simple supplement? With 5HTP you can do just that! 5HTP supplements are known for having a lot of benefits ranging from physical benefits, to helping mental health issues, and so much more.
The seven main health benefits that come from taking 5HTP are helping to relieve your depression symptoms, relieving anxiety, helping you to sleep better, helping individuals that suffer from fibromyalgia, helping with weight loss, and even relieving headaches and hot flashes.
Depression
Pertaining to depression, it is found that 5HTP supplements can be just as effective as antidepressants, and with even fewer side effects too! These side effects include nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, and allergic reactions depending on the person. Because 5HTP works with your body to increase the production of serotonin, you can naturally boost your mood and feel better about yourself.
5HTP supplements help to improve your serotonin levels, which in return boost your mood. Serotonin is known as the “body’s natural stabilizer”, and when those levels are off, this can cause someone to develop symptoms of depression. By easily taking 5HTP supplements, you can be on your way to enjoying life and leaving depression in the past without the harmful side effects of antidepressants too.
Anxiety
5HTP supplements also work wonderfully and are just as good for battling anxiety symptoms. If you find that you’re dealing with anxious behavior, perhaps a regular dose of 5HTP can help you leave that behind and help improve your mood at the same time?
Sleep
Many people struggle to get a restful night’s sleep and sometime’s melatonin is just not enough to do it anymore. And while there are a variety of other reasons why, taking a 5HTP supplement could help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep. 5HTP can increase your body’s melatonin levels so you can fall asleep faster and stay in REM sleep for longer! When you don’t get enough sleep, you don’t have the energy to get through your day or feel like yourself. 5HTP could be a natural way for you to have better sleep and more energized days!
Melatonin helps to signal to the body that it is time to go to sleep, and that is made by serotonin itself, so when serotonin levels are low, you struggle to fall asleep more. While this seems like a never ending cycle of madness, just know that with a 5HTP supplement, you can improve your serotonin levels to be able to then be able to produce melatonin to fall asleep faster, easier, and for longer too! 5HTP supplements help to battle insomnia as well to get you a good night’s rest.
You should also be asking yourself some important questions about 5HTP supplements before jumping in and taking them. If you are a healthy adult, you should have no problems with this supplement, but it is important to look into them to see if they are right for you. For example, pregnant or breast-feeding mothers should not take 5HTP supplements. While there is no physical evidence to prove so, it is advised against by doctors to ensure the health of your baby.
Since you are interested in taking 5HTP for higher serotonin levels, you should also stop taking them before you go and get surgery. There are some drugs that can be administered during operations that boost your serotonin levels, so with that and the serotonin boost from 5HTP supplements, this could result in serious side effects. These side effects could consist of heart problems, shivering, and even anxiety.
5HTP supplements truly can help you if you’re struggling with depression, or other mental health disorders. Knowing that they can do just as good as antidepressants, or another form of medication is reassuring, so this can give you more of a reason to try it out for yourself--but always talk to your doctor first and see what they recommend for you. As with any supplement, it’s important to be consistent if you want to see results. This leads us to our next question, what’s the best time of day to take 5HTP?
What Time of Day Should You Take 5HTP Supplements?
Is there a right time of day to take 5HTP supplements and does it even matter?
Are you now interested in taking 5HTP supplements, but want to know if there is a certain time of day you should take them? For example, is it better to take your 5HTP supplement in the morning? Or should you take it in the evening? Also, what is the proper dosage?
These are all great questions to think about, but when you take it and how much you take depends on what kind of benefits you hope to see. Everyone’s body is different and will respond to 5HTP differently, which is why it’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider before you start on your 5HTP journey.
There are many reasons why someone would want to take 5HTP and with those reasons come different dosages and times you should take them. Listed below are the reasons, times, and dosages to take 5HTP:
For depression or anxiety:
- Dosage: 50 - 100mg
- Take 3 times a day with food
For a better night’s sleep:
- Dosage: 100 - 300mg
- Take 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime
Weight management:
- Dosage: 200-300mg
- 30 minutes before meal
To relieve fibromyalgia symptoms:
- Dosage: 100mg
- Take 3 to 4 times a day with food
Migraines
- Dosage: 100 - 200mg
- Take 2 to 3 times a day with food
Once you learn why you want to take 5HTP, then you can start taking it on a regular basis with the correct dosage. For some amazing health benefits, make sure to consider taking 5HTP supplements!
If you’re not sure what brand of 5HTP supplements to take, consider taking Dr. Emil’s 5HTP Plus that includes 200mg of 5HTP as well as vitamin B6, which aids in 5HTP’s conversion to serotonin, in each dose. Try it out and enjoy the many benefits it is packed with and see how it can make you a healthier and happier you!
5HTP supplements have lots of health benefits, so it may be in your best interest to start taking them, or at least discuss it with your doctor. If you’re interested, contact your physician today and see what’s right for you and your body.
