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5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain.
As a result, many people are overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates, experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have vague muscle aches and pain. All of these maladies are correctable by raising brain serotonin levels. The primary therapeutic applications for 5-HTP are low serotonin levels.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or brain hormone, responsible for regulating sleep, pain, mood, digestion, and mental clarity. Serotonin is created by the amino acid 5-Hydroxytrtyptophan (5HTP) in cooperation with magnesium, and the B vitamins (especially B6, B3 and B12).
Serotonin helps promote deep restorative sleep. Serotonin also raises a person’s pain threshold (decreases pain), normalizes digestion (eliminates problems associated with irritable bowel syndrome), increases mental function (helps with “Fibro fog”), elevates mood (reduces anxiety and depression), and is known as the “happy hormone.” The higher one’s serotonin level, the higher their pain threshold (less pain).
Although 5-HTP may be relatively new to the United States health food industry, it has been available through pharmacies for several years and has been intensely researched for the past three decades. It has been available in several European countries as a medicine since the 1970s.
Directions for Use: Start taking 5HTP 30 minutes before bed on an empty stomach with 4 ounces of grape juice. Start with 1 capsule. If you don't fall asleep in 30 minutes or if you wake up and can't go back to sleep at night increase your dose by 1 capsule each night to a maximum of 6 (or 300mg).
Please Note: If you become more alert STOP taking 5HTP at night and instead take 1 caosule with lunch for 1 day. If no problems then the next day increase to 100mgs twice daily with food. After a few days you can increase to 100mgs 3 times a day with food.
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