5-HTP
Become informed about evidence, dosage, safety and side effects of 5-HTP.
Now that you have learned about how herbs and supplements can be used for treatment, go to the next section to begin learning about behavioral treatments for depression.
5-HTP is another supplement to consider for patients who are interested in using supplements to treat their depression. 5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin and so likely works by a similar mechanism to conventional medications but with fewer side effects.
5-HTP is formed from the amino acid tryptophan and is a known precursor to serotonin in the body which is likely where it gets its antidepressive effect. Given that tryptophan is a soporific, 5-HTP may be particularly helpful to patients for whom insomnia is a concern. Early studies indicate some effectiveness with migraine headaches and weight loss although larger studies still need to be done. Patients with those concerns may be good candidates for 5-HTP use.
