Vitamins and Aminos for depression?

[saflyfish]

Hi

Im new here

Where would i find info or good threads/links to the topic title?

 

Thanks

[Chemar]

hi and welcome

the Tourette/tics forum has a lot of info on this

 

generally, depression is marked by low serotonin levels. 5HTP is one of the most used supplements to boost serotonin.

PLEASE NOTE tho that it should NEVER be taken with antidepressant prescription medications!

 

other supplements found helpful are Inositol and St John's Wort, and some people find Phenylalanine very good for depression too

 

HTH

[saflyfish]

Thank you for that.

Why cant 5HTP be taken with Antidepressants and what dosage 5HTP daily?

 

Thanks in advance

[Chemar]

5HTP also elevates serotonin like the antidepressant meds do, except it does so in a more natural way. However combining them will cause a serotonin spike which is VERY VERY DANGEROUS

 

it is best to start with 50mg 5HTP a day and then work up to 100mg if needed. Best taken in the evening.

 

PLEASE do heed the warning tho not to take it with meds!

[orthomolecular]

5HTP also elevates serotonin like the antidepressant meds do, except it does so in a more natural way. However combining them will cause a serotonin spike which is VERY VERY DANGEROUS

 

it is best to start with 50mg 5HTP a day and then work up to 100mg if needed. Best taken in the evening.

 

PLEASE do heed the warning tho not to take it with meds!

 

Actually, taking just 5htp is not really a good idea. The body needs sufficient amounts of b6 to convert tryptophan (same really as 5htp) into serotonin. So, taking 5htp may cause some toxicity if there is even a slight b6 deficiency.

 

Also it is important to have sufficent amounts of niacin. Tryptophan can be converted into niacin first, then into serontonin. So, you also must have sufficient niacin or you could have a NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) deficiency. NAD is an important brain chemical.

 

I have read that taking melatonin also can be a problem with someone on SSRIs. Melatonin and serotonin are similar in structure I believe. I think I read that taking melatonin and SSRIs might cause a stroke. I made this mistake briefly years ago and didn't have a stroke. But not good to mix these things.

 

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1977.htm

[Chemar]

PLEASE NOTE

 

most 5HTP supplements already have Vit B6 added, so check before adding more

 

Melatonin is a hormone while serotonin is a neurotransmitter. Melatonin is synthesised from serotonin. That is one of the reasons that 5HTP promotes sleep

 

some people have bad reactions to niacin, and so should proceed cautiously when supplementing it

[saflyfish]

Hi

Should the 5HTP supplement not have B6 in it,how much B6 should i suppliment it with?

 

Thanks

[Chemar]

hi

 

we use 50mg 5HTP plus 100mg vit B6 each evening

 

I always feel it is a good idea to start at the lowest dose and then move up if necessary

 

that minimum dose has always been just right for my son ( adult weight)

 

do remember, if the 5HTP seems to make you feel edgy or spaced out instead of relaxed and calm then it may not be right for you, and Inositol or samE (still with vit B6) may be a better "fit"

[saflyfish]

i searched the pharmacies this weekend and found a lot of supplements with just 5HTP.None of them had any B6 in them.The highest dosage of B6 i can find is 10Mg in a B complex suppliment.

Would 50Mg of 5HTP per day not work without the addition of B6?

 

Thanks