5-HTP: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

In binge drinkers, dietary tryptophan may reduce alcohol craving, but in non-binge drinkers, it may increase the desire to drink. Disturbances in our brain chemistry can affect our drinking habits. Depletion of both neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine is found to increase the desire to drink in alcohol-dependent individuals. Activation of enzymes tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase degrade tryptophan via the kynurenine pathway and cause serotonin deficiency. This can contribute to depressive symptoms and occurrence of symptoms such as seizures during alcohol withdrawal.

The compound is a natural precursor to a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which helps produce “feel-good” chemicals in the brain and body. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. A person needs emergency medical attention if anaphylaxis or signs of serotonin syndrome occur after taking 5-HTP. People who take any of the above drugs should not take 5-HTP — doing so can potentially cause serotonin syndrome.

Tryptophan degradation continues during alcohol abstinence

Chronic alcohol intake removes tryptophan from the blood and influences urinary excretion of tryptophan and its related metabolites. Alcohol-induced liver damage impairs TDO activity resulting in altered levels of tryptophan and kynurenine. The enzyme IDO is activated as a result of immune response and by inflammatory agents. The kynurenine to tryptophan ratio is indicative of IDO activity and tryptophan degradation. Some research studies suggest that mutations in TPH2 gene may increase the risk of alcoholism.

Patients receiving the food supplement experienced a decrease in psychiatric symptoms and increase in immune response. Alcohol abstinence caused stress in the patients, and the food supplement did not affect the stress hormone levels or liver function. J. Strossmayer University, Croatia conducted a study wherein they treated alcohol withdrawal symptoms with a food supplement comprising amino acids. Most studies conducted to date have studied only the disturbances in tryptophan metabolism and its impact on alcohol withdrawal syndrome, alcohol cravings and mood. Low tryptophan levels may significantly affect the mood of alcohol-dependent individuals and may contribute to anti-social, aggressive and impulsive behaviours. It may also increase depressive and anxiety-like symptoms especially in individuals with mutations in serotonin transporter gene.

Health Solutions

Unlike L-tryptophan, 5 HTP is not an essential amino acid and it has no dietary sources. Most people that take serotonin supplements are looking to boost their mood. To get the best results, it’s wise to choose a supplement that contains other mood boosting substances like mucuna pruriens, ashwagandha and curcumin. 5-HTP is the most common and effective supplement that people take to boost their serotonin. If your goal is to boost your serotonin, you should take a supplement that contains all 3 ingredients that you body needs to make it. If researchers could find a way to make 5-HTP last longer in the body, it may show more promise as a depression treatment, according to one study.

The labels of SSRIs such as Celexa and Prozac warn patients not to drink alcohol while on the drugs. If you shouldn’t drink with antidepressants, alcohol poisoning and binge drinking you probably shouldn’t drink with 5-HTP. However, doses used in these studies were high, and many people experienced side effects such as nausea.

• At high doses, serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition caused by too much serotonin in the body, could develop.
• This might cause serious side effects including heart problems, seizures, and vomiting.
• Also, high doses of alcohol cause memory impairment by preventing the consolidation of memory.
• When taking supplements that affect brain chemistry, you should always play it safe and avoid alcohol.

Talk to your provider before taking higher-than-recommended doses. Possible severe side effects include serotonin syndrome and anaphylaxis. Anyone who experiences symptoms of these side effects should seek emergency medical attention. We need to learn more about the safety chronic heavy drinking leads to serious risk of dementia, study warns of L-tryptophan supplementation in individuals who have mental health issues co-occurring with alcohol addiction. High levels of isolated 5-HTP or long-term treatment with it may cause depletion of other neurotransmitters and increase the risk of other side effects.

However, studies have not yet proven that using 5-HTP to increase serotonin is an effective strategy for reducing anxiety. Some natural medicine proponents believe that taking 5-HTP supplements can help reduce anxiety and panic. However, most of the don’t mix lithium & alcohol research about 5-HTP and anxiety is 15–20 years old. The body produces serotonin through a series of chemical steps, starting with the amino acid L-tryptophan. One of the chemicals on the way from transforming L-tryptophan to serotonin is 5-HTP.

There was a third group that received placebo on all occasions and two other groups that received no treatment. Excessive production of these metabolites has been linked to depressive symptoms, and they are neurotoxic as well. Alcohol dependence is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

HTP and Alcohol

Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of your health care provider. All of these side effects of alcohol consumption are signs of low serotonin levels in the brain. Therefore, experts believe that increasing serotonin activity in the brain can improve the side effects of alcohol. Research suggests that 5-HTP can improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, including pain, anxiety, morning stiffness, and fatigue. Many people with fibromyalgia have low levels of serotonin, and doctors often prescribe antidepressants.

Short-term effects of alcohol following intoxication include nausea and vomiting. Heavy alcohol consumption initially triggers increased serotonin secretion in the brain. This promotes the feelings of euphoria and buzz that drinkers enjoy. As the blood alcohol concentration increases, it begins to act as a depressant in the central nervous system shifting to a sharp fall in serotonin release and an increase in GABA activity. The effects of alcohol on the brain are complex, but it mainly affects the GABAminergic system.

Mood Boosting Supplement

Alcohol binds to GABA receptors and acts on the same receptors as drugs such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines, like Valium. Alcohol also binds to acetylcholine and serotonin receptors and is also known to inhibit the breakdown of dopamine. Given the lack of scientific information available from medical research, avoid mixing alcohol and 5-HTP. There may be undiscovered interactions or possible complications that have not yet been uncovered, and without evidence to prove that it is safe, no one should mix these two substances. Alcohol and 5-HTP both affect a chemical in the brain called serotonin.

We have previously shown that coadministration of the dopamine agonist phentermine plus the serotonergic agonist fenfluramine suppresses alcohol intake and withdrawal seizures in rats. Food intake was monitored for 24 h after drug treatment, and neurochemical measures were examined at various time points. Phentermine alone reduced food intake in all diet conditions, but this anorectic effect was followed by hyperphagia in control rats. Phentermine plus 5-HTP reduced the consumption of the alcohol-containing diet, while its effects on consumption of control diets were mixed. In vivo microdialysis in rat nucleus accumbens revealed that phentermine increased extracellular DA, whereas 5-HTP caused marked elevations in extracellular 5-HT. Coadministration of phentermine and 5-HTP evoked simultaneous elevations in extracellular DA and 5-HT that mirrored the effects of each drug alone.

Just to be clear, I don’t plan on taking any more while I’m drinking. There is no way to know how the combination of 5 HTP and alcohol may turn out especially since serotonin has a complex effect on the central nervous system. This is actually one way that 5 HTP helps cultivate a dislike for alcohol and then promotes overcoming alcoholism. Someone who is taking alcohol and 5-HTP together should consult with a doctor about whether it is safe. Chris Elkins worked as a journalist for three years and was published by multiple newspapers and online publications.

The scientists used caffeine to induce sleeplessness, then they administered the GABA/5-HTP combination. Many studies into the health benefits of 5-HTP and sleep are based on animal models. Read on to discover the benefits and risks of 5-HTP supplements, and some examples to consider.