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5-HTP for Kmottus and Eric...

391 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Pookie's Mom, 
P
Hi,Can I get your opinions on 5-HTP for serotonin? I ran across it on the net and ithas my curiosity as a possible solution for a natural cure for low levels...Thanks,PM
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Kathleen M.
I dunno if taking serotonin as a dietary supplement would be useful.And there is the question of is your entire body depleted, or is there too much serotonin someplaces and not enough others. It's a pretty complicated system and antidepressants work at raising things in specific places. And IBSers often have more serotonin in the blood stream than normals, so just 'cause it might be too low in your head in specific synapses and lowers mood/increases anxiety doesn't mean that what is going on in the gut is too little serotonin.I dunno that they have ever shown that the problem in IBS is too little serotonin in the GI tract, just that blocking certain receptors make it better. K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html
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Kathleen M.
Here is the study I was thinking ofAuthorsBearcroft CP. Perrett D. Farthing MJ.InstitutionDigestive Diseases Research Centre, London, UK.TitlePostprandial plasma 5-hydroxytryptamine in diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot study.SourceGut. 42(1):42-6, 1998 Jan.Local MessagesHSL has complete holdings.AbstractBACKGROUND: Increased concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) can be detected in the systemic circulation after a meal and may be involved in the physiological control of gastrointestinal motility. Abnormalities of 5-HT release after a meal might explain some of the postprandial symptoms associated with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). AIM: To investigate the effect of a standard meal on plasma 5-HT and urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) concentrations in patients with diarrhoea predominant IBS and in healthy volunteers. METHODS: After an overnight fast, six volunteers and five patients with IBS were given a carbohydrate-rich meal. Blood and urine samples were taken before and for four hours after the meal. Platelet-poor plasma 5-HT and urinary 5-HIAA were analysed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. 5-HIAA was expressed as a ratio with urinary creatinine concentration, which was measured by spectrophotometry. RESULTS: During the four hour postprandial period, 5-HT concentrations were significantly higher in patients with IBS than in healthy volunteers at 0.5 hours (p < 0.05), 2 hours (p < 0.05) and 2.5 hours (p < 0.05). 5-HT was not detected in the plasma in the fasting state in patients or volunteers. Median peak 5-HT in patients with IBS (359 (198-796) nmol/l) was significantly greater than volunteers (83 (7-190)) (p < 0.05). "Area under the curve" for 5-HT detection was greater for patients with IBS (317 (138-771)) than for healthy volunteers (51 (4-129); p < 0.05). The duration of the 5-HT peak was significantly longer in patients with IBS (3 (1-3) hours) than in the healthy volunteers (1 (1-1) hours; p < 0.01). Postprandial urinary median 5-HIAA values in controls (5.6 (5.5-5.8) mumol/mmol creatinine) and patients with IBS (3.0 (2.5-6.8) mumol/mmol creatinine) were not significantly different from preprandial values (controls: 5.9 (5.5-6.6) mumol/mmol creatinine; patients with IBS: (6.2 (2.4-9.3) mumol/mmol creatinine). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that there may be a difference in the way that 5-HT is released in patients with diarrhoea predominant IBS, and could suggest a possible role for 5-HT in the postprandial symptoms of these patients.
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Thanks K...my thinking is from an older post Eric had up...there were two brain chemicals that were responsible here..One I can't even remember...the other one serotonin...now, from memory, the other chemical could cause C if you had too much of it...so, I was thinking that possibly with my anxiety and C combined with sugar cravings could be that my serotonin levels were too low..AND that I have too much of that other brain chemical (darn, wish I could remember it..) Paxil worked wonders for me but I stopped it due to the horrible weight gain and also it caused problems sexually that I didn't want! The only warning I could find on 5_HTP was that if you are taking MAO's and some antidepressants...the doc should monitor you under those situations..Guess I am just looking for a 'natural' happy pill
and hoping to help with the C..I asked the doctor yesterday when I saw him if he knew when Zelmac would be out and he didn't have a date for it...just sometime this year.here is one of the links I found: http://www.mqrx.com/5-htp.asp this one looks pretty good too
http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Supp/5-HTP.cfm [This message has been edited by Pookie's Mom (edited 05-01-2001).][This message has been edited by Pookie's Mom (edited 05-01-2001).]
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G
hat are mgrx and healthwell? i ould be real cautious in this whole area. i think we are in for a whole lot of new products appearing, and there are some dangers here.tom
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B
HiI tried 5htp as an antidepressant a little while back, which was useful for that problem. I didn't notice any change in my IBS (C&D). My understandin of the serotonin-gut problem is that it is a lot more complicated than just raising your serotonin blood levels. There are something like 30 different neurotransmitters active in the gut nervous system. So I wouldn't completely discourage you from trying it, but I would suggest lower expectations. best of luck.
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E
I would not mess around with this either. IT is not clear if people have to much serotonin or not enough I don't believe, but just in how its regulating. It is a key player in IBS however.Here is some info on 5ht and Tryptophan. http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/ds/ds...Tryptophan.html ------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com
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phooey
well thanks Eric
I had hoped for a new miracle...I read all the data on that site so guess it's not so good to mess with...I CRAVE Carbs all the time...and have managed to get my cholosteral levels too high...so, can't eat fruit (makes me itch) can't eat fats...now I shouldn't eat carbs either...guess the only thing left is air...I feel like I'm an alien here on earth being allergic to so many things and now food is my enemy too..what's a girl to do? I love veggies but gee, can't just eat them all the time. I had hoped if I could boost the serotonin, maybe I wouldn't crave carbs to much...I am totally confused. PM
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N
PM, the other main brain chemicals you may be thinking about are norepinepherine and dopamine? As has already been said, the MD's don't know much about a lack or excess of serotonin in the body. Just that the meds either boost or reduce the serotonin in the brain. Lotronex works by blocking the serotonin receptors in the gut enteric nerves and stop the spasms caused by the brain signals thus bringing IBS/D under control. This is not a scientific explanation but what MD's have told me. I don't think trying to increase or reduce the total serotonin in the body would be safe unless research shows a reason to do it. There is a safety mechanism in humans called the blood/brain barrier. It is supposed to help keep the brain safe from unwanted bacteria,virus and other chemicals. When the drug companies create a med for anxiety or depression, it has to be able to "fool" this mechanism and cross it to have an effect. Norb
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P
Thanks Norbert you posted the one chemical that I was trying to remember....norepinepherine...supposedly if you have too much of this it causes C. That's my problem I think...too much of norepinepherine and not enough serotonin...but you guys have convinced me not to mess with the chemicals...I was sure hoping I'd found an easy magic bullet...guess not...Thanks again,PM
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