5-HTP
Karen~I first was trying to get info about serotonin since I had heard that a test showed people with Migraines had abnormal levels of serotonin. Then I found out about 5 Hydroxy Tryptophan.(diet/herb supplement)which is the percurser to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates several vital processes in the body, including sleep, emotional stability, pain sensitivity & cravings.(it is in certain foods in small amounts) Of course a lot of the info I got was way above my head! Try searching on the 'Net & also ask about 5-HTP at your Health Food store or GNC or if you have an Herbal Pharmacy. Since I couldn't continue with it because of the Magnesium effects I'm hoping to find it without the added mineral, vitamins & herbs. ~Lyn~
Lyn... Thanks alot for the info. I am going to try some searching. I have also asked my chiropractor and she also said she would look around. I need to try something else as nothing works. Karen
I have been taking 5-HTP for about 7 mos. - I believe that it does help-I still get migraines (menstrual) which are much harder to treat and do not respond as well to conventional treatment as non-menses migraines. You can get 5-htp at most health food stores.....the brand that I use is Solaray 100 mg 3 times a day. There are a couple of books out regarding 5-htp......DO NOT TAKE WITH ANY FORM OF ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. You should start with a low dose and increase it take with food! It does help with the level of pain.......but does not get rid of them at least for me. I also take magnesium about 500-700 mgs/daily....as well as a heavy duty vitamin B's. When trying various herbs and such it is important to give it time to work about two to three months
I don't have the email in which someone asked about 5-HTP, so I'm writing to the website. 5-HTP is a metabolic precursor to tryptophan which is a metabolic precursor to serotonin--the major neurotransmitter implicated in the cause of migraine. I have heard nothing about this in relation to migraine treatment, but I discussed the possible use of this and tryptophan as dietary supplements to fight against my depression and insomnia. His response was that it is unadvisable to take any serotonin precursor as a supplement if one is concurrently taking an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), such as Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, including Effexor (an SSNRI), because the potential for excessive serotonin availability can cause serotonin syndrome which has very severe symptoms. I do happen to be on one of these, so I cannot take it. Some people are put on SSRIs for migraine prevention. Never worked for my migraines, I have to say. The problem with stimulating serotonin production or decreasing reuptake, I've found, is that it seems to saturate certain areas of the brain before it reaches a concentration at which it is effective at reversing the symptoms one is dealing with--the migraines and/or depression. This is how one develops the irritating (and for some, intolerable) side effects that come with SSRI use, incluiding dry mouth, anxiety, confusion, downstairs problems, etc. For me, even, it exacerbates my seizures by lowering my threshold. Any supplement, by achieving the same global increase in available serotonin, would be just as capable of causing such side effects. I'm confused about the medical profession. My doctor wrote a well- publicized book that demonstrates the efficacy or non-efficacy of many pharmaceutical, herbal, mineral, manipulative, and accupuncture therapies (you can find his name on the botox link I sent and do an Amazon.com search on his name), yet I'm told by other doctors that essentially any supplements other than vitamins are dangerous becuase they don't know the actual contraindications, you can't reliably monitor the actual strength of product/dosage, you don't know the purity of product, etc. Bottom line, in regards to 5-HTP, I would imagine the only real issue would be determining how much to take and how to monitor you between efficacy and side effects.