Tryptophan

I had chemotherapy and have not been able to get off sugar since. How long will it take 5-HTP or tryptophan to stop the cravings?

July 26, 2024 By Trudy Scott 4 Comments

Lauren shared her struggle with sugar cravings that started after chemotherapy, asking her question on a recent tryptophan/DPA cravings blog post:

If I try the tryptophan or the 5-HTP and one or the other works, how long will I need to take them for the sugar cravings to stop?

Back in 2021 I had been off sugar for 2 years and it was easy to get off by slowing eliminating sugar. The last elimination was from my coffee and then it was easy to stay away from sugar.

I had chemotherapy for 6 months in 2022. I have not been able to get off sugar since then. After chemo ended, I had the cravings and don’t know how to end the cravings.

Any advice from you would be appreciated.

The good news is that if you have cravings that are caused by low serotonin and you find your ideal dose of tryptophan or 5-HTP, you will notice reduced sugar cravings immediately and they will be further reduced with consistent use, typically a few times a day.

The key is to figure out if your cravings are caused by low serotonin and then it’s a matter of doing a trial of either tryptophan or 5-HTP (if you get results and other low serotonin symptoms improve it’s a clue you’re on track). And then you need to figure out the ideal dose for your unique needs. I share more about all this below and additional information about other types of cravings caused by neurotransmitter imbalances (and the respective amino acids that help).

Since her cravings struggles started after chemotherapy I also discuss possible impacts on neurotransmitters and also candida (sugar cravings are very common with the candida). Read on for my response to the above question from Lauren.

Sugar cravings caused by low serotonin: tryptophan or 5-HTP may offer immediate results

As I mentioned above you will notice reduced sugar cravings immediately with either tryptophan or 5-HTP if your cravings are caused by low serotonin. A big clue with low serotonin-type sugar or carb cravings is that they are more intense in the late afternoon and evening.

A good place to start (as always) is with the symptoms questionnaire. If there are other low serotonin symptoms such as feeling more anxious, worried, fearful with a low mood and irritability etc, that further confirms it’s worth doing a trial.

Some folks do better with one than the other but I have clients start with tryptophan and then switch to 5-HTP if their results are not as expected. In both instances we open the capsule or use powders or a chewable to get instant feedback on the benefits. So in that first session Lauren should be able to say “wow my cravings have reduced from 10/10 to 5/10” within 5-10 minutes. She may also report she feels more optimistic and less worried.

It is possible that her cravings are not caused by low serotonin or that they are a combination of a number of factors.

Sugar cravings caused by other neurotransmitter imbalances, and other amino acids to the rescue

We also look at sugar cravings caused by low GABA (stress eating because of physical tension), low endorphins (comfort eating or emotional eating), low dopamine (eating for an energy boost or improved focus) and low blood sugar (eating due to crankiness and irritability).

Lauren would know if any of the above may be factors based on her scores on the symptoms questionnaire i.e. scores for cravings and other symptoms. This offers further clarification:

If you eat sugar or carbs to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon into the evening) then your sugar cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety
If you stress-eat your sugar cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-eating and calm you down
If you are a comfort-eater then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA will stop that feeling of “I deserve-it” kind of reward-eating or comfort-eating and also give you a hug-like mood boost
If you eat sugar for an energy boost or to give your focus then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost, and help with mental clarity
If you have to eat sugar when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar and glutamine on the tongue stops the sugar desire almost immediately and also helps with the low blood sugar symptoms of shakiness and irritability

As you can see there is an amino acid for each of these imbalances and it’s a matter of doing a similar trial for each one. With the correct dose, Lauren can expect quick results too, provided she finds the ideal dose for her needs.

This is the blog post Lauren posted her question on: Tryptophan and DPA (d-phenylalanine) for cravings and sleep issues (and a concern about 5-HTP and nightmares).

It’s one of many posts on the site about amino acids and sugar cravings so I encourage you to use the search feature of the blog.

Chemotherapy: impacts on serotonin and dopamine

Because chemotherapy has an impact on serotonin and dopamine, this may be where Lauren needs to start when considering which amino acids to trial. Here is some additional information on “chemobrain” or chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment:

… a medical complication of cancer treatment that is characterized by a general decline in cognition affecting visual and verbal memory, attention, complex problem solving skills, and motor function. It is estimated that one-third of patients who undergo chemotherapy treatment will experience cognitive impairment.

Alterations in the release and uptake of dopamine and serotonin, central nervous system neurotransmitters that play important roles in cognition, could potentially contribute to impaired intellectual performance in those impacted by chemobrain.

And this may offer an explanation as to why she hasn’t been able to quit sugar since chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy, candida albicans and sugar cravings

If none of the above approaches reduce her cravings or if they do help to some extent but are not quite enough, we have to keep looking for root causes.

A big clue is that Lauren had been able to quit sugar using willpower in the past but has struggled since chemotherapy. It’s important to consider the role this may be playing. In cancer patients who have gone through chemotherapy there is increased susceptibility to Candida albicans, “a fungal commensal and a major colonizer of the human skin, as well as of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.” This is reported to be caused primarily by “chemotherapy-induced depression of innate immune cells and weakened epithelial barriers, which are the body’s first-line defenses against fungal infections.”

Sugar cravings are very common with candida and in some cases can be so severe that no amino acids will work until the candida is addressed. Interestingly, in one candida study, short exposure to serotonin resulted in antifungal activity so it’s possible that tryptophan or 5-HTP helps.

I don’t have my candida symptoms questionnaire on the blog but you can find a mini version on page 93 of my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution and additional information and my dietary/nutrient protocol in chapter 5 of my book.

The full candida questionnaire can be found in William G. Crook’s excellent book, The Yeast Connection and Women’s Health (my Amazon link).

Additional resources when you are new to using amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I appreciate Lauren for posting her question on the blog so I can share and we all can learn.

Now I’d love to hear from you – does any of this resonate with you? If yes, what approach helped reduce your sugar cravings after chemotherapy?

If you’re a practitioner have you seen these approaches work well with your clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Collagen causes anxiety and sleep problems for some people. I would never have connected the dots but apparently I am one of those people.

March 1, 2024 By Trudy Scott 14 Comments

Thank you for solving my sleeping problem! I would never have connected the dots regarding collagen causing anxiety and sleep problems for some people, but apparently I am one of those people.

Although I would fall asleep instantly at bedtime, I would wake up 3 or 4 hours later and while my body was tired, my mind was wide awake and I was unable to go back to sleep for at least 2 or 3 hours. I would think about all the things I needed to do and the challenges I was having. These things would not bother me as much in the day. No matter what I tried – like praying and listening to calming music, I could not shut off my anxious thoughts.

Then it occurred to me that when I go out of town to visit my family, I sleep better. After hearing Trudy’s collagen presentation on the Osteoporosis Summit, I connected the dots! For the last 6 months, I have been putting about 10 grams of Vital Protein collagen in my coffee each morning. I don’t take the collagen with me when I travel. So I stopped using it and lo and behold, I am sleeping the best sleep I have slept in a long time! I even look forward to going to sleep.

So I thank you Trudy from the bottom of my heart for enlightening me. And Margie, I thank you for the wonderful Summit you put together with so much great information. I would still be sleep deprived if it wasn’t for you both!

I was so pleased to receive this lovely thank you email from Merrilyn (sent to me and summit host Margie Bissinger) and said how happy I am for her. I asked if I could share her feedback as a new blog so we can enlighten others who may have similar issues and because it’s an opportunity to share some of sleep/collagen research that supports a possible mechanism. She kindly said yes and answered my questions:

How long had you been using collagen and how long after starting it did the sleep issues start?
And how quickly after stopping the collagen did your sleep improve?
Did you consider using tryptophan or 5-HTP so you could continue to use the collagen? And are you prone to low serotonin?

Read on for some background on the serotonin-lowering effects for some folks who consume collagen, Merrilyn’s responses to my questions, my insights, some of the research, and the tryptophan and 5-HTP products I recommend.

The original collagen/gelatin serotonin-lowering blog/research from 2017

I first addressed this potential cause for anxiety, mood and sleep issues in a blog in 2017 – Collagen and gelatin lower serotonin: does this increase your anxiety and depression?

Margie invited me to share this information and some of the research with those who are using it or planning to use it for osteoporosis. I’m so glad I accepted because clearly there are still folks who are not aware of the potential serotonin-lowering effects of collagen. And I’m sharing Merrilyn’s results via this new blog in case it’s also new to you.

Briefly, collagen and gelatin are used in tryptophan-depletion studies to lower serotonin levels. It does this because neither collagen or gelatin contain tryptophan. Some people seem to be adversely impacted by acute tryptophan depletion/ATD caused by collagen or gelatin consumption while others are not.

If this is all new to you, I encourage you to read the original blog and search for “collagen” to find other information on this topic on my site.

How long had you been using collagen and how long after starting it did the sleep issues start?

I asked how long she’d been using collagen and how long after starting it did she notice problems with her sleep. This wasn’t clear to her and many folks like Marrilyn unfortunately don’t connect the dots right away.

I started Vital Proteins collagen on July 1, 2023. I did mark that down because as I add supplements to my diet, I try to make notes and only do one at a time in case they cause a problem. I did note that I was not consistent with taking it daily and I was only taking 5 to 10 grams daily ( in my cup of coffee!).

I have always had a bit of a problem with waking up at night, but normally go right back to sleep. I can’t remember exactly when the sleeping problems worsened and I never connected them to collagen.

Seems like over time, the sleeping and waking up with ruminating thoughts was getting worse. I had started trying Tylenol PM or Advil PM, only taking 1/2 of one with one plain Tylenol or Advil to help me sleep and relieve any muscle tension from exercise. That did not always help. Taking a whole PM was better, but I felt groggy the next day. I don’t need any now that I have stopped the collagen.

How quickly after stopping the collagen did your sleep improve?

When the cause of waking in the night is due to low serotonin, it’s common to notice improvements very quickly after stopping collagen. This was the case with Merrilyn:

I would say my sleep improved immediately after stopping it. I realized that on the days I was out of town and didn’t take the collagen, I slept better. … but I attributed it to the fact that it is cooler there and my 6 year old grandson wears me out by the evening. I do not take the collagen with me and I had not connected this to the sleep pattern.

I returned home after one trip and started the collagen that next morning and the sleepless nights started again. I can’t remember when I listened to your talk, but I am guessing around January 18th, because I noted that I stopped after that day and according to my Fitbit and my memory, I slept great the night of January 19th and other than one night, I have slept well since.

I do want to commend Merrilyn for keeping a log of new supplements and sleep patterns. It’s something I recommend for all my clients.

Did you consider using tryptophan or 5-HTP so you could continue to use the collagen and are you prone to low serotonin?

I also asked if she considered using tryptophan or 5-HTP (some folks do better on one vs the other) so she could continue to use the collagen – she had not considered this. And I wanted to know if she has been prone to low serotonin or suspects low serotonin currently.

I do believe I am prone to low serotonin based on the little I have read in your book. I have thought about using tryptophan with the collagen and might later. For now, I just want to enjoy sleeping and focus on improving my diet.

I also have evenings when I crave sugar. I can do without it during the day, but evenings are worse. Something else to work on.

She’s referring to the low serotonin symptoms questionnaire in the amino acid chapter of my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution. It’s also on the blog here.

A big clue is the insomnia and anxiety caused by consumption of collagen, and also the evening cravings. There are cravings with all the neurotransmitter imbalances, with afternoon/evening cravings common with low serotonin.

It is possible Merrilyn’s anxiety and insomnia effects are for reasons other than low serotonin: glutamate, oxalate, arginine or a histamine reaction are all possible with collagen intake). Doing a trial of tryptophan or 5-HTP while consuming collagen would confirm a serotonin connection.

Osteoporosis, allergies, serotonin and coffee

Merrilyn also shared that she is in her early 70s and besides osteoporosis and allergies, is generally healthy and takes no prescription drugs. Interestingly, research finds there may be a role for 5-HTP (and presumably tryptophan) for allergies and asthma, so this may be another clue for her.

Of course, reducing her cravings – tryptophan and/or 5-HTP make it easy – will also improve her nutrient status of zinc, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6 and other B vitamins etc. all of which are key when it comes to osteoporosis.

Quitting coffee altogether will likely prevent any waking in the night – yes, even just one cup a day can make a difference – and also help improve the status of many of these nutrients. This is often the least favorite change my clients make but Merrilyn will read about all this in the caffeine chapter in my book and may find tyrosine helps her do so.

Research: Daytime tryptophan depletion altered night-time sleep

A paper published in 2002, Mid-morning tryptophan depletion delays REM sleep onset in healthy subjects, reports the following:

Rapid daytime tryptophan depletion in healthy volunteers significantly decreased plasma tryptophan levels during the day and the evening, followed by alterations in the characteristics of night-time sleep, including increased sleep fragmentation, REM sleep latency, and REM density during first sleep episode.

In this randomized double-blind cross-over study, participants received “a tryptophan-free mixture of amino acids at 10:30 am…. resulting in a 77% decrease and 41% decrease of serum tryptophan at 3:30 pm. and 9:30 pm.” Keep in mind that collagen is a blend of certain amino acids and is tryptophan-free.

The authors discuss the fact that serotonin is involved in sleep regulation but interestingly the mood of study participants was not affected.

Even more interesting is another study that found collagen used before bedtime improved sleep and cognitive function in physically active males. It’s possible it’s doing this because it is lowering serotonin that is too high.

Tryptophan and 5-HTP product options

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan, and Pure Encapsulations 50 mg 5-HTP. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Source Naturals 50 mg 5-HTP are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or 5-HTP and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

Have you made the connection between your collagen consumption and anxiety/insomnia (or other low serotonin symptoms)?

Did you end up simply stopping collagen or have you successfully used it with tryptophan or 5-HTP?

If you’re a practitioner do you see this with your clients/patients who are prone to low serotonin?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Using tryptophan and GABA amino acid supplements together for anxiety, sleep, ruminations and TMJ: questions and answers

February 23, 2024 By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

I am taking 250 mg tryptophan, 100-200 mg GABA. Tryptophan is helping with rumination. GABA is helping with feeling less tension in the body. I am also taking 500mg DPA. DLPA used to help me but I thought it was too stimulating so I’m trying DPA now. I couldn’t feel much when taking it on its own.

But the combination of tryptophan, DPA & GABA is generally helping me to feel less wound up. I still struggle with rumination and I have a really difficult time making decisions. I get really overwhelmed when I have a lot of decisions to make – it sends me in a tailspin and leads to more rumination. I’m not sure which amino acid would be good for that?

I generally have trouble relaxing and feeling calm and I feel the tension in my body. I am not sure if I should try increasing the dosage of one of the above?

I am wondering, is it important to take l-tyrosine to balance the tryptophan since tryptophan can lower dopamine over time? Or is the DPA enough since it’s a precursor to tyrosine?

I get many questions like this about using both tryptophan and GABA amino acid supplements together for easing anxiety and today I’m sharing some of these questions and my answers. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions you may have related to using both these amino acids together. You’ll also read many success stories like the above and how to tweak the amino acids for optimal results.

Read on for my response to the above question from TT and other questions about using GABA and tryptophan together – how to measure GABA and serotonin levels for using with teens, adding tryptophan for sleep separately from GABA, how to test both for jaw clenching, and the precaution about serotonin syndrome.

My response and feedback for TT – adjustments for even better results

My response and feedback for TT … It’s wonderful that this combination is helping so much. It’s a great start but there are adjustments I’d consider to get even better results. The tryptophan dose is low, with a typical starting dose of 500mg so I’d consider increasing this a few times over a few weeks to see if the ruminations decrease even further. This may also help with the overwhelm and decision making.

Increasing the GABA over a few weeks (after the trial of increased tryptophan) may well improve her ongoing tension and inability to relax. I’d want to make sure she is using GABA sublingually for the best effects.

She asks about the need to take tyrosine to balance the tryptophan but I don’t have clients do this as a rule of thumb and only have clients take tyrosine if they have symptoms of low dopamine. In this instance since TT mentions difficulties with decision-making, a trial of tyrosine may be worth considering, after she has increased tryptophan and increased GABA. More about tyrosine benefits here.

I do want to mention that DPA is not a precursor to dopamine but DLPA does offer some dopamine support. I share more about the differences between DPA and DLPA here.

I want to give my teens GABA and tryptophan – how do I measure GABA and serotonin levels?

I have two teenagers ages 14 and 16 who suffer from anxiety and depression. My daughter has more difficulty with depression and my son with ruminating thoughts . My father had similar issues. We have tried supplements, and medications that help a little.

I want to try giving them GABA and tryptophan, but to make sure that they in fact meet the criteria you describe. Is there a lab test that measures GABA and serotonin levels? Also, how can I figure out the dose and times to give them?

Here is my feedback for Maria …. The best way to determine if someone may have low GABA/serotonin is to look at the low GABA/serotonin symptoms questionnaire (here is that link), rate 1 or 2 symptoms on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do an initial one-off trial of the respective amino acid and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). Based on this we decide if we’ll continue with the amino acid and how much to use.

Dosing is unique to each person’s needs and timing differs for each amino acid – tryptophan is best mid-afternoon and evening and GABA throughout the day and evening if needed too.

I don’t use the urinary neurotransmitter test as it’s not considered an accurate assessment. I blogged about this here.

It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet. This mom mentions supplements and medications but nothing about what their diets are like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?

I also suggest my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” as a great place to start when you are new to the amino acids and other anxiety nutrition solutions like gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc.

And this blog is a wonderful example and gives hope to moms – Tryptophan for my teenager: she laughs and smiles, her OCD and anxiety has lessened, and she is more goal oriented and focused on school. It’s one of many similar blogs so be sure to use the search feature to find others.

GABA and theanine help my anxiety, if I add tryptophan for sleep should I take it separately?

I have taken Gaba and L-theanine for anxiety for the last few years on and off as recommended by a doctor, it really does help although I still have sleeping problems. I also have a lot of symptoms on your low serotonin list so if I add tryptophan to see if it helps with sleep should I take it with the Gaba or separately?

Here is my response and feedback for Diane … I was glad to hear GABA and theanine are helping with the anxiety. I have many clients with low serotonin and low GABA symptoms take GABA, theanine and tryptophan at bedtime at the same time for improving sleep that is caused by low serotonin.

Diane has already identified that she has a lot of low serotonin symptoms from the questionnaire, so like I shared for Maria above, a trial is worth considering.

We always want to capitalize on what is already working so when GABA/theanine is helping with anxiety and offers some help with sleep we will often increase that before considering a trial of tryptophan.

I’m assuming she is addressing dietary factors too and other root causes that may also affect her sleep – like low blood sugar and high cortisol.

Would GABA or tryptophan help with jaw clenching and how do I test to see if they would help?

Would Gaba or tryptophan help with jaw clenching, not grinding, which I assume is an anxiety thing even when I’m unaware of any anxiety? Since I already use Gaba on and off for anxiety or if I can’t sleep (only taking 200 mg) how would I go about testing tryptophan to see if it would help for clenching?

Here is my feedback for Diane … Jaw clenching/TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issues can be related to both low GABA because of the muscle tension and also when serotonin is low.

In the same way we do a trial with the amino acids for anxiety or low self-esteem (or another symptom like cravings) we would do a trial for the jaw clenching i.e. rate the severity on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do a trial of tryptophan and then GABA (separately) and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). And go from there, increasing each as needed (one at a time) and tracking symptom improvement.

Here is a case as an example: Tryptophan ends TMJ pain, headaches and worry, and improves mood and sleep.

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

There are precautions when using certain amino acids and I always review them with all my clients. If they have been prescribed an SSRI, I have them discuss the use of tryptophan/5-HTP with their prescribing doctor so they can be monitored for serotonin syndrome. With careful monitoring and doctor approval I feel comfortable having my clients use tryptophan/5-HTP 6 hours away from their one and only SSRI.

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in these situations but it’s important to be aware of.

Tryptophan and GABA product options

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan, Source Naturals GABA Calm lozenges and Now GABA Powder. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Source Naturals GABA Calm lozenges and Now GABA Powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or GABA and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), if you need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to start. This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening. We take a deep dive into product options including Lidtke products and others if you’re not able to access Lidtke.

Low GABA can also affect sleep and cause stress eating. If you also have low GABA symptoms, the next step to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy Program.

This blog is a follow-on from the previous blog on this topic so be sure to read that blog too. It also features many valuable questions in the comments and my responses, hence this new post. I hope this has been helpful for you.

Wrapping up

Now I’d love to hear from you…

Have you had success using GABA and tryptophan together for anxiety, insomnia, ruminations, depression, overwhelm, TMJ etc?

Have you tweaked your dosing to find the ideal doses for your needs?

If yes, what doses and which products have helped?

If you’re a practitioner do you use tryptophan and GABA with clients/patients with these low serotonin and low GABA symptoms?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Mom switches her teen son from 5-HTP to tryptophan. In 3 days he has less anxiety, fears and ruminating thoughts, laughs more and sleeps better.

February 16, 2024 By Trudy Scott 40 Comments

My son has autism and OCD. I took him off fluvoxamine in May and used cbd and some other things and he was doing fine up until this past winter. He began having irrational fears and ruminating thoughts/fears that would not stop! I started 5-HTP, theanine, B12, probiotics with him for the last month and did not see any improvement. I was ready to go back to the medication when I came across your blog and information.

I assumed 5-HTP would be better for OCD, but after reading your comments you mentioned that you just switch to tryptophan if the 5-HTP is not working. I had tryptophan at home already. That night I emptied half a capsule into a little stevia flavored water and had him hold it in his mouth for a minute.

He was a different kid after that!!!! This is just the 3rd day but even his teachers are telling me he is doing really well and is less anxious at school. I am so thankful! I am now giving him 500mg in the morning and early evening.

I bought some inositol and plan to try adding that in the afternoons to see if that will help as well. I believe that he has PANDAS. He is a hand washer, and spits a lot, and has lots of other quirks that I would love to see decrease.

I have hope again! I am buying your book so that I can get a good plan going for him. If you have any other suggestions for him please let me know!!

This wonderful feedback was posted in the comments of one of the tryptophan blogs. I’m so thrilled for this mom and young man (he’s almost 20). I thanked her for sharing all this on the blog and offered to share additional generic feedback via a new blog post. I also asked for additional feedback on exactly how the tryptophan helped (more on that below).

Read on to learn how tryptophan helped with his ruminating thoughts, fears, crying and improved his sleep. And my insights about the ideal timing of tryptophan, finding the optimal dose and why it may work when 5-HTP doesn’t. I also share some insights about inositol and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

Low serotonin symptoms and the questions I had about his symptoms

I do hope he continues to see these benefits. Seeing such amazing results in 3 days is always what we’re looking for and it’s not unexpected to get such profound results so quickly!

I had some additional questions so I could share some general feedback as to how I work in situations like this. I wanted to know his age and if the switch to tryptophan helped any of his OCD symptoms and if yes how many notches improvement?

And which of the classic low serotonin symptoms the tryptophan helped and by how much: anxiety? irrational fears? and ruminating thoughts/fears? anything else? (all the low serotonin symptoms here)

Knowing this helps me know if I’m on track with a client i.e. the tryptophan is helping with low serotonin symptoms. And it also helps me decide we should consider increasing the dose and possibly adjust the number of times to use tryptophan. I share more about this below.

Tryptophan helps reduce his ruminating thoughts, fear and anxiety. And he’s laughing more and sleeps better

She shared some specific examples as to how much the tryptophan helps reduce his ruminating thoughts, fear and anxiety. And he’s laughing more and it helps him sleep:

He would often call me or text me throughout the day with questions about his health, and he would come to me 10-15 times in the afternoons/evenings, for about 3 weeks or so, and ask me the same questions about a rare disease that he believed he had.

He would cry and shake with fear and anxiety at some point and I would need to reassure him over and over again that he did not have this disease, and that it was literally impossible for him to have it.

After starting the tryptophan supplements 2x500mg morning/early evening he did not come to me at all and seemed content the 1st day.

Yesterday, he didn’t get the 2nd tryptophan until 5pm so he did come to me with 1 question/concern. I reassured him and he seemed fine especially after his supplement. Then 1 more question later that night but he accepted my reassurance both times and let it go.

So that was a big difference compared to the last 4 weeks. He was also laughing at some cartoon he was watching which I had not seen him do for a month either. Anxiety is less. He is sleeping better too. So far he still seems to believe the irrational things.

Tryptophan is clearly helping so many of his symptoms but we have more opportunities for further gains with tryptophan.

Tryptophan for low serotonin: dosing and timing

As I share in my book and other blog posts, typically 500 mg tryptophan twice a day is a good starting dose, used away from protein mid-afternoon and evening. It’s used like this because serotonin starts to decline in the afternoon. We increase based on individual needs to find the ideal dose. We may also add tryptophan or 5-HTP earlier in the day.

In a situation like this, if we were working together, I’d consider the following:

Adding a mid-afternoon dose of tryptophan
A switch to just afternoon and evening dosing (unless the morning dose was used for a specific reason i.e. morning symptoms)
Adding a second dose of tryptophan each time (he is using Nature Stacks Serotonin Brain Food and I’d recommend Lidtke 500 mg tryptophan for the second dose each time because it contains only tryptophan)

With changes we do one thing at a time and track symptom improvements carefully.

Tryptophan vs 5-HTP?

I commend her for figuring out the switch from 5-HTP to tryptophan.

It’s a well known fact that some folks just do better on one vs the other and if 5-HTP isn’t working I’ll have clients switch to tryptophan and vice versa. I typically start with tryptophan because it seems to be better tolerated. The biggest issue that I see with 5-HTP is that it’s often not tolerated if you have high cortisol. It can also cause nightmares for some folks.

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in this situation but it’s important to be aware of.

Inositol and OCD: when to consider adding it?

OCD or even mildly obsessive behaviors or thoughts can be a sign of low serotonin. I will do a trial of tryptophan as above and for some folks it’s often enough. Sometimes tryptophan at least helps to some degree and when it’s not enough, adding inositol (a B vitamin) takes it to the next level.

For many folks 500 -1000 mg capsules are typically recommended but this is a really low dose for OCD. The powdered form is really effective because you can increase as needed. You can actually go as high as 18g. I start low, with 1-2g in kids and adults, and keep going up by 2g a week until the obsessive symptoms disappear. More on inositol and OCD here.

GABA, dopamine and endorphin support too

She mentions that her son “seems to be low serotonin, low GABA (1st 1/2 of the list), low endorphins and low catecholamines” so other amino acids are likely to be of benefit too.

As always we used the neurotransmitter symptoms questionnaire and do trials of each amino acid: GABA for low GABA symptoms, DPA for low endorphins and tyrosine for low dopamine. These trials of each one are done one at a time with careful tracking to find the ideal dose before layering in the next amino acid.

Using the amino acids so it’s easy to reduce sugar and go gluten-free

I also asked what dietary changes he has already made and she responded: “We are in the process of reducing sugar and going back to gluten-free as much as possible but this will be hardest to stick to. Have done a keto-like and gluten-free-casein-free diet on and off since he was 4 years old.”

This is a great start and using the amino acids help reduce cravings and make it easy to reduce sugar and go gluten-free.

There is a sugar cravings aspect to all the neurotransmitter imbalances. The type of craving can be found on the above symptoms questionnaire. It’s not uncommon to need support in more than one area:

Low serotonin – tryptophan or 5-HTP for afternoon/evening cravings
Low endorphins – DPA for comfort/reward eating
Low catecholamines – tyrosine for low energy sugar cravings
Low GABA – GABA for stress eating

I’m glad she is getting a copy of my book The Antianxiety Food Solution. It has all the foundational dietary information, sections on cravings and a chapter on the amino acids.

It also has a chapter on pyroluria, which is very common in autism and something I help most of my clients address. Here is the pyroluria questionnaire.

Tryptophan and inositol product options

Products I recommend include Lidtke 500 mg Tryptophan and Designs for Health Inositol Powder. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Now Inositol Powder are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan and other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.

If you also have low GABA symptoms, the next step to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy program.

Now I’d like to hear from you

Have you had success with tryptophan for anxiety, fears, crying and ruminations? And has it also helped with sleep, how happy you feel and reduced cravings? Has it also helped with OCD?

Did you first trial 5-HTP and then found tryptophan worked better or vice versa?

If yes, what dose and when do you use it?

What about using inositol to further reduce OCD? And what dose helped?

If you’re a practitioner do you use tryptophan and/or inositol with clients/patients with these low serotonin symptoms?

And please let me know if it’s helpful that I’m now including product recommendations and where to get them?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Tryptophan 500 mg daily for a month: helps reduce negative thoughts, that scary wave of fear, panic attacks and anxiety

December 22, 2023 By Trudy Scott 32 Comments

Sylvie learned about my work after hearing me speak about nutritional solutions for anxiety on a summit. I discussed the use of tryptophan for low serotonin type of anxiety and panic attacks. She shared how much just 500 mg of tryptophan helps her and asks about using pharmaGABA too. In this blog I share my insights on next steps for someone in her shoes: using more tryptophan and/or more GABA and/or another GABA product. I also suggest that she reconsiders her vegetarian diet which can definitely play a role in low serotonin and some of the other neurotransmitters. Here is her wonderful feedback about tryptophan and her question in her own words:

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for a while. I am a vegetarian and really have no apparent reason why to have these two ghosts (anxiety and panic attacks) stealing the show in my present life. I don’t have anything causing intense stress or trauma and I take good care of myself. I went to see a Ph.D. in Psychotherapy and she couldn’t help me much, then I heard you talking about Tryptophan.

I got it the next day and I have been taking 1 x 500 mg at night daily, for about a month now. I have had almost no negative thoughts and that scary wave of fear in my body. Ok, maybe a couple of times, but really, very minimum. I was having a panic attack about once a week, ever since I took Lidtke Tryptophan so far I think I wanted to have a couple of them in the whole month, but they came very mildly and they disappeared.

May I take advantage and ask a question? When I felt I was going to have a panic attack I tried a 100mg of Pharmagaba that I found at Whole Foods, but I don’t think it did much for me. I know you recommend the GABA Calm, but I’ve suffered from migraines in the past, and I am afraid that the tyrosine will trigger one (one of my triggers for panic/anxiety are migraines), so what other brand/amount could I take that does not have tyrosine?

I don’t take any medications and am very healthy (had a yearly check up with complete lab work done in January), so the minimum dose of Tryptophan seems to be working well for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this information. I now understand the power of nutrition in our brain’s health, thanks to your book, etc…

Use what is already working and increase to find the ideal dose

It’s wonderful to hear how just 500 mg tryptophan once a day had such an impact on her and I appreciate her for sharing this on the blog so I can share here.

When I’m working with a client we always use what is already working well – in this case it’s tryptophan – and increase it to see if we can find the ideal dose and alleviate all the low serotonin symptoms.

Her negative thoughts and the scary wave of fear have been dramatically reduced but do happen from time to time. By increasing tryptophan she may well be able to completely eliminate them.

Panic attacks are a classic sign of low serotonin and with this amount of tryptophan they have decreased from once a week to a mild version once a month. This is another clue that tryptophan is helping and that it’s worth considering an increase. I would start with this before adding in pharmaGABA or another GABA product (but more on that below).

I would also review the list of low serotonin symptoms (you can find these here) and rate what else may still be causing any issues – like insomnia, PMS, anger, afternoon sugar cravings etc.

As far as increasing tryptophan a few options could be considered:

500 mg tryptophan mid-afternoon and 500 mg tryptophan at night OR
2 x 500 mg tryptophan at night (this would be a good option if sleep is still not ideal)

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

There are precautions when using certain amino acids and I always review them with all my clients. If they have been prescribed an SSRI I have them discuss the use of tryptophan/5-HTP with their prescribing doctor so they can be monitored for serotonin syndrome. With careful monitoring and doctor approval I feel comfortable having my clients use tryptophan/5-HTP 6 hours away from their one and only SSRI.

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in this situation but it’s important to be aware of.

When to consider GABA and some products to trial

Low GABA can also be a factor when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks. But it’s best to get a good baseline of serotonin support before adding a new amino acid like GABA.

I would also review the list of low GABA symptoms (you can find these here) and rate which ones may still be causing issues – like how severe her physical anxiety/tension is when she has a panic attack, if she eats more sugar/drinks more alcohol when stressed and has low GABA tension-type of insomnia.

Tyrosine is a precaution with migraines so it was wise not to use GABA Calm but the pharmaGABA dose she used may not have been high enough. It’s worth increasing the dose to see if that helps before adding a different GABA product. A GABA only product like NOW GABA powder or a liposomal GABA/theanine product would be something to consider if the pharmaGABA doesn’t help. I shared a link to many of the GABA products that I use and recommend

The role of a vegetarian diet in low serotonin

I also suggest that Sylvie reconsiders her vegetarian diet which can definitely play a role in low serotonin and some of the other neurotransmitters.

She does share that she is surprised about the anxiety and panic attacks but it’s not really surprising to me because it’s a fact that you can become nutrient depleted on a vegetarian diet: low iron, low vitamin B12, low omega-3s and low vitamin D, as well as low intake of amino acids are common. All of the above are needed to make serotonin and other neurotransmitters.

She says “I now understand the power of nutrition in our brain’s health, thanks to your book.” I do address the issue with vegetarianism in my book so hopefully she is open to considering some changes.

Here are a few blog posts to illustrate the power of eating real whole food that does include quality animal protein:

If she doesn’t make changes to her diet it’s possible she may need to use tryptophan and/or GABA long term.

Tryptophan and 5-HTP product options

Sylvie happens to respond well to tryptophan and yet some folks do better with 5-HTP so it’s a matter of doing a trial of each.

If you’re not in the US, Doctor’s Best L-Tryptophan 500mg and Source Naturals 50 mg 5-HTP are products I recommend on iherb (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan, GABA and the other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA may be an issue for you.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all – including the Lidtke Tryptophan 500 mg and some of the GABA products mentioned above – in my online store.

Have you had success using tryptophan and/or GABA for your anxiety, panic attacks, negative thoughts and scary waves of fear? If yes, how much helps? Did you start low and then increase?

If you’re a practitioner do you have success using tryptophan and GABA this way with your clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Tryptophan 3x/day: OCD and ruminating thoughts are no longer ruling my grandson’s life and he has the most beautiful serene smile

December 15, 2023 By Trudy Scott 34 Comments

I recently received this wonderful feedback from a grandmother who is so happy about tryptophan helping her 17-year old grandson. He had been struggling with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and ruminating thoughts for years:

We started with Lidtke L-Tryptophan Chewables. I was thrilled beyond my greatest hopes to see that it helped immediately! So, we went forward with having him chew a tryptophan when the thoughts started taking hold. This helped for a while, but the thoughts would return.

Finally I read one mother on your blog who gave her son tryptophan 3x/day. So we tried this. That was the magic bullet for my grandson. Getting the tryptophan in before the thoughts could take hold made the difference. And so we have stuck with this plan and have been so happy to see that OCD is no longer ruling my grandson’s life.

Last week I heard the most beautiful words I could imagine. “Hey grandma! The OCD is permanently gone!” Truly a miracle! That’s how it feels to him. As long as we continue to take the tryptophan 3x/day, there is no sign of OCD or ruminating thoughts!

We keep GABA Calm on hand as well and if a bothersome thought enters his mind, he chews a GABA and we don’t hear any more about it.

I honestly don’t even know how to tell you what a blessing your information has been to my grandson. He has the most beautiful, serene smile almost all the time now.

In all my reading and searching for all these years, you’re the only one I saw talking about this. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for guiding us to giving this kid his life back. I pray that all the good things you have done to help people come back to you tenfold, Trudy. You are a Godsend.

How much tryptophan helped him and why using it 3 x a day was key

The amino acid tryptophan, used as a supplement, supports low serotonin levels which can cause the worry type of anxiety, ruminating thoughts and OCD (behaviors and thoughts). You can see all the low serotonin symptoms here.

Each of the Lidtke L-Tryptophan Chewables provides 100 mg tryptophan which is often a great starting dose for children and teens. Because it’s chewable and tastes sweet it’s also a great format for children and teens (and “pixie dust” adults who need a very small amount). The bad aspect is that it does contain sugar and is quite sweet. Because you are continually consuming something sweet you may end up over-consuming them if sugar addiction is your issue.

As you can see 100 mg tryptophan did provide some relief in the moment but using the amino acids consistently throughout the day is what I always recommend for best results. In this instance 100 mg tryptophan 3x day worked perfectly for this young man.

Keep in mind there is no one-size fits all for dosing and 100 mg tryptophan x3 per day is considered quite low with many individuals needing 500-1000 mg tryptophan two or three times a day. Also some individuals do better on 5-HTP so this should always be considered too (10 mg 5-HTP is equivalent to 100 mg tryptophan).

Precaution about serotonin syndrome with tryptophan/5-HTP

If they are using more than one SSRI and/or a combination of psychiatric medications, the use of tryptophan/5-HTP is not advised.

None of the above applied in this situation but it’s important to be aware of.

How GABA also helps and my recommendation about consistent use too

The amino acid GABA, used as a supplement, supports low GABA levels which can cause physical anxiety and tension, and also an inability to stop intrusive thoughts. You can see all the low GABA symptoms here.

Each GABA Calm provides 125 mg GABA and he uses it as needed: “We keep GABA Calm on hand as well and if a bothersome thought enters his mind, he chews a GABA.”

My recommendation is to assess for low GABA symptoms and consider using GABA consistently throughout the day, typically 2-4 x day.

OCD research: glutamatergic and serotonergic pathway dysregulation

This 2011 paper, Nutraceuticals in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): a review of mechanistic and clinical evidence, states the following:

Current preclinical research investigating nutraceuticals (natural products) for OCD, reveals encouraging novel activity in modulating key pathways suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of OCD (glutamatergic and serotonergic pathway dysregulation).

With glutamatergic pathway dysregulation, we would expect GABA to help; and with serotonergic pathway dysregulation, we would expect tryptophan (or 5-HTP to help), as this young man found.

However there are no studies that have used tryptophan for OCD and the above paper concludes that “the serotonin precursor tryptophan is unlikely to be of use in treating OCD while 5-HTP may possibly be a more effective precursor strategy.” The authors state this about 5-HTP because it has been used with success for OCD in conjunction with medication (read the study here).

This lack of research on tryptophan for OCD is one of the reasons I feel compelled to share wonderful success stories like this. And until we have tryptophan research, we must use what we see works clinically and recognize that tryptophan and 5-HTP work in very similar ways.

Other nutrients when tryptophan or 5-HTP or GABA doesn’t help

The above paper does mention other nutrients that are tentatively supported by research and which modulate these pathways: N-acetylcysteine (NAC), myo-inositol, glycine, and milk thistle.

These nutrients could be considered when tryptophan or 5-HTP or GABA doesn’t help or doesn’t help enough. I’ve had much success with myo-inositol for OCD and have always used it in conjunction with tryptophan or 5-HTP. We start with tryptophan or 5-HTP and find a good base line and then add inositol, starting with 500 mg and working up to 18 g/day (as reported in the research).

As you can see, in one study, NAC was shown to be helpful for trichotillomania, a behavioral disorder characterized by the recurring or obsessive habit of pulling one’s hair, resulting in secondary alopecia. I blogged about this here.

They tried many approaches and it took 3 years before they used the amino acids

Patricia, the grandmother, also shared what other approaches they had tried from the age of 14-17 years before seeing success with tryptophan and GABA: therapy, tapping, breathing techniques, acupuncture, yoga and tai chi. None of this helped enough and they rejected pharmaceutical approaches.

It breaks my heart that it took 3 years for her grandson to find relief:

I have been reading your information on OCD for several years (in all my reading and searching for all these years, you’re the only one I saw talking about this) and though I thought it was the best hope I’d heard of for stopping OCD and ruminating thoughts, I was afraid to try the amino acids because I knew so little about them.

So I studied and studied and gained confidence by reading the published reports that seemed to back up what you said about amino acids.

Still, since I was hoping to help my grandson, who was 14 at the time, I was overly cautious. I’m not a medical professional and I’m aware that even really safe and effective treatments can change more than just the issue I was hoping to address.

So, more reading and searching ensued. Meanwhile my grandson’s life was deteriorating. He couldn’t function in many ways because he had no peace. Even sleep was difficult because the thoughts wouldn’t rest – the poor kid had no time at all when his mind wasn’t racing. It broke my heart to see him suffer so much.

Finally, I got the strength to trust my gut and try the amino acids.

I admire Patricia for reading, searching and studying and finally being well-informed enough to help her grandson. And then sharing his story with me so I can share it here with you. She was inspired by one of my other blogs and hopefully you will be inspired and motivated by this wonderful success story.

My hope, with stories like this, is that the amino acids and nutritional approaches are considered first and not after all else has failed.

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan, 5-HTP, GABA and the other amino acids as supplements

We use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA may be an issue for you.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

Have you had success using tryptophan (or 5-HTP) and GABA this way for your OCD and ruminating thoughts or for a loved one? If yes, how much helps?

If you’re a practitioner do you have success using tryptophan (or 5-HTP) and GABA this way with your clients/patients who have OCD and ruminating thoughts?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.