5-HTP

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.

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.

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.

Tryptophan and DPA (d-phenylalanine) for cravings and sleep issues (and a concern about 5-HTP and nightmares)

June 21, 2024 By Trudy Scott 19 Comments

Thank you for all your work! I saw your talk in the Super Trauma conference and immediately went and read your book. I suspect I am low in all 3 neurotransmitters, and have noticed the biggest difference in supplementing with DPA (d-phenylalanine). I started taking all 3 supplements by swallowing and switched to taking them sublingually after I got used to the idea.

My question is about tryptophan in particular. I struggle with nightmares already so I am a bit wary of trying 5-HTP. I tried taking mid afternoon and before bed but it made me way too tired in the afternoon. Is it okay to just double the dose right before bed? How safe are these amino acids in higher doses? I was also wanting to add an evening dose of DPA to help with cravings. Thanks again!

I get many questions like this on the blog about using either 5-HTP with DPA or tryptophan with DPA together, for helping to improve sleep and ease sugar cravings. So today I’m sharing one of these questions and my insights in case you have a similar question. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions you may have related to using these amino acids together and gain an understanding on how to tweak the amino acids for optimal results.

Read on for my response to the above question from Amanda. I also share more about 5-HTP and nightmares (and why she may also decide to use this amino acid too), vitamin B6 and nightmares, pyroluria, and how to figure out if your cravings are due to low endorphins or low serotonin (or a combination).

Should she add an evening dose of DPA?

It’s wonderful to hear that DPA is helping with Amanda’s comfort cravings/emotional eating and other low endorphin symptoms. As a reminder these include:

Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
Crying or tearing up easily
Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
Craving a reward or numbing treat
PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) *

(bookmark this symptoms questionnaire because it’s updated as new research is published and has more symptoms listed that what is included in my book)

And in case you’re new to DPA (d-phenylalanine), it is an amino acid that prevents the breakdowns of endorphins so we have more of these feel-good neurotransmitters.

I’m really glad she figured out it’s more effective when opened and used on the tongue rather than swallowing it. I share more about this here – How best to use the amino acid DPA for easing heart-ache, weepiness, comfort eating and a compulsive desire for food. It really can mean the difference between no results and great results.

Amanda asks about adding an evening dose of DPA to help with endorphin-related cravings too and also using tryptophan only at night. Keep in mind that afternoon and evening cravings are typically related to low serotonin and it’s best to trial one amino acid at a time so you know which is working for which symptom. If we were working together, I’d recommend figuring out her serotonin support first and then layering in an extra DPA (or possibly two) at night if it’s still needed.

In case you’re curious, I discussed low serotonin, low endorphins and low GABA in my interview at the Trauma Super Conference so she is also using GABA. Using this one sublingually is key and it helps with easing physical tension and stress eating.

What could her serotonin support look like?

Since tryptophan used mid afternoon and before bed made her way too tired in the afternoon she could consider a lower dose of tryptophan (midafternoon and evening) or could just trial one tryptophan after dinner to help with sleep and reduce after dinner cravings.

For some folks this is enough. If not, after a few days of tracking symptoms, she could increase to one tryptophan after dinner and another at bedtime or two tryptophan at bedtime if her symptoms are not down 2/10 or 3/10.

Her concern about 5-HTP and nightmares

Some folks do better on 5-HTP and some on tryptophan and she is getting results with tryptophan so doesn’t really have to worry about 5-HTP at this stage. However, I do want to address Amanda’s concern about 5-HTP and nightmares, because in the future she may want to consider 5-HTP.

She may find she does in fact need some serotonin support earlier in the day and 5-HTP in the afternoon may be the answer for her i.e. 5-HTP midafternoon and tryptophan in the early evening and/or at bedtime. It’s not unusual that we mix and match these two amino acids.

I’ve not had any clients report nightmares with 5-HTP, so I was surprised to hear this feedback on a Facebook thread, where a number of folks stopped using it for this reason. However, most folks on the same Facebook thread shared that 5-HTP works very well for them and does not cause nightmares. There is also research that supports the use of 5-HTP for night terrors. I suspect it may have to do with low vitamin B6 which we know contributes to poor dream recall and/or nightmares.

I share more about 5-HTP and nightmares here. And vitamin B6 and dream recall here.

I posed this question in the 5-HTP/nightmares blog: “Could it be that folks who get nightmares with 5-HTP, happen to also have pyroluria? Or perhaps they simply have low vitamin B6?” I have all my anxious clients supplement with vitamin B6 and/or P5P and this may be why nightmares with 5-HTP was news to me.

Vitamin B6 for neurotransmitter production and pyroluria

Since she does already struggle with nightmares, I’m not surprised she is concerned. However nightmares are a clue that someone may have low vitamin B6. This is typically picked up when I have clients do the pyroluria questionnaire on the intake form. Addressing low vitamin B6 is also important because it’s a cofactor for making the neurotransmitters and helps with hormone balancing.

I reminded her to read the pyroluria chapter in my book too. It includes the above questionnaire and detailed information on vitamin B6, zinc and evening primrose oil (all needed to address this condition that leads to feelings of being socially anxious).

How safe are these amino acids in higher amounts?

I share the top of the range for dosing all the amino acids in my book. This is typically 1500 mg tryptophan twice a day, 150 mg 5-HTP twice a day and 1500 mg DPA three times a day. Occasionally I have had clients need higher doses. The clue is symptom relief. We start low, monitor symptoms and adjust up as needed, and then down if no additional benefits are observed.

Using extra DPA at night for cravings?

As I mentioned above, I’d recommend figuring out serotonin support first (tryptophan only or a combination of 5-HTP and tryptophan) and then layering in an extra DPA (or possibly two) in the evening if it’s still needed for comfort cravings.

For some folks it’s very easy to identify comfort cravings (low endorphins) from worry/low mood cravings (low serotonin):

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 anxious feelings
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 it’s not easy to figure out the only way to know for sure is to do a trial of tryptophan and then do a trial of DPA and observe before and after feelings and the need to self-medicate with whatever the sugary treat is. Amanda may need one or the other at various times and she may even need both at certain times.

DPA and tryptophan product options

I recommend Lidtke EndorphiGen (which is DPA) and Lidtke Tryptophan 500mg. 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, these products are available via iherb: Doctor’s Best D-Phenylalanine (or DPA) and Life Extension Tryptophan 500mg (use this link to save 5%).

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

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

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.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I’m thrilled Amanda is seeing these benefits with DPA, tryptophan and GABA and is fine-tuning her results even further. I appreciate her asking her questions 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, which combination has worked best for you for emotional eating and sleep issues?

Is 5-HTP or tryptophan better for you and is vitamin B6 part of your supplement list.

If you’re a practitioner have you seen this combination work well with clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

GABA Calm and 5-HTP twice a day, after struggling with ADD-like symptoms, have made our day-to-day life so much better!

June 14, 2024 By Trudy Scott 14 Comments

Kimberly is a mom in the community and shared this wonderful feedback about her 8-year old son who is using just two amino acids:

I started my son on Gaba Calm and Serotrex (5-htp) twice a day after struggling with ADD-like symptoms for about 9 months. I’m not sure if he really has ADD or if his gut problems are to blame, but the amino acids have made our day-to-day life so much better!

I think we may need to do some work with his nervous system and on helping him learn to regulate his emotions, but he’s much less mouthy and argumentative than he was before. We still have hard days, but the supplements have helped pull me out of being exhausted and discouraged all the time from fighting with him constantly over everything.

I never get tired of hearing feedback like this and it’s not uncommon for young children (and adults) to see benefits like this very quickly.

She doesn’t know if he has ADD (attention deficit disorder) but she used the amino acids based on his symptoms (low GABA and low serotonin). We know it was the right choice because of his results. Could his symptoms improve even further? Absolutely! We typically increase one amino acid at a time watching for further improvement and stop when we reach the ideal dose.

Because she says “we still have hard days” I’d want to see her increase the GABA and 5-HTP (as mentioned above) and also consider a trial of DPA/d-phenylalanine (for low endorphin emotional symptoms) and possibly tyrosine (for low dopamine focus and attention issues). Low blood sugar can also cause an emotional rollercoaster and eating for blood sugar stability and glutamine helps so much.

When I hear “mouthy” and “argumentative” I immediately consider low serotonin but low blood sugar comes to mind too.

These additional amino acid trials would also be done one at a time with careful tracking of symptoms and adjustments up and down as needed.

If you’re not familiar with the symptoms of low serotonin, low GABA, low endorphins, low dopamine and low blood sugar you can see them all here.

Kimberly acknowledges that they may need to do work in other areas too – like learning to regulate his emotions and addressing gut issues. This is good as it’s seldom just one approach that is going to shift things.

Kimberly has also seen benefits with 5-HTP

I also love this feedback from Kimberly because she is less exhausted and no longer discouraged because her son is doing so much better.

By the way, this mom also experiences benefits from amino acids. 5-HTP helps her with sugar cravings. I shared her feedback in a blog post last year: Would using 5-HTP or tryptophan help when you crave sugar (as a sort of antidepressant) late afternoon/evening?

I was taking a break from tryptophan/5-HTP and realized after reading this post that that might be a mistake! So I added 5-HTP back in mid-afternoon and my sugar cravings are almost completely gone.

And 5-HTP also helped her late afternoon sadness and despair:

I took a 50 mg 5-HTP along with my mid-afternoon Endorphigen capsule, and within just a few minutes I felt the sadness and despair that I often feel in the late afternoon, start to lift. I was astonished at how quickly it worked!

I just love it when the amino acids work for mom and then mom helps her child.

It goes without saying that dietary changes are foundational in situations like this – often for the entire family. This means eating real whole foods, quality animal protein (especially at breakfast to help with blood sugar stability), organic veggies and fruit, fermented foods, healthy fats and no sugar/gluten/caffeine (all covered in detail in my book).

Assessing for and addressing nutritional deficiencies (like low zinc, low vitamin B6, low omega-3s, low iron etc.), removing toxins, addressing the gut (more on this below) and addressing infections are all important too. It’s always a comprehensive approach. But the good news is that you start to get results right away with amino acid supplementation, while you are figuring out everything else.

Gut issues and 5-HTP/serotonin and GABA

As mentioned above Kimberly also suspects possible gut problems with her son. These could include dysbiosis (microbiome imbalance), food sensitivities, leaky gut, parasites, candida and or digestive enzyme issues etc. These always need to be investigated and addressed – because they can all contribute to low GABA and low serotonin – but until the issues are resolved, you can start to see some symptom resolution with the amino acids.

The amino acids he is taking offer an added gut benefit too. In an animal study, Effects of Serotonin and Slow-Release 5-Hydroxytryptophan on Gastrointestinal Motility in a Mouse Model of Depression, 5-HTP was shown to normalize gut motility and growth of the enteric epithelium. The paper concludes that slow release 5-HTP “might be used to treat patients with intestinal dysfunction associated with low levels of serotonin.”

Interestingly, an in-vitro (test-tube) study found that: “Serotonin showed antifungal activity towards all isolates of candida.” This was for certain strains, such as albicans, glabrata, tropicalis, and a few others).

This review article published earlier this year, Gamma-aminobutyric acid as a potential postbiotic mediator in the gut-brain axis discusses the role GABA plays in “psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and stress” and also attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The authors also share that GABA has an impact on “gut microbiota composition” and confirms what has been reported in other research and what we see clinically: the “possibility that GABA may be a potent mediator of the gut-brain axis.”

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

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

Wrapping up and your feedback

I’m thrilled Kimberly saw these benefits with 5-HTP and then helped her son with 5-HTP and GABA. I asked if I could share here to inspire other moms and give them hope and she said yes. I do always appreciate feedback from the community and being able to share it on the blog.

Now I’d love to hear from you – Does any of this resonate with you? If yes, which amino acid has helped you and your child and how has it helped?

If you’re a practitioner have you seen GABA and 5-HTP help in situations like this?

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

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.

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.

How to use bright light therapy for increased anxiety, increased panic and SAD during the cold dark winter months

January 19, 2024 By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

There is a seasonality to anxiety and panic disorder just as there are seasonal variations in mood for certain susceptible individuals:

Following a clinical observation of increased anxiety symptoms and mood changes during winter in panic disorder patients, the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) was completed by 133 patients. Global Seasonality Scores (GSS), and the prevalence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), were significantly higher than reported in general population studies.

Seasonal changes were also found in anxiety and panic attacks.

These findings suggest the possibility of a common aetiology [etiology or cause] for panic disorder and SAD, that seasonality may be a far more general phenomenon in psychopathology, and that light therapy may be a useful treatment for some panic disorder patients.

The above abstract is from this paper: Seasonality in panic disorder

If you’re new to bright light therapy or are currently using it with success and would like to learn more, I’d like to point you to this excellent review paper, Bright Light as a Personalized Precision Treatment of Mood Disorders. The authors of the above paper cover some of the basics like how to use bright light for SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or the winter blues, and for how long, possible adverse effects and who should not use bright light therapy (this last aspect is theoretical).

This information about bright light and mood disorders can be applied to anxiety and panic attacks, in addition to SAD.

As you’ll read below there are also often benefits for non seasonal depression, bipolar disorder, fatigue, sleep issues, emotional eating and other conditions too. And bright light therapy can be used in conjunction with the amino acids tryptophan or 5-HTP, and is often used with psychiatric medications too.

How to use bright light for SAD and winter anxiety/panic and for how long?

You sit in front of the light box or full spectrum lamp – on a table or your desk – with open eyes. Using a standing lamp as a source of light is another option.

The authors of the Bright Light paper share the following approach for SAD (seasonal affective disorder or the winter blues), all of which is applicable for increased anxiety and panic attacks in winter too):

Start with a “duration of 30 minutes, using a light intensity of 10,000 lux.” (more on lux comparisons below)
“Early morning administration offers greater chances for remission” (although there is documented research and clinical results that for some folks later in the day works well too).
“Measured at eye level, a therapeutic distance of 60–80 cm from the light box can be seen as standard requirements (some other devices recommend a distance of 30 cm, so we advise to follow the device recommendations that take into account light parameters and distance).” Most of the lights/devices I recommend state a distance of 30 cm so it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.
“Lower intensities also appear to be effective, but need longer exposure durations: 2,500 Lux for 2 hours per day or 5,000 Lux for 1 hour a day.” This means sitting further away may allow you to sit in front of the lamp/device for longer duration and get the same benefits.
“Significant effects appear only at 2–3 weeks of treatment.” Based on my clinical results, I have clients start to feel some improvements right away with the correct distance and a good lamp.
“Treatment is usually continued until the time of usual spontaneous remission in the spring or summer” (and is ideally started as fall/autumn starts to approach rather than in the middle of winter).

I’m also adding this missing and yet important fact from another paper: “The light box is angled ~30° from the line of gaze. The user does not stare directly into the light.”

They also discuss guidelines for year round use of bright light therapy for non-seasonal unipolar depression, another term for major depressive disorder. And midday or morning use for bipolar depression (when on mood stabilizers). I share more about this in my blog: Midday bright light therapy for bipolar depression. I refer you to the study for this information so it can be discussed with your doctor.

Bright light therapy for insomnia and decreased alertness/fatigue

The Bright Light paper also mentions how light therapy “may also be useful to improve sleep quality” … and … “abnormalities in circadian rhythms such as sleep phase delay syndrome, that are frequently associated in mood disorders.”

The authors also mention how light therapy can also help “decreased alertness”, presumably as a result of poor sleep.

Clinically, I see these benefits for clients in similar ways that tryptophan or 5-HTP help with sleep issues. This is related to the serotonin boosting mechanism of bright light therapy. Keep in mind anxiety and panic are symptoms of low serotonin.

What are some possible adverse effects of bright light therapy?

The authors state that bright light therapy “is well-tolerated by patients; adverse effects such as headache, eyestrain, nausea and agitation, are usually transient and mild.” Clinically, I have seldom seen clients experience headache, eyestrain and nausea.

However, I have seen agitation and other low serotonin symptoms get worse – like feeling more sad or more worried or more angry or more irritated or more sleep issues (or all of the above). Too much bright light therapy can ramp up low serotonin symptoms in a similar way that too much tryptophan or 5-HTP can. In other words, it can be overdone and more is not necessarily better. You have to find a balance and figure out what works best for your needs.

I also have clients who are prescribed antidepressants discuss light therapy with their prescribing doctor as I suspect there is the possibility of serotonin syndrome. I don’t see any reports of this in the research and a number of reports of bright light therapy being used successfully in conjunction with antidepressants.

Who should not use bright light therapy?

The authors share these contraindications: “ophthalmic disorders (cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa) and disorders affecting the retina (retinopathy, diabetes, herpes, etc.).” They recommend getting an eye examination if you are in doubt.

Other papers state that the above is theoretical and there are no documented cases of eye damage from bright light therapy. But if you suspect you may be at high risk, get the approval from your ophthalmologist and ongoing monitoring too.

Recommended lights, lamps and panels: always 10,000 lux

This blog post, Winter blues or SAD: light therapy has been updated (as of Jan 2024) with new links for recommended lights/lamps/panels, all 10,000 lux. You can also read feedback from folks who use and find the benefits of full spectrum light or bright light therapy. For example, Chrstine shared this:

My office is the darkest room in the house and I have one sitting on my desk, especially helpful in the winter. This is the second Verilux Happy Light I have used and I really like it. Living in Nevada where there is sunshine over 330 days of the year I am so accustomed to light and brightness that if I am in a dark room or space for too long it really affects me. This has been a great product for me and I can recommend it.

If you’re curious about lux, it is a unit of illumination and this paper, Light Therapy in Mood Disorders: A Brief History with Physiological Insights, includes this very useful lux comparison image:

light therapy and mood disorders — The above is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution License and can be found here .

The combination of using bright light therapy with amino acids such as tryptophan and 5-HTP

I often recommend the use of light therapy in conjunction with amino acids such as tryptophan and 5-HTP. This offers additional serotonin support and helps ease worry-type anxiety, panic attacks, low mood, insomnia, cravings and more. I discuss this combination approach in the winter blues blog.

When someone is already using amino acids with some success, we may just add light therapy and keep amino acid dosing the same or we may use higher doses of amino acids like tryptophan, 5-HTP and GABA during the winter months. We may also use both depending on the person’s unique needs.

I had one client who did really well with tryptophan: his anxiety decreased dramatically but then ramped up before winter. Increasing tryptophan was too much for him so we kept the original tryptophan dose and he started bright light therapy. This worked very well for him until the end of spring when he was able to stop the light therapy.

I also share links to increased OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), intrusive thoughts, PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), PMS (premenstrual syndrome), binge eating/emotional eating and drinking/alcoholism in the winter months – and the role of light therapy and amino acids.

Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or 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.

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 importance of quality animal protein is also covered.

Do you experience increased anxiety, panic attacks and/or the winter blues in the winter months? Have you had success with bright light therapy?

If yes, which full spectrum lamp have you found to be the most useful? What time of the day do you use it, how often do you use it and for what duration?

Have you used a combination of amino acids and light therapy, and adjusted up your amino acids during the colder and darker winter months?

If you’re a practitioner do you recommend light therapy to 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.