Black is White

I was wondering if any of you fellow bloggers have any had any experience of 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan also known as oxitriptan). I read a newspaper article the other day where the author mentioned that this amino acid is sold over the counter as a dietary supplement, used to treat depression. She claimed it was nature’s antidepressant; that it raised levels of serotonin without the need for antidepressants. So I was surprised I had never heard of it before and decided to take a closer look.

“5-HTP is derived from an African plant called griffonia, and has been called 'nature's Prozac', because it works on the brain to boost serotonin, though without the side effects."

Stephanie Merritt, The Observer.

I find that you can use Google searches to find evidence to pretty much prove or disprove anything. I can type in 5-HTP miracle cure I’m led to personal testimonials on health and holistic remedy web sites, all very interesting. Alternatively, if I search 5-HTP myth, I learn about warnings, concern and bad science. Still interesting.

I’ve used this to great effect when my son was born. Alicia and I liked the name Xavier, and so we went for it… knowing that my parents were quite keen (understatement) on Islamic names. I think my mother’s main concern was that if we were to call our son John or something like that, she wouldn’t know what to say to the rest of the family. Oh just think of it! So to put her at ease I Googled Xavier, Islam and hey presto… up popped a website linking the two. Press print. Present the hard copy to my mother and disaster averted. Pathetic on my part, I know… but sometimes a quite life is all I ask. Funny thing was, when we sat opposite my parents and told them for the first time he’d be called Xavier, my mother almost burst into tears and my father unleashed an enormous grin on us. At first I though we had won 50% of the vote, but then my dad elbowed my mother boisterously and said “come on, don’t wind your mother up, what are you really going to call him?” It was a moment scripted for sitcom. Only it really did happen. And it felt a whole heap longer than a moment.

Anyway, on this occasion I am none the wiser. So I’m not going to waste anyone’s time by going into the scientific arguments for and against 5-HTP working on depression here. It would seem that there is a real lack of quality study on this so basically, the jury is out, or maybe the jury hasn’t even heard the case yet.

What I’m left with, in the absence of science… it a bit of good old gossip. So, have you had any experiences with this supplement? For the record, I do not use 5-HTP and I’m led to believe I should avoid it if taking an SSRI antidepressant. So there you go.