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5-HTP Dosage
5-HTP is a relatively new supplement that is gaining a reputation for helping to treat a multitude of conditions, acting as an appetite suppressant and food manager, helping with depression, and working as a sleep aid.
5-HTP stands for 5 Hydroxytryptophan and is also known as oxitriptan. It works by helping the body to naturally increase the production of serotonin; the happy chemical in your brain.
As with all supplements and medications the body's response is different for everyone. The correct dosage must be administered which may be different for the symptoms that it is treating and from person to person. It has been recorded that too high a dose of 5-HTP can cause cardiovascular disease or other such side effects including poor blood circulation.
There are various reports on what is the correct dosage of 5-HTP to take. Again there are differences and the correct doage can vary from 25 milligrams up to 300 milligrams.
On average a dose of 100 grams seems to be a safe level to take as a supplement. Some sources recommend that if a higher level is taken then it should be done in conjunction with another drug Carbidopra. This is supposed to help prevent serotonin being made in the peripheral circulatory system.
You can buy 5-HTP over the counter and they come in various sizes even as low as 20ml per capsule but more often they are sold in 50mg and 100mg capsules.
Some people can do well on just 20mg of 5-HTP a day whereas others may need 100mg per day.
However much you take it is always best to have on an empty stomach as is more easily absorbed. There is also a 5-HTP spray and lozenge that can be taken sublingually, that is taken under the tongue.
The use of 5-HTP is relatively new and was only introduced in 1994. There is still much research that has to be done and so it is recommended that you take the minimum dosage required to get a result and not for any prolonged periods of time but to have a break after 2-3 months.
It is important to be consistent when taking 5-HTP capsules in order to achieve the best results; ensure that you are taking the capsules at the same time of day, under the same set of circumstances, whether with or without food, also taking into consideration any additional supplements you are using.
It is also recommended that you take your 5-HTP about half an hour before you go to bed. This is because not only does 5-HTP increase serotonin levels but also melatonin. This is a sleep inducing hormone so not advisable to take first thing in the morning or if you have to drive. It is impoetant to note that the effects of 5-HTP can be felt within 10 minutes of taking it.
So to summarise, if you just want to have a restful sleep then a 25mg dosage should be adequate. If you are using 5-HTP for something more like depression or anxiety then a maximum of 100mg is safe.
As the capsules usually come in 50mg then we can safely say that 1 x 50mg is an acceptable dose.
It is always advisable to read the instructions that come with your packet of 5-HTP or even check with you GP.