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Re: Re: night owls. hoot. hoot.
| quote: | Originally posted by SurrJRS
Insomnia!
My doctor writes me Rx's for various benzodiazepines (sedatives). However they are only good for temporary alleviation of insomnia, and the rebound effects are very prevalent with this type of drug. My doctor wanted to try another route with me. One of the symptoms of serotonin deficiency syndrome is in fact insomnia. Poor diet can spell less of the essential amino acid L-Tryptophan. (It's in milk, turkey, etc). Essential amino acids are essential because the body can't create them it's self, and relys on external sources.
As previously stated, L-Tryptophan is one of the essential amino-acids which in turn gets converted to 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP); 5-HTP is the direct precursor to serotonin (5-HT). And we all know serotonin plays a critical role in how we feel, and also sleep.
In the United States L-Tryptophan was banned by the FDA due to a fatal contamination linked to a Japanese company manufacturing L-Tryptophan. Reportedly this Japanese company tried to speed up their production by using genetic engineering. L-Tryptophan is still legal in Canada, and for the Americans 5-HTP can still be sold in the US.
L-Tryptophan is reportedly superior to 5-HTP as 5-HTP is converted to serotonin in the stomach, and this causes some gastro-intestinal upset (there are quite a few serotonin receptors in the gastro-intestinal tract) and means there is less 5-HT available where it's needed most, the brain. In order to help you with mood and insomnia L-Tryptophan must pass through the blood brain barrier where it can be decarboxylased into 5-HT.
I take 4g (yes grams) of L-Tryptophan at bedtime. And with my drug plan, it's 100% covered. (You can't beat that!)
So if you are having trouble sleeping and/or have mood issues, then L-Tryptophan might be right for you. It's natural (basically a supplement) and going the SSRI and/or benzodiazepine route probably creates more damage/trouble than it's worth.
Oh, and be sure to take a B vitamin complex with L-Tryptophan. If you are B3 deficient the L-Tryptophan will be converted to B3 instead of 5-HT! B6 quashes a toxic metabolite of L-Tryptophan that could cause bladder cancer. And if memory serves me correctly, one of the B vitamins helps get L-Tryptophan though the blood brain barrier.
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I also have much trouble sleeping, not insomnia but the fact that I wake up constantly through the night. I'm an extremely light sleeper and it's quite an annoyance -- quick question do you need an RX for L-Tryptophan?
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Anyway, 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) can still be purchased in the US.
DVD's actually. I need a sleep-aids
don't know how this is on my list..but it's good *hehe*
