Private and Confidential Information
By Mike Seiler and Rachel Trueblood, www.thesleepwellsite.com
First, a little background. Protein is the key building block in our bodies. It is composed of tiny parts called amino acids. Our bodies make some amino acids, and they get others from food. The amino acids our bodies cannot make are called essential amino acids. One of these essential amino acids is called Tryptophan, also known as L-Tryptophan. This means our bodies cannot make Tryptophan; we must get it from food or supplementation.
Tryptophan is readily available in many foods, including meats and fish, eggs, dairy products, bananas, and some nuts and seeds. Corn, cereals and legumes contain little Tryptophan. To metabolize tryptophan, we use vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid, and magnesium. Other amino acids compete for absorption with tryptophan, so we need to take it often as a supplement to increase its level in our blood. Unlike other amino acids, it can exist free in the blood and can be carried by protein.
Tryptophan has a specific function in our bodies. It is converted into a brain chemical called Serotonin. Serotonin is one of the major neurotransmitters in our brains and is responsible for our moods. It allows us to feel calm. Without Tryptophan, our bodies cannot make Serotonin. Without enough Serotonin, we feel edgy, irritable, agitated, emotionally impulsive, and we are not able to sleep!
Let’s delve into the conversion process that goes on when Tryptophan gets converted into Serotonin. The steps look like this:
Tryptophan
|
\!/
5-HTP
|
\!/
Serotonin.
Thus, Tryptophan turns into 5-HTP, and then 5-HTP turns into Serotonin
You may have heard of 5-HTP. Its full chemical name is 5-hydroxy-tryptophan . It is a “metabolite” of the essential amino acid, Tryptophan, and is the direct “precursor” to the neurotransmitter Serotonin.
5-HTP is also being promoted as helping with sleep – which it does. In fact, it takes about one tenth as much 5-HTP as Tryptophan for the same calming effect. This difference is important because the body appears to be much more able to store Tryptophan (in protein) than 5-HTP. Stored Tryptophan can be turned into Serotonin whenever we need it. Conversely, because the body cannot store 5-HTP, it only works within a few hours after we take it.
Having Tryptophan at work in our bodies is essential for us to feel calm.
As I just mentioned, our bodies can store Tryptophan. However, for reasons that are still being researched, it is also possible to have a Tryptophan deficiency. In other words, our bodies might not have enough Tryptophan bound up in the protein structure. This deficiency takes months or years to form and it also takes months to reverse, even when it is done correctly. Often, the Tryptophan deficiency does not become apparent until particularly stressful periods in our lives, when our usual natural reserves of energy are depleted.
Additionally, tryptophan can, in a way, be considered to be an essential vitamin since it is the precursor of Vitamin B3 (niacin). Tryptophan deficiencies contribute significantly to the symptoms of pellagra, the classic niacin deficiency disease: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death (the four D's.)
Many of us may have slight but significantly low tryptophan levels with subtle physical and psychological effects.
When we take Tryptophan directly in capsules (instead of only getting it in our food,) it gets absorbed immediately through the stomach lining directly into the blood (instead of having to pass through the intestines first.) Some unknown percentage of the Tryptophan, possibly as much as 10% - 15%, is immediately turned into Serotonin, which allows us to fall asleep quickly when we take capsules. The remaining 85% - 90% is stored in the protein structure of the body, which starts to alleviate the chronic Tryptophan deficiency. The more we take, the more the deficiency is lessened.
The more Tryptophan there is in our blood, the more Serotonin our bodies can make, and the easier it is for us to feel calm and satisfied. When we need sleep, having enough Tryptophan in our bodies allows us to fall asleep.
So much
for theory; now on to the particulars.
For a 160 lb. person, taking
The number of capsules taken may be adjusted according to weight. For example, 3 to 6 capsules may be right for a 120 lb. person. Also, if the Tryptophan deficiency is particularly severe, a somewhat larger dose may be appropriate at first. Tryptophan is not dangerous! It cannot hurt you! It is worth repeating: you need Tryptophan to live. You will know if you take more than you need because you will feel a little bit groggy the next day.
Eating a light snack consisting of carbohydrates or sugar with the Tryptophan may help some people. On the one hand, eating will dilute the Tryptophan. On the other hand, the carbohydrates may help it enter the brain more easily. Experiment with this.
Most people have a very easy time sleeping the very first time they take Tryptophan capsules. When the Tryptophan is taken every night, it should gradually become easier to fall asleep over a period of about 3 months, and the sleep will be longer and sounder. Be patient with this process. The body is rebuilding itself from the ground up. Some people may also find they are more patient, comfortable and satisfied with life. But again, this is an almost imperceptibly gradual process.
Can everyone take Tryptophan safely? Does it have side effects, or other benefits? Dr. Elson M. Haas, M.D., addresses these questions thoroughly:
“Patients with asthma or systemic lupus erythematosus should not take tryptophan. Generally, side effects are negligible, and tryptophan does not distort sleep patterns until more than 10 grams are taken. Occasionally, some morning sluggishness may occur. Tryptophan also has an antidepressant effect and is particularly effective in manic depression and depression associated with menopause. Many depressed patients have low levels of tryptophan. Tryptophan can be a useful and safe pain reliever. It has been shown most helpful for dental pain, headaches (migraines in particular), and cancer pain, often in conjunction with aspirin or acetaminophen. Tryptophan appears to increase the pain threshold. It may help treat anorexia by increasing the appetite. Since it is the precursor of niacin, tryptophan supplementation may help to lower cholesterol and blood fat levels. Other possible uses for L-tryptophan include parkinsonism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, and with further research, we may find this important amino acid may provide help in other medical conditions.”
©
Elson M. Haas M.D. (Excerpted from Staying
Healthy with Nutrition:
The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine, Celestial
Arts)
Where can you get Tryptophan? At this time, there are only a few sources.
It is available from:
http://www.biochemicals.com/productinfo.php3?id=22
http://healthproducts-usa.com/lidtke_tryptophan.htm
http://www.sagesherbalandsuch.com/lidtke.php
http://www.thecompounder.com/LTryptophanReturns.html
http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/shop/default.php/manufacturers_id/265
http://www.supervits.com/catalog/product.asp?categoryID=456&show=p
http://www.spiritofhealing.com/articles/html/print_html/Tryptophan.htm
http://www.lef.org/newshop/cgi-shop/showCategory.cgi?catid=2000&page=4
Please let us know immediately if it is no longer available from any of these sources, or even better, if you find a less expensive source. The FDA appears to have a somewhat misguided mission to make it difficult to get Tryptophan. In fact, there was a period in 2003 during which it seemed that nobody in the USA was selling it without a prescription. You may want to cultivate a relationship with an open-minded doctor in case this happens again. Some of the sources may also be able to refer you to a health care practitioner, should this become necessary.
Disclaimer: The
ideas here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Please do not take this information as medical advice. It is presented
for educational purposes, so use it responsibly. Discuss this information with an
open minded health care practitioner to see whether it is appropriate for
you. The information here has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to cure or prevent any disease.
Copyright 2004, Diversified International Enterprises,