Tryptophan & Weight Loss

Tryptophan is usually promoted as a way to treat depression and fight sleep disorders, but it can also help people lose weight. It is found in milk, eggs, poultry and some nuts. However, as a supplement, tryptonphan is generally banned by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States and can only be obtained as a prescription medication.

Tryptophan

• Tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids for humans. It can't be synthesized in the body, so it must be ingested. It is used by the body to make serotonin and melatonin, among other things. A compound called 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the intermediate result of the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.

Serotonin

• Since serotonin plays a role in mood, sleep and weight gain, it is this compound that most research into tryptophan focuses on. A serotonin deficiency can create depression, anxiety, sleeplessness and weight gain, but serotonin supplementation doesn't work because the compound can't pass through the blood-brain barrier. Tryptophan can, though, so the goal is to supplement tryptophan, have it pass through the blood-brain barrier and then be synthesized into serotonin.

Weight Gain

• Serotonin deficiency has been associated with obesity because it increases the feeling of hunger and minimizes the full feeling. One way this can be satisfied is by eating excessive carbohydrates, which increases serotonin levels (and also weight). If tryptophan is used instead, it acts as an appetite suppressant in low doses.

5-hydroxytryptophan

• Tryptophan's derivative, 5-hydroxytryptophan, is available in the U.S., though it is somewhat expensive. It is usually extracted from the Griffonia seed. It is considered more potent than tryptophan since it is closer to becoming serotonin.

Dosage

• A 1992 Italian study found that a group taking 5-HTP lost an average 3.1 to 3.7 pounds during a six-week study, while a group taking a placebo averaged only a 1.1 pound loss. The dosage level for this study was 50 to 100 mg taken half an hour before meals.

Banned

• The FDA banned tryptophan in 1989 because of product contamination that sickened 1,500 people, killing 38. The restriction was eased somewhat in 1996, which allowed doctors to prescribe tryptophan.