Specification :
1. What is 5-HTP?
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between
tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. It is hoar-white fine powder with
character odor. People who are overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates,
experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have vague muscle aches
and pain can be correctable by raising brain serotonin levels.
2. 5-HTP and Peak X
In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported having detected a chemical
compound known as "peak x" in some 5-HTP products. Peak x had been previously
associated with the supplement tryptophan, which is made into 5-HTP in the body. Dr.
Andrew Stoll, at Harvard Medical School in Boston reports that there may be a handful of
cases of EMS (severe muscle and joint pain, high fever, weakness, swelling of the arms
and legs, and shortness of breath) worldwide from the use of 5-HTP with peak X. However,
we, at Sanherb BioTech can guarantee all our 5-htp¡Ã95% are peak X free.
3. The Microbiological Characteristics of your 5-htp?
We are a GMP certified manufacturer, and the main index as below: Total Plate Count
less than 1000 cfu/g, Yeast and Mold less than100 cfu/g, Coliform, E.Coli, Salmonella,
and Staphylococcus should be negative.
4. Heavy Metal limited?
Heavy Metal no more than 20.00ppm, Pb¡Ã0.5ppm, Hg¡Ã0.3ppm, As¡Ã0.05ppm.
5. Are there any certificates of your factory?
We are GMP and ISO certified.
6. What¡¯s your advantage compared with other manufactures?
High quality (Peak X free), competitive pricing, stable supply.
7. About storage?
Keep in cool and dry place. Do not freeze. Keep away from strong light and heat.
8. Recommended dosage
A. For depression, weight loss, headaches, and fibromyalgia the dosage should be
started at 50 mg three times per day. If the response is inadequate after two weeks,
increase the dosage to 100 mg three times per day.
B. If you are taking 5-HTP for weight loss, take it 20 minutes before meals.
C. For insomnia, 100 to 300 mg thirty to forty-five minutes before bed time.
Start with the lower dose for at least three days, before consider increasing the dosage if
results are not what you expected.
9. Short term 5-HTP side effects, risks, safety and caution
5-HTP side effects from high doses (which could be 70 to 100 mg and greater) include
nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, nightmares, and decreased sex drive. Serotonin
has an inhibitory effect on sexual behavior, therefore, one of the 5-HTP side effects is
decreased libido. Tiredness and sleepiness can occur after several days or weeks of use,
which may indicate that a break should be taken from 5-HTP use. For those who
experience nightmares or other 5-HTP side effects such as nausea or decreased libido,
you may consider taking a lower dose. Nightmares sometimes decrease after the first few
nights.
10. Long term side effects, risks, caution, danger
Long term side effects with 5-HTP are not fully known.When hundreds of thousands of
people start taking a supplement that has not had adequate long-term testing, there may
be some individuals who have a biochemical abnormality in metabolizing that nutrient that
was previously not known.We don't know the consequences on the immune system, skin,
and other tissues of long-term 5-HTP therapy. Regular long term use is not recommended
at this time.
At this point of our knowledge with 5-HTP, it would be best not to use it while trying to
become pregnant or during pregnancy. The safety of 5-HTP during lactation and breast
feeding is not known.
11. What advantages does 5-HTP have over L-tryptophan?
First of all, because it is one step closer to serotonin, 5-HTP is more effective than
L-tryptophan. 5-HTP is also inherently safer. Although L-tryptophan is safe if properly
prepared and free of the contaminants linked to severe allergic reaction known as
eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS), L-tryptophan is still produced with the help of
bacterial fermentation (a situation that lends itself to contamination). In contrast, 5-HTP is
isolated from a natural source - a seed from an African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia).
Evidence that this natural source of 5-HTP does not cause EMS is provided by
researchers who have been using 5-HTP for over 25 years. They state that "EMS has
never appeared in the patients of ours who received only uncontaminated L-tryptophan or
5-hydroxtryptophan (5-HTP). Furthermore, researchers at the NIH studying the effects
5-HTP for various metabolic conditions have also not observed a single case of EMS nor
has a case of elevated eosinophils been attributed to 5-HTP in these studies.