Buy 5 HTP: What you should know

Behind the cryptic name 5 HTP is, surprisingly, a natural amino acid. 5-hydroxytryptophan is its full name. In the body, it is an intermediate in the production of serotonin. You probably know serotonin under the name "happiness hormone". This is because it is supposed to improve mood and well-being, have a calming effect, stimulate memory and promote sleep. Serotonin must be produced directly in the brain. The starting substance is the amino acid L-tryptophan, which you usually take in through your diet. It is precisely during this conversion that 5 HTP is produced as an intermediate stage.

Serotonin is in turn indispensable for the production of melatonin. This hormone is a crucial factor in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. The hormone makes you tired and ensures a good night's sleep. The body produces melatonin at dawn and dusk.

You may be asking yourself, why not take serotonin or melatonin? The answer: Melatonin can in principle also be used directly, but the perfect timing is crucial. In addition, it has been legally disputed for years whether melatonin is a food supplement or a medicine at all. 5 HTP is therefore easy to use and more natural. Taking serotonin, on the other hand, makes no sense at all. This is because the hormone cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. So taken orally, serotonin has no effect on your mood. However, 5 HTP can overcome the barrier, even better than L-tryptophan. For us, 5 HTP is therefore the best way to stimulate the production of serotonin and, through it, melatonin.

5 HTP: Griffonia Simplicifolia the plant source from nature

There are only a handful of foods that contain 5 HTP. None of them play a significant role in the Western diet. Chocolate and bananas are thought to contain 5 HTP, but only in small amounts. Significantly more 5 HTP is found in the seeds of the African black bean (Griffonia simplicifolia). Thus, a high-quality plant extract from Griffonia is the easiest and most natural way to extract 5 HTP.

Especially for people who prefer a plant-based diet, 5 HTP from Griffonia is interesting, because they often consume significantly less L-tryptophan. This is also logical, because the amino acid is found more often in animal foods such as cheese or meat. In order for L-tryptophan to be able to cross the blood-brain barrier in sufficient quantities, there are also a few things to consider: Eating carbohydrates at the same time makes it easier to get through, while other amino acids make it more difficult. So it's not so easy to get enough L-tryptophan into the brain for serotonin production. This is much easier with 5 HTP from Griffonia.

By the way, our capsules are 100% vegan and not tested on animals. So they are ideal for supplementing your vegetarian or vegan diet. For better tolerance, we do not use gluten, lactose or additives such as colourings in our products.