Starting Amino Acid Treatment - OK to take Tyrosine and 5-HTP together?

[EricTheGreat]

After trying SJW and really not getting what I was looking for, I have decided to stop taking it (for now) to see if there is a better option. I read The Mood Cure by Julia Ross and I think my main problem is low serotonin (possibly due to 2 years on Zoloft 50mg) but I also have many signs of low dopamine too.

I have heard that quantities of serotonin and dopamine usually are inversely proportional, so does it make sense to try and boost both of them with 5-HTP and L-Tyrosine, respectively? I also think my depression could be due to an underperforming thyroid, does anyone have any knowledge on that? I'm starting to get desperate for a sense of well being. I had it on Zoloft, but it started to fade after a year and a half and the sexual side effects were getting worse.

I went out and bought NOW 50mg 5HTP and NOW 500mg L-Tyrosine. Last night I took 50mg 5HTP and didn't feel much different and took another before bed, I didn't feel much but I felt like I slept well. This afternoon while studying I took one 500mg Tyrosine and felt slightly better, but then took another one and got irritable. Once I realized this I took a 50mg 5-HTP and now feel less irritable but slightly spacey. Has anyone combined these before? I am thinking of taking 1 Tyrosine after breakfast, 1 Tyrosine and 1 5HTP after lunch, and another 5HTP before bed. Does this seem like too much?

Besides L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP, are there any other amino acids I should look into? I was wondering about Taurine... any thoughts? And do you think it is safe to combine SAM-e with amino acids?

[Crashtst Dummy]

Hey, so what I've read up on recently (about Amino Acid therapy) basically says that you've got to take ALL the pivotal mood AA's if you want to give your brain a chance of recovering.

If you take just Tyrosine (L-Dopa, Dopamine) then it depletes your seretonergic stystem. If you take just 5-HTP (Tryptophan, Serotonin), then it depletes your dopanergic system. YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THEM BOTH.

Read into Amino Acid therapies. There's a fair amount of info on it.

I dropped my SSRI (after two years) just 3 weeks ago, felt like **** for 2 weeks, then started on AAs. STILL don't feel great, but better than where I was. I'm taking 3,000 Tyrosine a day, 300 mg Dopamine a day, and 500 mg Lysine a day.

You can also have AA tests taken that tell you whether you're deficient in which AA, thus deficient in which neurotransmitter. Hope that helps.

Since you posted in APril, have you learned anything? I'm a newbie at this too, and curious for all the info I can find.