Topic Title: Natrol 5-HTP Dosage?
| |  "Natrol 5-HTP Dosage?"
, Mon 16 Dec 20:10
Hi all,
This is my first posts (just found this forum). I have been using St. Johns Wort for 6 weeks and have been feeling much less depressed. I also want to try 5-HTP with the SJW. The only brand I found in the local stores in Natrol, I bought two bottles at $9.99 each, they contain 45 capsules each at 50mg. The back of the bottle states "take one capsule daily with a meal". I've read other posts here and some of you are taking 100mg-300mg per day and some even more. What is the recomended dosage? I can't see taking 6 of these 50mg capsules a day at this cost. Since I am taking SJW would I still need 100mg-300mg of 5-HTP to get the best results? Why is Natrols directions so low? Thanx for your replies.
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Mon 16 Dec 2002 19:52 |
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| | "Re(1):Natrol 5-HTP Dosage?" , Wed 18 Dec 03:53
From the book 5htp the natural alternative to prozac:
5-HTP Dosing Guidelines
The dose of 5-HTP that has most often been reported in the scientific literature and prescribed by physicians is 300 mg per day. When taking 5-HTP for depression, anxiety, or fibromyalgia, the general practice in scientific studies has been to take 100 mg three times a day. This dosing regimen may leave some people too sleepy during the day, however.
Some physicians have found it best to start their patients out by taking 150 to 200 mg at bedtime. If this is insufficient to provide antidepressant/anti-anxiety relief, they can take additional doses of 33 to 50 mg during the day. The number of these doses should be adjusted to a level that provides adequate relief without causing daytime sedation.
If you are taking 5-HTP to enhance sleep, it is probably best to take the entire 300-mg dose at bedtime. The dose used in the best migraine study was 400 mg (100 mg four times per day).34 The dose found to effectively suppress appetite was 900 mg per daily (300 mg three times per day).51 Incidentally, the fact that this very high dose of 5-HTP was used without significant side effects can be taken as an indication of the general safety of this substance.
Different individuals may require higher or lower doses than these, but these are good starting points. As with any drug, it is usually better to start with a low dose and increase it gradually. If you find that a lower dose delivers the therapeutic effect you are looking for, then you can stop there. If the 300-mg dose seems inadequate, you can slowly increase it (preferably under your physician's supervision). In any case, always be alert for adverse side effects. If a given dose makes you feel uncomfortable, either physically or mentally, back off the dose and do not go any higher until you consult with a knowledgeable physician. In most cases, lowering the dose will quickly cause the adverse effects to disappear.
What About Taking 5-HTP With Prozac or Other Drugs?
Although basic dosing of 5-HTP is fairly straightforward, it becomes significantly more complicated if you are currently taking other drugs that affect serotonin levels, such as an SSRI (eg, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Effexor, Zoloft), a tricyclic antidepressant (eg, Elavil, Tofranil, Pamelor), or St. John's wort. If you are taking one of these drugs and want to switch to 5-HTP, it is recommended that you first consult with your physician, because taking them together can cause a potentially dangerous elevation of serotonin levels. Never attempt to combine 5-HTP with any of these drugs without the help of a physician.
It is usually necessary to gradually lower the dose of your SSRI (or other drug) as you gradually increase the dose of 5-HTP. Since each individual is likely to react differently to a given combination of doses, your physician will probably want to monitor your responses to these drug combinations very closely. If you experience any symptoms of serotonin overload, such as confusion, fever, shivering, sweating, diarrhea, muscular incoordination, exaggerated reflexes, or violent muscular contractions, the dose of one or both agents can be easily and safely adjusted until the symptoms disappear. Eventually, the SSRI can be completely eliminated.
MJ DuPont
Posts: 429 | | Registered: Wed 20 Jun 2001 6:19 |
| | | "Re(2):Natrol 5-HTP Dosage?" , Wed 18 Dec 10:36
Thanx Dupont for the informative reply, I had a feeling the directions on the back of the bottle to take one 50mg capsule daily is not enough. But since I'm taking 3x300mg St. Johns Wort I dont think I need to take 300mg of 5-HTP. I think I'll go with 50mg three time a day (150mg total). As far as I can tell, St. Johns Wort works by inhibiting reuptake of serotonin in the brain. And 5-HTP works by helping your body produce serotonin, so combining the two seems to be a good idea. Any responce from others combining the two please reply with your experiances. I am amazed by the progress I have made in the last six weeks since starting St. Johns Wort, I suffer from Social Anxiety, Depression, Hypertension, and mild Obsesevive Compulsive Disorder. I figure by adding 5-HTP I can add a little punch to St. Johns Wort. I also take Ginsing (Panax) to help with fatige and to boost mental and physicle endurance. Please let me know if taking these three (SJW 5-HTP Ginsing) is a good or bad idea. Thanx.
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Mon 16 Dec 2002 19:52 |
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