Learning & Education
5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP for short, is the intermediate metabolite of the essential amino acid tryptophan in the process of serotonin biosynthesis [1]. That is to say, it is an immediate precursor to serotonin [1,2]. 5-HTP is both a drug and a natural component of some dietary supplements. It is produced from tryptophan (an essential amino acid that we must obtain from food) by an enzyme called tryptophan hydroxylase [3].
Sleep is an extremely important component of physical and emotional health and well-being. If you’re curious as to why sleep is such a necessity, check out this previous article.
The lack of or disruption of sleep, a phenomenon called insomnia, is prevalent across nations [1]. Insomnia is one of eight sleep challenges we have previously discussed. The general consensus from population-based studies is that 30% of adults experience one or more of the symptoms of insomnia, which include difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, waking too early, and poor sleep quality [2].
There has been an increase in the prevalence of insomnia since the COVID-19 pandemic [3]. Unfortunately, insomniacs rarely discuss their symptoms with a physician, and 4 out of 10 insomniacs self-medicate with over-the-counter drugs or alcohol [2].
Sleep allows our bodies to rest and recover, and our brains to process the information we've taken in during the day. But what happens inside our bodies when we sleep? It all starts with the hormones of sleep!
The whole world is getting more anxious by the day. According to recent statistics, up to 33.7% of people will be affected by an anxiety disorder during their lifetime [2], and there are currently 264 million people impacted globally [3].
In today’s article, we are going to explore one of the most well-known and important neurotransmitters: serotonin. As with gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, serotonin can’t cross the blood-brain barrier to do its work.