Using 5-HTP to Treat Depression

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow 5-HTP WorksEffectivenessSide EffectsDepression SymptomsUnderstanding Depression

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How 5-HTP Works

Effectiveness

Side Effects

Depression Symptoms

Understanding Depression

Close

Some research shows that using 5-HTP for depression may help improve depressive symptoms.5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is an amino acid that our bodies produce from a dietary amino acid called l-tryptophan.

At a Glance5-HTP can be converted to serotonin, which might play a role in improving mood and behavior. That’s why some proponents suggest this compound might be helpful for treating symptoms of depression.While there is some promising research, it is important to recognize that it is preliminary. Further studies are needed to better understand how 5-HTP might help depression as well as its potential long-term effects.Although you can buy it over-the-counter, talk to your doctor before starting on 5-HTP, especially if you’re already taking other antidepressants or medications. Your doctor can ensure you’re taking the right amount and are not susceptible to any potential drug interactions.

At a Glance

5-HTP can be converted to serotonin, which might play a role in improving mood and behavior. That’s why some proponents suggest this compound might be helpful for treating symptoms of depression.While there is some promising research, it is important to recognize that it is preliminary. Further studies are needed to better understand how 5-HTP might help depression as well as its potential long-term effects.Although you can buy it over-the-counter, talk to your doctor before starting on 5-HTP, especially if you’re already taking other antidepressants or medications. Your doctor can ensure you’re taking the right amount and are not susceptible to any potential drug interactions.

5-HTP can be converted to serotonin, which might play a role in improving mood and behavior. That’s why some proponents suggest this compound might be helpful for treating symptoms of depression.

While there is some promising research, it is important to recognize that it is preliminary. Further studies are needed to better understand how 5-HTP might help depression as well as its potential long-term effects.

Although you can buy it over-the-counter, talk to your doctor before starting on 5-HTP, especially if you’re already taking other antidepressants or medications. Your doctor can ensure you’re taking the right amount and are not susceptible to any potential drug interactions.

How 5-HTP Works

While increasing serotonin levels might help improve mood (and therefore relieve symptoms of depression), it is important to note that research suggests that low serotonin levels are not responsible forcausing depression.

The Chemistry of Depression

Is 5-HTP Effective for Depression?

Overall, the clinical trials published to date indicate that 5-HTP may be effective in treating depression symptoms, both on its own and when used in conjunction with prescription antidepressants.

A 2017 study found that augmenting SSRI and SNRI therapy with 5-HTP may help women who did not havesufficient relief from antidepressants alone.Preliminary findings of a 2020 study found that 5-HTP effectively improved depression symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease.

However, better quality studies are needed to establish its effectiveness, especially since they have only been done in small groups.

A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis found that there was currently not enough support to recommend 5-HTP as a treatment for depression. The study concluded that more placebo-controlled trials were needed to better understand 5-HTP’s therapeutic potential.

Concern Over Worsening Depression

Instead, the researchers noted, 5-HTP should be given with dopamine or serotonin amino acid precursors in order to minimize side effects, prevent neurotransmitter depletion, and to get the most efficacy from 5-HTP.

However, these supplemental amino acids need to be kept in careful balance or there’s a risk of depression symptoms becoming worse due to neurotransmitter depletion.

Slow-Release Forms May Be More Effective

A group of researchers who looked at the effects of 5-HTP in a slow-release form argue that this extended delivery method could make the supplement an important adjunctive (additional) therapy in people with treatment-resistant depression.

The development of slow-release versions of 5-HTP is possible. Such forms might be beneficial for people who appear to have 5-HTP deficiencies.

5-HTP deficiency may be linked tosuicidal actions, severe depression, and co-occurringborderline personality disorder (BPD), all of which tend to be more resistant to SSRIs.

Additionally, the researchers believe that slow-release 5-HTP could potentially help people who have been diagnosed with mental health disorders that are only partially responsive to SSRIs like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders.

5-HTP Dosage for DepressionThere is no specific recommended dose of 5-HTP for depression. However, it is a good idea to start with a lower dose and gradually increase it. Doses of around 200 to 300 mg per day of 5-HTP seem to be fairly well-tolerated.

5-HTP Dosage for Depression

There is no specific recommended dose of 5-HTP for depression. However, it is a good idea to start with a lower dose and gradually increase it. Doses of around 200 to 300 mg per day of 5-HTP seem to be fairly well-tolerated.

5-HTP Safety and Side Effects

The most common side effects reported with 5-HTP include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Less common side effects include a headache, insomnia, and heart palpitations. Gastrointestinal side effects appear to be dose-dependent and tend to lessen over time.

There is one very serious safety concern with 5-HTP, however. When taken in conjunction with other medications for depression that alsoincrease serotonin, such as SSRIs or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), there is a possibility that your serotonin levels may become dangerously high.This condition, calledserotonin syndrome, leads to symptoms such as:

People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention, as this condition can be fatal.

Pregnancy and BreastfeedingThere is not currently enough data to tell whether 5-HTP is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to use. For this reason, you shouldn’t take 5-HTP if you’re expecting a child or nursing.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

There is not currently enough data to tell whether 5-HTP is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to use. For this reason, you shouldn’t take 5-HTP if you’re expecting a child or nursing.

Symptoms of depressionare present during the majority of the day, just about every day, for two weeks or more and may include:

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Depression Makes Daily Life Difficult

It can creep into your everyday life, affecting the way you think, how you deal with stress, the way you behave, and how you feel. Your regular activities of daily life, like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, and showering may feel pointless and overwhelming. Your energy may feel sapped too, making it even easier to skip these small tasks.

Depression Is More Than Sadness

The key to knowing it’s time to find help is determining when your symptoms are bad enough that they’re seriously impacting your life. Maybe you’ve stopped participating in activities you once enjoyed. Or maybe you find yourself sobbing on the bathroom floor all too often.

Perhaps you don’t even recognize yourself anymore as you hazily go through the motions of just barely living.

Depression Can Happen More Than Once

You may have depression only once, but many people who deal with depression have multiple episodes during their lifetimes.

Keep in mind that depression isn’t a personal flaw. It’s a real medical condition that needs to be treated, and depending on the severity of your depression, the treatment may end up being a long-term process.

The majority of people who have dealt with depression report feeling better once they start on medication, go to psychotherapy (counseling), or do a combination of both.

The 7 Best Online Help Resources for Depression

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hinz M, Stein A, Uncini T.5-HTP efficacy and contraindications.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:323-8. doi:10.2147/NDT.S33259Moncrieff J, Cooper RE, Stockmann T, Amendola S, Hengartner MP, Horowitz MA.The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence[published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 20].Mol Psychiatry. 2022;10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01661-05-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Penn State Hershey: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.Kious BM, Sabic H, Sung YH, Kondo DG, Renshaw P.An open-label pilot study of combined augmentation with creatine monohydrate and 5-hydroxytryptophan for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor- or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression in adult women.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2017;37(5):578-583. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000754Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, Cannas A, Figorilli M, Defazio G.Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary finding.Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(5):779-786. doi:10.1111/ene.14179Javelle F, Lampit A, Bloch W, Häussermann P, Johnson SL, Zimmer P.Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2020;78(1):77-88. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz039Jacobsen JPR, Krystal AD, Krishnan KRR, Caron MG.Adjunctive 5-hydroxytryptophan slow-release for treatment-resistant depression: Clinical and pre-clinical rationale.Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2016;37(11):933–944. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.001.Jacobsen JP, Medvedev IO, Caron MG.The 5-HT deficiency theory of depression: perspectives from a naturalistic 5-HT deficiency model, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2Arg439His knockin mouse.Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012;367(1601):2444-2459. doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0109National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hinz M, Stein A, Uncini T.5-HTP efficacy and contraindications.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:323-8. doi:10.2147/NDT.S33259Moncrieff J, Cooper RE, Stockmann T, Amendola S, Hengartner MP, Horowitz MA.The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence[published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 20].Mol Psychiatry. 2022;10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01661-05-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Penn State Hershey: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.Kious BM, Sabic H, Sung YH, Kondo DG, Renshaw P.An open-label pilot study of combined augmentation with creatine monohydrate and 5-hydroxytryptophan for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor- or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression in adult women.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2017;37(5):578-583. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000754Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, Cannas A, Figorilli M, Defazio G.Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary finding.Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(5):779-786. doi:10.1111/ene.14179Javelle F, Lampit A, Bloch W, Häussermann P, Johnson SL, Zimmer P.Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2020;78(1):77-88. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz039Jacobsen JPR, Krystal AD, Krishnan KRR, Caron MG.Adjunctive 5-hydroxytryptophan slow-release for treatment-resistant depression: Clinical and pre-clinical rationale.Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2016;37(11):933–944. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.001.Jacobsen JP, Medvedev IO, Caron MG.The 5-HT deficiency theory of depression: perspectives from a naturalistic 5-HT deficiency model, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2Arg439His knockin mouse.Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012;367(1601):2444-2459. doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0109National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Hinz M, Stein A, Uncini T.5-HTP efficacy and contraindications.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:323-8. doi:10.2147/NDT.S33259Moncrieff J, Cooper RE, Stockmann T, Amendola S, Hengartner MP, Horowitz MA.The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence[published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 20].Mol Psychiatry. 2022;10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01661-05-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Penn State Hershey: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.Kious BM, Sabic H, Sung YH, Kondo DG, Renshaw P.An open-label pilot study of combined augmentation with creatine monohydrate and 5-hydroxytryptophan for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor- or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression in adult women.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2017;37(5):578-583. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000754Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, Cannas A, Figorilli M, Defazio G.Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary finding.Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(5):779-786. doi:10.1111/ene.14179Javelle F, Lampit A, Bloch W, Häussermann P, Johnson SL, Zimmer P.Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2020;78(1):77-88. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz039Jacobsen JPR, Krystal AD, Krishnan KRR, Caron MG.Adjunctive 5-hydroxytryptophan slow-release for treatment-resistant depression: Clinical and pre-clinical rationale.Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2016;37(11):933–944. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.001.Jacobsen JP, Medvedev IO, Caron MG.The 5-HT deficiency theory of depression: perspectives from a naturalistic 5-HT deficiency model, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2Arg439His knockin mouse.Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012;367(1601):2444-2459. doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0109National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

Hinz M, Stein A, Uncini T.5-HTP efficacy and contraindications.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:323-8. doi:10.2147/NDT.S33259

Moncrieff J, Cooper RE, Stockmann T, Amendola S, Hengartner MP, Horowitz MA.The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence[published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 20].Mol Psychiatry. 2022;10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0. doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Penn State Hershey: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Kious BM, Sabic H, Sung YH, Kondo DG, Renshaw P.An open-label pilot study of combined augmentation with creatine monohydrate and 5-hydroxytryptophan for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor- or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression in adult women.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2017;37(5):578-583. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000754

Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, Cannas A, Figorilli M, Defazio G.Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary finding.Eur J Neurol. 2020;27(5):779-786. doi:10.1111/ene.14179

Javelle F, Lampit A, Bloch W, Häussermann P, Johnson SL, Zimmer P.Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2020;78(1):77-88. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz039

Jacobsen JPR, Krystal AD, Krishnan KRR, Caron MG.Adjunctive 5-hydroxytryptophan slow-release for treatment-resistant depression: Clinical and pre-clinical rationale.Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2016;37(11):933–944. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.001.

Jacobsen JP, Medvedev IO, Caron MG.The 5-HT deficiency theory of depression: perspectives from a naturalistic 5-HT deficiency model, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2Arg439His knockin mouse.Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012;367(1601):2444-2459. doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0109

National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?