If you want to gently boost your serotonin levels in one of the most natural ways possible, then L-tryptophan is what you are looking for!* L-tryptophan is an amino acid that is crucial for serotonin synthesis. In fact, without L-tryptophan we wouldn’t even be able to synthesize serotonin. Luckily, we get plenty of L-tryptophan via our diet because it is a major component of most dietary proteins. Once we have absorbed the L-tryptophan from our diet, it is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) by the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase. 5-HTP is then converted to serotonin, which is subsequently converted into melatonin. It all starts with L-tryptophan though, and thus, getting in a bit of extra L-tryptophan is a great way to boost serotonin synthesis!
The effects of L-tryptophan make it a very versatile supplement! Take it during the day and you can expect a pleasant mood boost with a touch of enhanced stress resilience and a gentle overall calming effect.* Take the L-tryptophan at night though and it can bring on a much deeper sense of relaxation which can make it easier to get to sleep!* We also find that L-tryptophan stacks particularly well with other serotonergic supplements, such as cognance, saffron and even kanna!*
L-tryptophan is a very important amino acid that we consume via our diet. L-tryptophan is a component of most dietary proteins, and thus, the main source of L-tryptophan is from dietary proteins. L-tryptophan is the precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and without an adequate supply of L-tryptophan we would not be able to synthesize serotonin. By extension, we would also not be able to synthesize melatonin without L-tryptophan, because serotonin is the precursor for melatonin synthesis.
When we consume L-tryptophan, it interacts with an enzyme called tryptophan hydroxylase. As the name may suggest, this enzyme adds a hydroxyl group to L-tryptophan, which then yields 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-HTP then interacts with an enzyme called aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) which converts 5-HTP to serotonin. The tryptophan hydroxylase enzyme is very unique because it can get saturated when too much L-tryptophan is present. Once saturated, much less L-tryptophan will convert to 5-HTP. We call this a ‘rate limiting enzyme’ because tryptophan hydroxylase ultimately controls how much serotonin can be produced. Due to this, supplemented L-tryptophan does a great job of naturally elevating serotonin levels.* This is because when too much serotonin is being produced, L-tryptophan will not further increase serotonin levels. This is in stark contrast to supplementing with 5-HTP which can produce a practically unlimited amount of serotonin throughout the body and brain because AADC is not a rate limiting enzyme.
If all that science went a little bit deeper than you are comfortable with, here is an easy explanation. By taking L-tryptophan, you can ensure your serotonin levels stay at an optimal level and never dip all too low or rise all too high.* In practice, this manifests itself as a very natural feeling mood boost.* The way that we like to describe L-tryptophan, is ”sunshine in a capsule”.* The effects are totally not in your face, but it delivers a sense of natural serenity that is hard to beat! *
Since serotonin eventually converts to melatonin, it appears that L-tryptophan also has a positive overall effect on sleep quality.* It won’t help a whole lot with falling asleep, but it will help you stay asleep.* In some limited testing that we have done on ourselves with a sleep tracker, it appears that L-tryptophan has a beneficial overall effect on sleep architecture.* This beneficial sleep effect seems to be especially pronounced during periods of high stress!*
A portion of L-tryptophan is also consumed by our gut bacteria. This produces a few beneficial L-tryptophan metabolites, which have a positive effect on our gastrointestinal system.* L-tryptophan also appears to be able to positively modulate gut microbiota composition.* In this sense, it actually appears to act as a prebiotic!*
Serotonin Stack: L-Tryptophan + Bacopa monnieri 24% Bacosides Tablets
Bacopa monnieri can increase the activity of the tryptophan hydroxylase enzyme, thereby allowing slightly more conversion of L-tryptophan to 5-HTP. This would be a great stack to take before bed, since both L-tryptophan and Bacopa monnieri can enhance sleep quality!*
Mood Stack: L-Tryptophan + High Potency Saffron Extract Capsules
Saffron is another serotonergic supplement which helps increase serotonin levels by reducing its reuptake. We find that the effects of saffron become potentiated by L-tryptophan, making this an ideal mood boosting stack!*
Sleep Stack: L-Tryptophan + Sleep Support Capsules
Sleep support does a fantastic job on its own for overall sleep quality, but it does not interact with the melatonin side of sleep. If you do not respond well to melatonin supplementation but would still like to find something that stacks well with sleep support and lightly modulates the melatonin side of sleep, then stacking sleep support with L-tryptophan is very nice!*
Gut Stack: L-tryptophan + Full Spectrum Cistanche tubulosa Capsules
L-tryptophan has some very interesting gut microbiota modulating effects that we find stack nicely with the gut microbiota modulating effects of our full spectrum cistanche. Another nice bonus of this stack, is that L-tryptophan and cistanche are both synergistic in their ability to boost mood!*
As a dietary supplement, take one capsule of L-Tryptophan daily.
To gain more insight, see the L-Tryptophan reviews and experiences below.
Nootropics Depot offers a 240ct. jar of high-quality L-Tryptophan. Nootropics Depot’s L-Tryptophan has been lab-tested and verified for both product purity and identity.
| *Attention: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
