5-HTP enhances mood and reduces appetite, but does it increase metabolism too?
Da Austrian Oak asked:
The reason I would be taking it would be for the increased mood. Actually, the first time I read about it, I read that it was good for people with anxiety disorders, which would be me. But, at the drug store, I also read that it reduces appetite. I won’t mind this so much, but if it doesn’t increase metabolism as well, I don’t want to take it. Reason being, if your appetite is inhibited and you don’t eat as much, your metabolism is gonna slow down and actually start eating away at muscle tissue for energy. Since I’m an amateur bodybuilder, I kinda want to keep my muscle and that’s putting it very mildly. If it does increase metabolism, then I won’t have to worry about all this.
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The reason I would be taking it would be for the increased mood. Actually, the first time I read about it, I read that it was good for people with anxiety disorders, which would be me. But, at the drug store, I also read that it reduces appetite. I won’t mind this so much, but if it doesn’t increase metabolism as well, I don’t want to take it. Reason being, if your appetite is inhibited and you don’t eat as much, your metabolism is gonna slow down and actually start eating away at muscle tissue for energy. Since I’m an amateur bodybuilder, I kinda want to keep my muscle and that’s putting it very mildly. If it does increase metabolism, then I won’t have to worry about all this.
Please let me know what you know about 5-Hydroxytryptophan.
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4 Responses to “5-HTP enhances mood and reduces appetite, but does it increase metabolism too?”
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September 26th, 2008 at 10:11 am
5HTP is the precurser to 5HT, also known as seratonin. There is NO conclusive evidence that taking 5HTP will do anything to enhance your mood or reduce your appetite. The potential is there for helping with mood disorders, but the studies are not complete. Unless you have a diagnosed mood disorder, taking it to help you is irresponsible and dangerous.
Known side effects of taking 5HTP supplements include: nausea, constipation, gas, drowsiness, or a decreased sex drive. Clinical experiences also suggest that it may cause anxiety, numbness, paresthesias (tingling sensations and low sensitivity to light touching), breathing problems, palpitations, chest pain, hallucinations and insomnia.
No evidence at all that it will increase metabolism.
But your logic is wrong: your metablism doesn’t just slow if you eat less. It also depends on exercise. And a slower metabolism won’t eat away muscle tissue. Higher metabolism with less food will eat muscle. Lower metabolism with less exercise will store fat.
My guess, not worth the side effects for no demonstrated benefits of 5HTP as a supplement (like most supplements unfortunately).
September 26th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
My daughter took 5-HTP and Omega-3 Fish Oil for her depression and anxiety episodes. She had no side affects whatsoever, and I think it really helped her. It took maybe a month for us to see improvement though. It’s not a quick fix, and you need to do your research to find out how much of a dosage would be suitable for you. My daughter didn’t take mega doses.
When summer came and she was able to be in the sunlight a lot and go swimming, she didn’t need anything to help with her anxiety problems. But as the fall of the year approaches, unless she keeps exercising regularly and gets out in the sun, her problems may reoccur. She was diagnosed with depression over a year ago, but after going to doctors and psychologists and them messing her up with medication, I decided to try more natural alternatives, which I’m glad I did.
I suggest you Google as much information as you can about 5-HTP, or talk to someone in your local natural foods/vitamin store. If you find that it helps your anxiety, then it may be beneficial to keep taking it and wait and see if it hinders your boydbuilding progress.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:10 am
I am currently taking 5-htp and recommended some close friends to take it as well. I feel like every person is different and responds to the supplements differently. There are days when my appetite is suppressed, however, other days where I am eating normally. I feel the effect of 5-HTP has very little significance on your metabolism. I also work out most days of the week, and have not experienced any negative side effects for using 5-HTP. If you continue to weight lift, the 5-HTP is not going to overrule your exercise habits and slow your metabolism down. Your metabolism is going to stay high through your muscle building and exercising.
I found the 5-HTP to help much more than using prescription medication for anxiety/depression. I found that RX medications had many side effects, including memory loss and nervousness. With 5-HTP, its an added supplement and I don’t encounter any of those weird side effects. It is more natural, which is better for your body. Overall, you should try 5-HTP since it is a natural supplement, and really it shouldn’t be a major problem. Like stated before, 5-HTP increases your body’s serotonin levels which will increase mood. However, not always does 5-HTP help everyone. There are cases where people have no effect from the use of 5-HTP, so try it out for a month or so, and see if it helps
September 30th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Metabolism is essentially the speed at which our body’s motor is
running. The speed at which our body burns calories is called the metabolic
rate. It’s how fast your “motor” is running when you’re still in a
reclined position or sleeping. About 60-75% of energy is expended by the
body at rest in such activities.
The metabolism is based on the number of calories we burn throughout
the day. Our body constantly burns calories to keep us going whether we
are eating, sleeping, cleaning etc. People with a lower percentage of
body fat (i.e. muscular) have a higher metabolism than others that are
less muscular because muscle uses more calories to maintain itself than
fat. Some people have a slower metabolic rate and have a harder time
staying slim. Younger persons have higher (faster) metabolism because of
the increased activity of cells. A slow metabolism actually causes to
store fat. The slower the metabolic rate, the greater the weight gains.
How to build muscles to improve metabolism? What type of exercise is
ideal that speed up metabolism so that you burn calories even at rest or
sleep? There are simple exercises that speed up the metabolism.
Causes for Low Metabolism
* Fasting
* A low calorie diet
* Snacking throughout the day on high sugared foods (candy, colas,
cakes, gum).
* Eating or drinking too much sugar containing foods.
* Lack of physical activity.
* Underactive thyroid.
Metabolism Boosters
There are some natural metabolism boosters (natural foods) that
improves your metabolism. Do not take over the counter pills containing animal
thyroid extract that claim to boost up metabolism. These products may
have side effects as diarrhea, increased heart rate, excessive
sweating, nervousness, tremors, bulging eyes, etc.
How to Improve (Speed up) Metabolism
* Do not skip any meals
* Exercise daily
* Build your muscles
* Avoid alcohol, sugar, and fastings
*Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily.
*Eat foods with high nutrition values