5-HTP User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Sno...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2015

For Anxiety "I'm taking 5-HTP with quite a few other supplements (all prescribed by a naturopathic doctor) so it's hard to say what is doing what, but I added the 5-HTP after a week on the other supplements, and it seemed to make a noticeable difference in my feeling of calm. I have been on every pharmaceutical AD out there, plus benzodiazepines, and I will tell you 5-HTP is different in a good way. If you have reached the end of the line with pharmaceuticals like I did, it's worth giving supplements a try, but I would recommend approaching it with a naturopathic doctor."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 9, 2017

For Anxiety "So far, so good as I am only on it for about 5 days at 300 mg per day. I have combined it with a multivitamin, vitamin B complex, niacin, and vitamin C. I am reducing big pharma medication to almost nil and feel better with 5-HTP. Better sleep, better days as I divide the dosages at breakfast, dinner, and before bed. Big pharma medications only mask the problem, whilst this feels so normal."

• Gez...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 18, 2015

For Anxiety "Don't start off with too high a dosage, it affected my sleep. I went from 150 mg back to 20 mg and slowly increased. After two weeks of stomach upset, it went away. I have noticed I am calmer, however, my body seems to get used to the dosage quickly, and I need to increase it. I am up to 180 mg now and again need to up the dosage. It's really worth giving this product a try before you turn to pharmaceutical medication."

• sir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2016

For Insomnia "I take 5-HTP for both insomnia and anxiety. The benzodiazepines and other meds didn't work anymore. So I've started to take 100 mg of 5-HTP at night with a bit (7.5 mg) of mirtazapine, and bang, gone for the whole night. Incredible. I was so happy after searching for a remedy for years. I've started to take some small doses of 5-HTP during the daytime (50 mg at noon), and my anxiety is down. Now I have to let go of the Ativan slowly but surely for my daily anxiety because it is now useless, so I just have to figure out the right dosage and hope to use only this and nothing else for my sleeping problem and anxiety. (Don't forget the vitamin B6 to make it work better.) So I went from a bunch of pills at night to almost nothing :-)"

• Rem...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 6, 2025

For Anxiety "I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and racing thoughts for more than two decades. I’ve been on a few different antidepressants over the years, which have helped me some, but not as much as with 5-HTP. I started about six months ago, after tapering off my prescription drug. What a difference! I take 100 mg in the morning and another in the afternoon if I feel I need it. I just order them from Amazon. Cheap and easy. And no side effects at all. Maybe a bit of appetite control, which is never a bad thing. They don’t work for everyone, but I imagine most. Life-changing for me."

• Mil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 24, 2021

For Anxiety "I take 150 mg of 5-HTP twice a day for many years. It has helped me with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Great product. It can be used as an antidepressant without giving me a foggy brain. I take Serotone by Apex Energetics, which includes 5-HTP and other good ingredients for depression, anxiety, and insomnia."

• dol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2020

For Anxiety "I'm suffering from PTSD after a car accident. Started on 5-HTP, and after the 1st week taken at night -- minimum dosage had terrifying anxiety attacks magnified way beyond the level I began with, also felt aggressive. Have used St. John's Wort for depression in the past with no issues."

• Lyl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2020

For Anxiety "I’m a 51 yo female with a long history of anxiety and depression. With menopause just around the corner, there are days my anxiety is off the charts. About 6 months ago, I started taking 100 mg daily. I was also having moderate to severe panic, heart palpitations, sweating, and severe vomiting. I didn’t make the connection to 5-HTP until I recently started taking it again. This time only 25 mg. Same symptoms but milder. I cannot be 100% sure, but I’m making the connection to this supplement. If you’re thinking of taking this supplement, I highly recommend talking to a holistic health practitioner first. Not to be dramatic, but my episodes landed me in the ED three times last year. It was quite scary."

• Big...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2020

For Anxiety "I have been suffering from PTSD and severe anxiety issues. The doctor put me on mirtazapine at 15 mg to help, which it did. Saying that I was so determined to get off this nasty antidepressant because of weight gain, even though I run 30 miles a week. So silly me, started taking 200 mg of 5-HTP for 2 days. I have ended up with really bad palpitations and anxiety because of the two 200 mg of 5-HTP and antidepressants giving me serotonin syndrome. Can someone tell me when it is safe for me to go back on my mirtazapine again and how long will it take for 5-HTP to leave my system? Day 2 after taking 5-HTP and very anxious still, shallow breathing, etc. My doctors are useless and don't even know about 5-HTP. Maybe friends from across the pond can guide me better."

• Eco...
• August 17, 2016

For Insomnia "I've struggled with sleep-onset insomnia for 15+ years. It started in my early forties when perimenopause hit. I tried 5-HTP recently, and after 2 weeks, I'm sleeping great! I take 200 mg time-release an hour before bed. I also drink milk/buttermilk before bed and gelatin mixed with hot water and juice earlier. I only take Ambien or Ativan when I still can't get to sleep, but that's unusual. Since I'm sleeping soundly again like when I was younger, my energy level is back to normal, and I feel great again! I also changed my diet to low sugar/high fiber. 5-HTP is a lifesaver to me!!!"

• Cat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2024

For Insomnia "I was not sleeping at all most nights and tried 5-HTP, and it improved my sleep significantly (now sleep 5-7 hours). I started with 100mg time release in the evening, then raised it to 100mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening. I have been on it for 3 years at this dose. I noticed my insomnia returning a few weeks ago and upped my dose, adding 100mg at lunch. It helped to relieve the insomnia once again. I have tried stopping the 5-HTP on 2 occasions over the 3-year period and within 3 days, I was back to not sleeping at all. It must be genetic as my mother has terrible sleep as well. No side effects for me other than slightly softer stools. I hope this helps someone else with insomnia."

• gbg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2018

For Anxiety "Just started and noticed the difference overnight. No more stomach churning or ulcer-like pain. Was tested for ulcer - negative. Feeling relaxed and a lot smoother. A little dry mouth and I know there's something in my system, but no overwhelming or harsh. Started with 50 mgs."

• Chr...
• December 6, 2017

For Anxiety "I've only been taking 5-HTP for a few days to see if it helps my anxiety at all, and already it definitely does seem to do something! It makes me feel very warm and relaxed, like there's a deep relaxation in my chest and stomach. These effects start within an hour of dosing."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2011

For Insomnia "It works very well with my Ambien pills, which have almost stopped working, but I can't sleep without (sounds familiar to chronic insomniacs, I guess). I fall asleep amazingly fast (faster than at any time in my life) and I sleep up to 8 hours, which I had forgotten about even on Ambien! I take only 50mg in the late afternoon with food because I have a sensitive stomach. I wish I had tried this before."

• per...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2019

For Anxiety "Combined with therapy, I can almost say for sure that 5-HTP helps me. After a really painful breakup, I was having looping suicidal thoughts (the thought of a gun going 'bang' all the time) and was in a really sordid mood overall. A week or so into taking 100 mg 3x daily, I felt I was doing better, although I didn't necessarily think 5-HTP had played a role (I'm kind of a skeptical person). I thought my improving mood was 100% due to therapy with someone who really cares. I finished my 1-month supply bottle and stopped taking it. Within a day or two, my mood mysteriously took a hard hit. Just today, I bought a new bottle. I'm pretty sure it'll help me again. I can't compare to big pharma meds because I never took them. I take this combined with Omega-3. I like the fact that there are 0 side effects for me. I'll continue taking 5-HTP, at least for a while. 5-HTP isn't especially cheap, but it's worth a try if your symptoms are really messing with your life."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2019

For Anxiety "I took one 5-HTP 100 mg capsule on 10/12/2019 at 9:45 pm, hoping to relax and get some sleep. Twenty minutes later, I was having difficulty thinking, and then I became severely dizzy, had severe numbness in my hands, arms, and face. I couldn't breathe or focus and had severe chest pain, which made it increasingly hard to focus. I barely made it to the staircase to our bedroom to call for help. I started sweating profusely and blacked out for a minute on the stairs and woke up vomiting the capsule and contents of my stomach, and started to feel better almost instantly. 911 was called, and I was taken to the ER, where I was told that I was having a severe allergic reaction to the supplement. I will never purchase another supplement again or ever try 5-HTP because I could have died. I'm a 53-year-old woman who is going through menopause, and I don't take anything other than a multivitamin daily."

• One...
• January 5, 2016

For Anxiety "Been using timed-release 200 mg for the last month and used to 400 mg daily. Slight stomach and headache issues but gone after the first week. Works very well but need to buy a quality product. I paired this with Niacinamide 1500-2000 mg, this is all medicinal level and it's working nicely with slight mood swings. My sleep is better with a higher dose, and I'm not suffering major panic attacks. I'm off Seroquel for now, and this is working for my seasonal depression, and I am bipolar 1. I would recommend a neuropath when using this, but I'm very well trained and aware of my body."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2020

For Anxiety "I took 5-HTP for the first time when I was feeling terribly depressed, but it only made me feel even worse. Tried it again, the same thing happened. How different reactions can be when it's applied to different people. :("

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 27, 2014

For Anxiety "It seemed to help a bit at first, but after taking it for almost a year, the positive effects seemed to have disappeared completely. If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, I would seriously recommend a prescription medicine. I've recently been switched to Buspar, and it works wonders and is very cheap."

• Mrs...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 15, 2017

For Anxiety "So good for short-term use. I used it for over a 2-year period, cycling it out every 4 months for 4 weeks. Took it with magnesium at bedtime and found it very helpful for reducing attacks. Also had very restful sleep with it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2019

For Anxiety "I've been taking this stuff for over a month. I'm on my second bottle. I am less irritable and less anxious. Every time I take it, about 10 minutes later I feel energetic again. I am hoping it will help me completely in another month or so. Bear in mind, it takes a while to notice improvement. Could take weeks to a month. Be patient."

• Int...
• February 19, 2017

For Anxiety "It's caused mixed reactions, often awake and cannot return to sleep. Foggy feelings during the day, with an occasional odd sense of impending doom. Anxiety that keeps me indoors... But, when I decide to go out despite odd feelings, I find myself to be strangely aggressive. It seems that I'm less tolerant of other people. For example, there is a cashier who is always rude, a real eye roller, with frequent head shaking and sighs. Well, after she rolled her eyes at me for asking for a pen, she reluctantly smacked it down on the counter. I tossed it at her after using it. Hmmm, this is odd behavior for me, I usually don't react to other people like that. So, I've decided to quit this 5-HTP for now. I could end up doing something that gets me on the news."

• Med...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2018

For Anxiety "Only started taking this for a few days. After experiencing mild anxiety and insomnia, I started with 200 mg and noticed immediate improvement with sleep and anxiety. I found a boost in concentration and therefore better memory, which helped with work and socially. 200 mg was a high dose to start off with, in which I had nausea. Some tips for people: start at 50 mg if first dose, and consume with a light carb-heavy meal, avoid caffeine if possible. I feel like that if you cycle use (i.e., 1 month on, 1 month off), it will reduce the likelihood of tolerance and dependence. I decided to not take it for a day and noticed withdrawal anxiety, it may be worth tapering off the dose instead of going cold turkey. To conclude, this is excellent for anxiety and sleep, although not for everyone."

• Don...
• January 31, 2022

For Anxiety "This stuff is seriously dangerous! I do a lot of research before I try new things, as my body is very sensitive to all supplements, drugs, vitamins, etc. I bought the Jamieson brand, which indicates the daily dose is 300 mg a day. I started with 25 mg a day and was only on it for a week until I had to stop taking it. My whole body is now in severe pain (muscles, joints). I get winded just from walking and can’t catch my breath. This is serious, it does cause Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome (EMS), and I’m 99% positive that I now have that. Be careful with this! And people with an autoimmune disorder or asthma should definitely stay away from it."

• NoN...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2017

For Anxiety "I have been taking 5-HTP for about a month now for depression and mood swings. Works on depression and moods, but over the last few days, I have been experiencing severe stomach cramps. I have not changed my diet and am still doing and taking everything as normal. The only difference is that I had added 5-HTP to my daily diet. After experiencing these stomach cramps, I decided to research these effects it was having on me. Apparently, stomach cramps are a well-known side effect of 5-HTP, so I have decided to stop taking them and try something different."