5-HTP User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Dia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2022

For Anxiety "I have tried 5-HTP on a couple of occasions. The first time, it made me really tired. Almost scary tired because I couldn't get out of bed. I wasn't wild about the effects, so I stopped taking it. Then, a couple of months later, I tried it again because I was suffering from anxiety, and I had few other options. I had a really bad experience. Again, it made me really tired. I didn't like that it also made my depression worse. It altered my thinking so that I was having more negative thoughts. I had one experience where I was sleeping, and I woke up feeling like I was suffocating. It also gave me nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I think it actually also made my anxiety worse. I had one incident where I started feeling extremely anxious for no reason. I have had panic attacks before, and the feeling was similar. Overall, I have not had a positive experience with this drug."

• Ahm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2019

For Anxiety "I suffered from high-level social phobia for more than 25 years. My face became red, and I could not speak. For many years, I resisted this without medication. Since the last 5 years, I usually take Inderal 40 mg in social situations, but today I bought 5-HTP, 60 pieces, 100 mg. I opened the capsule and made it half (50 mg). I think 50 mg every day with Inderal 40 mg will work fine for me. Best regards."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2019

For Insomnia "I've been taking 5-HTP 400 mg for 2 months to try and help with insomnia and depression. But I don't feel any different at all? I don't understand it as other people have reported success, so I was hopeful for this stuff."

• reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2022

For Anxiety "BE CAREFUL! I took 5-HTP without any advice from the doctor, and it kickstarted my panic attacks journey. Of course, I had some trauma deeply rooted in my subconscious, that was the primary reason for my panic attacks, but 5-HTP unleashed all of it! I ended up having to go to a psychiatrist and went on SSRIs to fix myself. The doctor told me the dosage advised on the 5-HTP box (100-200 mg/day) was way too high for me and that messed up my brain. Just don’t take this without a doctor’s advice, please, it might do more harm!"

• Kie...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2020

"I have mild depression, with low serotonin found. I have tried four antidepressants for a decade and always had terrible side effects. I have started to take 5-HTP 75 mg once a day, and it works great! Not sure about the long term for now, but I don't feel like garbage, don't have suicidal thoughts, and don't feel irritable. When I stop, all those symptoms come back."

• Hel...
• August 19, 2020

For Anxiety "I have tried 5-HTP 100 mg and 50 mg for anxiety/alcohol withdrawal, and I have had a good experience with it. I know there are a lot of different brands of 5-HTP. I usually stick to the Natrol brand. I've tried another brand, but that one made me feel really paranoid and high anxiety, feeling not good. But after I tried the Natrol brand, it didn't make me feel wired and panicky. I think some brands are generic or they add a little extra something in those off-brand ones. I start by taking little by little too, so it won't hit so hard if I take the whole dose (like a quarter of a whole) just to see how I feel in a few minutes."

• Sty...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2020

"I went to a nutritional store for 5-HTP after doing some research on it for mild chronic depression. The nutritionist suggested 200 mg. Took it at night for a couple of nights, and my stomach woke me up. Had pains and diarrhea. Took it after breakfast two days later and ended up with severe nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, sweating, pale, and weakness. Was terrible. I am going to try the smallest dose I can get and take it on a full stomach. See what happens. Otherwise, it's not going to work for me."

• Pin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2017

For Anxiety "Took 50 mg sublingual this morning, kicked in about 30 minutes later. Had not eaten. Wanted to see how it worked. I am bipolar, GAD, and PTSD. I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Made me feel happy, but it caused me too much mania, meaning high and very anxious. Increased my talking. Did give a boost, but not great for anxiety. I have just eaten, so it would bring me down some."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2019

For Anxiety "Used generic at 100 mgs for slight depression, mild anxiety. Got skipped heartbeats, especially upon any muscular exercise, and it was becoming increasingly worse. Figured out this was the only new supplement I had started and used for 1 month. It certainly helped me into a deep sleep, but the skipped heartbeats (like 40 in one minute) scared me—so I stopped. In two days following, my heart returned to normal rhythm. Starting a different brand now at 50 mgs—will keep you posted after one month."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2022

For Anxiety "My therapist said to take this for depression, so I bought a bottle of 5-HTP 200 mg, followed instructions, took 1 pill at night. Within 30 minutes of taking this, I went really hot and had a rash on my face, arms, neck, and chest. Went into severe vomiting for hours with muscle spasms in my stomach. Horrible headache from the back of my head wrapping around, felt like I was going to have a stroke. Made it through the night, I am 12 hours on but would not recommend. Feel horrible. Think it must have been an allergic reaction."

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 3, 2022

For Anxiety "After the loss of some family members, a sudden realization of past trauma, and a prolonged period of stress at work, I started having panic attacks and rising anxiety, which I couldn’t explain, being a really logical person. With the onset of the pandemic and the surrounding stress and negativity, it resulted in more frequent spells of anxiety and worry. 5-HTP really helps me lift myself off the bottom step of extremely low periods and moments of rising panic and anxiety and helps me get more restorative sleep to enable recovery. I take 100 mg at night and 50 mg in the morning for a week after a troubling episode and reduce down to 50 / 50 and then 50, etc., and reuse if needed. It’s an absolute savior - no side effects and no embarrassment of continuous calls to the doctor, who takes days to get back in touch and only offers SSRIs."

• JCM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2022

For Anxiety "I am very sensitive to any medication and have “inverted” symptoms from some (valerian gives me nightmares). So taking 5-HTP 3 years ago for acute anxiety, I felt the effects immediately. Now I am taking it again."

• Zob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2019

For Anxiety "7 days ago, I went cold turkey off Phenibut (dangerous, beware severe withdrawals), no sleep, extreme anxiety (I also have generalized and panic attack disorder), and extremely bad depression, which I’ve never had. I came across 5-HTP, which has seemed to help with the depression and anxiety, but it’s only been 3 days. Still can’t sleep, but my brain is in a bad way due to also being an ex-painkiller addict (clean from pills for almost 5 years) and recently Phenibut. I’ve got a very high tolerance to all forms of medications, etc., and started at 100 mg, but it didn’t do anything. 300 mg seems to take the edge off, but I don’t plan on going on a higher dose or for a long period of time because these adverse effects from Phenibut withdrawals only last a few weeks."

• Ann...
• April 24, 2018

For Anxiety "I was recommended this by a close family friend who also suffers from anxiety. I took 50 mg a couple of times a week a few months ago and didn't notice a change or any negative side effects at that time. I have been feeling more anxious over the past few weeks due to hormonal imbalance/other issues, so I decided to try again one night when the anxiety was really bad just to see if it could alleviate some of it. I took 1 50 mg capsule about an hour after dinner, and for the first few hours after I took it, I actually felt noticeably less anxious. At one point, my entire body felt very peaceful and relaxed and almost had a warm feeling to it. It did not help me sleep though like some people commented, I woke up multiple times throughout the night and tossed and turned, and then around 6 AM woke up feeling nauseous, wide awake, and anxious again. I'm not sure if this is because of my hormonal imbalance issues right now or side effects from this, but not sure it's worth it to try again."

• Che...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 18, 2020

For Insomnia "I have been using 300 mg of 5-HTP at bedtime, as well as Klonopin. It works for me. I have severe insomnia due to a problem with fibromyalgia. That being said, go for it. The Klonopin alone didn't do it, but the combo cocktail does. I feel like the quality of sleep is better, also. My chemical complex is strange. I need large doses of anything to benefit."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2021

For Anxiety "When you first take 5-HTP, you should start out slow, 50 mg a day a few hours before sleep. Make sure you use a reputable brand and make sure it is enteric coated and have it with vitamin B6 and C so it can convert to serotonin. The enteric coating will help prevent the 5-HTP from converting to serotonin in the stomach, which can cause stomach upset. Up the dosage slowly until you start noticing a benefit. (Effective dosages are between 50 to 300 mg a day.) As with any supplement or medication, give it time. Give the product at least 6-8 weeks to notice a benefit. Always talk to a medical professional before taking any new supplement or medication. And never take the product with an MAOI or SSRI. You could develop serotonin syndrome. Read the article below to educate yourself on 5-HTP and the current research."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2021

For Insomnia "Was recommended to take 5-HTP because I have no problem falling asleep, but rather staying asleep. Took 100 mg and slept better (still woke up but in a much calmer way), but then the next day after taking 100 mg again, I could tell it prevented me from falling asleep and also elevated my heart rate to the point that I couldn’t sleep at all. I am going to speak to a doctor to ask whether it might work at a significantly lower dose. So many websites say 100 mg is fine and even say 200 mg is okay to start with—I wish more recommended 25 mg max to begin, especially if you’re sensitive."

• Por...
• April 17, 2017

For Anxiety "I felt great... very calm and confident. But combining 5-HTP with alcohol has caused adverse reactions. Additionally, I feel a sudden downswing sometimes and take a second dose, each dose being 50 mg. Since the supplement I take called Medulla also contains GABA, I am not sure I am doing the right thing, especially drinking up to 4 glasses of wine per night. Lately, I have poured the wine out, because I've felt odd. I am afraid that combining this with other supplements I take, plus Avapro for hypertension might eventually do harm, as the depression feels on the edge of returning and I feel agitated at times."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 30, 2020

For Anxiety "I decided to give this supplement a chance in combating anxiety and depression for perimenopausal hormone issues. I took 200 mg to start and was violently ill! Cramping, sweating, and vomiting. I probably took too much at once, but I will NEVER take it again."

• Hea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 19, 2023

For Anxiety "I have taken this supplement for over 7 years. I’m not sure if it still works as well as it used to and came here to see about raising dosages. My experience has been overall good. I am a diagnosed NPD. I have increased anxiety around anyone who does better than me in life. To put it mildly, I loathe anyone who might have some sort of leg up on me. My son-in-law is one of these people. A very confident person and can’t seem to be manipulated by anyone. I’m not kidding when I say I just absolutely can’t deal with myself when I am around him or any strong male, really. My speech is off, I have stomach knots, and inside is like a raging fire in my head. I’m working closely with a therapist to change my way of thinking and understand it’s actually me that is the problem and that I am just an insecure old man with a lack of empathy. I have noticed on days when I take a double dose of 200 mg before seeing my son-in-law, I am much more lively and actually enjoy my son-in-law."

• Abi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2019

For Anxiety "I took 2 pills about 2 hours ago. The back of the bottle said too. They are 100 mg each. I have really bad anxiety, which leads to my panic attacks. It's been happening more often than not. Anyway, I took 2 pills about 2 hours ago. Not feeling too good right now. My stomach feels yucky. I feel a little warm. Definitely not hungry, and I'm tired. I feel crappy, actually. I've never tried these before. Maybe my body is trying to adjust. I will keep taking them, but only take one a day. I really need this to work. My anxiety is getting the best of me."

• Yes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2024

For Anxiety "I have known about 5-HTP for a long time, but I was always afraid to take it because serotonin is not always the cause of all the issues, so I waited to speak to a psychiatrist who did try to prescribe SSRIs and also took Dr. Amen's Brain Health Assessment /brainhealthassessment.com/assessment (in case anyone can benefit from it), and I was like, wow. It is 5-HTP and GABA that I need. So I took 1 pill at bedtime, and I started to feel a bit different, and suddenly I had a smile on my face (bit weird), but I felt so weirdly normal. Then for the last few days, it's like my body is used to certain behaviors, but my mind is not reaching the level of anxiety that I was lately used to experiencing (for example: I would feel 120% limit, palpitation, some aches in the chest, and also the stomach whenever anything would happen that could remotely cause me an anxiety moment. Now I feel everything, but I only feel 20-40% of what I would typically feel. Now I feel normal nervousness. It's a miracle!"

• Gir...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2022

For Anxiety "Started 5-HTP for very debilitating anxiety almost 10 months ago. I started at 100 mg and went up to 300 mg within a couple of weeks. However, within a week, I felt a difference. The anxiety was slightly reduced, but the main effect was I was more motivated, enthusiastic, and had a spring in my step. So much happier (and slightly more resilient to anxiety)! I thought that this drug would be a miracle for people with depression rather than anxiety. Unfortunately, this wonderful effect disappeared a couple of months later. My conclusion is that it may not be suited for long-term anxiety or depression, but if you are going through a rough patch, it may give you the leg up you need during those few weeks. I will now switch to something else. Only side effect was minor headaches for a couple of days when I started or upped the dose."

• Hea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2023

For Insomnia "Well, I’ve struggled with insomnia (2-4 hours of sleep per night) for a year following a major life transition. No medication could help, but I noticed CBT was of some use. I saw a holistic doctor who recommended 5-HTP, and I noticed it has helped me dream more, fall deeper into sleep, and feel generally more at peace. Funny thing is, I had tried taking 5-HTP in the past, and had it help somewhat, but nothing extraordinary. I inquired about this and was told that 5-HTP supplementation isn't always high quality. I recommend seeking out a holistic doctor and taking 5-HTP of higher quality. Mine also has 100 percent vitamin C and glycine in it. The difference is significant."

• Den...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2019

For Anxiety "Took 5-HTP for the 1st time in like a year. Took 400 mg along with a probiotic, and about an hour later got a nasty stomachache along with nausea and feeling like I would throw up. Think it was a combination of too much at once along with an empty stomach. So I'm going to try a smaller dose along with eating before."