CARNITINE
GABA
GLUTAMINE
HISTIDINE
ISOLEUCINE
LEUCINE
LYSINE
METHIONINE
PHENYLALANINE
THREONINE
TRYPTOPHAN
TYROSINE
VALINE
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TRYPTOPHAN
The body uses tryptophan to help make niacin (vitamin B3) and serotonin. In order for tryptophan in the diet to be changed into niacin, there needs to be enough vitamin B-6, riboflavin, and iron in the body. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter found primarily in the brain, is thought to produce healthy sleep and a stable mood (alleviating stress) but in other parts of the body, such as blood platelets, it acts as a vasoconstrictor when you are injured and in the small intestine it stimulates smooth muscle to contract. Tryptophan helps to control hyperactivity in children and is good for migraine headaches. Good dietary sources include turkey, chicken, milk, cheese, fish, eggs, tofu, soy, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, peanuts, peanut butter. The usual recommended adult dose of L-tryptophan is 8 g to 12 g daily taken in three to four equally divided doses with meals or snacks. For best results, L-tryptophan should be taken with a low-protein, carbohydrate-rich snack or meal.
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FACTS ABOUT
AMINO ACIDS
Amino acids usually work in concert, either as a precursor for another amino acid or as a building block for something else the body needs. For example, the body can convert methionine into the amino acid cysteine, which is a precursor of glutathione. Threonine is a precursor of the amino acids glycine and serine. Ingesting the full spectrum of amino acids by eating a large variety of foods in your diet is a great first step.
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CAUTIONS
Two decades ago, it was thought that tryptophan was linked to a blood disorder, EMS, of which several hundred cases in the U.S. were reported. Subsequent investigation found that it was contaminants in one brand of supplements and not the tryptophan that caused the problem. Today, several reliable and reputable brands of 5-HTP are available.
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