LearnSkin

Overview

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is necessary for making proteins. It is naturally found in red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy.

L-tryptophan is important for many organs in the body. L-tryptophan is not made by the body and must be consumed from the diet. After absorbing L-tryptophan from food, the body converts some of it to 5-HTP and then to serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that transmits signals between nerve cells. Changes in serotonin levels in the brain can affect mood.

People use L-tryptophan for severe PMS symptoms, depression, insomnia, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.


NatMed disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. Except for any possible exceptions written into your License Agreement, no reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. Unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.

For the latest comprehensive data on this and every other natural medicine, health professionals should consult the Professional Version of NatMed. It is fully referenced and updated daily.

© Copyright 1995-2019. Therapeutic Research Center LLC, publishers of NatMed, Prescriber's Letter, and Pharmacist's Letter. All rights reserved.
LearnSkin Logo
All material on this website is protected by copyright. Copyright © LearnHealth Inc. 2025.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
ABOUT
LEGAL
SUBSCRIBE
To Get Posts Directly In Your Inbox!