Manic Depression And 5 Htp 51207
5-HTP. If you haven't heard of it, you're not alone. But if you're plagued with manic depression, you may want to investigate how this supplement may help you relieve the symptoms of a depressive episode.
5-HTP is shorthand for the natural compound 5-Hydroxtryptophan. It's produced in your body from the amino acid tryptophan. It's also the precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone melatonin.
Now that we have the technical jargon out of the way, let's see how it can help you with your manic depression. Supplements of 5-HTP are becoming increasingly popular as an aid to relieving the depressive episodes related to manic depression. It's believed that even in a tablet or pill form that this substance can help increase your body's production of serotonin levels. Serotonin can be called your body's natural antidepressants.
Several studies have been conducted on this supplement recently that indicate it may help those individuals who suffer with manic depression. A six week clinical trial provided individuals with either 100 mg of 5-HTP three times a day or an antidepressant, more specifically fluvoxamine. The dose of the antidepressant was 50 mg three times daily.
The natural supplement 5-HTP was found to be every bit as effective as the antidepressant, plus it had the added benefit of having fewer adverse side effects.
According to some health experts, this supplement may help because lowered serotonin levels are increasingly growing more common due to lifestyle and dietary practices of today's society. We simply use more and as a consequence need more.
As a person who suffers from manic depression, this may help alleviate some of the symptoms of your depressive episode of manic depression.
If you suffer from manic depression, you should never discontinue using your prescription medications without the consent and knowledge of your prescribing physician. Before taking this supplement, or any other natural supplement, you should also check with your health care providers who can give you more information on this particular product.
Manic depression is more commonly called bipolar depression. The primary symptoms of this mental illness is the oftentimes severe mood swings from depression to mania, which is characterized by an inappropriate and exaggerated sense of well being. The mania episodes, moreover, are also characterized frequently by reckless behavior, including promiscuity and binge spending.
