L-TRYPTOPHAN

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, used by the brain to produce serotonin, a necessary neurotransmitter sending nerve impulses from cell to cell and is responsible for normal sleep.  Tryptophan also helps combat depression and insomnia and to stabilize moods.  It helps to control hyperactivity in children, alleviates stress, benefits the heart, aids in weight control as an appetite suppressant, and enhances the release of growth hormone.  B-6 (pyridoxine) is necessary for the formation of tryptophan, which is required for the formation of serotonin.  A lack of tryptophan and magnesium may contribute to coronary artery spasms or irregular heart beats, supplementation can conceivably reduce heart attacks.  

L-tryptophan does not work by drugging or depressing the central nervous system, L-tryptophan simply returns normal function by being available for the body to use what is needed.  Although tryptophan is found in foods, such as brown rice, cottage cheese, turkey, peanuts, and soy protein, the best way is supplementation since this is the only way to cross the blood brain barrier for absorption in any noticeable amount. High protein meals can depress the  brain levels of L-tryptophan since they compete with various other amino acids for uptake.

The body will use some tryptophan to make the B-vitamin, niacin (B3), if a person is niacin deficient.  Therefore one should take a good B-complex or multi vitamin, the inositol in the B-complex also helps with anti-anxiety and sleep normalizing properties, the B-6 will prevent undesirable degradation of excreted tryptophan.

This amino acid is no longer available to be sold unless by prescription, it resulted in causing a linking of L-tryptophan to a blood disorder called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), at least on death was reported as being attributed to the outbreak.  After recalling all the L-tryptophan supplements, the subsequent research revealed it was not the L-tryptophan, but was a contaminate in the supplement that was responsible for the problem, but L-tryptophan is sill banned, but its nice to know Valium is still available, I wonder if money lost from drug companies had anything to do with it?  We will never know, or do we know already?