Can tryptophan suplementatnion be effective?

[matthewmate]

Can tryptophan suplementatnion be effective as ssri drugs?

[Paxiled]

Generally, taking tryptophan is not very effective as it doesn't cross the blood/brain barrier very well when taken as a supplement.  But taking 5-HTP, a metabolite of tryptophan, has been shown to be effective in many people.  But it will never be as strong as a drug, as anything that occurs in nature is used as it's supposed to be while drugs are engineered with the theory we can improve on nature.  Usually, a professional who practices natural medicine would probably use a combination of remedies, not just 5-HTP, and would also encourage you to improve your lifestyle -- diet, exercise, therapy, meditation, etc.  But if you're not on medication, why not try it?  You can find 5-HTP in any good health food store.  There's a book, it's pretty old now, by Michael Murray I think, a naturopath, about 5-HTP and studies that have been done on it and clinical stories about using it.  It's short.  

[Paxiled]

And don't take it if you're on an antidepressant already.