5 htp and tsh

Question

I recently went on the HCG 500 calorie diet. At the same time I took 5 HTP. My TSH went very low (.04) and my T3 and T4 were high also. I went off of the HCG thinking that was the problem but it sounds like the problem might have been the 5 HTP.

This discussion is related to 5HTP and TSH.

kenyya · Answer

I was taking 5-HTP a month prior to and a month after my hysterectomy. I started having the tachycardia too and went to my doctors to get blood tests done. It revealed a very low TSH (0.41) and higher levels of T3/T4. My doctor suggested that I have "symptoms" of hyperthyroidism. Thanks to your comments, I now know that 5-HTP may be the culprit! I will check into this possibility further. Thanks so much!

Agatha1017 · Answer

With professional consultation, I decided to phase out my use of  20 mg/day of Celexa (an SSRI antidepressant).  When I stopped the Celexa, I started taking 5-HTP, first 50 mg., and then 100 mg. which also increased serotonin by a different mechanism.  For a period of one week, I mistakenly took the 20 mg. of Celexa in addition to the 5-HTP.  I had digestive cramps and pain, and an elevated pulse.  When I realized my mistake, I immediately stopped both the Celexa and the 5-HTP, fearing serotonin syndrome.  My digestive problems cleared completely, but tachycardia continued and got worse.  After a very difficult week of this, blood tests revealed that my TSH was extremely low (.01), and my T4 was very high, indicating hyperthyroidism. A google revealed that two commenters on this website wrote that their TSH levels dropped after they took 5-HTP.  My comment here is the third reporting of TSH dropping after taking 5-HTP.  Please look into this possible connection, because there is no such warning given about 5-HTP.