How to Decide On How Much 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) and L-Tyrosine to Take In Mild Depression? (Edited: 1/15/17)

The question posed: “I am taking 5-HTP and L-Tyrosine supplements for mild depression and have been doing some research. I have read that a 10:1 ration (L-tyrosine to 5-HTP) is recommended so that no neurotransmitter is depleted. What are your thoughts? How about a 5:1 ratio? I know everyone is different but how would you recommend starting out and adjusting dosage?”

My answer: (run the following by your doctor first before applying) 

I don’t agree with tying these two building blocks together in a ratio as posed because of the following: each one is involved in the production of different neurotransmitters, and everyone has a different magnitude of symptoms of depression which is commensurate with the neurotransmitter that is deficient. Therefore the symptoms and the response thereby to ingesting these precursors can be your guide on how much to take in the beginning and thereafter tailor accordingly.

If the exhibited symptoms include headache, poor sleep, inexplicable body pains, and/or memory issues then the anticipated deficiency is more in line with serotonin deficiency. Hence I would think 5-HTP is going to be needed for sure. I would start with a dose of 50 mg nightly after the evening meal and escalate a week later to 100 mg nightly and hold there for at least one month to see if the symptoms described here improve. It takes time to build up the amino acid pools in the body. This is assuming the 5-HTP is good quality and pure. If nausea arises, or if you become jittery, sweaty or get a rapid heart rate 30-60 minutes after (Edited: 1/15/17) intake of the 5-HTP in spite of taking it after a regular sized meal then you may be taking too much.

If the exhibited symptoms include sugar and starch craving, fatigue, preponderance of gloom, poor stamina, feeling cold more than normal people around you then the anticipated deficiency would be more in the adrenaline, and noradrenaline (neurotransmitter) arena. In this setting the tyrosine will be essential to production of the forementioned, as it is the precursor to both. As such I would go with a starting dose of 100 mg daily with a meal. This may be upped 100 mg every three days to a maximum of 1000 mg daily depending on side effects and therapeutic response. Once you get improvement then I would hold at that dose for 6 to 9 months then start weaning off over the following 3 months. I started low on the tyrosine as some patients may be deficient in this amino acid and on taking it in a large dose may result in hypotension, and or dizziness secondary to a higher production of adrenaline in a more than used to fashion. The body should be able to adjust to this over the following weeks, and if not I would do the escalation even more slowly.

Note: to produce neurotransmitters from precursors like you are targeting, there must be available certain vitamins which are part of certain enzymes and co-enzymes necessary for this production. Specifically I will mention vitamin C for production of serotonin and noradrenaline. Also copper and iron for production of noradrenaline. The amount I recommend is vitamin C 250 mg daily, copper 2 mg daily and iron 8-15 mg daily, or even better getting the equivalents in food (tomatoes, peanuts, red meat) (Edited: 1/15/17). The last two may be found in many multivitamin preparations. I would also recommend taking the multivitamin after the main meal of the day to enhance their absorption and decrease the possibility of nausea.

Note: do not take above supplements with anti-depressants.