Tryptophan, the supplement that promises to make you happier but only makes you poorer

“Are you sad? Don’t get upset.” This is, if possible, one of the most unfortunate pieces of advice in history. And this is for two reasons. On the one hand, because if someone has something serious, like depressionYou cannot choose whether to be sad or not, and such advice only makes you feel worse. On the other hand, because sometimes sadness is a natural and temporary feeling that cannot be chosen either. However, we insist on finding all sorts of tricks to avoid or at least mask this situation. There is everything, but one of the most fashionable means is to use tryptophan supplements.

The boat soon seems like a good idea. it amino acid which acts as a precursor serotoninbetter known as happiness hormone. In essence, we can say that we give the body the bricks to build our own emotional well-being. But not everything is as simple as it should be.

There are several reasons why tryptophan supplementation is not a good idea. Let’s start with maybe we’re trying to end temporary and normal feeling. Secondly, because if this is indeed a situation in which we must seek a solution, taking this amino acid can be counterproductive. But first of all, because it’s not even a fact that it will work.

essential amino acid

Before we know what tryptophan supplements are for, we need to be clear about what tryptophan is.

This is about amino acid. That is one of 20 different types of building blocks used to make proteins. It is part of a group of 9 amino acids known as essentials, which cannot be produced by the body, so we must acquire them exogenously. The most normal is to get it through the diet, through foods such as eggs, chicken, dairy, nuts, bananas, or oatmeal.

These are fairly commonly consumed foods, so usually any healthy person consumes a sufficient amount of tryptophan. This is an important point to which we will return later. But what exactly is this amino acid for?

Basically, in addition to intervening in production various proteinsis also serotonin precursor. That is, it transforms to give rise to this hormone, so without it we would never be able to get it.

For this reason, tryptophan supplements have been studied as an adjunct to depression treatment. Or just as a little help to cheer yourself up in difficult times. It seems simple, but it’s not.

Tryptophan Supplement Loopholes

The first big problem with tryptophan supplements is that the ads sell them as something you need to every day we wake up a little ready. However, these are normal feelings and usually don’t need anyone’s help. More than anything, because perhaps with the diet we already stocked up on tryptophan.

But it’s true that there are people whose sadness is part of depressive picture what should be treated. Two aspects come into play here, which can also be combined: psychotherapy or psychoactive drugs. There is some dilemma as to when the latter become necessary, as there is increasing evidence that depression is something multifactorial. It’s not just a matter of serotonin imbalance, and as such, it can’t be solved with something as simple as serotonin reuptake. For this reason, many specialists believe that, being something more behavioral than chemical, it is easier to solve with cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.

Now, maybe a little help in the form tryptophan supplements? There are several studies in this direction, and most of them conclude that the evidence is not enough. Reviews of the scientific literature show that the majority of studies lack adequate design or methodology, and the few that do not lead to strong conclusions.

In addition, if we consider that it complements drug therapy instead of psychotherapy, we may run into a problem, since what is known as serotonin syndrome. This is a condition that occurs when there is an excessive release of serotonin. Symptoms can range from mild to very severe, and even death is possible. Therefore, if you are taking psychoactive drugs, tryptophan supplements should never be taken without consulting a specialist.

So what is left for us? Do they work or not?

Tryptophan is not only used as a precursor to serotonin. It is also used to obtain other substances such as the vitamin niacin or the hormone melatoninwhich helps us sleep at night.

Therefore, we cannot be sure that this additional tryptophan will be used to create what we are interested in. In addition, once in our body, it must compete with other amino acids which use the same transporter to start the process that ends with the synthesis of serotonin.

In case he manages to join this transporter, he will also need intervention tryptophan hydroxylasewhich is the enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the reaction getting serotonin. That is, it is like a tool without which the procedure cannot be carried out. The problem is that this remedy can be inhibited by factors such as stress or certain vitamin deficiencies. Therefore, if we are under stress, no matter how many tryptophan supplements we take, we will not be able to get the desired serotonin.

For all this if we meet sad or apatheticBefore resorting to tryptophan supplements, it is much more useful to consult with a specialist, such as our family doctor or, more precisely, a psychologist or psychiatrist. Only they can help us find what is best for us, as it is not at all clear that an extra supply of this amino acid is among these needs. What is certain about taking tryptophan supplements is that they will make us a little poorer. And this is also a reason for sadness.