Brand: Now
Label: NOW
Manufacturer: NOW
Publisher: NOW
Studio: NOW

Customer Rating:
Summary: Felt Like Gallstones
Comment: Initially, this product provided me with very vivid dreams and seemed to help with my social anxiety. But it also made me feel sick every time I took it, just low grade nausea at first that I assumed was due to something else. After the first week of taking 5-HTP, I started to feel like my gallstones were somehow back (despite having my gallbladder removed last year) -- sharp pains in my chest, a powerful urge to vomit, and a difficult time breathing. Needless to say, as soon as I stopped taking the 5-HTP I was suddenly better. I tried taking it again just to be sure, and yes, it was definitely the 5-HTP making me sick. But it seems to work great for everyone else, so perhaps I'm just weird.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Another must have for FMS
Comment: This is another supplement that I have taken for several years. I find that it is more helpful and has less side effects than RX anti-depressants that I have tried for my Fibromyalgia. Again, I am very pleased with Allstar Health, their pricing and excellent service. NOW products are the best, at least they have been for me. In this product, I especially like the VCaps because they are easy to swallow. Recently, I found out about a Dr. Daniel Amen and his research on the brain. That may be old news to some. He has several books out. This is one of the products that he highly recommends for many of the symptoms that FMS sufferers experience.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Finally! Cost-effectove 5-HTP!
Comment: I take 5-HTP as a natural mood booster and I was pleased to find a reputable brand, in a 120 cap quantity, 100mg dose and veggie caps at such a reasonable price! I used to have to buy my 5-HTP retail, in smaller bottles and it was expensive. I am happy with this find and will buy this product again.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good for insomnia
Comment: I ended up trying 5-HTP originally because it was one of the few OTC products that has any good testing done on it in medical publications, and has shown a statistically significant effects on sleep. To me it seems to help best when feeling mentally restless, but not help at all if I just feel uncomfortable lying down. One thing I've noticed is that it takes a long time to make me drowsy, usually a couple hours, so I have to plan to take them. The best thing about 5-HTP compared to about any other sleep medication is that it seems to have no drowsiness the next morning.

One last thing, not to attack other reviewers, but melatonin is only used for very specific types of insomnia(That occur because of melatonin deficiencies). There have been alot of studies on it(Check PubMed), and found it has no effect on general insomnia, but incredibly significant effects on the elderly and other groups with melatonin deficiencies.

One slight warning about 5-HTP is it does seem to cause very lucid dreaming, not really a bad thing but something to be aware of.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: 5-HTP and Melatonin ought to be talked about together.
Comment: 5-HTP

5-HTP and Melatonin ought to be talked about together. First, let me say that I am not a medical doctor and I don't play one on TV. I have read a great deal about this subject, however.

5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin and can transfer across the blood brain barrier easily. Melatonin is a downstream product of Seratonin, i.e it is made from Seratonin. So, if you take 5-HTP and Melatonin together, it's like filling up a bucket by pouring water into it and patching a leak in it at the same time.

You'll sleep better and if you are mildly depressed it will help. If you are more than mildly depressed you might want to go to a medical doctor and have your thyroid checked out for hypothyroidism.

It takes about a week for the 5-HTP to build up in your body,if you're not better after 5-7 days you might want to increase the dosage.

Melatonin is best taken sublingually,put it under your tongue and let it melt so that it is absorbed through the mouth.

Gunner April,2007

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