5-HTP Griffonia Seed
What’s 5-HTP Good For?
Want to know how our star sleep ingredient can benefit you through supplement use? You’ll find all the answers here!
How Does 5-HTP Make You Happy?
Also known as L-5 hydroxytryptophan, this amino acid is found naturally in the body. It is involved in creating serotonin, the happy hormone. By increasing the amount of 5-HTP in your body, you can also increase your serotonin levels (1), making this a powerful ingredient in depression and anxiety medication.
When the body makes serotonin, it uses amino acids like 5-HTP to convert tryptophan to the much-loved happy hormone. This tells your brain that all is good in the world.
How Does 5-HTP Help You Sleep?
It is also great for helping you get a good night’s sleep. A study by Ki-Bae Hong et al. (2) showed that 5-HTP positively affects sleep quality. When you close your eyes for an extended period, serotonin is converted to melatonin in the pineal gland.
Melatonin is your key to a good night’s sleep. It regulates your sleep-wake cycle so that you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up when you are properly rested. It is also scientifically proven to help with sleep disorders such as sleepwalking and night terrors (3). If you don’t have enough melatonin, your sleep will be low quality.
Where Can You Find 5-HTP?
This amino acid cannot be found in any food sources. You can get tryptophan from seeds, poultry, pumpkins, milk, and seaweed, and this nutrient then helps to make 5-HTP. You can also find it in supplement form, which offers an easier and quicker way to get it into your body. Supplements are usually made from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia Simplicifolia.