What L-5-HTP Is
5-HTP is 5-hydroxytryptophan, the intermediate your body makes from the amino acid tryptophan on the way to serotonin and then melatonin. Remedy's L-5-HTP supplies 100 mg per vegan capsule, with 30 capsules per bottle, from Griffonia simplicifolia seed.
Producing 5-HTP from tryptophan is the rate-limiting step in that chain, which is the whole pharmacological argument for taking it directly.
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100 mg per capsule: The exact daily dose used in the 2024 sleep trial.
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30 capsules: A defined 30-day test rather than an open habit.
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Source: Griffonia simplicifolia seed, the standard commercial source.
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The chain: Tryptophan, 5-HTP, serotonin, melatonin.
The full claim map is in our 5-HTP overview.[1]5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): Natural Occurrence, Analysis, Biosynthesis, Biotechnology, Physiology and Toxicology — International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020) View source
Supplement Facts
Serving size: 1 Vegan Capsule. Servings per container: 30.
| Amount Per Serving |
Amount |
% Daily Value |
| L-5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan, from Griffonia simplicifolia seed) |
100 mg |
* |
* Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: Cellulose, Glycerin, Water (vegan capsule)
Directions: One capsule daily, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.
Non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, no additives, no preservatives. Handmade in Key Largo, Florida, USA.
What the Evidence Actually Shows
We would rather state the size of the evidence base than describe it as robust, because the size is the story.
| What the Cochrane review did |
Result |
| Trials located by the search |
108 |
| Trials of sufficient quality to include |
2 |
| Total patients in those 2 trials |
64 |
| Peto odds ratio versus placebo |
4.10, 95% CI 1.28 to 13.15 |
| Reviewers' verdict |
Insufficient quality to be conclusive |
The pooled result favoured 5-HTP and tryptophan, and the reviewers said plainly that few of the many studies were reliable enough to use.[2]Tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2002) View source A later 8-week randomized trial reported nearly equal HAM-D reductions for l-5-HTP and fluoxetine in 60 completers, and it had no placebo arm, which is why it cannot establish that either beat placebo.[3]Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in patients presenting with first depressive episode — Asian Journal of Psychiatry (2013) View source The detail is in 5-HTP for anxiety and mood.
Sleep: The Most Recent Trial
The cleanest 5-HTP-only human trial used exactly the amount in this capsule.
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Design: 12-week randomized trial, single-blinded.
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People: 30 older adults, average age 66.
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Dose: 100 mg of 5-HTP daily.
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Result: Poor sleepers improved; good sleepers did not.
Serum serotonin rose, and the control arm simply did not consume rather than taking a placebo, which is a real limitation to hold alongside the result.[4]The impact of 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation on sleep quality and gut microbiota composition in older adults: A randomized controlled trial — Clinical Nutrition (2024) View source The full picture is in 5-HTP for sleep.
Interactions: Read This Before the Dose
This is the part of 5-HTP that can become an emergency, and it belongs above every benefit claim.
| Class or drug |
Examples |
Why it matters |
| SSRIs |
Sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram |
Already raise serotonin |
| SNRIs |
Venlafaxine, duloxetine |
Same mechanism |
| MAOIs |
Phenelzine, selegiline |
Highest risk of the group |
| Tricyclics |
Amitriptyline, clomipramine |
Serotonergic activity |
| Triptans |
Sumatriptan and relatives |
Migraine drugs acting on serotonin |
| Tramadol |
Tramadol |
Serotonergic as well as opioid |
| Linezolid |
Linezolid |
An antibiotic with MAOI-like activity |
| St John's wort |
Herbal preparations |
Herbal does not mean neutral |
Combining any of these with a serotonin precursor risks serotonin syndrome. Agitation or confusion, fast heartbeat and sweating, tremor or muscle rigidity, and a high temperature are emergency signs rather than side effects to wait out. The full list is in side effects and drug interactions.
How to Use It
There is no established dose, so the honest approach is to name what the trials used.
| Question |
Practical answer |
| How much |
1 capsule of 100 mg daily, as in the 2024 trial |
| When |
Evening for sleep; 1 consistent time either way |
| With food |
Reduces nausea for many people |
| How long before judging |
At least 4 weeks; the positive trial ran 12 |
| If nothing changes |
Stop, rather than doubling the amount |
A 30-capsule bottle is exactly a 30-day test at that dose. Amounts across all the trials are compared in dosage and timing.
Where It Sits Against Melatonin and L-Tryptophan
These are consecutive steps in one chain rather than three competing products.
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L-tryptophan: The amino acid at the start, before the bottleneck.
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5-HTP: The intermediate, past the rate-limiting step.
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Melatonin: The end product, acting on sleep timing in about 1 hour.
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Head-to-head trials: 0 of them exist.
The comparison is worked through in 5-HTP vs melatonin and L-tryptophan.
Claims We Do Not Make
Four things are said about 5-HTP that we will not repeat on this page.
| Common claim |
What the evidence actually is |
| A natural antidepressant |
Cochrane: 2 usable trials, 64 patients, not conclusive |
| A safe alternative to an SSRI |
No evidence supports switching, and the risk is real |
| Causes weight loss |
The satiety trial used a sublingual spray 5 times a day |
| It was banned |
L-tryptophan was withdrawn in 1989, not 5-HTP |
The satiety study ran in 27 overweight women using plant extracts delivered under the tongue, not swallowed capsules.[5]Satiety and amino-acid profile in overweight women after a new treatment using a natural plant extract sublingual spray formulation — International Journal of Obesity (2009) View source The withdrawal history is unpicked in was 5-HTP ever banned.
Why Choose Remedy's L-5-HTP
One ingredient, a stated amount, and no clinical claims attached to a mental-health topic.
| What you get |
Why it matters |
| 100 mg L-5-HTP per vegan capsule |
The exact dose used in the most recent human trial |
| Single ingredient |
Any effect or reaction is traceable to 1 thing |
| Griffonia simplicifolia source |
The standard commercial source, stated on the label |
| 30 capsules |
A defined 30-day trial rather than an open habit |
| Named interactions |
All 8 drug classes stated, not buried |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does taking 5-HTP do for you? +
It supplies the intermediate your body converts to serotonin. In a 2024 trial of 30 older adults at 100 mg daily, poor sleepers improved their sleep score while good sleepers did not.
Is 5-HTP a natural antidepressant? +
No. A Cochrane review located 108 trials, found 2 of sufficient quality covering 64 patients, and called the evidence insufficient to be conclusive.
What should you not mix 5-HTP with? +
SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics, triptans, tramadol, linezolid and St John's wort. Those 8 categories cover almost all of the real risk.
Is it safe to take 5-HTP every day? +
The trials used it daily for 4 and 12 weeks. What matters far more than duration is whether you take any of the 8 interacting drug classes.
How much 5-HTP should I take? +
There is no established dose. The most recent trial used 100 mg daily, which is 1 of these capsules; a Parkinson's crossover trial used 50 mg.
When is the best time to take 5-HTP? +
The 2024 trial specified daily use without fixing an hour. For sleep, evening is the usual choice, and 1 consistent time matters more than which one.
How long does it take for 5-HTP to kick in? +
The trial that found an effect ran 12 weeks with checks every 4. There is no reliable 1-day answer, and 4 weeks is the sensible minimum test.
Does 5-HTP help with weight loss? +
The satiety trial people cite used a sublingual spray five times a day in 27 women, not a capsule. It is not evidence for this product.
Why is 5-HTP banned? +
It is not. L-tryptophan was withdrawn as a supplement in 1989 after an outbreak traced to contaminated material from a single manufacturer, and the 2 get confused.
What is a major side effect of 5-HTP? +
Nausea is the most common, and it tends to track the dose. Taking the 1 capsule with food helps many people.
Which is better for sleep, melatonin or 5-HTP? +
Melatonin has far more human evidence and acts in about 1 hour. 5-HTP sits 2 conversions upstream and was studied over 4 to 12 weeks.
How long does 1 bottle last? +
Thirty capsules is 30 days at 1 daily, which is a complete short trial. The positive sleep study ran 12 weeks in total.
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