Is tryptophan good for us?

[Aerose91]

Buhner recommends it in his lyme book as well as Dr McBride in the GAPS book. I have taken it plenty of times in the past and been fine but tonight I took some (haven't in a while) cuz I e been sleeping poorly and I'm having uncommon anxiety along with more blunted effect in emotions. Not sure if its tryptophan related or not, I also spent more energy than normal today but that doesn't usually make me feel like this. Do people here take it? Isn't it low in M.E. people?

FWIW. I looked and my IDO1 has no SNP's. Thats good, right? I saw a few mentions of that in relation to tryptophan.

 

[Judee]

I'm not sure but I know that it sets off my IBS horribly. Kurt (another PR member) also has been trying to lower his levels and says he is improving as a result. (You can find a series of his blogs in the blog link at the top of the page where he talks about this.)

Other PWME may have a different perspective.

 

[Aerose91]

Lower his levels of tryptophan?

 

[Judee]

Yeah, he starts to talk about it here: https://forums.phoenixrising.me/blo...complex-fungal-intolerance-introduction.2668/

 

[Aerose91]

I'm really worried I may have done some damage with taking this, although I did expend more energy today than normal. I'm not sure what it is. If the tryptophan screwed my brain up and caused this weird crash, it will bounce back, right?

 

[Not_ME]

I take tryptophan without any noticeable issues. It not only affects the neurotransmitters it can also be converted into vitamin b3. I also take Vit B3. Some people seem to also have problems with B3 as well.

What suits one person will often not suit another.

 

[Pearshaped]

I used 5-HTP several times and felt worse every time.It took me a while to realise that its obviously just not for me.
I did not try tryptophan though.
I became jittery, very nervous and had palpitations.
Does the Metabolc trap theory suggest we benefit from tryptophan?

 

[Aerose91]

I'm not sure if this is the tryptophan but it could be. Very unsettled, anxious and emotional blunting. @Pearshaped how long did it take you to recover from that?

 

[Pearshaped]

it took me usually a day,sometimes two.
Maybe its the tryptophan AND the PEM since you said you were more active as usual.
I hope you recover soon.

 

[Aerose91]

Thank you. This is pretty significant so I'm a little worried. I didnt sleep last night though so maybe I didnt get a chance to heal. I just heard about this tryptophan thing though so it has made me a little nervous

 

[andyguitar]

If the tryptophan screwed my brain up and caused this weird crash, it will bounce back, right?

Yes.

Does the Metabolc trap theory suggest we benefit from tryptophan?

No.

 

[Aerose91]

Yes.

No.

Thanks, @andyguitar. I'm not sure if the tryptophan or energy expenditure is what did this but if it is, is this a long term recovery? Or possibly a few days like PEM? Does anyone know that?

 

[andyguitar]

I only know one person who took it. They had a severe headach for a few days. I thought it was caused by the tryptophan. They thought not. So they took it again. Got a hemiplegic migraine. Their GP put it down to the tryptophan. Not had it scince!! Recovered ok but a bit of a fright.

 

[Aerose91]

Yah definitely. Its weird since I've taken it many times before and no problems. My brain is so severely affected by everything I do. Never effects me physically, always psychological

 

[kangaSue]

Tryptophan could be good if you also have IBS;
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/tryptophan-as-an-ibs-gut-treatment.79363/

 

[Aerose91]

Can someone explain the tryptophan metabolic trap theory? I understand how repressible operons work, I just dont know what the connection is to M.E. Is it that dangerous?