How Does 5-HTP Work to Suppress Appetite?

How Does 5-HTP Work to Suppress Appetite? (0:41)

5-HTP works to suppress appetite in that it gets converted into serotonin in the body, which promotes feelings of satiety sooner, helping you eat less. In this video, rheumatologist Natalie Azar, MD, explains how 5-HTP can affect your appetite.

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The way that 5-HTP is thought to suppress appetite again is through the action of the neurotransmitter serotonin, 5-HTP is broken down by the body into serotonin and we know that serotonin can have that effect of making you feel a little bit fuller so we call that feel an earlier sense of satiety or feeling full and decrease in your appetite.

Although 5-HTP can be used to treat depression and anxiety, it separately has an appetite, suppressant effect. So, your doctor may suggest it for some weight loss benefit, and it may just be an added bonus in terms of it's a to a mood or anxienty levels.